ATM Intercooler Issue

e90Noobie · 09-18-2024, 11:11 PM

Does anyone have any experience with installing the ATM intercooler? I am having an issue getting the hot side aluminum adapter installed fully onto the turbo. I cannot get the adapter to go any further than it currently is. By tomorrow the loctite will have been cured. I am pretty worried as I don't really know where to go from here. How would I even get the adapter off? Am I over reacting and it's on enough? I'm working on the car using ramps and laying on my back so I can only get so much force at a weird angle to hit the adapter onto the turbo.

Nadir Point · 09-19-2024, 11:39 PM

Dunno if that's a strictly ATM issue and I have no experience with that, but it's not making that much pressure. I wouldn't worry about it until something goes wrong. All it'll do if that happens is go slow, sound funny and throw codes.

krashDH · 09-20-2024, 11:33 AM

That green loctite is going to seal fine, I wouldn't worry about it. It's designed so you don't have to (or want to) remove that adapter...just the t clamp and hose.

If you absolutely have to remove that adapter for something in the future, heat is the only thing that will allow the green loctite to liquify and you'd likely have to tap it off.

lnxguy · 09-20-2024, 12:05 PM

You'll be fine.

335dlci · 09-25-2024, 08:12 PM

You can remove it with some heat and pliers. But use a mallet to tap it on more.

moz335d · 09-25-2024, 10:30 PM

Just make sure its tapped on there as good as you can, looks like you have a 1/4" before its fully seated that should be fine.

Also make sure the silicone hose doesn't touch the frame horn and you'll be alright.

Its important to really clean the mating surface well, any burrs from the oring / OE charge pipe coupler could be why its not going further.

e90Noobie · 10-02-2024, 09:15 PM

I was never actually able to get the adapter on any further. It is cock eyed so the side that you can't see has more of a "gap". I've decided to just send it and install the rest of the intercooler but I'm stuck trying to get the actual intercooler fully into the car. Something seems to be resisting the passenger side of the intercooler but I can't figure out what it is. I have removed a lot of plastic material so it shouldn't be hitting any more plastic. the Driver side seems to slide all the way up fine. One thing that I'm worried about is getting the bottom cover of the engine back on. It seems like this intercooler hangs lower than the stock one.

maryjane · 10-03-2024, 09:13 AM

Its been a while....but i dont remember having to trim much to get the ATM to fit. You might have another issue.

lnxguy · 10-03-2024, 11:46 AM

Fitting the ATM doesn't require a bunch of trimming. A tiny bit but nothing crazy..

e90Noobie · 10-03-2024, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lnxguy

Fitting the ATM doesn't require a bunch of trimming. A tiny bit but nothing crazy..

Hmmm, yeah I'm confused how some people say that they didn't have to trim at all and some people say there was no way to fit it without trimming. I trimmed ahead of time just in case but I didn't go crazy with it.

At about a finger's width between the mounting point on the car and the intercooler mount the entire passenger side of the cooler gets jammed up on something and I cannot get it to move any further without fear of breaking something on the car. It doesn't help that I can see shit once it's that far installed. I'm going to try again with a fresh mind and see if I can't see what's going on. It's very close to fitting though so I'm extra frustrated lol.

maryjane · 10-03-2024, 08:58 PM

Where are you located? maybe one of us could help?

e90Noobie · 10-03-2024, 09:29 PM

Wow so I tried fitting the cooler without the turbo side hose and it fit perfectly. This means I just needed to fully seat the hose onto the cooler so that it wasn't fighting me. I feel so stupid but at the same time super excited because now it's installed on the car!

Nadir Point · 10-11-2024, 11:03 PM

I been wondering WTF I'm doing wrong my entire freakin' life.

e90Noobie · 10-18-2024, 11:35 PM

Well I finally got the intercooler installed tonight as well as the ASV elbow. Took the car for a test drive and it's now making a crazy loud whining noise when I give it a decent amount of throttle aka boost builds. It really sounds like a boost leak screaming out of one of the fittings(I'm praying).

https://youtube.com/shorts/AW8AmofBZSY?feature=share

EDIT: I was very tired and stressed out last night so I tried again today and decided to torque down all of the clamps gud n' tite. ATM's instructions say 7 ft lbs which is wayyy too loose. Anyways the sound is now gone!

09-18-2024, 11:11 PM	#1
e90Noobie Private First Class 20 Rep 149 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Nunya iTrader: (0)	ATM Intercooler Issue Does anyone have any experience with installing the ATM intercooler? I am having an issue getting the hot side aluminum adapter installed fully onto the turbo. I cannot get the adapter to go any further than it currently is. By tomorrow the loctite will have been cured. I am pretty worried as I don't really know where to go from here. How would I even get the adapter off? Am I over reacting and it's on enough? I'm working on the car using ramps and laying on my back so I can only get so much force at a weird angle to hit the adapter onto the turbo. Attached Images Last edited by e90Noobie; 09-18-2024 at 11:19 PM..
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09-19-2024, 11:39 PM	#2
Nadir Point Lieutenant 104 Rep 589 Posts Drives: Diesel Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: CO iTrader: (0)	Dunno if that's a strictly ATM issue and I have no experience with that, but it's not making that much pressure. I wouldn't worry about it until something goes wrong. All it'll do if that happens is go slow, sound funny and throw codes.
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09-20-2024, 11:33 AM	#3
krashDH Private 11 Rep 57 Posts Drives: 2011 NA 335d Join Date: Apr 2024 Location: PNW iTrader: (0)	That green loctite is going to seal fine, I wouldn't worry about it. It's designed so you don't have to (or want to) remove that adapter...just the t clamp and hose. If you absolutely have to remove that adapter for something in the future, heat is the only thing that will allow the green loctite to liquify and you'd likely have to tap it off.
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09-20-2024, 12:05 PM	#4
lnxguy Colonel 540 Rep 2,075 Posts Drives: 2018 540i xDrive. Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Barrie iTrader: (1)	You'll be fine. __________________ '09 335D '18 540i xDrive
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09-25-2024, 08:12 PM	#5
335dlci Lieutenant Colonel 289 Rep 1,597 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Socal iTrader: (0)	You can remove it with some heat and pliers. But use a mallet to tap it on more.
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09-25-2024, 10:30 PM	#6
moz335d makes poor financial decisions 9 Rep 68 Posts Drives: Only M57 powered vehicles Join Date: Nov 2021 Location: Georgia, USA iTrader: (0)	Just make sure its tapped on there as good as you can, looks like you have a 1/4" before its fully seated that should be fine. Also make sure the silicone hose doesn't touch the frame horn and you'll be alright. Its important to really clean the mating surface well, any burrs from the oring / OE charge pipe coupler could be why its not going further.
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10-02-2024, 09:15 PM	#7
e90Noobie Private First Class 20 Rep 149 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Nunya iTrader: (0)	I was never actually able to get the adapter on any further. It is cock eyed so the side that you can't see has more of a "gap". I've decided to just send it and install the rest of the intercooler but I'm stuck trying to get the actual intercooler fully into the car. Something seems to be resisting the passenger side of the intercooler but I can't figure out what it is. I have removed a lot of plastic material so it shouldn't be hitting any more plastic. the Driver side seems to slide all the way up fine. One thing that I'm worried about is getting the bottom cover of the engine back on. It seems like this intercooler hangs lower than the stock one. Attached Images Last edited by e90Noobie; 10-02-2024 at 09:53 PM..
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10-03-2024, 09:13 AM	#8
maryjane First Lieutenant 105 Rep 323 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Msport 3 Snail. Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: GA iTrader: (0)	Its been a while....but i dont remember having to trim much to get the ATM to fit. You might have another issue.
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10-03-2024, 11:46 AM	#9
lnxguy Colonel 540 Rep 2,075 Posts Drives: 2018 540i xDrive. Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Barrie iTrader: (1)	Fitting the ATM doesn't require a bunch of trimming. A tiny bit but nothing crazy.. __________________ '09 335D '18 540i xDrive
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10-03-2024, 08:58 PM	#11
maryjane First Lieutenant 105 Rep 323 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Msport 3 Snail. Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: GA iTrader: (0)	Where are you located? maybe one of us could help?
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10-03-2024, 09:29 PM	#12
e90Noobie Private First Class 20 Rep 149 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Nunya iTrader: (0)	Wow so I tried fitting the cooler without the turbo side hose and it fit perfectly. This means I just needed to fully seat the hose onto the cooler so that it wasn't fighting me. I feel so stupid but at the same time super excited because now it's installed on the car! Attached Images Last edited by e90Noobie; 10-04-2024 at 11:53 AM..
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10-11-2024, 11:03 PM	#13
Nadir Point Lieutenant 104 Rep 589 Posts Drives: Diesel Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: CO iTrader: (0)	I been wondering WTF I'm doing wrong my entire freakin' life.
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10-18-2024, 11:35 PM	#14
e90Noobie Private First Class 20 Rep 149 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Nunya iTrader: (0)	Well I finally got the intercooler installed tonight as well as the ASV elbow. Took the car for a test drive and it's now making a crazy loud whining noise when I give it a decent amount of throttle aka boost builds. It really sounds like a boost leak screaming out of one of the fittings(I'm praying). https://youtube.com/shorts/AW8AmofBZSY?feature=share EDIT: I was very tired and stressed out last night so I tried again today and decided to torque down all of the clamps gud n' tite. ATM's instructions say 7 ft lbs which is wayyy too loose. Anyways the sound is now gone! Last edited by e90Noobie; 10-19-2024 at 05:43 PM..
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