I just spent the best part of a day getting my old turbo inlet pipe out because it had a split. In the course of my endeavours I searched various SN threads and found one particular question came up a few times...'Is it worth changing my standard pipe for a silicone one?' Well I've got the definitive answer - NO! It's the stupidest decision you'll ever make, unless your engine and manifold are out or dismantled already.

After trying to remove my inlet pipe the 'quick' way by chopping it to pieces and trying to pull it out, I finally succeeded with that after removing the power steering tank. Now I'd been led to believe that getting the new silicone pipe in would be actually easier than getting the old rigid plastic one out. Easier my ****. Even removing the metal inserts in my new silicone pipe, there is absolutely no way on earth that it's going to be forced into a gap under the inlet manifold that was barely big enough for the much narrower original pipe.

So for future reference, if anyone is thinking of this mod, DON'T unless you have to take the engine bay apart anyway. I am not even ready to take the inlet manifold off yet and YES it definitely has to be taken off to have a chance of changing this damn inlet pipe. But just look at the engine bay carnage in this picture...look closely and you can see all the missing/disconnected stuff so far - battery, fuel pipes, power steering tank, PS pump belt, alternator tensioning, oil breathers, dump valve return, throttle body, idle valve, air box, HT leads, many and various electrical plugs and vacuum hoses. THe list goes on and on.

And I've still to move the coolant tank I think, as well as probably drain 3 litres of coolant out of the rad to get the level down far enough to not cause a problem when I eventually get the manifold off. Then most likely unhitch the fuel rails and injector wiring, replace the manifold gaskets etc.
What a right royal pain in the ****! Various pictures follow if anyone's interested in my half-done bodge - engine bay carnage with pipes and wires everywhere, SOME of the stuff that's had to come off already, and the comparison between the original plastic pipe and the new silicone hose - which is NOT the oversize one btw, only the standard silicone replacement.

Any encouragement and advice will be much appreciated. BTW I have posted this in General rather than Technical because I see it as an important warning to help fellow Scoobynetters avoid this job in the future unless it's absolutely necessary!

 

you don't need to drain the coolant to remove the inlet manifold............

this is the easiest way if your starting from scratch, remove inlet complete and sort from there

 

Cheers! I'll leave that step out then. So just undo the header tank and tip the coolant out (half a litre?) then pull it off the manifold to get it out of the way? Is it even necessary to bother with that at all?

 

https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...-pipe-out.html

What make of silicon pipe is that? It looks like a pregnant haggis and they are not in season at present
The Prodrive item is far simpler, probably costs a lot less and not a problem to fit. You may have to T in a couple of pipes.
A bit of force and a blunt instrument and the pipe you have there may go into position.

 

I do fully understand your irritation at this 'mod'.
I only changed mine because the stock one had split.

A dreadful job, but not the worst on an Impreza...
Graham

 

I ve done it both ways

doing this with the turbo OFF was simple ish on my 02 wrx

if i hadn't swapped turbo removing the inlet manifold was worth the hassle to make it an easy job even if it did take a bit longer

 

what is the worst job on an impreza mate????

 

i emoved my intercooler when i 1st bought the car to clean it all up, the pipe was so solid/brittle upon putting it back on the bit broke where it connects to th eturbo, so i used a small piece of silicone tubing to replace the bit that goes onto the turbo,keeping the rest of the rigid pipe.

i didnt have to remove all what u did tho, but it is a pain in the **** job.

 

I did a inlet pipe/manifold replacement the other weekend, 1 1/2 hours to get old manifold off - 1 hour to swap the fuel rails etc. over - 1 1/2 hours to put it all back on again.

As Graham says, there are far worse jobs.

 

LOL 'pregnant haggis' - it's a £50 ebay special. I do actually use all the four take-offs as I recirculate my breathers back into the inlet.

So what IS the worst job on an Impreza? Removing the entire gearbox because the clutch release fork has come out of the ears of the bearing? Which is something else that has happened to me, of course.