PRL Intercooler Install Instructions Correction (Please Read)

[davemarco]

Hi All. To preface this post, I just want to say how awesome the customer service over at @PRL Motorsports is. I recently purchased the PRL FMIC upgrade and have been having some issues with achieving proper fitment between the charge pipe on the right side, and the lower silicone tube (connecting to the intercooler). I called PRL today and spoke with Spencer, who worked with me to investigate this.

Long story short, we discovered that the reference picture of the completed intercooler assembly on PRL's website is actually incorrect. The picture shows the orientation of the silicone tubing connecting the charge pipe to the intercooler with the metal banding on the bottom (abutting the intercooler connection). This is opposite from the stock connector, which has the banding on the top. PRL checked with their engineer, and the correct orientation for their silicone connector should actually match stock - metal banding up, on the side connecting to the metal charge pipe.

Unfortunately, the awesome intercooler install video that I used from @ttorres1183 also uses this reversed orientation. PRL is working to correct their site ASAP, but in the meantime, I just wanted to get the word out to anyone else who may have referenced these sources and experienced fitment issues.

I've included quick references for the two orientations below:

Stock Orientation
()


-At 24:02, please note that on the stock connector being removed, the metal banding is located on the top of the connector (where it meets the charge pipe)

Previous PRL Orientation
()


-At 28:17, please note that the orientation of the metal bands on the PRL silicone tubing is reversed relative to stock, with the bands now on the side connecting to the intercooler (bottom of the tubing). This matches the orientation shown on PRL's website: http://prlmotorsports.com/2016hondacivic15tfmickit.aspx#.W04s0GkrKUk

Correct PRL Orientation (reference photo provided by PRL)

I hope that this helps some folks out. Big thanks again to @PRL Motorsports for their quick response, and for making such an awesome product!

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[NeoDragons]

i always wondered about that pic showing side with the metal banding connected to the intercooler. thankfully i follewed how the OEM charge pipe connected.

Thanks for the info.

 

[davemarco]

i always wondered about that pic showing side with the metal banding connected to the intercooler. thankfully i follewed how the OEM charge pipe connected.

Thanks for the info.

Happy to help. Hopefully most people did as you did, and just copied the OEM orientation.

 

[Shadowfighter]

I just checked mine and it is installed wrong

Thank you for posting this.

 

[PRL Motorsports]

Hi All. To preface this post, I just want to say how awesome the customer service over at @PRL Motorsports is. I recently purchased the PRL FMIC upgrade and have been having some issues with achieving proper fitment between the charge pipe on the right side, and the lower silicone tube (connecting to the intercooler). I called PRL today and spoke with Spencer, who worked with me to investigate this.

Long story short, we discovered that the reference picture of the completed intercooler assembly on PRL's website is actually incorrect. The picture shows the orientation of the silicone tubing connecting the charge pipe to the intercooler with the metal banding on the bottom (abutting the intercooler connection). This is opposite from the stock connector, which has the banding on the top. PRL checked with their engineer, and the correct orientation for their silicone connector should actually match stock - metal banding up, on the side connecting to the metal charge pipe.

Unfortunately, the awesome intercooler install video that I used from @ttorres1183 also uses this reversed orientation. PRL is working to correct their site ASAP, but in the meantime, I just wanted to get the word out to anyone else who may have referenced these sources and experienced fitment issues.

I've included quick references for the two orientations below:

Stock Orientation
()


-At 24:02, please note that on the stock connector being removed, the metal banding is located on the top of the connector (where it meets the charge pipe)

Previous PRL Orientation
()


-At 28:17, please note that the orientation of the metal bands on the PRL silicone tubing is reversed relative to stock, with the bands now on the side connecting to the intercooler (bottom of the tubing). This matches the orientation shown on PRL's website: http://prlmotorsports.com/2016hondacivic15tfmickit.aspx#.W04s0GkrKUk

Correct PRL Orientation (reference photo provided by PRL)

I hope that this helps some folks out. Big thanks again to @PRL Motorsports for their quick response, and for making such an awesome product!

i always wondered about that pic showing side with the metal banding connected to the intercooler. thankfully i follewed how the OEM charge pipe connected.

Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the feedback and patience with us! Glad to see we could get this clarified for everything. If anyone needs anything else feel free to send us a call or email anytime!

 

[davemarco]

Going to open her up and fix the orientation tomorrow. Figures crossed that all goes smooth!

 

[davemarco]

All done. Everything fit together perfectly this time. I would definitely recommend that everyone check their install and make the correction if needed. I also realized that the metal piping on the left side was backwards as well (the instructions don't explicitly show which way to orient the pipe). Since the left side kinda sorta fits in this backwards orientation (but not perfectly), and since it's not immediately apparent which orientation is correct, I would recommend that the install instructions be updated to demonstrate this. Or to make it even more foolproof, maybe a sticker on the pipe indicating "this end up"? Lol

I have full low end boost back now. Great product overall!

EDIT: I just noticed that PRL has updated the reference photo on their website to reflect the correct orientation of the right lower silicone tubing (including several additional perspectives of the right sided connection ). That was fast!

 

[bgutierrezx]

All done. Everything fit together perfectly this time. I would definitely recommend that everyone check their install and make the correction if needed. I also realized that the metal piping on the left side was backwards as well (the instructions don't explicitly show which way to orient the pipe). Since the left side kinda sorta fits in this backwards orientation (but not perfectly), and since it's not immediately apparent which orientation is correct, I would recommend that the install instructions be updated to demonstrate this. Or to make it even more foolproof, maybe a sticker on the pipe indicating "this end up"? Lol

I have full low end boost back now. Great product overall!

EDIT: I just noticed that PRL has updated the reference photo on their website to reflect the correct orientation of the right lower silicone tubing (including several additional perspectives of the right sided connection ). That was fast!

I just checked & mine was wrong, after I installed the kit I did noticed that I lost low end boost. Is this really the reason ?

 

[luispe7]

@davemarco just another point of view of that hose and the correct orientation. Took it before mounting the intercooler so it's a little more obvious when you're connecting everything together. Thanks for your post and looking out if it wasn't for this who knows how I would have installed it lol. Thanks for helping the community.

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