I did it guys.. Had to pull my bumper off to take off both lights / change headlight bulbs .... so thought it would be the right time to finally squeeze my 73MM Black WANGER IC into my VAG.
It was an epic day full of swearing, fiddling around, trimming plastic and dirty hands.. but it was really exciting
For anyone who is interested or sceptical.. it was actually alot easier than the online ebay ic DIY guides make it out (was alot like the wagner instruction it was sent with)... and the IC was really not that poorly made at all in terms of having to file anything on the unit or make any adjustments or poorly specced out brackets or anything...... really none.. pretty decently made unit that fit pretty nicely
As per the instruction guide... I was required to trim most of the bottom part off the bottom clips on the radiator (battery hand saw) to fit the bottom IC metal brackets underneath the radiator clips to enable to make good contact with the radiator.. otherwise the ic was getting blocked up on the clips and not making properly contact...
obviously with the clips cut off and nothing to click in place... it didnt hold perfectly like a clip but it had the room to enter the right position when tightened back together and had to check regularly that it was able to go flush in that area..... .. took a few times trying to fit it and feeling around what part of the clip was blocking but wasnt too hard and finally trimmed enough for it to have clearance..
gotta say tho... it was a bit of a bitch to put all back together ( IC. PLASTIC TRAY , CONDENSER) and fit it nicely ... fortunately wasnt too time consuming but it was alot of fiddling and a fair bit of patience... .
one thing that made that alot easier.... i had to open up the top bracket hooks on the IC with a flat head for the condensor plate to slide in.... was maybe 1mm too narrow and giving me a hard time.. ... it opened fairly nicely and easily with it being quite a thick metal hook.. not flimsy at all.. .. and made enough room for the condenser metal plates to slide in... required some downward tapping / light banging with some plyers and managed to get all the plates in nicely and evenly ... condensor looked like it was sittng fairly even and flush.
i did trim a slither (2mm up and 5cm across) off the top horiztontal running edge of the plastic tray (between the IC and the condensor) so the condensor fits underneath the tray properly and some other small plastic bits to make it all snug... but nothing too outrageous.. literally 1 - 2mm shaving to fit it underneath where it was getting stuck on the tray.
then
Once i bolted everything back up it all sat very nicely and tightly... and DID NOT require any makeshift brackets or metal plates... screws.. or anything... like many online guides say.. just the trimming of the plastic radiator clips and some plastic on the tray and bit of patience and fiddling till it looked right and even... then bolted back up and was looking and sitting very nicely.
wont be driving it anytime soon so cant give any feedback on performance but pretty happy with the savings on the WANGER.. with the money i saved i picked up an impact wrench and some bits to put it together easier (made alot easier).... saved myself a cool $2000+ in equipment and install so happy with that.
It was an epic day full of swearing, fiddling around, trimming plastic and dirty hands.. but it was really exciting
For anyone who is interested or sceptical.. it was actually alot easier than the online ebay ic DIY guides make it out (was alot like the wagner instruction it was sent with)... and the IC was really not that poorly made at all in terms of having to file anything on the unit or make any adjustments or poorly specced out brackets or anything...... really none.. pretty decently made unit that fit pretty nicely
As per the instruction guide... I was required to trim most of the bottom part off the bottom clips on the radiator (battery hand saw) to fit the bottom IC metal brackets underneath the radiator clips to enable to make good contact with the radiator.. otherwise the ic was getting blocked up on the clips and not making properly contact...
obviously with the clips cut off and nothing to click in place... it didnt hold perfectly like a clip but it had the room to enter the right position when tightened back together and had to check regularly that it was able to go flush in that area..... .. took a few times trying to fit it and feeling around what part of the clip was blocking but wasnt too hard and finally trimmed enough for it to have clearance..
gotta say tho... it was a bit of a bitch to put all back together ( IC. PLASTIC TRAY , CONDENSER) and fit it nicely ... fortunately wasnt too time consuming but it was alot of fiddling and a fair bit of patience... .
one thing that made that alot easier.... i had to open up the top bracket hooks on the IC with a flat head for the condensor plate to slide in.... was maybe 1mm too narrow and giving me a hard time.. ... it opened fairly nicely and easily with it being quite a thick metal hook.. not flimsy at all.. .. and made enough room for the condenser metal plates to slide in... required some downward tapping / light banging with some plyers and managed to get all the plates in nicely and evenly ... condensor looked like it was sittng fairly even and flush.
i did trim a slither (2mm up and 5cm across) off the top horiztontal running edge of the plastic tray (between the IC and the condensor) so the condensor fits underneath the tray properly and some other small plastic bits to make it all snug... but nothing too outrageous.. literally 1 - 2mm shaving to fit it underneath where it was getting stuck on the tray.
then
Once i bolted everything back up it all sat very nicely and tightly... and DID NOT require any makeshift brackets or metal plates... screws.. or anything... like many online guides say.. just the trimming of the plastic radiator clips and some plastic on the tray and bit of patience and fiddling till it looked right and even... then bolted back up and was looking and sitting very nicely.
wont be driving it anytime soon so cant give any feedback on performance but pretty happy with the savings on the WANGER.. with the money i saved i picked up an impact wrench and some bits to put it together easier (made alot easier).... saved myself a cool $2000+ in equipment and install so happy with that.
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