Another VMax Black Ice-olator testimonial

[Lazerbrainz2k3]

So late this afternoon I also installed my Vmax black ice-olator, and decided to do a quick write-up to hopefully help a few people who might think this is beyond them do it themselves and save a few bucks. As someone whose modding experience prior to today has been limited to an Airaid intake and an axle-back exhaust, believe me, if I can do it correctly so can anyone else.

I think the most challenging part of this isn't figuring out what to do, but how to do it. The directions are pretty clear and the procedure straightforward, yet especially in the much-talked-about back part of the engine and those three back-most bolts, how to get the work done can be a bit frustrating.

The first parts of the procedure are pretty easy, removing the bolts in and ahead of the plenum. Make sure you remember to get both brackets while you're at it, unlike a certain stubborn OP who forgot all about the right side one and slashed his hand trying to pull it off (never said I was competent).

As for the back bolts, I found that as difficult as the two horizontal bolts are, the sixth and final long vertical bolt (which is different in length from the front bolt, which is different in size from the four in the plenum... by my reading the directions seem to suggest there are two bolt sizes, but keep in mind that there are three) is about as bad. I do have a swiveling/rotating wrench that should have allowed me to get into that tight corner, but it just wouldn't cooperate so I went to a good old angled combination wrench for all three.

On the horizontal bolts, getting them started meant reaching back there with the wrench and rotating the thing just a few degrees at a time - this seemed like it would take forever, but fortunately after maybe a dozen rotations each both bolts were loose enough to finger loosen, so not that terrible.

The vertical was a pain because there isn't enough clearance to just yank it out like the other five or even to get at it easily with the box end of the wrench or from above with a socket wrench. After staring at it for a while I ended up just using the open end of the same 13mm wrench at an angle from above and got it loose enough to use my fingers again. After getting that other bracket off, the IM was free!

From there the directions can get you through the rest pretty easily. I did break the cheap snipper which I bought just for this, just trying to cut those gasket tabs off! with the engine in pieces I just took sturdy Craftsman (should have listened to my father - never buy anything but!) pliers and twisted until the tabs broke off - not the best solution, but by then I was getting frustrated. No harm done though.

All in all it did go pretty well for someone who's never unbolted engine components before. It took me about 2 hours but having doen it once and knowing from experience how to do each step and having the right tools for the job now, it'd probably take me a lot less to do it again. I only wish i'd tried to get a package deal on the isolator and the ported TB, since I had the original off anyway earlier Finding oil in the TB and IM makes me want to get a catch can, too.

The Service StabiliTrak and check engine lights have gone out after a few miles driving. I hadn't gotten a dyno beforehand and don't plan on one now, but we'll see how the car likes the mod after the ECM gets used to it and all. Whether I REALLY get 20 or so rwhp and rwtq isn't that important to me - what's more important is it just makes good sense, especially with summer on the way and the inevitable loss of performance because of it. Keeping the air cooler by not letting it get warmed up by the heat soaked IM by itself is a good reason to get it. The great price and relatively simple install only make it a better value.

[Preditorian]

Glad it worked out for you. I am looking at getting it as well, but I take pause since I have a VR.

[KMPrenger]

Originally Posted by Preditorian

Glad it worked out for you. I am looking at getting it as well, but I take pause since I have a VR.

No need to take pause if you have a Vararam intake. I have one, and several others here have them with the black ice insulator installed. It works perfectly fine...just do it! lol

Temps were in the mid 80s here yesterday and the car still seemed pretty peppy to me!

[icedaccord19]

Black Ice arrived this morning!!! can't wait till this weekend for the install

[Mikk2K]

where do you get the RTV to put on Black Ice? What store would I find that at?

[Elykson]

Any auto parts store will have RTV on it's shelves. I used 'Right Stuff' by Permatex.

[Mikk2K]

Originally Posted by Elykson

Any auto parts store will have RTV on it's shelves. I used 'Right Stuff' by Permatex.

Cool, thanks