Intercooler lower pipe removal

I wanted to drain the intercooler by removing the lower pipe (black plastic) and wicking out the oil as suggested to me, rather than drill a hole in the intercooler.

However, I am having a very hard time negotiating how to remove the lower pipe from the intercooler, near the passenger wheel. Issue is the junction of the pipe on the intercooler is held on with two pipe clamps and a flexible union between the intercooler and the pipe. Ive tried loosening both clamps and moving them to the middle but nothing seems to want to budge at all down there. With the pipe section being very rigid im not sure how this comes apart.

Any helpful hints are most appreciated.

Also... the upper portion of that pipe's connection looks a rather worn and seems to use a different type of spring clamp. Any options about the condition of what is shown is this photo?

On the lower intercooler pipe, at the turbo side of the rigid piece, did you get the 10mm bolt that mounts it?

That looks normal enough. Remove the nut in the picture. You can then rotate the pipe to break it loose from the lower rubber hose. Insert a screw driver under the metal clip at the spot on the left in your picture, turn until the clip latched out. Wiggle and remove the pipe.
Don't drill a hole in your intercooler.

You don't need to do this. Just don't drive the car like grandma all the time and there will never be any volume of oil built up anywhere in the charge air tract to begin with.

I WOULD, however, reinstall the missing plastic shield(s) on your car.

oilhammer said:

You don't need to do this. Just don't drive the car like grandma all the time and there will never be any volume of oil built up anywhere in the charge air tract to begin with.

I WOULD, however, reinstall the missing plastic shield(s) on your car.

Click to expand...

I have the Panzer skid plate with side skirts ready to go on the car next.

Compared to my wife, I drive this car much more like a sports car and its now my daily driver. I'm just finding a lot of stuff on this car either needing maintenance or poorly done repairs from prior mechanics. See my Glow Plugs thread for instance.

So... I am trying to be through. I am finding that everything takes much longer to fix than I first thought.

Metal Man thanks for the tip... I wasn't sure I should loosen that bolt. Once loose it was easy as pie.