Performance panel filter or CAI? Tell us what you use

[Dutch77]

If we want to look a Bimmers, check out the puppies on this thing...

Member frankenauto perfect V10 M5-powered BMW M3 E30 is now ready - BMW M5 Forum and M6 Forums

Now that's an intake!

re: comments above in relation to my query - thanks, and yep get where you're coming from. I guess my mod path if/when I ever get there would also involve dump pipe and tune, and I feel confident then that there will be some benefit (particularly if it is acquired cheaper on a package deal).

[BottomScratcher]

[QUOTE=Weekend-Warrior;921660]That's pretty average..[\QUOTE]

when I did mine in 1991 it was cutting edge.

.. a real airbox should be air tight from air within the engine bay.

I only meant to post one pic. Don't know what happened there. Air tight was supposed to be achieved by the rubber seal that the bonnet came down on. I tend to think of it as experimental .... just like those made today . If F1 teams (who apparently think resonance can be used beneficially) struggle with it on their budgets I'm leaving it well alone.

Haven't read your link yet, but I most certainly will. Thanks.

And of course you're right about back pressure in a stock exhaust, which opens up discussion about airflow and valve positions and scavenging unburnt fuel in exhaust gasses. Maybe later. Now, it's beer o'clock!

[Dutch77]

Came across this comment direct from an APR representative from the USA on the golfmk6 forum:

"It sounds like power vs cost is your biggest concern and I have to tell you the best route to go is the APR Stage 1 ECU upgrade + Carbonio Intake. This will actually get you more power than the Stage 2 setup with downpipe + stock intake.

The intake is a huge restriction on this engine and we have seen removing this restriction really opens up the top end. We are seeing rather large jumps in power with just the intake over stage 1 so given it's cheap price, I think this is your best option."

[dArK5HaD0w]

Came across this comment direct from an APR representative from the USA on the golfmk6 forum:

"It sounds like power vs cost is your biggest concern and I have to tell you the best route to go is the APR Stage 1 ECU upgrade + Carbonio Intake. This will actually get you more power than the Stage 2 setup with downpipe + stock intake.

The intake is a huge restriction on this engine and we have seen removing this restriction really opens up the top end. We are seeing rather large jumps in power with just the intake over stage 1 so given it's cheap price, I think this is your best option."

in the US, the mk6 gti has a different engine to what is supplied to the european & rest of the world.
they get the CCTA & CBFA engines, while the rest of us get the CCZ.
the CCZ has a different mechanical structure to the US variants.

surely that will make a difference to the intake characteristics?

if the same applies to the CCZ, then that good news indeed, as i'm tossing up between a full apr exhaust, or just the downpipe with the intake.

[Dutch77]

Very true, struggling to find what the mechanical differences are though.

Is the APR downpipe still a different length to stock? (If I go downpipe only, I'm not interesting in cutting pipe)

I'm in the same boat though, tossing up between two intake options or skipping it altogether and also tossing up between full TBE or downpipe only - any catback I select would be 2.5 only, don't want anything too loud, just a step up from stock. Under any of these options still doing the tune, just deciding between two brands still. Decisions..

[Mysticality]

Go the DP and CAI. The stock exhaust is pretty unrestrictive. I moved from the 2.5" stock system to a cat-back 3" with super high flow mufflers and (reading the raw MAF output) there is absolutely zero difference in airflow.

Of course I'm eventually going high flow DPF/DPF delete, and massive tunes to match... But damn does that piping sound good!
I posted a vid on my time line thread.

[BottomScratcher]

Go the DP and CAI. The stock exhaust is pretty unrestrictive. I moved from the 2.5" stock system to a cat-back 3" with super high flow mufflers and (reading the raw MAF output) there is absolutely zero difference in airflow.

Of course I'm eventually going high flow DPF/DPF delete, and massive tunes to match... But damn does that piping sound good!
I posted a vid on my time line thread.

Just a note on extractors/headers, high flow mufflers, etc. These are genuine performance parts, but bear in mind they were originally designed to gain performance at the track. I mentioned F1 teams earlier, a bit tongue in cheek, but none the less, just as F1 cars have next to no counterweights on their crankshafts making them only useable for a few hours the heads and top ends aren't designed to last all that long either.

Each exhaust is highly tuned to each race car as a unique component in the entire aspiration (air in/exhaust out) system. On our road cars if their is insufficient back pressure (as mentioned by Weekend-Warrior) to fully seat the valves in the head they will suffer from blow-by. The exhaust valves and guides in particular will have their lives drastically reduced by hot gas blow-by if that happens. This isn't a concern to racers who are happy enough to pull heads off every few races, but for the average driver with a daily drive it's obviously not a desirable situation. Choose one-size-fits-all bolt on "tuned" exhaust components carefully.

[Dutch77]

Caught the clips on the timeline.. nice one.

The DP/CAI combo is probably 'winning' right now.. but still contemplating a couple of catback set-ups; sound is so subjective, I know if it's significantly louder than stock it will annoy me more often than I enjoy it.

The same APR rep in the USA gave the following on the downpipe mod (and again just including for reference, not claiming how right it is.. he's selling a product obviously, and also don't know how if this is impacted by the slight engine variation to the USA): The 2.5 vs 3 inch debate really should not even exist. On a turbocharged car the turbocharger provides a large restriction an all the backpressure you will ever need. The rule of thumb is bigger is better. The less amount of restriction after the turbocharger the better off you'll be. Naturally that will lead you down a path of diminishing returns so don’t expect a 10 inch exhaust to give you more power. The same however is not the same for naturally aspirated non-turbocharged cars. In those cases, exhaust diameter needs to be tuned for maximum power.

[donweather]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I note there's very little discussion around the risk of hydrolock with a CAI? Is this (hydrolock) something to be concerned about in a wet climate like Brisbane?

[brad]

On VWs it's an issue even with the standard inlet. I personally know 3 people who had there cars written off due to water ingestion. Flood waters involved in each case but it was only about wheel hub height. The water bow-waved into the intake as they drove through (didn't realise the depth).

2x GTI Golf & a V6 CC

[Martin]

I have the APR CAI - I once pressure washed the car and forgot about the inlet - some water definitely got into the engine but not enough to hydraulic her

[donweather]

Ummmm, forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't ANY water in a combustion engine bad for it?

[brad]

Ummmm, forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't ANY water in a combustion engine bad for it?

NO, a little bit is fine as long as the volume isn't greater than the size of the combustion chamber (ie: so that the piston can swing over TDC). People have been running water injection in internal combustion engines for years (pre-WW2).

When it rains they still fly aeroplanes...

[li21]

Guys,, will VW Racing (VWR) do much in the way of induction noise?
I want to an upgrade more for sound than anything else for a MKII VRS.
Sound seems muted... Any suggestions?

As long as it does not degrade performance, economy and get my into insurance trouble.

[Martin]

Don't know about the VWR unit but the APR unit does make more induction noise when using large throttle settings
It's just a hell of a lot of money to spend for a noise...