20 replies to this topic

[Kit Vexed]

i rarely post, and due to that, this could very well be another spark plug conundrum... i've done almost every bolt on in the book to my T5-R. one would think an air intake is atop any self-tuners list. I've always read mixed things about them though, so i'd like to set the record straight so this can be a dead topic for future VS'ers. ARE intakes worth it? the pinned 'bible' we all referenced as newbies claims volvo's intake design is fine and a simple K&N replacement is good enough. other ppl say 'intakes provide more surface area... yada yada yada' then we all know an intake is 'open' whilst the stock setup is 'sealed'. how could something open possibly NOT suck in hot engine air? so what IS the deal?? anyone have cold hard proof thier EST or iPd intake made a difference other than a 'cooler sucking sound' or is it just a gimmick? gas mileage gains? how often are you cleaning this open element-type filter? anybody notice a difference in midrange since opening things up is less constrictive? thoughts, feelings, PROOF - let's hear it )

[Snabb T5M]

Boy I really feel sorry for this dead horse.

Kit Vexed, on 17 November 2009 - 07:16 PM, said:

i rarely post, and due to that, this could very well be another spark plug conundrum... i've done almost every bolt on in the book to my T5-R. one would think an air intake is atop any self-tuners list. I've always read mixed things about them though, so i'd like to set the record straight so this can be a dead topic for future VS'ers. ARE intakes worth it? the pinned 'bible' we all referenced as newbies claims volvo's intake design is fine and a simple K&N replacement is good enough. other ppl say 'intakes provide more surface area... yada yada yada' then we all know an intake is 'open' whilst the stock setup is 'sealed'. how could something open possibly NOT suck in hot engine air? so what IS the deal?? anyone have cold hard proof thier EST or iPd intake made a difference other than a 'cooler sucking sound' or is it just a gimmick? gas mileage gains? how often are you cleaning this open element-type filter? anybody notice a difference in midrange since opening things up is less constrictive? thoughts, feelings, PROOF - let's hear it )

[magicaljake]

completely stock my car ran 14.9

with a k&n and cheap ass mbc i ran 14.8

after a cone filter with heat shield and halman pro mbc...i ran 14.4


but then again there are alot of things to take into account...

just saying...i noticed results...weather they are directly related to the "intake" or not

[Naughty33W]

i believe ur intercooler should be able to make up for a "hot air" intake - i could def feel the difference when i swapped to a metal intake pipe with highflow open element cone - and i felt even more of a difference after i ditched the highflow cone (paper/cotton) for a all mesh cone filter - my high flow cone lasted a long time , but keep in mind i'm in arizona where it's summer 10 months out of the year , haha -

i havent seen any dyno results that can say for sure - but nobody can disagree that there's dyno results for highflow intakes on OTHER vehicles - why wouldnt it work for us too ? -

my biggest thing is that why would you pay several hundred dollars for a high flow open element kit when you can fab your own (just as effective) for a tiny fraction of the costs ?????

[L8 APEKS]

To the OP:

Dyno after dyno after dyno on nearly EVERY force-inducted car proves that not only to open element intakes work, but they make substantial power gains if the engine is making above-stock boost (moving more air). I'm not sure there's any ground to debate this, actually.

Again...at road speed, the open intakes are NOT heat soaked, and they flow significantly more CFM (have less restriction) than an airbox (esp w/ paper filter element).

[Kit Vexed]

well, i know there's @ least *some benefit to the intakes, but is it significant enough to warrant spending the money? i guess that's a big question here.. does it also change the hp/tq curve to higher rpms?? cause i like the low/midrange power of the 'choked out' stock system and looking to just see if the open element can add to that? keep the replies coming fellas; this is for all of us

[shanehutton]

My 2 cents is that at 17psi I sucked the hose that runs from the grill to the stock airbox closed on itself. That tells me that the car needed more air than that tube could flow. I don't know about the actual airbox but that hose / the opening into the airbox is restricting flow. I was thinking about running a second hose but decided I might as well get an EST cone setup and that way if I max out that tube then it will just pull air from somewhere else.

[Kit Vexed]

that's an interesting story, cause i do notice that very same tube from the grill that goes to the bottom of the airbox is always shifted - and i fix it every time. im running an iPd stage 1 ecu @ 14.5-15 psi. on the note of the EST intake, who has it and who has the iPd?? anything better on one than the other? quality or fitment issues perhaps? so was it MUCH improved when you upgraded (besides the fact the tubed sucked into itself)

[Dave 54]

Kit Vexed, on 17 November 2009 - 11:33 PM, said:

that's an interesting story, cause i do notice that very same tube from the grill that goes to the bottom of the airbox is always shifted - and i fix it every time. im running an iPd stage 1 ecu @ 14.5-15 psi. on the note of the EST intake, who has it and who has the iPd?? anything better on one than the other? quality or fitment issues perhaps? so was it MUCH improved when you upgraded (besides the fact the tubed sucked into itself)

I personally like the IPD heat shield better, from what i've seen from the EST intakes is that they have much larger gaps allowing hot engine air to soak in at a stop. I personally also believe that they are better than the stock box, how much is debateable depending on what your running, as mentioned by L8 APEKS "Dyno after dyno after dyno on nearly EVERY force-inducted car proves that not only to open element intakes work, but they make substantial power gains if the engine is making above-stock boost (moving more air). I'm not sure there's any ground to debate this, actually."

[c_long20]

I dont know about the performance, but it sure does open up a LOT of room getting rid of the stock airbox.

[the commissar!]

And there is room to improve the IPD (which I have), you can block the gaps and replace the stock air pipes with smooth bore of your choice...I have aluminum/silicone from grill to turbo and contemplating wrapping or insulating them from the heated bay.

[Naughty33W]

Kit Vexed, on 17 November 2009 - 11:03 PM, said:

well, i know there's @ least *some benefit to the intakes, but is it significant enough to warrant spending the money? i guess that's a big question here.. does it also change the hp/tq curve to higher rpms?? cause i like the low/midrange power of the 'choked out' stock system and looking to just see if the open element can add to that? keep the replies coming fellas; this is for all of us

def if u fab your own - you get all the bennies at the fraction of the cost of a kit

[project_850]

Here is mine:







It's not final as the battery is getting relocated to the back w/ kill switch, which means that I'm taking the mesh filter all the way to the driver's side headlight and the silicone couplers are gonna disappear in favour of tig welds. I'm still in the process of making a heat shield to go in place where the battery tray was and the 2.75" polished aluminum straight piece where I'm gonna house the MAF to get rid of the mess right before the filter. Moroso dual inlet breather catch can means deleting the odd shaped hole and vac fitting off the stock post-MAF accordion pipe meaning the bends are truly mandrel bent, without disruption, from filter to turbo. Made a world of difference with throttle response, probably freed up a few hp too, at least that's what my butt dyno tells me. Took care of my blow-by once and for all, and managed to get a much more efficient intake altogether! Not pictured is the hose beneath the catch can going through the air guide for easy drainage.

[T5Manual850]

L8 APEKS, on 17 November 2009 - 10:38 PM, said:

To the OP:

Dyno after dyno after dyno on nearly EVERY force-inducted car proves that not only to open element intakes work, but they make substantial power gains if the engine is making above-stock boost (moving more air). I'm not sure there's any ground to debate this, actually.

Again...at road speed, the open intakes are NOT heat soaked, and they flow significantly more CFM (have less restriction) than an airbox (esp w/ paper filter element).

this is true,

setting temps aside, just the amount of air the open element will suck in will net an improvement

[shanks31]

im surprised nobody has brought up how you get the "WOOOOOOOSHH" which is +100 cool points

[HtownTurboBrick]

shanks31, on 18 November 2009 - 07:16 AM, said:

im surprised nobody has brought up how you get the "WOOOOOOOSHH" which is +100 cool points

you get -100 per post for your triple post, so no cool points for you!!

Open air intakes help, dyno proven (not volvo proven, but in performance magazine test) short ram intakes increase low end and help throttle response while the longer piping and of course location of the CAI gives more top end power. Baseline done a Miata with a new K&N panel filter in stock box. Gains were only 5-10ish hp, but the gains were definitely there it just depended on the set up on where that power was made.

And anything that gets rid of that stupid accordion pipe that scrambles any type of laminar air flow to the turbo is a huge bonus.

[Pops Racer]

AS far as cleaning, I do mine 2x a year. About this time every year, and again in May.

Easy on the oil spray. Gunk is NFG. Trueflow. They are on sale for big discounts on Amazon. I have the universal with 2.75 inlet.

[Kit Vexed]

ok, so is the general consensus that intakes/open elements are a good idea?? whilst there's little gain power-wise, it makes the existing power more potent and usable (quicker spool, throttle response, etc.). and of course, the free up space in the engine bay and 'they sound cool.' haha. and as far as up-keep, they're pretty much the same as a drop in panel filter. all this sound about correct for the pros of this set up? anybody have any cons or bad experiences with an intake and went back to stock?? ive seen used iPd/EST intakes on ebay... why would that be?

[HtownTurboBrick]

Cuz hot air intakes have very nominal gains albeit still better throttle response. Or people just got rid of their cars and didn't need them anymore.

The only real problem with running CAI is you must be very careful when driving in bad weather. Sucking water up is suck ass.

[Naughty33W]

HtownTurboBrick, on 18 November 2009 - 08:12 AM, said:

Open air intakes help, dyno proven (not volvo proven, but in performance magazine test) short ram intakes increase low end and help throttle response while the longer piping and of course location of the CAI gives more top end power. Baseline done a Miata with a new K&N panel filter in stock box. Gains were only 5-10ish hp, but the gains were definitely there it just depended on the set up on where that power was made.

--- short ram air = greater hp gains and slight torque gains

--- cold air = greater torque gains and slight hp gains

--- the more restricted the engine the greater the torque and the curve is lower in the rpm range

--- the less restricted the engine the greater the hp and the torque curve is moved higher in the rpm range

--- the principle works for intake and exhaust

--- dyno proven - i'll see if i can find an amazing article i read on the science of it