Intake query

[DT_Racing]

After buying this car to try and stop myself tinkering I've started exploring my options for modifying it already...

Have been doing much reading on this (and on exhausts) and my own personal conclusion is that I will be going for a panel filter and a smooth flow intake elbow like the JoeZ, HPS or RR-Racing. Now obviously I would like the titanium RR-Racing but it's pretty pricey for a bit of pipe, silicone and some clamps so I have now sort of decided on the HPS. My concern here (perhaps totally unfounded) is that a basic 4-ply silicone tube can sustain its shape under the vacuum pulled. Coming from a highly strung big turbo car the silicone based intakes had a tendency to suck themselves in and actually restrict rather that open up the intake. Does anyone have any experience of these on the ISF or offer me any advice? Any input appreciated. 

 

Thanks

[Stuno1]

Lots of info about intakes on the American site. The stock intake is pretty much as good as it gets power wise. The power gains are had through removing the restrictive stock exhaust components. Headers, mid section and back section. 

 

There is a thread on the American sites with various intakes and dyno runs all done by the same person on the same dyno. 

[stevet]

Takeda seems a common one and it uses a solid pipe so no vacuum pull. Without exhaust mods you will lose power on any intake but plenty go around :)

[DT_Racing]

See this is why I ask the questions of knowledgeable folk, I could well have easily waded into losing myself some power. Ok rethink on the cards and somemore research. I'll sign up on the American site and see what they have to say. 

Thanks chaps

[stevet]

The Takeda sounds awesome though. Far outweighs a few ponies at the top end :)

[DT_Racing]

So looking a little further into this it seems present suggested wisdom is correct, standard is best. I can't help but think that in removing the 'bellowed' standard section and replacing with something smooth this can't hurt and also adding a higher flow filter must be a good thing? It retains factory air box housing, two stage intake etc. Just with some added erm.... Smoothing? 

Maybe I just do it and dyno it myself, if it's garbage take it back to standard. Will be looking to exhausts, already have an eye on Gib's thread on this it sounds great. 

[Toothy]

Am I right in thinking you can unplug the little vacuum line that operates the flap on standard intake? So that you get that roar throughout the rev range.
Does anyone run theirs "deactivated"? And if so what are the consequences / benefits?

[DT_Racing]

I have come across it but havnt looked into at all. I believe it keeps the secondary intake flap open all the time so you would get the additional noise low down. If your after the noise I'm sure it works perfectly safely but perhaps scarifices some lower down torque, I must admit that is pure speculation however and have nothing to back it up with. Sure I saw that it can help with the flat spot some experience when this flap is opening? If i recall what I read you are right, you take off the vacuum hose and plug it up with a vacuum cap. Give it a try see what happens, it must be totally reversible so wont do any harm.

[DT_Racing]

So for the greater good and benefit of all (haha who am i kidding its purely for my own curiosity) I'm going to do some of my own research and testing on the Intake. I cant distill the mass of conflicting info on the net so the only way I can be sure what to trust is to do it myself. I have contacted my trusted dyno shop Unicorn motordevelopments (they use the somewhat harsh but superbly repeatable dyno dynamics dynomometer) who did all the work on my S3 and i'll be booking in for a baseline dyno in the next month. I have ordered an HPS intake tube from the US, I went for this over the JoeZ as its silicone and through my limited assessment felt it may offer a slightly better resistance to heat transfer to the incoming air stream and look more OEM. I will also add in a K&N panel filter.

I have chosen to try and optimise the standard setup rather than removing it in favour of a full CAI mainly as its cheaper but also as the info on CAI's seems to be even more conflicted than that I have chosen to assess. We'll see how things go, going to be a while before I even receive the parts i'd imagine.

[Stuno1]

Look forward to seeing how you get on matey. 

[JonP]

I think that sounds like an extremely sensible approach. The reviews I read of various intakes and the consequences of fitting them weren't good, at least in terms of power. So measured, incremental change is a good route to take. I await your results with great interest...

[DT_Racing]

Do any of you wonderful LOC members know if the standard intake has a velocity stack on the downstream side of the filter as it exits the airbox into the MAF tubing (somewhere as circled in attached)? Also do we know if the MAF is screened? I know I could just split out the housing and take a look but I'm not going to be in the car this week and I'm feeling impatient  I am doing some further research as want to get the most out of my little experiment. Just cant find what I am looking for online.

Thanks all

[DT_Racing]

I just came across something very striking but is perhaps old news to you seasoned owners. In investigating the intake system I came across the below picture of the ISF CCS-R which we know actually ran a well modified 2UR-GSE in its later guises yet still retained the factory airbox but with a straight inlet pipe to the throttle body and breather system removed. It made me think that perhaps the route I am going is the right one, the intake system cannot be that bad if Toyota's race arm retained it. I know we cant be sure whats going on iside the airbox but it was just an interesting discovery to me..

[Toothy]

Probably ran with primary and secondary intakes open all the time with a suitable remap?
Ensures the maximum amount of cold air is available at all times.

[stevet]

Nobody yet has come up with a better intake than the original.

[Peter P18]

Funnily enough the RR-Racing titanium intake removes the breather system as well.

As you can see from my car (i'll snap a couple of photos for those interested), the breathers are deleted from the intake pipe, and a separate K&N breather filter is added with some new hosing.

This along with the RR-Racing AOS (Air/Oil Separator) prevents any unwanted oil going to the inlet manifold, thus avoiding any lose of performance.

It's not a cheap option, but does seem to have sound engineering behind it.

[DT_Racing]

34 minutes ago, Peter P18 said:

Funnily enough the RR-Racing titanium intake removes the breather system as well.

As you can see from my car (i'll snap a couple of photos for those interested), the breathers are deleted from the intake pipe, and a separate K&N breather filter is added with some new hosing.

This along with the RR-Racing AOS (Air/Oil Separator) prevents any unwanted oil going to the inlet manifold, thus avoiding any lose of performance.

It's not a cheap option, but does seem to have sound engineering behind it.

I saw the RR-Racing unit which pretty much appears to replicate the CCS-R setup so must be close. I wonder how hard it would be to make my own breather bypass, it appears to be fuel line-esque, a t-piece and a standard K&N breather all readily available, I may well trial this as well. Would you mind taking some basic dimensions from the RR-Racing setup? I may be able to replicate this. I'd quite like to ape the CCS-R setup as appears to be a nice simple setup. It would simplify the intake pipe in removing the locators for the breather inlets, might even be able to end up with a simple 4-ply silicone 90deg elbow. All very interesting.

[DT_Racing]

1 hour ago, stevet said:

Nobody yet has come up with a better intake than the original.

I am sure going to try :-) I think the thing is I dont know what to believe on intakes, there is a lot of miss-information out there from both persepctives and the only way I can be sure is to do it my way and see what happens. What really peaked my curiosity is that Toyota/Lexus racing decided they could improve it on the CCS-R, I can only assume they dont do things for nothing. Maybe it is just to remove the breathers to make it more suitable for racing or maybe its more... Lets see if I can find out...

I may fail spectacularly but if I dont try I'll never know and I'll always wonder. I'm only searching to sate my own curiosity and to be honest I really enjoy the process.

[DT_Racing]

Ooo came sooner than I anticipated, the new edition from the other side of the pond has landed. Better get planning...

 

[JonP]

Open the Box, Open the Box!!

[DT_Racing]

12 hours ago, JonP said:

Open the Box, Open the Box!!

Ha, I think the box is more exciting than the contents. At least I now have the parts requried for my little experiment, now all I need is to find time for a few dyno runs. On receiving this I'm not so sure how it it will affect things, my initial concern over the HPS (perhaps unfounded) was that it is silicone and for its potential to 'pull in' and potentially reduce CSA under heavy load. Having had a squidge of the pipe its pretty soft despite its 4 ply construction, I may trial fit it, stick on a gopro and give the engine a little throttle blip to see if it sucks in at all. If it does it'll not be used at all as throttle response will be down. If this is the case i'll go back to the drawing board and maybe knock up a hard pipe as per the CCS-R and RR-Racing. As I say all speculation until I get chance to start playing, it may well be adaquately supported from the throttle body and airbox outlet. Lets wait and see.

 

[JLC_123]

Fitted my HPS intake Tube with a Toms filter - Does seem a little more Responsive and louder! Need an exhaust now though...

[CharlieC]

Where'd you get the Toms filter mate? Any links.

[DT_Racing]

Looks good JLC, still dont have mine fitted but I'm waiting until I have chance for the dyno. Interesting that its a little louder, nice to make more of that lovely intake sound.

[JLC_123]

10 hours ago, CharlieC said:

Where'd you get the Toms filter mate? Any links.

@CharlieC Got it from Japan, http://www.nengun.com/ - Takes a little while but great service from these guys!

Thanks @DT_Racing