New Air filter

[The_Hawk]

It's a DRiFT branded carbon fibre CAI, basically a BMC CDA rip off :D

Stickered at $269 at AutoBarn, $169 later and it's in my garage waiting...

The box:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5714-1.jpg

The insides:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5715-1.jpg

Looks like it includes just about everything you need to mount it up nice too, but we will see soon enough:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5717-1.jpg

I don't know that I will get a chance to have a look see this afternoon, after that I'm in Surfers for a couple of weeks so it might have to wait.

Should be a small improvement on the pod and will make the car that much more legal :cool: j:

[Golf Houso]

Thats massive! Me like!

What are you going to do with all that intake piping? Any ideas?

I'm assuming that big ass carbon thing attaches to your throttle body with that adapter plate right?

[The_Hawk]

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_6513-1.jpg

The carbon canister replaces the pod, the tube then goes down into the front air dam, the only thing I am wondering about is picking up water since the intake will be so close to the ground??

[Golf Houso]

Hmnn I see your point. Your gonna have to do trial and error with this one. I've seen people put them in accessible if not water prone areas like that before and unfortunately they do get alot of water getting into the intake soiling the filter.

But then again my panel filter got filled up with water from my dodgy intake job when it was raining and the car was standing still, and it was soggy. The car ran like that for a few weeks during that realy rainy period a few months back, didn't complain though...

Hmnn I'll have to drop by into autobarn methinks ... hmnnn :D

$169 you say? Was this in NSW?

[The_Hawk]

OK I got impatient and went and bought some extra hose to move the carbon canister:

Under the MAF I have redirected all the piping back towards the firewall (I also took the chance to replace a the dodgy bit of red piping that was in here before:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5718-1.jpg

From here is runs behind this fluid bottle:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5719-1.jpg

Along the firewall:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5720-1.jpg

Then behind the expansion tank:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5721-1.jpg

Round the battery:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5722-1.jpg

And down to the relocated carbon canister:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5723-1.jpg

It doesn't *quite* have the same mountings on the otherside, but it's close enough that it works nicely.

All new hoses have been cable tied back and away from any potentially hot bits.

And the new filter installed:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5726-1.jpg

From underneath it touches the AC pressure switch, not really happy with that and I want to move it into the front lower air dam, but I don't know if there is enough space. I might have to get a more flexible hose so I can squeeze it through the gap:
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/01/IMG_5729-1.jpg

The downside. It is DAMN close to the ground (about 1 - 2 inches up under the front lip). It seems that it does suck up a small amount of water so it's something I will have to keep an eye on. Being that I want to move it to the front air dam anyway I would reduce that issue...

Although the question still stands, even if the intake is in that front air dam, can it pick up much water, or enough to cause issues, in normal driving and assuming I'm not stupid enough to try and drive through a river??

[Golf Houso]

Hmnn... Where did you move the charcoal canister to may I ask? Also today seems like a good day to try out your latest addition with all the rain methinks :D

Where did you get the intake from mr hawk?

[balkanac]

Get one of those bypass valves from ebay, looks like they work really well. I have CAI on my car, but mine does not go down that much and i live in Perth, so rain does not happen very often. i still drive carefully when it does rain

[The_Hawk]

The canister is now on the opposite side to where it is by stock, there is a similar mounting point already there, which is pretty handy :)

Yeah I would think about one of those valves, in the meantime I will just have to drive careful like.

[Golf Houso]

I can imagine the induction noise on that... god that would sound :D My GL is all induction noise... no balls at all hehehehe, I'd consider making that a bit worse with that type of sexy carbon kit, I'll have a look this weekend, if i'm not too hung over!

Good post up Hawk man!

[Mrk_Mickey]

THREAD RESURRECTION! j:

So Hawk, after however long it's been, are you happy with the upgrade? I'm looking to do SOMETHING with my airbox and considering I won't be affording an exhaust anytime soon this will please me a little methinks:D..is it worth looking at, easy to install, much of a difference?

[Mrk_Mickey]

Bump :?

[The_Hawk]

THREAD RESURRECTION! j:

So Hawk, after however long it's been, are you happy with the upgrade? I'm looking to do SOMETHING with my airbox and considering I won't be affording an exhaust anytime soon this will please me a little methinks:D..is it worth looking at, easy to install, much of a difference?

I can't say that I can say "WOW What a difference it make!". In fact going from a pod to this about the only thing I notice is the induction noise is a little more throaty. Power still seems to be as good as it was. One of the major benefits for me was that the car is now that much more legal with an enclosed air box. Sure, by the time your pulled over and have the bonnet open your well and truly in the **** anyway, but at least it should make NSW pink slips an easier process (not that the guy I go to cares too much).

Install was very easy, most of the time it took me was driving back and forth between home and AutoBarn when I realised I needed another part :)

What you need is about 3 meter of each hose type, 9 hose clamps (if you replace them all),two hose joiners and of course the air filter and any adaptors you may need to connect it up to your current air intake. IIRC I used a 2.5" -> 3" adaptor.

The next step for me would be to take the MAF housing out and cut the screen out of it. Something I'm toying with, on one hand I think it's a level of protection for the MAF, on the other I think if anything worth talking about is getting through the air filter I'm pretty much screwed anyway. As for how much difference it makes?? Still trawling the net looking at opinions.



On the upside, driving round Sydney in the pouring down rain over the last couple of weeks hasn't been an issue with an air filter sitting so close to the ground. I am very mindful of that point and try to take it a little easier in the wet (as opposed to my normal foot to the floor driving style) in the hope that less water is being sucked up. I'm also on the look out for large bodies of water across the road and try not to drive through them. For the moment I think that short of driving through a creek I will be right.

In reality I may be being overly paranoid about the air filter, if anything I should consider one of those valvy things that stops you flooding your engine with water if you do manage to submerge in the intake. Or I could always loose the extension pipe when it's really raining, which is about a 60 second job. Another point to note is that it isn't supposed to rain all that much in Australia anyway, so I should have few(er) days to be paranoid about when we get out of our current [overly] wet season.

[Mrk_Mickey]

Nice work, great post. :) I think I may just get me something like this then

[@ndrew]

What are the consequences if you don't have the MAF sensor plugged in to the pod hose adaptor??

[DubSteve]

What are the consequences if you don't have the MAF sensor plugged in to the pod hose adaptor??

Crappy idle and it would be speradic!

[BlackVr6ix]

Sorry for the bump, but do you happen to have your receipt still?

If so what is the part number for this? it should be D1-xxxxxxx or something similar.

[The_Hawk]

Sorry for the bump, but do you happen to have your receipt still?

If so what is the part number for this? it should be D1-xxxxxxx or something similar.

I should have, I will have a look tonight, I know I emailed a copy of it to someone else when I posted this thread so they could have some ammo when negotiating the price ;)

[The_Hawk]

Yep, found it:

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/06/IMG_0488-1.jpg

[Greg Roles]

Just to add my bit, I've found on modshack they claim a 28% restriction in the MAF grid ( mkV ) but I'm sure they are the same as yours. I pulled mine out and it ran as per usual, and a few other of us oilers have done the same. Car response coupled with a enclosed pod setup is definately better on the diesel, so should be very noticable on normal motors! The grid, according to modshack, is there to smooth the flow from the twisty turny stock airbox. Once a straight pod is added, no need for restrictive grids.

All the same, make sure you can put it back in if it wigs out!

Scan the diesel forums if you're interested, and keep modding! :biggrin:

[Mrk_Mickey]

I should have, I will have a look tonight, I know I emailed a copy of it to someone else when I posted this thread so they could have some ammo when negotiating the price ;)

That someone was me and I lost my data so I'm glad it's online now Hawk! I so have to get one of these..important things keep on popping up grr

[Golf Houso]

Just to add my bit, I've found on modshack they claim a 28% restriction in the MAF grid ( mkV ) but I'm sure they are the same as yours. I pulled mine out and it ran as per usual, and a few other of us oilers have done the same. Car response coupled with a enclosed pod setup is definately better on the diesel, so should be very noticable on normal motors! The grid, according to modshack, is there to smooth the flow from the twisty turny stock airbox. Once a straight pod is added, no need for restrictive grids.

All the same, make sure you can put it back in if it wigs out!

Scan the diesel forums if you're interested, and keep modding! :biggrin:

Has anyone removed the MAF grid on a MK3, VR or 2.slow?
I've almost finished my Ghetto CAI w/heatsheild and any more noise would be welcome :biggrin:

[Pullstarter]

Just a quick Q Aaron, do these housings just take your average run of the mill K&N pod filter inside? How are they fixed in there?

Cheers
Simon

[The_Hawk]

Just a quick Q Aaron, do these housings just take your average run of the mill K&N pod filter inside? How are they fixed in there?

Cheers
Simon

It comes with a filter which I haven't bothered pulling out, but I don't see any reason why a similar sized filter couldn't fit in there since you are supposed to be able to take it out to clean it.... something I haven't done yet :P

I will assume it would just be a standard 2.5" or 3" neck inside there.

[Pullstarter]

Cool thanks Aaron, I got a 3" neck K&N pod on at the moment but am thinking of doing something like you've done but wanted to be sure the pod I have would fit in the canister. I assume the top or bottom of the canister comes off somehow?

[The_Hawk]

Cool thanks Aaron, I got a 3" neck K&N pod on at the moment but am thinking of doing something like you've done but wanted to be sure the pod I have would fit in the canister. I assume the top or bottom of the canister comes off somehow?

Yep, screws round the outside of both ends.

[Pullstarter]

Thanks for the info Aaron :bluesbro:

[The_Hawk]

how did it work out for you hawk?

7 months on and it's going great.

I haven't flooded the engine with water, even in serious rain, which I was a little concerned with, but I am a little aware of the intake hose's location, no driving through small lakes or flooded roadways, but in normal conditions it hasn't missed a beat.

I have pulled it apart and to clean/inspect the filter and it's all good (I forgot to measure it up for those interested in a K&N replacement), a few leaves and bits but really only a few, nothing like what I expected considering the suction this thing can provide at even half noise.

Speaking of noise. Yep, still love that aspect, You can't help but put the heater on full and drive with the windows down sometimes :D

On the K&N thing, I don't know that it would make any difference, I'm reasonably confident that the stock filter in these things has more than enough surface area and little enough restriction that it's not going to make any difference, so I'll be sticking with the oem part for the moment. One day, if I ever need to replace the filter I'll consider K&N, but like I said, I'm not convinced it would make a different in this case.


So in summary, for $169 I think it was a bargain, going from a dodgy pod to a decent pod to something which will not only pass a rego inspection, but also provides a steam of cold air is always a good thing.

I will add a BUT! While I don't have any sort of testing to back up my theory, I believe the biggest restriction will be in the MAF itself. A swiss cheesed airbox + K&N filter will go most of the way to doing what this setup does, so if thats what you have I wouldn't be rushing out to upgrade. Having said that, if you still have the stock box and filter, this isn't all that much more than the K&N filter alone so is well worth your cash and you get cold air goodness.


http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/08/IMG_0319-2.jpg

[Mrk_Mickey]

Nice write-up Hawk:) I should really put this on a higher priority in my list