MORE POWER NOW!!! (a DIY of sorts......)

[iModTTS]

When someone tells you about numbers like 10-14 HP out of a CAI (Cold Air Intake), you wonder if they've gone mental. How could those numbers compute, and how well could you actually feel the variance in power. My official "Derriere-Dynotron-3000" was called to duty. Booty-duty in some ways, to try and decipher the contrast between my old Carbonio and my new AEM Cold Air Intake. I was pleasantly surprised to find a very noticeable difference.

Here are the cold hard facts.....
It was actually a really simple and straight ahead install.
I hooked it up myself in just about an 50 minutes, from tear-down to completion, using normal tools I had laying around the garage.

This is a shot of my old stock airbox set-up with the filter that is incorporated into the engine cover. Notice the MAF sensor, which was later removed, and relocated to the new system.

The only difficult part of this install is the turbo discharge pipe. Those funny Germans really sprung the hell out of the spring-clamp that holds the engine cover flex-pipe to the turbo discharge pipe. It is not mentioned anywhere on the directions included in this box, but I went out and bought a pair of needle-nose vise grips, and handled my business with the greatest of ease.

Once I yanked that thing off, the rest of the set up was pretty much cake. Slipped on the new coupling hose on the discharge pipe.......

Then used a torx bit to move the MAF sensor into its housing on the new pipe.....

One nice thing about this set-up is that they tend to use factory mounting points (like this battery tray mounting point) whenever possible, which makes for a seamless, rattle-free system....

The only other part that takes some doing is putting the car on jack-stands to attach the dryflow filter which snorkels down to the spot right behind the left front foglight grille. I just ordered the correct open foglight grille from Vagparts to improve flow. I was a bit concerned about hydro-locking and I've heard that relocating the filter during a particularly bad wet seasons is a good option. Im not all that worried about rain since the filter is well shielded from that, but gnarly puddles could be bad. Basically, you can pull the lower pipe section and put the filter in the engine bay off the primary pipe. In worst (weather) case scenario however, It seems like you'd need to make sure to put everything back once the weather gets better, since it would suck to lose that lifetime warranty on this CAI.

So now the engine bay looks hecka tubular. I'm feeling the charcoal gray powdercoating too. Maybe I'm just partial because it reminds me of the Avus Gray TT color. Anyhow looks wise, the fit and finish are perfecto, but what about sound and power?


Well, since I don't have access to a real Dyno, I can only go off of experience.

POWERWISE: I drive this car every day for work,
(I am in outside tech sales) and I really know my car and understand its characteristics, and its tendencies. This new intake murders my old set-up. Flat out. The power band has been greatly expanded in the upper range where I depend on it in backroad twisties, type situations. Power always fell off at about 5500-6000rpm before, and now when I run from 6000 to redline, the car just obeys. My ass-dyno is claiming 5-10HP increase over the old intake system (which claimed 7HP).

SOUNDWISE: This mod isn't for folks that want to retain the sweet and innocent factory sound. But, if that was you, you wouldn't be reading this post anyhow, correct? All CAI's change the tone of the engine to some degree. I view Audi as my first foray into the "Luxury-Hatch" automobile segment. I don't want a janky, obnoxious sounding car when it looks so nice on the outside. This was my primary reservation in getting a CAI.

At idle, everything sounds the same as it always did. Quiet and reserved as though it were waiting. When some knuckleheaded toilet is trying to have a go on you in a WRX, you punch the gas and the sound is really almost like the A3 is telling the other car that it's a sh!tpile, and is fit for the junkyard. When the car is getting mean, you can hear it. I love how the diverter valve echos though the metal tubing, at high RPMs. So far, this and the suspension are my two favorite mods for adding character to a car that is as close to perfection as this lil' beast.

[boywonder82]

I remember reading somewhere - I think on AEM's website somewhere - that air bypass valves shouldn't be used with forced induction engines ...

I have the AEM too and opted not to get the bypass valve - good thing about living in Los Angeles!

[boywonder82]

" The AEM Air Bypass Valve is C.A.R.B. exempt on AEM Cold Air induction systems only and is NOT for use on forced induction vehicles. "

http://www.aempower.com/ViewCategory.aspx?CategoryID=20

[TeamImola]

carbon engine cover. just did my own mesh modd for the rocks. the car is loving all this dry cold weather. time for a little 100 oct. thanks APR

[jkwan]

I too rank my EVOMS V-Flow intake in the top 3 fav. mods for my car (along with chip and suspension).

Like you I also came from the carbonio and felt significant gains with the filter-on-a-stick setup. with your true CAI setup, I'm sure you'll be laughin' on those hot days.

One concern, it looks your tubing right after the MAF is on an upward slant towards your battery terminal. I think it should be a little more parallel to the ground. Could your silicone connection piece to the turbo inlet be a little too short? If so, I sure AEM would agree to sending you a new, longer one for free if you send back your current one.

[boywonder82]

[iModTTS]

[TeamImola]