islingtonaudi

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/SiliconeHose3.jpg">

It takes me a while to get things done but I finally got my intake system completed MAF to throttle body. I've been running Mance's amazing RS3 MAF and SXTB throttle body and really wanted to fully exploit their benefits without the power-robbing stock plenum.
When Mance did his final iteration of his recovery sleeve, the HVRS I believe he called it I grabbed one and it's sat on my shelf for months as I pondered the best way to build a hose kit.
Though many have done it successfully by using 2 90 degree bends and a long straight, the issues for me were that I really wanted to maintain the plastic engine cover and also utilize Samco 4-ply silicone hose over the 2-ply Mance had recommended. Why? 'Cuz I'm stubborn and I really like the look and quality of the Samco hoses, they make a lot more colors including my first choice of orange but they don't make tight 90 bends. With the narrow firewall clearance on C4 and B5 cars the TurboHoses are about the only option out there I could find.
After ordering a TurboHose tight radius bend to test I returned it since I felt they were of inferior quality to the Samco and way overpriced. So what to do....?
Recently I found a company that makes a wide assortment of rubber and silicone hoses including tight clearance elbows called, "Cobra Heads" which are less than 4" from the throttle body flange lip to the back wall, perfect!
They had 3" I.D. so I ordered one and it went on both the throttle body and the flared bottom portion of Mance's new sleeve quite easily:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/SiliconeHose7.jpg">

When I got it on I realized that the normal "periscope" design of 2 90 elbows cut very short wouldn't work since the Cobra Head needs a certain length to flare out at the sides to maintain airflow and couldn't be cut down enough to clear the hood. I then realized, "why not turn it 90 degrees on its side and run it down the firewall?" This way you avoid hood clearance issues, you maintain the engine cover and don't have any interference with the ISV connector as well. This route would require only a 45 degree elbow and a short straight to the MAF. It might be a bit longer than the other routing but with fewer potential headaches I thought I'd give it a go.
After some careful measuring and a couple calls to Samco I waited 6 weeks for the hoses to be custom-made. As I had hoped they fit really well with a good angle to the MAF, not perfect but no worse than any of the other hose kits I've seen:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/SiliconeHose2.jpg">

I have to say that getting the thick Samco hose over the top portion of Mance's new sleeve was incredibly difficult, there's a good reason I realize for his recommending thinner wall hose.
I spent a good hour before I finally got it over the lip and clamped down.
You can see the bulge in this photo:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/SiliconeHose1.jpg">

I really thought I'd have to get a different unflared recovery sleeve to make this work, I'm still amazed I got it over that damn hose but it works great. Nice braided breather hoses complete the look with ABA stainless hose clamps all around:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/SiliconeHose5.jpg">

Here's the firewall clearance, I can fit my fingers in there:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/SiliconeHosefirewall.jpg">

ISV clearance:

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/SiliconeHoseISV.jpg">

<img src="http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/islingtonboy/SiliconeHose9.jpg">

All in all I'm really happy with how this hose kit came out. Other than having to rotate the sleeve to avoid pinching of a vac. line on the 3rd small barb (my idle went south suddenly....) the car really runs fantastic, way more power and above 3 grand it's fierce! Thanks again to Mance for making such great products, they're no longer in production so I feel very lucky!
If it interests you you can get the Cobra Head elbows at intakehoses.com and I have quite a bit of the 3" i.d. straight Samco hose for anyone who's interested in that particular color, I had to buy a meter of the stuff to get my color choice. I'd be happy to sell you what you need for your own hose kit. Now get to work!

jbrentd

I almost bought that hose that you fit to the TB.

VAP

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/711/enginebay.jpg"></center><p>purpose-designed to work "with" engine cover without modification. Only after people started making their own hose kits and calling them "S3 hose kits" were engine covers compromised. All "my" S3 hose kits look like they were made to work with engine cover in place... beause they "were."

VAP

as well as a 10 ft long section of 2.625" I.D. piece of straight tubing (almost same as stock plenum inlet on these cars). On a turbo (positive pressure) it's not a biggie. On a N/A car relying purely on pistons pulling air into the combustion chambers its a signifiant compromise in flow volume, velocity and smoothness of the air entring the TB. It makes a TON of turbulence!

islingtonaudi

that is supposed to aid airflow, not sure if that's true but the piece seems to work well.

VAP

how much, how fast and how smoothly they flow. But I understand about pride in workmanship, wanting to be different/unique and compromising function for an aesthetic too. Even I compromise more than I'd like at times to make something look better than it might otherwise.

islingtonaudi

Well if Samco ever makes a really tight radius hose (they do but not in that i.d.) I'll switch.

jbrentd

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/101044/diy_hose_kit_2.jpg"></center><p>I couldn't seem to make it work with my DIY intake.

GVee

where did you get the stainless steel breather hose?

GVee

do you still have any recovery sleeves?