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Short Ram / Cold Air Intake

63K views 148 replies 29 participants last post by  Rjsaenz801 
#1 · (Edited)
Has anyone tried making one on their own and if so, did they throw a CEL? I have been looking at intakes online from the few manufacturers that offer the intake and it looks like it's pretty basic to me. Since there is no MAF, an insert is out of the question.

Ultimately I plan on making one myself as $250-$300 for an intake is ridiculous when you can piece one together for $80-$120 plus the cost of a breather filter (depending on if you wsnt a short ram or cold air intake)

Any ideas?

(specifically the EA211 motor)



**Update/end result***
So far this is what it currently looks like. I have driven about 5,000 miles without any issues. I will reroute the coolant hose at a later time.

 
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#92 ·
The other cool (not!) thing about most of these aftermarket filters is they are anywhere from moderately to grossly inefficient. That's why they flow better, and also why they are going to help eat up your piston rings and valves faster with the extra dirt they let through.
 
#93 · (Edited)
These intakes are a terrible idea and a waste of money as the stock filter is already a cold air intake. These conical filters have been well known to destroy MAF sensors on older mk4s as they permit a lot more particulates through and despite the lack of such a sensor on the 1.4tsi, it's absolutely going to damage the turbo over time (my TDI ran nothing but the stock filters that work better than the cones and after 466000km the turbo still looks like someone filed it). Considering some are saying it causes a loss of torque in the low end, I would heavily consider the pros and cons here cause it seems to be mostly cons... Re-routing the intake to the bottom is a worse choice as now you are likely to ingest water (saw an Acura with a bottom mounted filter and it looked like it has been submerged in sewage), but as long as you know the risks... well, it's your car to do with as you please. I just know that I'd personally never buy a VW that had a hot air intake like the ones shown here.

Just my thoughts... I mean no offence, have fun!
 
#94 ·
Does anyone live in NJ? I would like to sell my AEM intake. I just did my oil change and decided to remove the intake to retain the stock sound-level. Let me know, I would sell it for less than I bought it. I bought it a few months ago, and it is still perfect condition.
 
This post has been deleted
#99 ·
#105 · (Edited)
CAI on my JetTase

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Fc41cwMACvXzd5Y2hDWUhFWDA/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Fc41cwMACvZU9vOTd3T0VoZE0/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Fc41cwMACvZjJTOGJBd2tRYk0/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Fc41cwMACvcUNVSFp6WG9qZFE/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Fc41cwMACvSTN3ZHhPa0otdlk/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Fc41cwMACvenZwQWdlUk53RWc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Fc41cwMACvQ0x4MUtaNWlYVTQ/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Fc41cwMACvbU0xZVhtbjBzaW8/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Fc41cwMACvdXdfVWZNTUEyVzg/view?usp=sharing




I'll post more pics with some changes I made. The Rtunes filter sounds good, but doesn't filter out much, so I got AEM filter from amazon installed now and will keep RTunes as backup. I use TorquePro app to monitor temps and other things and haven't noticed significant changes from stock, just a bit more torque. I'm in Florida so humidity and heat is a killer here. with ambient temps around 85-90F my intake temp is ~110F while driving, but goes up to 120-130F at stop or driving in heavy traffic. I love the sound and definitely got slight gain in power.
 
#106 ·
Several iterations of my intake-project (on a Golf GTE/hybrid with a EA211 engine):

Stock:


Quick and dirty install of a K&N Apollo intake and some flex hoses:


Went back to OEM for the first part.


Opened up the front inlets on both sides. Only the passenger side was open, I dremeled out the driver side:


Got a Air-raid UBI (u-build-it) kit, some silicone couplers and had to ditch the K&N Apollo because it was touching the hood all the time :banghead:


This is the current form, and thanks to this topic, I got inspired to improve the design: get a silicone 3->2,5 45 degree reducer and also get rid of the airbox and replace it by a Specter in-line airbox, which should fit in the colder area in the front of the engine.
 
#111 ·
Anyone leave the OEM air box in place and just improve the piping to and from the air box ?

I'm thinking about just dropping in an aftermarket panel filter and then removing the intake baffles before and after. This way I keep the sealed intake design and hopefully get a little more intake noise.
 
#112 ·
Thanks to this page I ended up making an intake last night.

I based my project off the of the posted parts requirements, but this morning I went back to the store an swapped out two pieces for ideal fitment without any cutting.

* 60 degree elbow tube going into the turbo. Ended up allowing the tubing to line up better next to the charge piping.

* 4" straight tube. Originally I bought 3 pieces of 6" long tubing, but it ran right up to the radiator support which was not ideal. Swapping in the 4" tube still allows for the 90 degree elbow to clear around the charge pipe.

Cool noises for sure lol. It is not quite as loud inside the car as I expected from watching youtube, but I am totally stoked about that. It is only noticeable on hard acceleration which makes me happy.

all invested $175 ( K&N Filter, bought additional parts ) which is way better the $300+ for the same affect !
 
#119 ·
I know it's a pretty old thread but I found this while searching for an intake for my 1.2 TSI Golf and thought about doing this myself...The only issues I'm having are 1) where did you guys secure the intake piping so it doesn't move around given that it won't work with the factory air box mounts 2) We don't have AutoZone etc in Croatia so getting parts is a little tougher...So if anyone could link me some parts that'd be great
 
#120 ·
Ebay, Alibaba or Amazon may be your best bet for obtaining pieces. You may need to do a bit of measuring before your purchases though.

I am not sure what everyone else has done to secure theirs but my piping is fed down behind the headlight and ends behind the fog light cover. Its pretty snug (between the frame and headlight) so a zip tie thats hidden worked for additional security.

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#121 ·
I read the entire thread and wanted to do a simple 45 degree reducer from the turbo into an aluminium pipe with a 90 degree bend that has a cone filter on the end...I'll probably put it right in front of the stock air inlet...Any recommendations on pipe diameter? The turbo outlet is 2.5" as I've read on the topic...I thought of keeping it 2.5" instead of increasing to 3"
 
#122 ·
2.5 or 3 will work. 3" will be the same amount of air as you will still have the reducer. Go with whatever size is cheapest. Are you planning on flashing the ECU?

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#126 ·
These good intakes temps will only become high intake temps unless we do something about our not so efficient Intercooler system. I’m planning on changing the air to water to an Air to air system. Things to buy would be a Blow off valve kit from eBay with those end couplers, an air to air Intercooler, bunch of pipes and couplers for a custom FMIC and get it done. Once this is done couple the two stock IC water hoses together and take it for a spin. I think that’s about it. However it would require taking bumper off and measuring and lots of time to fit and mount. Still would be a great upgrade over the air to water system.


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#128 · (Edited)
Air to water are only good for a few short bursts and pulls and once the coolant is warmed up it all gets warmer. An Air To air will only takes milliseconds to fill the piping and the IC but the gains of having air that’s 5f above ambient tops and always cold no matter what ambient temp or engine bay temps or coolant temps is better than having air that’s 10-20f above ambient when warmed up. Ever seen how the boost drops after 4K rpms or in that rpm range? Our boost just drops from 17psi to 12 psi because our engine is taking more air at that rpm than the tiny turbo can produce. I’ve been thinking that a K03s Turbo would be a great choice for this engine to make more power while keeping peak boost of 17psi around the 3k rpms mark or so.
With only Few feet of piping from the turbo outlet when at WOT the turbo outlet temps rise like crazy and say 3-4 feet’s of piping and a warmer than ambient IC ain’t fast enough to cool down 70f-250f compressor outlet temps at WOT. That’s my take tho however you can also go the air to water route and there’s more custom stuff in our cars instead of waiting for companies to make parts. They’re both great systems but our stock one just heatsoaks.


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