My home-made ram-air intake (work in progress)

[Chillout]

Hi all,

I just wanted to share the process of the design and build of a ram-air intake for my twincharged Beetle 1.4TSI(118kw).
I deciced to go for a software-development-like process:

I started out with
Step 1: Requirements.
From important to less important:

• Closed intake, connected to bumper
• Isolated airbox to prevent air inside from heating up
• Costs less than $100. Possibly even less
• Try to make use of stuff already available in my garage.
• Good looks

Step 2a: Design ideas
I was walking around with various ideas, since I've got some different filters here that I can use. Should I go for a big one (1, a big K&N filter), a small one with flow-enhancements(2, an Apexi filter...or 3, the same filter but with a tip a the front), or what? Some experts helped me out here, and I came to the conclusion to pick the bigger one.


Step 2b: Functional design
So I made a choice: go for the big one... but what would I need...? So I made this "sketch" in the most epic design tool ever given to man: MS Paint:


What is what?
Black: OEM setup, this will stay Original
Green: Silicone coupler, from 3" diameter to stock factory diameter.
Light grey: Aluminium elbow.
Dark red: K&N Filter, 9.25" x 5.91" x 5.91", 3" diameter connector
Purple: Inner part of the airbox, made from a protein cannister. It has a lid which can be opened/closed, which makes it easier to reach the filter in case I need to replace or clean it. The can is wrapped in heat-reflective alu-tape.
Dark grey: aluminium outside of the airbox, made from a cylindrical shaped object. Between the two layers of the airbox, there's isolation foam.
Blue: Silicone hose.
Yellow: Hose-connector, mounted onto the lid of the plastic can.
Red: Forge air-intake trumpet I still had lying around.

Here's the Protein-can...first I was thinking about using the Siemens-Porsche Coffeecans in the back as airbox, so I can say: I've got Porsche parts in my Beetle


Step 3: Measuring, technical design and prototyping
Not much to say about this step... I did a lot of measuring inside the engine bay to see what would fit. Then I did a lot of test-fitting with various aluminium cans, including a Warsteiner beer can. In the mean time, I occupied the car with a temporary "hot air intake" setup, like this:


In the end, the following turned out to be the best, using an aluminium trash can (the lid is not on yet, still have to drill a hole in it!). It's a perfect fit!


Step 4: Implementation
Now all I have to do, is drill a hole in the lid of the garbage can, attach it to the front, put all the parts together, and she's done! This will happen this weekend.

Step 5: Testing
not there yet!

More to come!

[Stan]

love the ghetto approach! Will be interesting to see if there are genuine gains here, all the best

[Chillout]

Thanks!

I'm going to do a pre and post temperature log.
Since this is pretty much the same setup as any commercially available solution, although it's not made of carbon fibre, there should be some gains and reduction in heatsoak.

[rshuwy]

looks good!

[Chillout]

looks good!

thanks guys

It's done!



And I added some additional isolation tape

[MountainBikeMike]

That's awesome. I want to do something similar but first I wanted to focus on the air ram for the stock pipe in my octy rs. It has a rectangular channel that splits up and down in to two, so rain goes down and air goes up. The problem is that the air goes straight through the rain hole, and has to bend upwards twice to make it through the intake rectangle.

I want to keep the anti water efficiency while making it more of a RAM intake, and also increase the SIZE of the SCOOP at the front....

I'm thinking some custom fibreglass in that area...

[Chillout]

Thank you

The stock airbox has a water drain, maybe you can use it?

[MountainBikeMike]

Thank you

The stock airbox has a water drain, maybe you can use it?

Not sure which bit you mean. I want to make an air scoop covering a few inches down over the radiator, but it will pick up water. If there's a water run-off after that it will suck up engine air, unless I extend the run off pipe down to the ground? Hmmmmm

[staryknight]

awesome job dude! probably works as good as any CAI

[MountainBikeMike]

Hey mate, how did you sort out the maf tunnel, maf grid, and connection to the back part with the two metal clips? Can that part be bought or did you hack it out of the stock box?