Table of Contents
1. Background
This project is a continuation of the Turbocharger Inlet Pipe airflow test and evaluation and expands the range of system components under test to include the Mk7 GTI air box, air intake pipe, and turbocharger inlet elbow.
The TIP test demonstrated that there are gains in airflow measurements over the stock Mk7 GTI turbocharger inlet elbow through the use of aftermarket options. The TIP test also demonstrated that there are minor variances in measured airflow between aftermarket turbocharger inlet pipe options.
This test plan is current as of March 29, 2019.
2. Purpose of Test
This project will evaluate various pre-turbocharger intake components available through the aftermarket to determine if there is a combination of intake parts that provides superior airflow and temperature performance versus the OEM parts equipped on the Mk7 GTI.
The project will seek to determine if there is an optimal combination of stock and/or aftermarket intake components for increasing system performance.
3. Description of Equipment
3.1 Test Items
The air intake components under evaluation connect the grill to the turbocharger compressor inlet. These parts are the airbox, or in the case of some aftermarket options an open filter, possibly used conjunction with a panel system to isolate the filter from the engine compartment. An intake hose or pipe, typically made of silicone, plastic, or carbon fiber, that joins the airbox to the turbo inlet elbow, and last the turbocharger inlet elbow.
3.2 Test Vehicle
The vehicle that will be used during recording of intake air temperatures will be a 2015 Mk7 GTI.
3.3 Test Instrumentation
The intake air temperature readings to be made inside the intake components will done with a pair of Auber Instruments resistance temperature detectors (RTD) relayed through Auber digital thermometers with analog output to a DATAQ data acquisition and logging system. Intake air temperature at the intake manifold along with vehicle speed will be recorded using a Ross-Tech VCDS cable that attaches to the vehicle OBD2 port and is logged via the accompanying Ross-Tech software.
Airflow measurements will be recorded using a PTS orifice style flowbench and PTS digital manometer.
4. Scope of Test
4.1 Test Envelope
Road driving to collect intake temperature data will take place during a daily commute at speeds ranging from 25 mph to 45 mph.
Airflow testing using the flow bench will be done at a test depression of 28″ of H2O.
4.2 Test Conditions
Road testing is taking place in a geographic area where morning temperatures are around 60-70F and afternoon temperatures are between 70-85F. Depending upon how long testing of the intakes continues these typical environmental conditions could change, becoming warmer as summer approaches.
Airflow testing will be performed inside a garage. The orifice style flow bench readings are unaffected by daily changes in environmental conditions.
4.3 Test Configuration
The turbocharger inlet elbow will be fitted with a RTD probe to measure air temperature at the end of the pre-turbocharger intake path.
A second RTD probe will be located at the entry to the airbox to measure the temperature of the air as it enters the intake system.
More information about the temperature reading setup can be found at this link.
For measuring airflow all intake systems will be attached to the PTS flow bench by an adapter that replicates the intake to the turbocharger compressor housing.
4.4 Test Criteria
Temperature data sets will consist of at least two morning drives and two afternoon drives.
Flow bench testing will entail a single measurement made at 28″ of H2O.
4.5 Completion Criteria
The following systems constitute the minimum set of articles to be tested:
- Stock Mk7 GTI Airbox and stock accordion hose
- APR Carbon Fiber Airbox and Carbon Fiber Intake Pipe
- Integrated Engineering Filter and Intake Pipe
- Induct Performance Filter and Intake Pipe
- S&B Airbox and Intake Pipe
4.6 Limitation to Scope
Operating envelope of the vehicle will be limited to public roadway posted speed limits and maximum drive times of approximately 30 minutes.
There are numerous product vendors selling air intake systems that claim to provide performance gains over the stock system but it is unlikely all of the available systems will be tested and evaluated.
5. Method of Test
5.1 Preparation
The RTD probes will be calibrated prior to testing to an accuracy of +/- 2 degrees F of each other.
Airflow measurements using the flow bench will have a calibration plate tested before test articles.
The air intake will be configured for flow testing to replicate the configuration on the vehicle for temperature measurements.
5.2 Operational Procedure
Air temperature readings will begin being recorded when the vehicle is started and will continue until the engine is shut off. The difference between temperature probe one and two will be calculated and will be used as the basis for assessing the ability of the air intake setup to provide cool air to the turbocharger.
When testing with the flow bench, airflow through the intake will be increased until a test depression of 28″ of H2O is achieved. The airflow at 28″ of H2O will be used as the basis for the comparison of flow performance between the different intake configurations.
6. Project Management
| Test Item | Vendor | Vendor Response | Owner Donated | Test Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock GTI | VW | n/a | Yes | Complete |
| APR | Audi Performance & Racing | n/a | Yes | Complete |
| Induct | Induct | Delivered | n/a | Complete |
| IE | Integrated Engineering | n/a | Yes | Complete |
| S&B | S&B Filters | n/a | Yes | Complete |
| VWR R600 | Racingline | n/a | Yes | Complete |
| Eventuri | Eventuri | n/a | Yes | Complete |
| MST | MST Performance | Delivered | n/a | Incomplete |
Intake systems have been found being offered by the following:
034 Motorsport, aFe, AMS, APR, Autotech, AWE, Burger, CTS, DFG, ECS, Eventuri, Forge, IE, Induct, Injen, K&N, Mishimoto, Neuspeed, Racingline, Revo, S&B, Spulen, Unitronic, USP
7. Results
Links to test activities will be posted as testing progresses.
034 Cold Air Intake Airflow Test
034 Carbon Fiber Intake Flow Test
034 “Insuction Bundle” Airflow Test
034 Insuction Bundle Airflow Test
APR Carbon Fiber Intake System Tests
APR Intake System Airflow Test
APR “Naked” Intake Airflow Test
APR Intake System Temperature Reading – Initial
APR Intake System Temperature Reading – Composite
APR PEX Intake Tests
APR PEX Open Intake Hybrid Adapter Flow Test
Blaze Performance
- Blaze Real World Data – Check #1
- Blaze Real World Data – Check #2
- Blaze Real World Data – Check #3
- Blaze Real World Data – Check #4
- Blaze Real World Data – Check #6
CTS Turbo Intake Airflow Test
CTS Intake (Modified) Airflow Test
do88 Intake System Airflow Test
Eventuri VW GOLF MK7 GTI Intake
Eventuri Temperature Reading – Initial
Eventuri Intake Temperature Reading – Composite
Forge Motorsport Intake Airflow Test
Induct Performance Air Intake Tests
Induct Performance Airflow Test
Induct Performance Temperature Reading – Initial
Induct Performance Temperature Reading – Composite
Injen Open Intake Airflow Test
Integrated Engineering v1 Cold Air Intake Tests
IE CAI Temperature Reading – Initial
IE CAI Temperature Reading – Second
IE CAI Temperature Reading – Composite
Integrated Engineering v2 Cold Air Intake Tests
K&N Typhoon Intake Test
K&N Typhoon Intake Airflow Test
Mishimoto Intake Tests
Mk7 GTI Stock Air Intake Tests
Stock GTI Intake Temperature Reading – Initial
Stock GTI Intake Temperature Reading – Composite
Mk7 GTI Modified Stock Air Intake Tests
Modified Stock Intake Airflow Test
Modified Stock vs APR Closed Intake – Street Test
Modified Stock Hybrid Inlet Elbow Airflow Test
MST Performance Cold Air Intake System
Racingline VWR R600 Intake System Tests
Racingline R600 Intake Airflow Test
Racingline R600 Temperature Reading – Initial
Racingline R600 Temperature Reading – Composite
S&B Filters Cold Air Intake Tests
S&B Filters Intake Airflow Test
S&B Filters Temperature Reading – Initial
S&B Filters Temperature Reading – Composite
Unitronic Intake Tests
USP Tear-Duct Intake Airflow Test
Other Comparisons
Consolidated Airflow Results
Note that the following intakes have NOT been flow tested:
- 42 Draft Designs
- AEM
- aFe Power
- Agency Power
- AMS Performance
- ARMA Speed
- Autotech
- AWE Tuning
- Cobb
- DFG Tuning
- do88
- ECS Tuning
- Injen EVO
- mountune52
- Neuspeed
- Revo