Cold Air Intake = More turbo whine? - VW TDI forum and Audi TDI forum

Shortshaft · #1 05-09-2012, 08:44 AM

I'd like to hear my turbo. After owning a Dodge Cummins for awhile, the sound is addicting. I prefer not to get into the exhaust just yet, but would like to hear from others who've put on an aftermarket cold air set-up? Pro's / con's?
2012 Golf TDI.....

ToeBall · #2 05-09-2012, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shortshaft

I'd like to hear my turbo. After owning a Dodge Cummins for awhile, the sound is addicting. I prefer not to get into the exhaust just yet, but would like to hear from others who've put on an aftermarket cold air set-up? Pro's / con's?
2012 Golf TDI.....

Sound's kinda rough, but you get the idea. This if intake, full exhaust, and debaffling the resonance damper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW_bDc44IUs&hd=1

By comparison, here's the exhaust...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_hyRwRaPHg&hd=1

Shortshaft · #3 05-09-2012, 09:39 PM

Thank-you! Can you hear it inside the car as well, and, which cold air system would you go with?

ToeBall · #4 05-09-2012, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shortshaft

Thank-you! Can you hear it inside the car as well, and, which cold air system would you go with?

I've got the APR Carbonio. You can't really hear it over the exhaust, which I did first.

IMG_0419 by Toe_Ball, on Flickr

Ol'Rattler · #5 05-10-2012, 03:57 AM

On these Diesels, most CAI's will degrade the performance because they are actually a hot air intakes (draws air from inside the engine compartment) and also the filter media with these CAI's does not filter as well as OEM.

If you want to hear the turbo, get a bigger turbo and accept the turbo lag. Just because you can hear the turbo whine has absolutely nothing to do with how efficiently the turbo is working.

Shortshaft · #6 05-10-2012, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol'Rattler

On these Diesels, most CAI's will degrade the performance because they are actually a hot air intakes (draws air from inside the engine compartment) and also the filter media with these CAI's does not filter as well as OEM.

If you want to hear the turbo, get a bigger turbo and accept the turbo lag. Just because you can hear the turbo whine has absolutely nothing to do with how efficiently the turbo is working.

Thanks for the info. I know on my Cummins, it made a HUGE difference and didn't know if it was something to consider or not. On that truck it had a 4" exhaust from the turbo back and it {along with the CAI}, let you know there was a turbo there. BTW...never mentioned "whine and efficiency" correlation. Just want to "hear" it......I probably will leave the intake alone and put an exhaust on it at some point....

ToeBall · #7 05-10-2012, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol'Rattler

On these Diesels, most CAI's will degrade the performance because they are actually a hot air intakes (draws air from inside the engine compartment) and also the filter media with these CAI's does not filter as well as OEM.

If you want to hear the turbo, get a bigger turbo and accept the turbo lag. Just because you can hear the turbo whine has absolutely nothing to do with how efficiently the turbo is working.

Did you even look at the photo before posting this? It clearly bolts up to the same grill opening as the stock snorkel but doesn't make 4 90 degree turns before it goes into the plumbing. I don't disagree that it doesn't filter as well as stock though. Unfortunately, getting a bigger turbo is easier said than done. A turbo upgrade requires an exhaust upgrade as well, so you're looking at $1000+ for the turbo upgrade, and then doing the exhaust anyway. If you put in a high performance DPF, it'll be another $2000-$3000 for the exhaust, if not, then you can probably pull it off in the $1500 range, but will need a tune, so another $500 there and you're back to $2000 for the exhaust. So it comes down to $3000 for a turbo upgrade, or $300 for an intake.

I agree, for performance they're pointless on an otherwise stock engine. To be honest, I didn't really gain any performance when I added mine, though it did knock the smoke down a bit. If you were just after some sound, I'd probably start by debaffling the resonance damper. Not much gain, but it's free. Just be careful not to go through the side, as it's an overpriced piece of plastic, or you can buy an aluminum one at http://performance-diesel.com/index....products_id=35, though at that price, I can't say I would.

IMG_0278 by Toe_Ball, on Flickr

If you're after performance, just get a Malone stage 2 tune and it'll be pretty much invisible apart from gaining about 45 hp. For $550, it's still the best bang for the buck out there.

Ol'Rattler · #8 05-11-2012, 03:41 AM

Sorry. I need to lighten up sometimes. for the most part I was referring to the supposed CAI's that have a cone filter in the engine bay.

Seriously though, the OEM intake with all the twists and turns does serve a purpose. If you go through a deep puddle were the possibility of ingesting water is very real, an OEM intake does a very good job of keeping water out of your induction path.

Most aftermarket intakes, to varying effect, compromise the cars ability to avoid ingesting water when you go through a deep puddle and with the extremely marginal performance gains an aftermarket intake offers on a TDI, they are not worth the added expense.