buyingconstant7
Veteran Member
I read an article by AFE that their intake for 2009-2014 Jetta's and Golf TDI's improve power by 10 horsepower and torque at over 23 ft/lbs. And fuel economy goes up by 1 to 2 mpg. Is dropping $300 for one, worth it?
Are Cold Air Intakes Worth it?
- Thread starter buyingconstant7
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turbobrick240
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Those numbers are marketing bs. You will gain nothing but better looks (subjectively)and more whooshing sound.
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JSWTDI09
Top Post Dawg
Do a little reading here: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=290373
Have Fun!
Don
P.S. If you want to spend money, do it where it counts.
Have Fun!
Don
P.S. If you want to spend money, do it where it counts.
PGM jetta
Veteran Member
Put that $300 towards a tune. Then you'll have your hp, torque, and mpg
n1das
TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
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At 23 feet per pounds (ft/lbs) it will be way too large to fit under the hood unless it weighs next to nothing.
It's all marketing BS. The car already has a well designed CAI system that came from the factory. Any aftermarket CAI setup is a WAI in reality. I recommend saving your money for mods that will give a tangible payback such a quality tune in the ECU.
If you have any doubts, do some back to back dyno runs on the same dyno on the same day where the intake change is the only change made between dyno runs.
Good luck.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
It's all marketing BS. The car already has a well designed CAI system that came from the factory. Any aftermarket CAI setup is a WAI in reality. I recommend saving your money for mods that will give a tangible payback such a quality tune in the ECU.
If you have any doubts, do some back to back dyno runs on the same dyno on the same day where the intake change is the only change made between dyno runs.
Good luck.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
1854sailor
Resident Curmudgeon
Oh, no! Not another cold air intake thread…
gatz
Veteran Member
Nothing wrong with cosmetic upgrades if that's what floats your boat! Although in the case of the intake, I think you may actually be making it worse with most of those kits.
PGM jetta
Veteran Member
Nothing wrong at all with cosmetic mods. But don't install SS pedals or a CAI and expect 12 hp, 45 ft-lbs, and/or a 7mpg increase. Also, the only number increase from a CAI is how soon you'll be replacing your MAF sensor
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Perfectreign
Veteran Member
You know, CAI's are awesome. If you install one of those, especially with an oil mesh air filter, you'll be starting right.
Add some "powered by VW" and "funkengruven" stickers, a few fire flames on the side, and a spoiler and you'll be even better.
Pretty soon, however, you're looking at wanting more than a CAI and may add a jet engine.
Just sayin'
Add some "powered by VW" and "funkengruven" stickers, a few fire flames on the side, and a spoiler and you'll be even better.
Pretty soon, however, you're looking at wanting more than a CAI and may add a jet engine.
Just sayin'
fxk
Veteran Member
The SS pedals are just as likely to gain you 12hp, 45 ft/lbs and a 7mpg increase as would a cold air system. 
n1das
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fxk
Veteran Member
Feet per pounds (ft/lbs), i.e., feet divided by pounds??
Oops... Yeah, screwed the pooch on that one. Torque is expressed as Foot-lbs (or Lb-Feet, or newton-meters, across the pond)Thanks for keeping me "honest".
frank
n1das
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People aren't likely to see any increase in hp and torque* with an aftermarket CAI because the car already has a well designed CAI setup that was installed at the FACTORY. Aftermarket CAIs generally are WAIs in reality compared to an OEM CAI setup. The OEM CAI and airbox setup is not restrictive at all and the ECU controls the turbo in a closed loop which means the ECU ensures the engine gets the amount of air the ECU wants it to get. The OEM CAI and airbox setup is not where any sort of restriction is so opening this area up further yields no improvement.
Spend the money on a quality ECU tune for more hp, torque and MPGs.
Good luck.
* The units of torque are in ft-lbs (feet times pounds), lb-ft (pounds times feet), or Nm (Newton times meters). Torque is NOT in feet per pounds (ft/lbs) or pounds per foot (lb/ft). While feet per pounds (ft/lbs) and pounds per foot (lb/ft) are valid units, they are NOT the units of torque at all (totally wrong!) and each describe something physically different from torque.
Spend the money on a quality ECU tune for more hp, torque and MPGs.
Good luck.
* The units of torque are in ft-lbs (feet times pounds), lb-ft (pounds times feet), or Nm (Newton times meters). Torque is NOT in feet per pounds (ft/lbs) or pounds per foot (lb/ft). While feet per pounds (ft/lbs) and pounds per foot (lb/ft) are valid units, they are NOT the units of torque at all (totally wrong!) and each describe something physically different from torque.
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n1das
TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
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LOL.
Thanks for keeping me "honest".
frank
I was also responding earlier to what the OP wrote (23 feet per pounds (ft/lbs), i.e., 23 feet divided by pounds). It's a multiplication, not a division. It makes a BIG difference! What PGM jetta said.
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buyingconstant7
Veteran Member
Hey, I like my stainless steel pedals! They came with the car when I bought it, so I had no choice, but I'm gonna leave them on, it sharpens up the footwell area, LOL. Definitely not worth the $250 VW wants for the kit though...
fouillard13
Veteran Member
“ft-lb,” “lb-ft,” or “foot-pound is the proper terminology?
makes it look like ft minus lb if you wanna get technical!
lb·ft?
ft·lb?
makes it look like ft minus lb if you wanna get technical!
lb·ft?
ft·lb?
turbobrick240
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It's lb-ft, lb/ft, or pound foot, but everybody knows what is meant when it's written otherwise. If one wants to be annoyingly technical about it the lb-ft is a measure of turning force (like the newton meter), and ft-lb is a measure of work (like kilowatt hour, and joule). Confusingly, newton meter can refer to two different units that measure either turning force or work. But in the context of our cars, it's a measure of torque.
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bollweevil
Veteran Member
Better performance 2009-2014 tdi ???
Is that with emission equip on or off ????
GoFaster
Moderator at Large
Just plaster it with stickers.
buyingconstant7
Veteran Member
Yeah that's with the stuff on it. I can see it improving if the stuff is off, since everything flows much more free, but with it being laden down, I'm not so sure. Sounds like I should prioritize mods that will make a difference, before the CAI
KLXD
Top Post Dawg
In the 11 years it took me to finish 4 years of Engineering torque was never referred to as lb-ft.
Never new that lb-ft was the "correct" term for torque until the magazines started using it maybe 10 - 15 years ago.
Never new that lb-ft was the "correct"
term for torque until the magazines started using it maybe 10 - 15 years ago.
JSWTDI09
Top Post Dawg
CAIs can make a noticeable difference in a normally aspirated engine. Our cars are turbocharged and the turbo is quite capable of delivering all of the air needed for our engines. An "improved" air intake is only required after you have done major upgrades to your turbocharger and exhaust systems. It is not the place to start unless your primary objective is to lose weight in your wallet (and make somebody else more money).
Have Fun!
Don
Have Fun!
Don
turbobrick240
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Yeah, lb-ft and ft-lb are pretty much used interchangeably as a measure of torque. No sense in nitpicking. And when expressed as lb-ft, ft-lb, ft/lb, or lb/ft, the - and / are grammatical not mathematical symbols.In the 11 years it took me to finish 4 years of Engineering torque was never referred to as lb-ft.
Never new that lb-ft was the "correct"
fxk
Veteran Member
The "noticeable difference" in normally aspirated cars is the drone of the intake roar. More noise creates the illusion of going fast. Normally aspirated engines are not starving for airflow. I think SS pedals are appropriate here, too.
An old Rambler a friend of mine had made plenty of noise from the intake. You could hear every little throttle position change as we drove.
The first time I rode a Harley, I was taken back by the amount of intake roar, and how that roar was a BIG part of "The Harley Sound".
IMNTBHO, intake roar is not desirable - it is neither musical nor interesting in its boring sameness. Fatiguing, really.
frank
1854sailor
Resident Curmudgeon
I always chuckle at the people that run straight pipes, want more turbo whine etc...
Maybe if it isn't your daily driver and you are actually are modded to high heaven, but for me and my 135 mile a day commute, I'd rather not increase the volume a damn thing coming from my car.... well, except for the radio.
Maybe if it isn't your daily driver and you are actually are modded to high heaven, but for me and my 135 mile a day commute, I'd rather not increase the volume a damn thing coming from my car.... well, except for the radio.
1854sailor
Resident Curmudgeon
I put one of Buzz Ken's 2½" turbo back systems on the Golf when the original finally fell apart a couple of years ago. I kept a cat to stay legal and went with one resonator. There is no noticeable difference in interior noise.
turbovan+tdi
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What's the deal with you guys, having a fight over ft/lbs? Not enough action at home?