Gauging interest on a new intake design

[Craig]

Hey Ft86 club, I've been in the process of designing an intake with a friend of mine and wanted to gauge interest on the forum to see if anyone would be interested. Currently I'm designing it for my own car, but I've entertained producing it on a larger scale if it seems that there's interest in this kind of design.

Currently I see two problems with intakes currently on the market - intakes which make a lot of power tend to have issues such as idle dip or messing with the AFR curve. (Some even lose power + cause these issues)

Second - This may just be my personal opinion, but a majority of the intakes out there follow the same formula - retain inlet hose adding another bend with a cone filter on the end. Not that this is a bad design, and It does create power, but it seems that there could be another option out there.

So our (current) plan is to retain the OEM filter size, however redesign the induction box and intake piping to achieve the straightest flow from bumper-throttle body. We believe this will not only create power, but smooth out throttle response and lower intake temps as the repositioning of the induction box *should* allow for cooler temps.


Currently we're still rendering models and deciding how best to achieve our goal with the least invasive installation; removing the bumper is not necessary at this time.

One of my questions to the community is whether or not you'd be interested in a complete replacement for the OEM intake system that retains factory filter size to allow you to purchase drop in filters from any of the brands that we all know and love. I personally love mixing and matching, and I assume we'd all feel the same.

Obviously it is too early to comment on actual performance of the intake, release dates, or anything like that. I can however say that this intake *at current design* should fall in between the prices of the inlet hoses on the market currently, and complete intakes. It's a nice middle road that should create nice amounts of power whilst retaining an OEM look.

Please keep this cordial! Feel free to ask ANY questions that you have, I'd be glad to answer them for you!

~Craig

[JoeBoxer]

I'm still interested

[slipdog]

More competition and innovation are almost never bad things.

[wootwoot]

Pictures...

[Kodename47]

I'm interested in how you're planning on executing this. The OEM filter size is definitely big enought to flow well for decent power and allowing the customer to choose their own filters is a good idea and will help keep your costs down too

The obvious option would be to mount the airbox in the centre but then you hit issues with the bonnet latch (you can tell I'm British right!?.....) You could then have a hole in the rear of the box, worth keeping the air straightener too for the MAF housing, which allows for a straight intake pipe. Also, you've definitely got to run some form of air feed. I've run the stock airbox without the OEM feed and logged the temperatures. The heat soak was really evident so leaving the opening in the engine bay is a definite no-no.

All of the above brings me to one solution, look to the TRD version for ideas as what I can tell from your brief is somewhere inbetween OEM and that.

[NemeGuero]

Originally Posted by wootwoot

Pictures...

this

[mad_sb]

How's about you start with some differential pressure measurements to see what the theoretical max gain could be before worrying about what seems like it would work.

I have yet to see a manufacturer do this but without the data you have no way of knowing:
1. what part of the stock system is the most restrictive
2. what improvements your system makes
3. how close to the theoretical maximum gain each iteration is

Just my .02

Hope that doesn't sound negative... I'm a little frustrated that I did not do that myself before selecting an intake so I could do before and after comparisons but at the time i did not have a good gauge.. I recently found pyle makes a very nice pressure gauge that can be had for less than $70..

Originally Posted by Craig

Hey Ft86 club, I've been in the process of designing an intake with a friend of mine and wanted to gauge interest on the forum to see if anyone would be interested. Currently I'm designing it for my own car, but I've entertained producing it on a larger scale if it seems that there's interest in this kind of design.

Currently I see two problems with intakes currently on the market - intakes which make a lot of power tend to have issues such as idle dip or messing with the AFR curve. (Some even lose power + cause these issues)

Second - This may just be my personal opinion, but a majority of the intakes out there follow the same formula - retain inlet hose adding another bend with a cone filter on the end. Not that this is a bad design, and It does create power, but it seems that there could be another option out there.

So our (current) plan is to retain the OEM filter size, however redesign the induction box and intake piping to achieve the straightest flow from bumper-throttle body. We believe this will not only create power, but smooth out throttle response and lower intake temps as the repositioning of the induction box *should* allow for cooler temps.


Currently we're still rendering models and deciding how best to achieve our goal with the least invasive installation; removing the bumper is not necessary at this time.

One of my questions to the community is whether or not you'd be interested in a complete replacement for the OEM intake system that retains factory filter size to allow you to purchase drop in filters from any of the brands that we all know and love. I personally love mixing and matching, and I assume we'd all feel the same.

Obviously it is too early to comment on actual performance of the intake, release dates, or anything like that. I can however say that this intake *at current design* should fall in between the prices of the inlet hoses on the market currently, and complete intakes. It's a nice middle road that should create nice amounts of power whilst retaining an OEM look.

Please keep this cordial! Feel free to ask ANY questions that you have, I'd be glad to answer them for you!

~Craig

[Captain Snooze]

Maybe you could clone the SRT prototype. I was looking forward to this until SRT fell off the edge of the map. No idea if the testing/numbers support the design. Certainly my favorite looking intake.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by mad_sb

How's about you start with some differential pressure measurements to see what the theoretical max gain could be before worrying about what seems like it would work.

I have yet to see a manufacturer do this but without the data you have no way of knowing:
1. what part of the stock system is the most restrictive
2. what improvements your system makes
3. how close to the theoretical maximum gain each iteration is

Just my .02

Hope that doesn't sound negative... I'm a little frustrated that I did not do that myself before selecting an intake so I could do before and after comparisons but at the time i did not have a good gauge.. I recently found pyle makes a very nice pressure gauge that can be had for less than $70..

If you could inbox me where I can pickup that gauge that'd be wonderful. Believe it or not my colleague suggested something very similar. Much appreciated!

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

Maybe you could clone the SRT prototype. I was looking forward to this until SRT fell off the edge of the map. No idea if the testing/numbers support the design. Certainly my favorite looking intake.

As much as that intake does peak my interest, we're not interested in cloning anyones prototype. I was holding out for that product as well and was sad to never end up hearing anything about it.

Originally Posted by Kodename47

I'm interested in how you're planning on executing this. The OEM filter size is definitely big enought to flow well for decent power and allowing the customer to choose their own filters is a good idea and will help keep your costs down too

The obvious option would be to mount the airbox in the centre but then you hit issues with the bonnet latch (you can tell I'm British right!?.....) You could then have a hole in the rear of the box, worth keeping the air straightener too for the MAF housing, which allows for a straight intake pipe. Also, you've definitely got to run some form of air feed. I've run the stock airbox without the OEM feed and logged the temperatures. The heat soak was really evident so leaving the opening in the engine bay is a definite no-no.

All of the above brings me to one solution, look to the TRD version for ideas as what I can tell from your brief is somewhere inbetween OEM and that.

We've peaked at the TRD design a couple times, I felt this may come up. In all honesty our design is very close to that (however keeping stock filter size and costing MUCH less)

Originally Posted by wootwoot

Pictures...

In good time! If I had pictures this thread wouldn't be a gauging interest thread, it would be the compilation of dyno / intake temps / price / options!

[Calum]

You're looking for a slack tube manometer. I use Dwyer.

[2forme]

I'd like to see a snorkel that doesn't suck.

[cruzinbill]

I think its a waste of money and time with this car. gains are slim to none as is. Why not do an intake manifold?

[g0lden]

Originally Posted by cruzinbill

I think its a waste of money and time with this car. gains are slim to none as is. Why not do an intake manifold?

This sound like it would be some fun :-)

[Turdinator]

Originally Posted by g0lden

This sound like it would be some fun :-)

Agreed. Sounds fun and who knows you may stumble on something that works. The stock intake is pretty damn good but i am sure it can be optimised.