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Airbox Smoothing Guide now with pictures

im always watching this thread i like the idea of smoothing the airbox,bit unsure about the holes though.
im suprised nobody has taken the bottom half of the airbox right off and just cable tied the air filter in to hold it. or just cut the bottom right away.
 

robbie2008

Guest
stupid question but if ya smoothed your air box and drilled with a standard induction pipe leading into it and standard panel filter would u still get abit of a grunt??
 

sunilbass

Active Member
Jan 12, 2007
278
0
lesta
dont mine today, man does it sound good, but all i did was drilled approx 70 holes into the bottom of the box.. no smoothing of the box but put in a 3 inch cold air feed, just behind the battery!!
 

EmDee

Omnishambolic
Doesn't the insulation on the bonnet help soak up the heat? It can't just be for sound proofing surely?

I wanna get rid of mine now but I'm convinced it's doing something constructive - other than just sound proofing.

If not then its just adding weight and making it quieter!

Also, I seem to recall people getting rattles without it on - anyone else had this?
 

olliep

Wants a mk2 GTI
Oct 3, 2005
709
1
Winchester
Doesn't the insulation on the bonnet help soak up the heat? It can't just be for sound proofing surely?

I wanna get rid of mine now but I'm convinced it's doing something constructive - other than just sound proofing.

If not then its just adding weight and making it quieter!

Also, I seem to recall people getting rattles without it on - anyone else had this?

i took mine off recently. (its back on now as i didint have anywhere else to put it. :D) with it off there was alot more turbo and DV noise. I always thought that it protected the paint on the bonnet from going funny with the heat. To be honest i still think that but either way the sound benifit was a nice one. I then took the seal off from the back of the bay as per suggestions made on here. turbo and dv, again were louder however there was alot of 'chattery' engine noise so its back on and i wouldt recomend taking it off.

I made three holes (haha yes three) in my box and even that made a slight 'grunt and hiss' improvement. Definately wont be smooting however as i'm convinced theres a reason for the raised bits.
 

EmDee

Omnishambolic
i took mine off recently. (its back on now as i didint have anywhere else to put it. :D) with it off there was alot more turbo and DV noise. I always thought that it protected the paint on the bonnet from going funny with the heat. To be honest i still think that but either way the sound benifit was a nice one. I then took the seal off from the back of the bay as per suggestions made on here. turbo and dv, again were louder however there was alot of 'chattery' engine noise so its back on and i wouldt recomend taking it off.

I made three holes (haha yes three) in my box and even that made a slight 'grunt and hiss' improvement. Definately wont be smooting however as i'm convinced theres a reason for the raised bits.

Thanks for the answer, I did take mine off in the end - it's a bit louder and since all that weight (at least 5oz) is off the front end I reckon it's knocked about 3 seconds off my 0-60 time.

I won't be taking the seal off the back of the bay cus its all nice and shiney :)

As for the airbox, you need to get smoothing son!

PS part of the fun of modding your car is finding places in the house to stash the bits! My missus keeps finding car parts when she's looking for cooking implements and stuff. Best game ever.
 
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olliep

Wants a mk2 GTI
Oct 3, 2005
709
1
Winchester
I think they are just a product of how the boxes are made. The box is plenty strong enough without them I reckon!

true, i agree that its strong enough. lets face it theres no fat peple in my engine bay that are likely to sit on it. I was under the impression that its got something todo with creating turbulence

Thanks for the answer, I did take mine off in the end - it's a bit louder and since all that weight (at least 5oz) is off the front end I reckon it's knocked about 3 seconds off my 0-60 time.

I won't be taking the seal off the back of the bay cus its all nice and shiney :)

As for the airbox, you need to get smoothing son!

PS part of the fun of modding your car is finding places in the house to stash the bits! My missus keeps finding car parts when she's looking for cooking implements and stuff. Best game ever.

:lol:
 
right stupid question but i'll ask anyway after just reading this from start to finish, if people are concerned about heatsoak which i understand but want noise of the induction, as per the situation i'm facing at the mo, if you want to save money is it not possible to buy a Jetex filter (cone) say for £40 and fit it inside the airbox or cut the airbox so it provides protection from heat soak as per the p-flo and Jabba kits etc but on the cheap, thus achieving induction noise, heat protection and mimimum pocket payout :D

if that makes sense
 

D.K

LCR 225
Oct 24, 2007
6,408
3
se london
The OE box is too small to fit a decent size cone in and even if you did get one in you would'nt hear cos the box is sealed.
B3LSY cut the top of his airbox to act as a better cold air feed.
 
what about cutting it diagnally and fitting the jetex filter which is i would say slightly longer than most cones but i think smaller in diametre, not essential i would of thought that you need the top half of the airbox then anyway but the bottom half could be potentially cut to stop the heatsoak, then 3" feed jammed in.

Im just reluctant to pay £200 for what is essentially an induction kit. I don't know how makers justify puting the 150-200 quid price tag on a glorified heatshield but i must admit i miss the induction noise and the DV sound that i got in my ibiza cupra so i'm still swayed towards buying one. But i take on board the panel filter aspect of things too and think that yes i will probably get the same gains at a fraction of the £ but no sound.............decisions decisions
 

Ljones

Guest
done this mod on mine, lcr stg 2 revo and green, used the TT wack box design by cutting slats and drillin on side/bottom easier than lots of holes and smoothed as per guide, seems fine, nice noise Done
 

olliep

Wants a mk2 GTI
Oct 3, 2005
709
1
Winchester
just seen a pic of the inside of a mk3 golf vr6 box which was already smoothe. maybe the same as the cupra4 box or anyother leon box for that matter?? thoughts?
 
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