Air intake/high flow exhaust mods to NA engines? Worth it?

[menousername]

Hi all

All advice appreciated.

For the first time ever I am comtemplating making a few minor mods to my car. Used to just keep it stock, hold a car for 18months and start looking for the next model but will prob keep this one for a while longer and looking to jazz it up a little

Do things such as cold air induction kits, high flow exhausts, and remaps, really make a noticeable difference to NA engines? If so, are they significant to justify the cost and effort?

For reference I am in a mk5 golf r32, as you know a 3.2 v6 NA engine. I am not bothered about noise, since I love the stock exhaust sound, but looking to make it a bit more punchy.

Does a cold air induction kit make any difference. I believe the OEM set up is cold air anyway, and I have just ordered a pipercross panel filter so I think something like a Forge induction kit is not going to offer anything more?

Same with Milltek exhausts - any benefits apart from the noise, which I am pleased with already?

thanks guys

[CrutyRammers]

It's unlikely to make any noticable difference without also changing cams and ecu mapping.

[menousername]

so not worthwhile then?

stage 1 ecu remap without any other mods ?

[LordHaveMurci]

Recently had my Clio 172 Cup remapped, it has changed the power delivery noticeably, doubt it has produced much more power though, if any.

Car was already fitted with a SS exhaust as the OEM ones are made of chocolate, no other mods. Did think about getting it cammed but the 10-12 BHP increase (claimed) wasn't worth the £600+ outlay to me.

[CrutyRammers]

Don't know that particular engine, but unless the manufacturer has deliberately detuned it using the ECU (unlikely on their top spec model!) then it's hard to see where any sizeable gains could be made. It's not like you can just tell it to bung more fuel in and it'll go faster. Different on a turbo car where you can just turn the boost up.

There are sometimes easy changes to make - on my Alfa engine for example, they deliberately detuned the standard models by fitting restrictive inlet pipes, so you can get a reasonable gain just by putting the larger ones from the special cloverleaf models, along with a remap. But a remap alone, or just changing an inlet / exhaust (particularly if they're not actually restrictive) without a remap, isn't going to do very much.

[menousername]

apparently a remap gan give 10 ish more bhp and 15 ish more torque

but the improvement is in throttle response etc

[anonymous-user]

menousername said:

apparently a remap gan give 10 ish more bhp and 15 ish more torque

but the improvement is in throttle response etc

Generally, improvements in "throttle response" just mean the trick of requesting more torque at a smaller pedal angle...........


(to improve the actual dynamic torque response they would have to change the throttle system or fit a smaller plenum etc)

[DVandrews]

Throttle response can be improved by ensuring the engine is not so lean across transients, this is what rising rate FPRs do as the throttle is opened, if you can change the calibration itself then increasing accelerator clamp can help noticeably up to a point.

Dave

[jontysafe]

Difficult (read expensive) to get worthwhile gains with the R32. Spend the money on some decent trackday tyres and do some trackdays over the summer.

[anonymous-user]

DVandrews said:

Throttle response can be improved by ensuring the engine is not so lean across transients, this is what rising rate FPRs do as the throttle is opened, if you can change the calibration itself then increasing accelerator clamp can help noticeably up to a point.

Dave

Except no OEM will have a calibration "in the wild" that has un-optimised (rich or lean) transient fuelling, because it would fail every emissions test known to man in about the 1st 16sec......

[DVandrews]

It's fortunate that the MOT tests only test in areas in closed loop..

Dave

[menousername]

so not worth it then?

what abour anti-roll bars, tie bars, and the like. would these be a worthwhile investment?

[glasgowrob]

is it a manual or DSG?


might be worth looking into having the box remapped as well if its a DSG certainly makes the car feel more lively

[menousername]

nope its manual

[PaulKemp]

Interesting that you would say "stage 1 ECU remap
All remaps only really should be done to give correct fueling and spark advance for mechanical upgrades
i.e. Optimise for changes
In the dim and distant past I had a Peugeot 309 GTI, I wanted more as we all do but found the engine was pretty much optimal and any changes I made would reduce drivability, so my option was the 16v engine variant
I would think with you very capable engine your in the same boat, nothing will be cheap to get a good amount more power.
I would think that weight saving would probably give better results than 10bhp for £600
I found my V6 Galaxy was more swift with all the rear seats out

[Ive]

want power for a VW R32 engine. Supercharge or turbocharge it. Kits company installations available, even in Germany.
Everything elise pretty much only makes more noise.

I'd consider selling your R32 and buy a converted R32 for little extra cash.

[SuperchargedVR6]

menousername said:

apparently a remap gan give 10 ish more bhp and 15 ish more torque

but the improvement is in throttle response etc

You feel the R32 needs better throttle response? That's the last thing it needs imo. What it needs is more pull past 4000rpm. Schrick 268/264 cams will achieve that. The Germans see 270 whp using those all the time.

A remap won't do anything really. These engines already run into knock frequently as it is, so you can't add any timing. I think all the tuners do is make the full load lambda targeting slightly richer and increase the rev limit, which is where your 10hp comes from.

Air filters - It already has a massive air box fed with cold air as standard. Waste of time. Same with the exhaust.

As for ARBs and stress bars, do you feel the car needs them?