Truth about T5 Turbo intake pipe upgrade?

[M88JCP]

Evening everybody

Hope your all well?

Like many people, I've been looking at the turbo intake pipe upgrades for the T5. There seems to be a few available for our engine, Airtec, DO88, Elevate etc. ranging in price from £130 to over £200. As I will only be fitting a Pipercross panel filter into the OEM airbox, can anybody comment on whether an upgraded induction pipe will yield anything other than abit of engine bling? Is this upgrade worth the cost without a cone filter or will I feel any difference?

Thanks all
James

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AIRTEC-Mo...0AAOSw33tfCDoh

[Welton]

I remember a respected tuner on here a few years ago saying the standard Volvo Air box and turbo intake design is good for 300bhp without modification - if you've ever peered inside the air box you would say BS because it looks quite awkward and restrictive to airflow but I trust a company that experiments and tests using a rolling road etc.

My car is standard but I did install a K&N panel filter replacement, I noticed a slightly better throttle response afterwards; enough to justify the purchase anyway - and it's washable!

[Markos01]

Interesting video about aftermarket air filters.

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/are...r-worth-using/

[M88JCP]

Thanks both for your thoughts

Getting the car to 300bhp is going to require the cylinder liner modification I believe, so adding a top induction pipe is going to be the least of my worries, and by the looks of it, a complete waste of money without more modifications!!

TBH i'd like to make around the 300bhp mark but the liner issue is a huge concern so will save my money for other upgrades

Thanks all for the fantastic support

[Markos01]

I know of some running 300bhp+ without adding shims and have had no problems with cracked liners. Adding the shims when changing the cambelt isn't a huge extra so can be an idea to get it done then perhaps.

[M88JCP]

Thanks Mark, other than getting access to the top of the block, are there any special tools or skills required to shimming a block?

Does anybody know if you can buy off the shelf parts for this?

[Markos01]

Originally Posted by M88JCP

Thanks Mark, other than getting access to the top of the block, are there any special tools or skills required to shimming a block?

Does anybody know if you can buy off the shelf parts for this?

Don't know. Obviously you'd need the shims at exactly the right size and thickness, beyond that not sure what else apart from timing belt tools. I had Tim Williams do mine up in Coalville, wasn't that much extra on top of the cambelt job. Hardest thing was getting hold of him...

[domhart10]

dont need to upgrade the intake pipe unless you really want to.

It does make a difference, the larger intake pipe you have the larger intake of air and a larger intake cone with a smoother air flow. These wont really make a difference on a standard car, but when you are pushing more power it makes quite a difference.

as for the block mod, its just some liners only worth doing if you are going over 300bhp (This is the guide really from what I found out) I ran close to 300 for 3 years without a block mod, now on 400.

If you are going for an intake pipe have a look at the RS pipes instead of just a bigger pipe as its more of a direct flow to the turbo. You will need a cone with this though.

[M88JCP]

Thanks Dom

That's really good advice