2011 Cooper (Straight, non-turbo)

Milltek catback exhaust system

OEM air intake tube/silencer replaced with VIP tube

(SprintBooster, NM Engineering torque arm insert, auto sport button on module)




:: With the OEM filter box with OEM filter performs like someone trying to breath through a small hole in a duct taped mouth

:: With a K&N drop-in free flow filter in OEM box, improved, but still can feel limits (about 30% better than OEM, maybe…)

:: With a DDMworks intake (with K&N cone filter), definitely nice, smooth/improved acceleration, no suffocation feeling, increased "butt horsepower",
runs through the gears much more cleanly than stock, but…

Too freakin' loud on acceleration, sound does not match the acceleration power, it sounds like a "ricer" Honda Civic with a cracked exhaust manifold, the air intake roar drowns out the mellow Milltek exhaust tone (that with the stock box sounds awesome)

And the DDMworks box mounts directly to the engine (as opposed to the stock box which mounts through thick rubber isolation bushings, no noticeable vibration) and vibrates quite a bit a lot (I'm sure the heavy torque arm insert contributes to this also), especially at idle, and I know this is not good for the life/function of the MAF sensor (which is connected to the DDM box) being beaten up so much…



Any advice? Anybody know of an intake filter set-up that delivers the flow of the DDMworks intake box/filter without the exaggerated sound and MAF sensor torture?

 

I am just about to pull the trigger on this intake, but this is the first review I've heard of it being THAT loud. Would be interested in hearing more feedback as well. Bear in mind, my primary goal is to be able to hear my motor over road and radio noise. Modified intake helps a tiny bit, but still too quiet for me.