>>I may take some flak for being contrarian here but, for the MCS, I'd say NONE. My justification is what they did at JCW. See this thread for details:
>>
>>JCW MC vs. MCS packages
>>
>>Since they use it for the MC and it obviously would be more advantageous from a airflow perspective with the MCS, I read between the lines regarding the JCW packaging as indicating that BMW thinks that more substantial filtration is required for reliability when using the supercharger.
>>
>>If you're still interested, here's a link to some research I did while considering CAIs for my own:
>>
>>MCS CAI Survey

I believe that JCW's reason was not so much because their design was better. It's that they wanted to keep noice to a minimum, and they have to sell to every one. Because Noice is a concern, the design with the enclosed panel filter was there best choice, if they wanted to go out with an all out performance, they would probably go with the Cone Filter and Heat Shield.

 

In regards to reading between the lines on the JCW kit and air filtration. Could it be something as simple as....They might just want to leave a little something left on the table?
Not to mention the fact that they issued a part # for a Pipe Cross filter. Personally, I think they just want to make a little more $$$$$

Now for the original thread...Best intake...take your pick. I think they all offer something in their own regard. It's just a matter of personal choice. I have the Madness and am totally pleased with it. Lord knows, there is enough choices out there.

 

I did some Quick Calculation from the Accepted price and HP Gains from each intake to calculate a Dollars/HP Gain Chart. (Lower is Better)

Alta = $28.7/Hp (259 @ 9Hp)
Madness = $26.7/Hp (240 @ 9 Hp)
BMP = $34/Hp (170 @ 5hp)
Pilo Racing = $20.7/Hp (145 @ 7 Hp)

As you can see, The BMP ends up to be the highest price per performance, but you can use a strut brace with no modifications. The Alta is the second highest, but that replaces the Stock Intake Tube, and add's Extra Cooling. The Maddness is the next one but does not have many advantages, and the last is the Pilo Racing wich comes in at 2.7 a whole 6 dollars per HP below the closets one. So it's up to you to decide which one is right for you.

Thanks
Dan
Pilo Racing

 

I like Dan's last post to sum it up. If you're looking for pure bang for the buck I think the Pilo is perfect.

My objective is power so my choice came to buying the Rogue/Madness intake over the Alta purely because of the filter. While the Alta filter is high flowing I just don't feel like the foam is as good a filter (if you have good information regarding this please share). The Filter on the Rogue unit is a high end K&N with dual cones, interior venturi and base beveling to improve air turbulance / flow. You get all of the HP with the best filtering as well. Add to this the simple cut out mod and the Rogue is just fantastic.

Jim

 

Everything I've seen regarding VW's has always pointed to foam filters being the most free flowing. A friend of mine, who Andy know's as well, did back to back dyno tests and an ITG foam drop in filter made more HP then a standard K&N drop in filter.

Personally I prefer foam, but that's just me
Mike

 

>>I saw the K&N intake on someones MCS at the ITJ premier last week and noticed that the K&N came with an extra tube that directed more air flow to the intake, does their intake for the MC also come with an extra tube to do this? I have the Moss Mini intake and am planning on doing something like that for more airflow to the filter.

The monster mini intake has a air ramp which directs cold air to the filter. It is a bent metal form that bolts to the stock airbox point and decends at an angle below the intake to meet up with the stock cold air outlet.

 

>>Thats simple. You need to spend money to make money. The guys at the Helix meet this past weekend saw my boot full of filters that I've been tinkering with. I just imported a bunch of filters in some sizes and shapes I couldnt get anywhere else. I gave a few to Andy to play around with and Dan has a little baby one on his standard Cooper just for kicks. I've got a lot of time into this and yet the concept as it sits right now is so easily reproducable that I fear people would rather just rip it off then pay me for my research... not that anyone has ever done THAT with a intake design.
>>
>>I'll continue to tweak my design until I give up or I'm satisfied :smile: Hopefully the beans will be spilled soon. I've been waiting for some warm/hot weather to fully test the design(s).
>>
>>
>>--
>>Cheese
>>

I would have liked to see that but you must have shown up after the cheesesteak run (or before I got there) Unless you were there but I didn't realize who you were and didn't get to see y our filters. It was a fun day and if you showed up after the cheesesteak run, you missed out on a great drive down licoln drive at high rates of speed

As for intakes, so far the best HP numbers for intakes seems to be 9hp by K&N or Alta... I still don't know about that Madness intake but it claims 9hp. I've heard it doesn't really.
-Chris

 

so the JCW has its own Air Intake?? i wonder how much HP the JCW intake gets....

 

>>so the JCW has its own Air Intake?? i wonder how much HP the JCW intake gets....

The JCW uses a Panel Filter with a cotton elemnt, over the stock paper element to make it's increases/

 

>>I like Dan's last post to sum it up. If you're looking for pure bang for the buck I think the Pilo is perfect.
>>
>>My objective is power so my choice came to buying the Rogue/Madness intake over the Alta purely because of the filter. While the Alta filter is high flowing I just don't feel like the foam is as good a filter (if you have good information regarding this please share). The Filter on the Rogue unit is a high end K&N with dual cones, interior venturi and base beveling to improve air turbulance / flow. You get all of the HP with the best filtering as well. Add to this the simple cut out mod and the Rogue is just fantastic.
>>
>>Jim


Couldn't have said it better myself! :smile:

R

 

anyway to buy the pilo and put a hose on like the alta?? that would be perfect... any how-tos on that?

 

another thought about why there is no intake with the JCWs kit is that with many intake upgrades out there already-
Maybe they didn't want to have the kit interfere with any intake mod already installed. So that would cause less conflict in the parts being upgraded and a bigger potential market for buyers of the kit. If they thought that an aftermarket intake kit was something bad then they would put a warning that the intake should be left as stock or nearly stock.

 

Best intake system per dollar is the one you have now, just replace the filter!

Ok, someone straighten me out. I took apart my intake system on my MCS last night. I was expecting to see a restrictive intake system that so needed to be replaced. What I found was a well engineered system that takes ram air from above the radiator and ram air from in front of the windshield. Looks like someone put alot of effort into designing this. This got me to thinking.....

If just replacing the stock filter give you 4hp(mini-motorsport.com) just sitting at the dyno machine and most others that replace the entire system get 6-7hp (with the exception of the Alta) then is this a fair test? The car isn't moving.... and the stock system would be more restrictive when not moving because of all the ram air ducting. But we don't care what power is when were not moving, do we? Makes me wonder if the stock system with two cold air intakes woundn't be comparable to the other systems at 6-7hp if the car was moving and the ram air was working the way it was designed. The other systems don't use ram air or only seem to use the ram air from in front of the windshield. Can anyone comment on this?

I know it doesn't look as cool and their is probably more surface area on a Cone filer that there is on the square filter, but I have to wonder if the stock system isn't as good if not better than some of the aftermarket ones with maybe the only exception being the Alta. But then is it worth the money for maybe 2-3hp if that?

 

SuperMINI: Yes, it does have a pretty nice intake for a stock car. That said, just replacing the stock filter with a K&N panel filter or some other free-flowing panel filter will give you good gains at a fraction of the cost. However, more power is there to be had.

The K&N typhoon intake also makes 9hp and you can see a dyno of it here.

So I agree that best bang for the buck would probably be a K&N drop-in filter (I'm kindof partial to K&N) because it will give you some gains and will last forever. After that if you want a little more power, go for the Pilo intake or a Madness. If you want the most power you will probably need to go for the Alta or the K&N.

As for is it worth it? That's a question everyone has to ask themselves.

 

>>If just replacing the stock filter give you 4hp(mini-motorsport.com) just sitting at the dyno machine and most others that replace the entire system get 6-7hp (with the exception of the Alta) then is this a fair test? The car isn't moving.... and the stock system would be more restrictive when not moving because of all the ram air ducting. But we don't care what power is when were not moving, do we? Makes me wonder if the stock system with two cold air intakes woundn't be comparable to the other systems at 6-7hp if the car was moving and the ram air was working the way it was designed. The other systems don't use ram air or only seem to use the ram air from in front of the windshield. Can anyone comment on this?

Super_MINI: I got the pilo intake and I really wouldn't be able to tell you if I got a 5hp gain or a 15hp gain, the point is, I don't know the difference between 7 and 9hp. What I do know is that the pilo smoothened things out and definitely added some power over the stock setup. Leave the dyno results alone and just fiddle with a different intake system yourself, you will feel that even with the ram-air setup, the cone filter simply creates power even when it's at high speeds (50mph+) where the stock-ram-air design should be working at full blast.

 

>>anyway to buy the pilo and put a hose on like the alta?? that would be perfect... any how-tos on that?


Pilo is working on a silicon replacement. Give me time.. give me time..

 

I KNOW EVERYONE HAS DIFERENT OPINIONS ON THIS SUBJECT.

I PERSONALLY HAVE ON MY MCS THE MINI-MADNESS IN TAKE IT GIVES A 9.3 HP GAIN, THEY EVEN SEND YOU THE DYNO COPY, WHICH IS COOL.

THE ONLY OTHER INTAKE I KNOW JUST AS GOOD OUT THERE IS THE ALTA.




DAN.

 

[removes ear plugs]
Dan: all capital letters designate "shouting", and we can read you just fine, so there's no need to shout

Thank you,
Cheers,
Ryan

----> Great summary Pilo! Now the buyer can make an informed choice whether they want maximum value or maximum horsepower.