>>UPDATE: I just got a call from Jeff at ALTA. They are sending me a new intake overnight. Apparently, the intake they sent to me was an early prototype unit, hence the fit problems.
>>
>>I'll give a full report and pix when I install the replacement intake. Big thumbs-up to ALTA for standing behind their product. :smile:


Wow Alta is sending prototypes to customers.
:evil: Thats not right.

 

i got a question (or two). i like the way it mounts and fits, and am glad to see that the inlet hose will come in other colors than blue (if i am reading randys post right), but the foam filter bugs me. is it really better? i like the mini madness filter look much better. stronger looking and not so rice looking. i do not really want that thing staning out in my engine bay. is the foam part reuseable? does it wash clean? and while i am here i bet the BMP stress bar will not work with this intake without a bit of triming? thanks

 

>>i got a question (or two). i like the way it mounts and fits, and am glad to see that the inlet hose will come in other colors than blue (if i am reading randys post right), but the foam filter bugs me. is it really better? i like the mini madness filter look much better. stronger looking and not so rice looking. i do not really want that thing staning out in my engine bay. is the foam part reuseable? does it wash clean? and while i am here i bet the BMP stress bar will not work with this intake without a bit of triming? thanks

I've been interested in the Alta intake as well, but also do not like the foam filter element. In terms of filter element, I prefer the Madness, but in terms of overall design, I prefer the Alta with the heat sheild box going all the way around the filter and ECU box (and fuse box too?).

Any other comments on teh ALta foam element vs Madness pleated paper element?

Markus

 

anyone? anyone? bump...

 

So let me get this straight, they sent Andy a prototype unit?!?!? And the prototype unit didn't fit well? Gee, hope they didn't base their product off their prototype...and how in the heck could they have "accidentally" done that? Cop out if you asked me.

R

 

This shows the gap a little better. That's daylight in the middle of the pic:



Also, I tried thepilo's self-timer trick and took a pic from inside the airbox with the hood closed:



Pretty good-sized air gap between the box and the hood in that corner.

Finally, I snapped some pics of the misalignment of the front bolt holes:



... and the distance between the ALTA bolt hole and the hole in my '03 MINI:



The power and sound are great, despite the fit issues and I intend to take it to the dragstrip on Friday and the dyno next week (hopefully).

 

Is that the new heat shield, or the one that was sent by mistake?

 

The second heat shield was identical to the first one. This pic compares the two. You can see where I needed to trim off the point to get it to fit my car:



So, ALTA sent me a regular production shroud after all, it just doesn't fit my car well. I am sending the new one back to them and keeping the old one. Now that it is installed, I'm happy with the intake.

Note: Someone on MINI2 posted their experience with an ALTA intake and it was all positive, so maybe my car is wacky.

 

Andy, Can I ask about the charts again? This data was logged by the engine's own computer and sensors, correct? The positive upstream pressure below 2500 RPM seems to indicate that the car was in motion, what was the procedure?

 

I plugged in my prototype BiM-COM diagnostic interface and started a log, recording RPM, upstream PSI, and downstream PSI. In 2nd gear at about 1800 RPM, I put the hammer down and kept it there til the rev limit. I converted my mBar readings to psi for readability. Technically, the pressures started at atmospheric and went down from there (atmospheric was about 1020 mBar or so). I'm at 400 ft elevation, so air is pretty dense.