Just a quick note about the "click"-type torque wrenches. They work great, but be aware that the "click" you feel/hear when you reach the proper torque does NOT prevent you from applying further torque. This means that you need to turn the wrench slowly and smoothly so that you can stop immediately when you feel the click.
I see a lot of gorillas at track events that continue to turn past the "click" - sometimes as much as 20-30 degrees past, thus seriously over-torquing their fasteners.

 

*snicker*

This actually sums up how I feel about it as well. They come out with a new product, it's not as described/expected/whatever, and we all kick back with the popcorn to watch the ensuing riot.

Seems like we do this once every 2-3 months, as far as I can tell...

 

agreed....though it would be nice if a poor MINI owner didn't have to suffer the poor quality of their parts

 

you just made me spit my drink on my keyboard

 

So, you've been happy with all that you've purchased from PU, which leads me to asking 2 questions, if you would be so kind as to reply.

1. What do you like or dislike about their CF scoop (and did you get the aircraft grade or the silver CF)?

2. Have you ever had any customer service needs addressed by PU and if so what were they and how were they handled?

Thanks.

 

It's another prozak morning!

 

I really like the CF scoop, it has made my gas mileage go up about 1-2 mpg. I calculate it every time I fill up. So, to me it may be also helping perfromance, due to the fact the engine is able to run more efficiently. I went with the black and have pictures in my gallery.

I did also, have an issue and Bryce did a very good job in handling the situation. That is why I like the Palo Uber guys, they always taken good care of me.

 

This is amazing. Can you explain how the efficience of your engine is increased by an IC scoop? Do you have any IAT measurements to support this claim, or is it simply your improved gas mileage?

Always looking for evidence/data, thanks.

 

I am curious about that as well. Simply saying that it is doing better means nothing in reality. Your increase in gas millage could simply be nothing more than the gas station switching to a summer mix of fuel that is helping you out in that area. Also, how are you calculating you mileage?

You have to be very careful about making comments like that without providing empirical data to back it.

 

Man, that OEM scoop must weight 100 lbs.

 

I use the same gas station location every single fill up and have saved every receipt, since I have purchased my Mini. I fill it up the same way every time, until the pump clicks and shuts off, never add any extra. I go once every week.

Then I divide my mileage into the number of gallons used. At first, I could not figure out why my mileage went up. No way did I want to think the scoop could be adding to the increased mileage. But based on the fact that it is the only variable that did change IMO, it is the cause.

I have no other numbers evidence/data. I am not saying everyone will see the increase, I am just saying that is one thing that I noticed.

 

And how is the design of the PU scoop significantly different from the OEM or other after-market scoops that could possibly account for the difference? Unless weather and traffic conditions are ALWAYS the same where you areI would find the numbers very curios.

 

I mean, weather certainly changes by the week in virginia....that could easily change it. Or a day of bad traffic or amazingly good traffic. Having to make a trip to a store that is on a road you don't take each week. There are tons of other factors....weather probably being the biggest change and most likely.

 

No, I agree, it would be very hard to prove. My numbers are as follows:

- 56 fillups at 27.57 mpg
- Last 6 weeks it jumped to 29.71

The car goes to work and back that's all. Draw your own conclusion.

 

Well, there's your answer! It is in the numbers. With such high gas mileage, you're obviously never getting the car into boost! It can't be the scoop, or the IC, since they only work to cool the pressurized air when you're actually using the accelerator. If you're not getting less than 24mpg, you're not driving hard enough. You wasted your money on the scoop, sorry.
jk
I still can't figure it out, but the scientist in me just says no.

 

Indeed you have been very lucky... good luck with your future Stinky purchases... and lol at the gas milage comments...:impatient

 

Everyone knows you get better gas mileage with racing stripes. But hood scoops???

 

No no, that is HP with stripes...

 

I thought it was both.

 

I thought both PU and M7 had some statistics on the increase in air flow over the IC that is achieved by installing one of their scoops instead of the OEM, or am I mistaken? I don't think either made any gas milage claims though.

 

Increased airflow, definitely.... gas mileage? hmm. My own recent gas mileage increase I attributed to different wheels and tires.

 

Not a PU question per se, but I do have a question about these claims I sometimes see about a different intake scoop leading to better gas mileage...

The way I understand it, more air into an IC = cooler (denser) air into the supercharger. Since cooler air = denser air, you should actually use MORE fuel in that scenario, wouldn't you (because higher volume of air = more fuel used to keep the mix even)? Of course, you'd get more BOOST, which is the point of a supercharger in the first place, but it seems counter intuitive to me that your gas mileage would improve by forcing a denser volume of air into the supercharger... If you'd told me the car seemed faster or accelerated a bit quicker, that would make sense, but a supercharger is a performance addition and not a fuel economy one.

EDIT:

"An intercooler, or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through isochoric cooling. A decrease in air intake temperature provides a denser intake charge to the engine and allows more air and fuel to be combusted per engine cycle, increasing the output of the engine." (Empasis mine)...

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercooler

 

I agree with your hypothesis, in the event that the engine was under boost... But like Dr. Phill said, with MPG numbers like Passat posted, he is not using boost. Therefore the IC is completley bypasses and increased airflow over the IC (and therefore hypothetical increased IC efficiency) would not effect gas mileage. Infact, in theory, the addition of the scoop could increase the drag coeficient of the car and decrease MPG, even at a very miniscule scale...

 

This makes logical sense to me as well...

As for the rest of my post, I simply threw it out there for all the times I've heard people boast of "better fuel econmoy numbers" with an aftermarket hood scoop - the point I was trying to make was that these scoops are meant to deliver more air to the IC and hence consume more fuel per detonation, resulting in better acceleration. They are NOT a pro-mileage modification! If you want good mileage, buy a Cooper not a Cooper S.

 

Not to hijack the thread, but this is *strictly* not right. The amount of air passing into the cylinders passes through the intake system: airbox, airfilter, TB, SC, IC and finally the intake manifold. The scoop cools the air charge passing through the IC, increasing its density (not its volume). At a lower temperature, the same amount of air is denser, containing more oxygen. The ECU recognizes this and increases the fuel to get the right AF ratio, and bingo--go faster. If Passat is getting better fuel consumption, he is not pressing the accelerator as much as before, quite simply. For the same performance, he still uses the same amount of gas.
Given all the information available on NAM, it's pretty hard to conclude that a bigger scoop (and the actual mouth area of the PU scoop is no bigger than stock, just as is the case with the M7 extreme scoop--measure it) will do much without lots of other mods. BTW, the idea of the PU and the Extreme is to ram air into the IC, by increasing the volume of air passing through the same size opening, the speed of the air increases, hence more air per second passes through the IC than with a stock scoop.