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I found an older forum about this, but does anybody currently have the Mugen or GruppeM airbox?
I know the majority of people here favour the Injen CAI, but I really don't want to lose any bottom end: towing a trailer is a necessary part of life for me so I want to boost the low-mid range without losing any of the top end -- which I believe the Mugen box especially is supposed to do.
If anybody is using either airbox, how did you find them compared to stock?
Comptech is a much cheaper alternative
Yeah, there's plenty of information about the Comptech Icebox here -- I'd like to find out about these other two...
Don;t think anyone has Mugen or GruppeM airboxes, they are just too damn expensive!
why would you buy a euro if towing a trailer is a regular thing for you?
"Regular" means specific times and events during the year -- and it's not like I'm towing a horse float. Just because you have a nice sporty car doesn't mean you can't be practical...
I'm sure there's one person in Sydney who's a member here that has the Mugen air box. I can't remember who though... could be LOC888?
http://www.imgmag.org/images/hondar/comptech/ceur1.JPG
comptech kit, $350 delivered, no more to pay.
Agreed that Mugen is way too expensive - looks nice, and a bit of a wank factor to have the Mugen name. But reading some comparisons, althought light, didn't offer that much extra in terms of performance for the buying dollar.
I've got the comptech icebox and it's quiet compared to a CAI, sounds a bit deeper, better pull and response in higher revs. It was also cheap to get as well. Most of all it looks stock in the engine bay.
There are plenty of write-ups in the forum here whether it be CAI or Airbox etc.. i'd just search for them and have a read - decide which one you feel is more ideal.
There's a dyno test that was done to Gruppe M intake on a CL7 EURO R though.
It gained 15hp at the wheel, but it's on a EURO R. So not sure how well the CL9 will response to the same intake.
The bling bling comes at a cost too $AUD 1100.
get an injen or K&N
hahahahaa
ive never looked back
I just can't help but think that there's got to be a good reason why a company like Mugen produced an airbox rather than a CAI -- and I'm guessing that it's all to do with not losing that bottom end to aid in-gear rolling acceleration -- which you won't really see on a dyno. It's not about boosting the adequate top end, it's about eliminating the holes that slow you from getting there sooner.
I don't doubt you pay for the Mugen name -- but it's only a wank factor if you flaunt it. Are BMW (or other prestige marques) drivers wankers? Those who buy for the name because they think it makes them look good are; those who buy it because they like the driving experience and are prepared (and able) to pay for it probably aren't.
I find it interesting that so many people are prepared to pay for big wheels and body kits that don't do anything (wank factor?) but don't like paying for performance mods...
Yes i remember a time when a Hyundai Excel would roll by, with the full works done, giant wide body kit, with a fake scoop on the hood, big spoiler, and a nice point job, chromies.. and the car is worth peanuts... for quality, build and performance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tobster
With that amount of money invested, you would've had quite a reasonable vehicle.
But Tobster, i am flinging the term 'wanker' very loosely. I don't mean everyone who would buy something for name brand is a wanker. I'm being very general.
My family have owned a few mercedez, the name plays a factor, but the comfort of the cars are in a league of their own imo.
I understand that -- I'm being fairly general myself and have gone off at a tangent spouting bedroom philosophy! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by VirIIx
IMO, coz mods don't really do that much to the performance of any NA car, I find it difficult to justify for expensive performance mods (eg mugen airbox instead of an Injen since I'm getting the filter jsut for the noise).
Different story for handling mods.
Tobster,
MUGEN developed the Mugen airbox specifically for CL7 EURO R K20A engine,(which has less torque than the CL9 K24 unit) so I'm guessing it's to do with not loosing the torque down low.
But then again, Mugen never developed an open pod style CAI.
It's a bit hard to justify paying X amount of money for the Mugen when you can get the same performance from a INGEN for half the amount.
Fair enough!
I just like investigating all options, regardless...
I think the difference seems to be in the "type" (i.e. where in the rev range) of performance.
Between cars, mortgages and a dozen other things, I get very picky about what (little) I choose to spend on mods so I like to investigate things before I part with the $$.
I'm starting to think cat-back exhaust may suit me better...
Cat back exhaust gives you very little performance gain actually.
If you don't mind the noise, best bang for buck is definately INGEN CAI.
I opted for Comptech ICEBOX is because it's not noisy as my exhaust is loud enough & I favor more torque down low.
Spot on baboo. My last car had a CAI and i loved it, a bit loud tho - at least.. my mother didn't like it. With comptech, similar performance, a nice rumble (not as loud but a lot nicer than stock) and most of all.. mother can't hear/notice it haha :)Quote:
Originally Posted by baboo
How about extractors? do you think that would make a difference? I know they do in some cars.
The thing is with the Euro that you're already dealing with a fairly high output NA 4-cylinder (certainly compared to most 4-cylinders), so really all you're ever likely to get is a little bit here or there...
It's doesn't seem to be one of those cars where you can say, "There's heaps of power hiding in the..."
I don't want to start another hydrolock conversation (I will always argue that the chances are negligible), but do you find the Comptech Icebox sucks a lot of other crap into the airbox? I know the opening is pretty large...
i haven't opened mine up yet to check. The concern is there but from memory it is sitting right behind my fog.
Perhaps yfin, or peekay have opened up theirs to look at in the past few weeks?
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As far as performance goes, i believe you can squeeze a little bit here and there out especially with the hondata ecu flash. Any small modification that i indend to do - i don't have my mind set on mass performance. I feel it's more of a refining in performance.
eg. comptech revs a bit happily 3500rpm~ and above (better response), but the car vibrates a bit more when idle now because of the loss of the resonator - or so i believe that's the case.
If someone wants performance and has the money and isn't happy with what's on the market - turbo/supercharge it up.
That's overkill for everyday driving - where the hell are you going to use that much power on the roads anyways.
ECU > CAI > Header > high flow CAT > CAT back exhaust
K-series engine has ALOT of potential, 150Kw~170Kw is easily achievable with the right mods. And that's staying with N/A. With turbo/supercharge we are talking another story.
Mugen Airbox. No doubdt. There is a reason why Mugen put so much effort into making an intake system. First of all, the Mugen Airbox for these models are dually-resonated - which means a great deal when it comes to performance. Since the entire intake chamber of the car is resonated - from intake to intake runners - the resonation helps keep the air moving upward the intake arm.
The stock intake on your car is really good, and there is no need to change it at all! If you do choose to swap it out, you don't go cheap on an intake - because the intake system is crucial to performance on these engines. Using a simple intake system will in most cases result in a performance decrease.
The mugen box would be nice but $1000 dollars compared to $250 delivered from the States for a Comptech unit....I will take the Comptech but with and ITG filter (sorry I am biased with these filters from experience). Also the Mugen was not designed for the K24 motor but the K20 what difference this makes I don't know in real terms but at least the Comptech was designed for the K24 engine.
My advice is, stick to the CompTech IceBox, negligible loss in the low end but improves your mid range all the way to redline, would be suitable for your towing needs....
No - it doesn't suck lots of crap. At the moment my fog cover is closed. If you clean it every 5000 kms it will be fine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tobster
I have cleaned mine once after 5000kms travelled and it didn't look too bad at all considering the very dusty roads i covered in northern WA.
I plan to have the fog cover open soon. I will put some mesh or fly screen behind the holes to stop any large objects getting through.
Yes the opening is large and yes it does allow more dirt to get inside.. THUS the idea take the effort to clean the filter :)
Yfin, that is as and when I send it to you :pQuote:
Originally Posted by yfin