[EURO] Opinions on GruppeM intake

**Tobster** · 16-01-2006 03:55 PM

Most people agree that SRIs aren't the way to go, and you just end up sucking in hot air, but that a CAI results in a loss of low end torque.

I've seen the GruppeM carbon box intake before:

but I hadn't before seen this particular model:

It's basically and K&N filter as an SRI but with a heat shield around the cone, directed to where the air would be flowing normally anyway.

Of course, being GruppeM, it's still expensive (about $500).

What do people think about this one?

(You can find the intake section in English at
http://www.gruppem.co.jp/en/product/..._ms/index.html)

**Hoffy** · 17-01-2006 08:43 AM

I can see merit for the Ram Air model (top one) but unless there is a pipe from the front of the car to it how it can be an "Air Ram". It would simply suck the air from where the resonator was. Removing the fog light would help a bit.

I cannot see how the Super Cleaner (bottom one) would get much cold air unless you removed the fog light so cold air is forced up into the engine bay through the existing hole. Maybe if there was a larger diameter pipe from the end of the filter down through the hole to ensure only cold air is sucked then I would be the best of both worlds.

I would probably go with the top one myself but at almost double the price of the bottom one I would rather go with one of the normal CAI's and put up with the low end loss.

As for the bottom end loss, isn't that a result of sucking the air through a longer pipe? Wouldn't a larger diameter pipe resolve this problem?

**Tobster** · 17-01-2006 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Hoffy

As for the bottom end loss, isn't that a result of sucking the air through a longer pipe? Wouldn't a larger diameter pipe resolve this problem?

There's an optimum size. A larger diameter pipe will possibly make it even harder to suck the air in: try sucking water through a metre of hose pipe and then try it with something like a vacuum cleaner hose -- you'll see what I mean!

Too small, and it won't get enough; too big, and it will labour to draw it in.

It's all to do with the volume of air the engine can draw in and what works at the low end of the scale will be different to the high end.

The short ram will obviously be easier for the engine to draw in air, but the problem is with the heat from the engine bay. If it were protected from the rest of the bay and cool air was directed from the bumper to the inlet, then it might be a winner...

Ideally, what you almost want would be a dual inlet air intake: something that keeps the low down torque, and then opens up a second inlet that allows for a lot more air when needed for the upper rev range. You can now get butterflies for exhausts that open up when required -- I wonder of something like that would work for an intake?

**learner** · 17-01-2006 12:41 PM

k&n do have sth different (model No. RC-5051A*)..... you can direct cool air right into it....

http://www.knfilters.com/universal/apollo.htm

does anyone try this????

**Hoffy** · 17-01-2006 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by learner

k&n do have sth different (model No. RC-5051A*)..... you can direct cool air right into it....

http://www.knfilters.com/universal/apollo.htm

does anyone try this????

Now that looks interesting. I cannot seem to find any details on the performance gains. It's got to be better than the std air box and filter.

What would be interesting is if you mounted the air hose just behind the fog light vent to draw cold air directly in rather than just draw the air from the cavity.

**Tobster** · 17-01-2006 01:14 PM

Or, if you want to make sure you don't suck up any water, let the filter draw air from the cavity, but feed the cold air into the cavity first and direct it at the filter...

I hadn't found those Apollos...

**Hoffy** · 17-01-2006 01:27 PM

The K&N site says that the Oz distributor is Rocket Inductries. I have sent them an email to find out if they are available here. Will post when I get a reply.

I was in two minds to go the CAI but this has changed my mind.

**Tobster** · 17-01-2006 01:38 PM

$210 at http://www.ingramsauto.com.au/default.asp?d=102025

I couldn't find them listed on Rocket Industries website.

Presumably any dealer who stocks K&N filters should either have them or be able to get them in.

**aaronng** · 17-01-2006 02:18 PM

Why don't you just pull out the resonator, and DIY a long tube from the bottom of the standard airbox down to behind the foglight? That would be the same thing as the K&N ripoff.

**BiLL|z0r** · 17-01-2006 04:19 PM

That's what I'll be doing eventually. Worked well in my lancer, and heaps cheaper.

**euro77** · 17-01-2006 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by learner

k&n do have sth different (model No. RC-5051A*)..... you can direct cool air right into it....

http://www.knfilters.com/universal/apollo.htm

does anyone try this????

considering the filter is encased, does it mean this is street legal?

**Tobster** · 18-01-2006 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by aaronng

That would be the same thing as the K&N ripoff.

I don't think K&N have ripped off GruppeM -- because GruppeM seem to be the K&N people in Japan. If you look at the pics, they don't even change the factory intake runner. It just looks like they've stuck an Apollo filter on the end. The GruppeM pic doesn't have the cap stuck on the end (which the hose fits into) which you can see in the K&N pics.

It probably depends on who you run into, but you would think that this would qualify as "encased" and legal...