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From YourSITE.com Technical Features Who turned on the furnace?
It’s hard to believe, but the 2.0T has now been on the market for over a year. It was early May of 2005 that we took delivery of Project A3 DSG, and those many months have been good for those interested in tuning Audi’s latest turbocharged four-cylinder in the form of a wealth of go-fast parts. Among this newcomer componentry is one very interesting carbon-fiber intake made by the good folks at Carbonio. This company is known for crafting beautiful intakes out of real carbon fiber. This extremely lightweight and very strong material qualifies it to be used to build race cars to maximize their power to weight ratio and to keep their drivers as safe as possible in case of an accident. Carbonio uses the technology to drop a little bit of weight from the car but more effectively to smooth out and increase the air flow being ingested into the engine - generating more horse power by reducing the turbulence in the air. The other trait of carbon fiber is that it does not get as hot as some plastics or metal, keeping the intake temperature lower – a very good thing. Another draw for our particular A3 is Carbonio’s close ties with APR, the manufacturer of several components we’ve used thus far on the car. In fact, the intake system can be purchased from APR at www.goapr.com. These two companies have worked hand-in-hand with each other to develop their products and make them work together. Since our car was already running the APR software and exhaust system, the choice got even easier. Even though no intake should dramatically change how a chipped car runs, it was nice to know all of these parts were compatible and even developed to work together.
Just as any car nut does after the UPS guy drops off a package, the box from Carbonio was torn open just minutes after arrival. Among the styrofoam peanuts inside were instructions for install, the intake itself, a foam air filter element to replace the OEM paper element, a rubber hose with two screw clamps, and two Carbonio stickers. After reviewing the instructions and setting aside the tools needed for install, the hood was popped open and the install began. The instructions noted the total install time should take just 30 minutes. The first step involves removal of the OEM air inlet. This is done by removing two torx screws that hold the front of the inlet onto the car, unclamping with some wide-opening pliers the spring-type clamp that holds the inlet onto the engine cover. That process complete, the inlet slips right out with some minor jiggling. Next is removal of the engine cover. Before it is removed, the MassAirFlow sensor has to be disconnected and two metal clamps have to be undone. This is as simple as unplugging the wire connector and popping the clamps off with a flathead screwdriver. This done, the engine cover can be lifted with some force by gripping it on each side and pulling up.
The cover removed, a Philips head screwdriver is used to remove screws from the back of it. This allows the engine cover to be opened up like a clam shell and expose the air filter – one example of where the 2.0T differs from a lot of other engines out there. The engine cover is actually part of the air intake system and is a vital part for airflow. Some other air intakes actually remove the engine cover and go about things in a different way. However, the Carbonio system retains the engine cover for a more OEM fit and appearance. The new foam filter replaces the OEM paper filter very easily and takes all of about 3 seconds to do. Once the filter is changed, the clamshell engine cover is then screwed back together and placed back atop the engine. This process requires a little bit of aligning the pegs with the holes and some force to get everything to pop in place. This was also a good time to reconnect the MAF sensor and the two clamps that hold it in place. The engine cover re-installed, the next step is the installation of the new Carbonio carbon-fiber inlet. This was performed by taking the rubber hose connector piece and attaching one side of it to the inlet, loosely tightening the clamp. The original torx screws that held the original are re-used, and having the right extension for this installation makes it much easier.
Finding the right angle with which to reinstall was probably the most time-consuming part of the install process. With those installed, the other side of the rubber hose connection is moved into place and the whole thing is tightened down with the clamp. Once the intake is installed, Carbonio’s instructions suggest that you let the car sit at idle for 5-10 minutes and allow the MAF to recalibrate itself to the new style of airflow being received. Since the install, we’ve logged about three weeks worth of driving and have noticed some differences. Throttle response seems to be quicker now than it had been before. This is usually a common trait when installing a well-engineered intake on a car. Unlike some aggressive CAIs, the Carbonio piece doesn’t really change the sound much. The only audible difference is a slight blow off sound when the gas is released but this is so minimal you have to struggle to hear it. One big thing noticed is that fuel efficiency has increased. On the same commute traveled prior to the install, we’ve seen a 1-2mpg increase overall since the install.
The biggest controversy of any intake system is the real horsepower and torque gained. It certainly feels as if there is a difference in power but will not quote the all-telling butt-dyno on this one. We do plan to do another dyno session on the car to see how much improvement we might have gained over the 196whp and 240wtq logged a few months ago. Overall we are quite pleased with the ease of install of the whole system. The unit itself is surprisingly light-weight to hold in your hand, not that the OEM inlet was all that heavy. Finally, though it may not be as important, the appearance is also vastly improved. The stock engine bay of the A3 is fairly staid in appearance and the nicely detailed carbon fiber adds a touch of sportiness. In addition to better performance, it’s also nice eye candy when the hood is opened. We’re working on some new additions under the hood, including a Eurojet Racing front-mounted intercooler and plan more dyno runs at that time. Stay tuned for logged numbers that will explain this new addition even further with solid numbers.
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