Technical Fiat Coupe turbo Drilling the Air Box

[ycming]

People stating a bad move, is people that don't actually have a coupe .

filter out the random peeps with punto and as me with cinq, and listen to the guys that have a coupe

Ming

 

[hmallett]

People stating a bad move, is people that don't actually have a coupe .

You forgot me - I had a Coupe for 3 years. My opinion is that what you do with your car is up to you, but I don't see the point of it!

 

[Steve H]

Well I never realised there were so many experts on here! You must all have rollers in your sheds!
I did this mod on an escort RS Turbo a few years ago, and we were at the rolling road with a magazine who bought with them several air filters for testing. We rollered the car as was, and the highest gain we saw was with a panel filter and a drilled airbox, 15bhp. It also had the most reasonable IAT's compared to k&n's et al.

Thats not to say you will get 15bhp in the coupe, you may get more, or less, or way less...

And to say its a chav mod, fine, thats your opinion, no problem. It'll make more noise too. Also, dont just think that because a car has an airbox it wont run any power. How does over 500bhp atw grab you? That car has an airbox....

Lets start dealing in facts here. Lets see your graphs.

 

[marco20vt]

Well I never realised there were so many experts on here! You must all have rollers in your sheds!
I did this mod on an escort RS Turbo a few years ago, and we were at the rolling road with a magazine who bought with them several air filters for testing. We rollered the car as was, and the highest gain we saw was with a panel filter and a drilled airbox, 15bhp. It also had the most reasonable IAT's compared to k&n's et al.

Thats not to say you will get 15bhp in the coupe, you may get more, or less, or way less...

And to say its a chav mod, fine, thats your opinion, no problem. It'll make more noise too. Also, dont just think that because a car has an airbox it wont run any power. How does over 500bhp atw grab you? That car has an airbox....

Lets start dealing in facts here. Lets see your graphs.

well said!!

 

[ycming]

Well I never realised there were so many experts on here! You must all have rollers in your sheds!
I did this mod on an escort RS Turbo a few years ago, and we were at the rolling road with a magazine who bought with them several air filters for testing. We rollered the car as was, and the highest gain we saw was with a panel filter and a drilled airbox, 15bhp. It also had the most reasonable IAT's compared to k&n's et al.

Thats not to say you will get 15bhp in the coupe, you may get more, or less, or way less...

And to say its a chav mod, fine, thats your opinion, no problem. It'll make more noise too. Also, dont just think that because a car has an airbox it wont run any power. How does over 500bhp atw grab you? That car has an airbox....


Lets start dealing in facts here. Lets see your graphs.

Yup yup well said !!!

 

[hmallett]

Well I never realised there were so many experts on here! You must all have rollers in your sheds!

Or maybe it's been debated loads on FCCUK. There was a monster thread about it a few years ago, which involved owners putting their Coupes on rolling roads. Sadly I think it was before the forum died, so it's been lost. The knowledge remains though

I did this mod on an escort RS Turbo a few years ago, and we were at the rolling road with a magazine who bought with them several air filters for testing. We rollered the car as was, and the highest gain we saw was with a panel filter and a drilled airbox, 15bhp.

You're not comparing like for like, as you're talking about changing filters as well there.

Thats not to say you will get 15bhp in the coupe, you may get more, or less, or way less...

You won't get 15 bhp in the Coupe.
You might get a tiny bit of top end power (like 2 bhp), but you will lose a bit of low-down torque. See http://www.fccuk.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=587373 for someone else saying the same thing!
If you look at the induction piping on the Coupe 20VT (of which there is quite a bit), there is a section which passes onder the nearside headlight which is flatter and smaller than the rest of the piping (it's moulded plastic, rather than hose). It's far more likely that this is the more restrictive than the airbox itself (on the Coupe 20VT)

 

[Steve H]

Fair points hmallet, my main gripe is that none of the claims made have been backed up in any way whatsoever. It seemed hearsay is taking precedence over fact, which IMHO renders it useless.
And of course i wasnt comparing like for like, I was talking about an RS Turbo for a start!! And like for like on that car (ie just drilled airbox) gained 11bhp over standard.
The point of that was to illustrate that it CAN gain you power, that its not simply a pointless chav thing to do 100% of the time. Its completely subjective.
I do agreee you probably wont see much gain, if any, on the coupe, but I didnt say you would, anyone thinking they will get 15bhp because an ERST did it needs to get a brain.

 

[hmallett]

And of course i wasnt comparing like for like, I was talking about an RS Turbo for a start!!

...and everyone knows a Coupe 20VT can kick an RS Turbo's ass!

 

[Steve H]

.... and where did I say they wont?

It only has a 90bhp advantage

... although a proven 171.3mph, 350bhp and 310lb/ft from a 1600cc CVH turbo has been seen.....

 

[bridges]

My coupe has a cone filter, 1 because its a sports car that now sounds even better. Everyone I know comments on the glorious sound which is amplified by the induction. My N/A sounds much better, like a V8 now it has a decent exhaust and filter set up.
Anyone not bothered about noise and looks from their car to acompany the speed is surely not bothered about sporty cars at all. Its not a dig. but if a ferrari sounded like a 1.2 then i'm sure people would complain. An extreme example, I know.
People should be allowed to personalise or in their eyes improve charecteristics of their cars or keep them standard.

 

[fubar]

What are those ETS Superchargers like? Would they run down the battery quickly?

I'd like to put one in my Coupe 16v N/A - it might sound funny but if it does give the extra 20bhp it advertises then that's nearly 15% extra power right?

 

[custard]

What are those ETS Superchargers like? Would they run down the battery quickly?

I'd like to put one in my Coupe 16v N/A - it might sound funny but if it does give the extra 20bhp it advertises then that's nearly 15% extra power right?

looking at those power figures,do you think they give those power gains?

 

[jimboy]

What are those ETS Superchargers like? Would they run down the battery quickly?

I'd like to put one in my Coupe 16v N/A - it might sound funny but if it does give the extra 20bhp it advertises then that's nearly 15% extra power right?

Im guessing that you are referring to some tacky si-iit sold on eBay & the likes.
If Im right, you are either very stupid, very gullible, or believe everything you read, or dont get out too much & discuss these sort of things with your mates

At the risk of sounding flippant.... take a guess

 

[sumplug]

Well, if drilling an airbox correctly is a chav thing, then i will eat my door mirror!
Bill Blydenstein [infamous engine tuner], always drilled his airboxes. He said it added power.
On the Coupe, if you drill on the right of the panel, right at the front, it produces a small increase in power. Think they call it a pressure wave. Another very good idea with the airbox, is to add a second induction pipe, so it allows air in fully to the airbox.
Cone filter does slightly decrease torque at bottom end [before spool up], but allows engine to breath better at the top end. Engine deffinitley will hit the limiter easier if you require it.

Andy.

 

[s130]

Changes to air intake / airbox / filter etc. are in many cases a well researched lottery.

Lottery because given many of the factors the manufacturer has to comply with, and the space and cost restraints to be met, then, generally the delivered setup is about as good as it gets averaged over ALL possible variations. e.g. altitude, climate (temp & humidity) and season to season variation. Cost is also a major factor.

Simple air intake mods can provide great gains and really cost effective options, BUT, there will always be a compromise. E.g. great in the summer but icing in the winter. Or great in low season but on a very hot summers day absolute *rap.

What you are ideally seeking is:

1) Coldest air intake without causing icing ( charge density being the genric term)
2) Maximum free flow (pressure drop) air intake
3) Best resonant tuning on induction inlet (often referred to as intake ram/pulse tuning)
4) Resistance to engine compartment ambient/heat soak
5) Plenty of other factors

With modern car technology then the ability of the average guy to extract more fully useably power over a wide range of temperatures and alitudes and general driving conditions isquite a challenge, IF, you want to be still a "green" as you can.