Sin

Before I start marketing my intake, I've got to perfect it. The original design was THIN aluminum tubing that went from a little more than 2.5" (throttle body diameter) to a little more than 3" (MAF sensor diameter, with a slight bend in it, and to give it strength, there is a 4-ply layer of fibreglass/polymer resin.

That was the original design, the newest design uses a mold which the fibreglass is formed around, and I am using an epoxy resin now. The epoxy resin is slightly more flexible, while the polymer resin was rock solid after it cured. But after 4 layers of the epoxy it's pretty much as stiff, but that little bit of give makes for, in my opinion, a better seal at the throttle body and the maf sensor. Plus, there is no longer a need to form the intricate aluminum tube for each intake. I just use the silicone mold.

So to make sure everything fit well, and that it performed just as well, I went for a drive. Within 2 minutes, an old 5.0 (early to mid 90's) was barking at me. We hit it at about 60 km/h and went for it. I started in 2nd, and he gained a bit on me right away, but within a second, I started walking on him. By the end of 2nd gear at about 110km/h, his bumper was at my rear wheel. Because there were cars up ahead, we dialed it back.

We spoke briefly at the next red light, and he swore I had nitrous. He was like, "There is no way your car sounds like that with just an intake." And I was like, "The sad part is, my car is bone stock other than the intake I made myself." He told me he had an X-pipe full exhaust, underdrive pulleys, (he had a lowered suspension) and a K&N. I asked if he wanted to run again, he said "No man, you're on the bottle, it's not fair." I just said whatever and left it at that.

After that, I pulled over into a parking lot to check on the intake. It was fine, everything looked good so I kept driving. Within no time, a GTI 1.8T (nice stock 17" rims) wanted to run. Had a Neuspeed catback, Neuspeed intake, lowered, and a chip. Off the line, I started walking on him. At the 1-2, I simply bukkakied him. My 1-2 was so crisp and on the money I pulled so hard on him, it was like I hit nitrous. By the next red light, he was like, "You ran the light!" I replied "I don't think so, and you are welcome to run me again." He accepted, we ran again, I made sure not to have too good of a reaction time, and the same result. I walked on him slowly off the line, and by the 1-2, I blow him away. So I don't have a clue as to why you guys are having problems with 1.8T's. He again thought I had nitrous. He said "You gain hard on me right off the line, and when you punch 2nd, you must have nitrous. Plus that sound. It can't be just an intake."

Then a guy in an old 3.0CL wanted to run. He had some REALLY loud exhaust, and super dark tints, and didn't divulge what he had. In any case, it was like he had an anchor chained to his chassis. This win was even bigger than the GTI 1.8T's. It was laughable. He just slowed down below the speed limit so he wouldn't have to talk to me.

I have never had this many races so close together, and figured my luck had run out, and was gonna head home, since I am goin' out in a bit. But outta now where, a stick shift, second newest generation accord with exhaust, rims, altezzas, spoiler, lowered, many blue lights, tints, stickers, the whole rice pot basically revved at me. I just smiled like a kid in a candy store. Off the line we both chirped away, and started pulling on him hard. By the 1-2 shift, it was over. By the time I got to about 5K in 2nd, I was pratically running on him. At the next red, he said he had a horrible launch and wanted to go again. Same result.

My last race before I got home was up against a Celica GT-S with an exhaust, and that's all I could see. Again, off the line, I was running on him. At the top of 1st, my running had stalled. But at the 1-2 shift, it was like I hit nitrous and started running on him again.

The sound the car makes, the fact that my car is otherwise bone stock both in performance and appearance, and the way the car performs keeps making people think I have nitrous. I don't know how many times I have offered to show people what I have under the hood. It's a good thing they haven't accepted yet. I don't like the way the intake looks. I think it looks ghetto with it just being raw fibreglass. Before I start marketing them, I gotta find a way to make it look better.

The streets around my place tonight are simply buzzin'. I could've had many more races but I've got things to do tonight. I was actually going to get going on manufacturing the intakes this weekend, but my partner in crime (my engineering buddy that helps me with modification designs) in out of town for a wedding, and I've got a date tonight, a party tomorrow night, and a family get together on Sunday. But hopefully, we'll be able to get going on the intakes next weekend.

sil SE

iTrader: (21)

can we see it

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

think you can get a video uploaded on this? also, ever try dynoing it? i find it hard to believe that you took a chipped gti w/all the other goodies, unless he was a REALLY bad driver.....

Sin

I don't mind you guys hearing it, and I wouldn't even mind videos of my car rippin' it up the road. I just don't like the look of the intake so much right now, that if I do want to market in the future, I do not want how it looks now, to get out. Sorry guys. Just imagine a tube that gets slightly larger as it gets away from the throttle body, with a slight like 10-15 degree bend in it. The intake is basically fibreglass. So for those of you that have ever worked with fibreglass, you know what it looks like.

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

can u take some pictures of it ? .....is it the clear fiber glass like on basketball backboards?? woulda been sweet if it was see thru

Sin

I dynoed the original design, which should be within 5% of the newest design as it is the same shape and size, just composed of a slightly different composite.

Honestly chipped gti's aren't that fast. Stock GTI 1.8T's run the 1/4 in mid 15's with about 180 hp and about 180 ft.lbs. So tack on another 35-50hp from the goodies, and that'll only get them to the high 14's. I run 14.65's.

Peak HP gain over stock was about 12hp at the wheels, and 16 ft.lbs. I tuned it to get the biggest gains starting in the low 3K's, with the biggest hp increase over stock at about 4.5K. If you guys specify, I can have them tuned to make peak power at varying rpms. I made one just to screw around with that peaked at 6.1K. That thing was hilariously fun. The only problem was, I felt like I was driving a honda with all the power up top. I made another to make peak gains over stock at 2.2K. That thing was also fun, but was no fun to run with since after about 4.5K the car felt short of breath. This must be how the CAI guys must feel.

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

hmm getting bad info....you only run 14.xx with just that intake? **** where do i sign up....and can i get a free one and be your test monkey?? i know you want someone with an auto to test out...come on, you know you want me ....also pictures? and how much would it cost?

Sin

I ran a personal best of 14.81 bone stock at St. Thomas just a couple months ago. I usually ran between 14.81-14.89 bone stock. After the intake, my best so far has been 14.62. With the intake, I run between 14.62 and 14.74 nine times outta ten.

With an auto? You'll be lucky to get flat 15's.

The truth is, I have three maxima buddies that are going to be further test monkeys beyond my car. I have been running the original design for a couple weeks now, and the newest design for just hours. When I'm happy enough with it, I will make three more, and sell them pretty cheap i.e. $100 Canadian, with the filter, and install to my three buds. If they like em, which I think they will, I will probably put a couple up on ebay.

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

but you still need a test moneky !!!!! come on

Sin

I've already got three test monkeys. One is a 96' GLE auto, one is a 96' SE manual, and one is a 99GLE auto. I figure it'll give me a good mix of old and new, auto and manual. And like I said, they are still going to pay $100 Canadian for the ones I sell them. Man, if I worked out the hours me and my bud spent working on this, we'd be making like $0.10 an hour.

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

hey better than alot of countries.....well fine i guess i could buy it....think you can get some pics up tomorrow?? ...and you sure you dont want a SE auto for your test??

Pearl96Max

iTrader: (151)

Isnt that PLEXIglass??

JustTry

Sounds like a bad a$$ intake....

And i think basketball goals ARE made of plexiglass......well im sure they're made of both actually....not 100% positive here...

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

whoops

Draino

Hey I'm definetely intrigued. What kind of filter are you going to be selling with it? I'm in the market for an intake and this sounds like a great deal. definetely let us know what you plan to do.

NATE98GLE

I think the GTI might have had 4 bad injectors. That car should have crushed you.

SamMan23

got a 98 auto with y-pipe willing to test.

Sin

I will probably offer the intake with and without a filter. The filter I am currently using is a Ractive double cone. It is basically a K&N, but instead of having just a chrome end, there is an inverted cone on the end.

Sin

How fast do you think GTI 1.8T's are? Every car magazine that I have ever read (Car and Driver, Road And Track) that tested them, have them doing the 1/4 in the mid 15's.

JMAXIMA

yeah, but didn't the orriginal thread say it was chipped... this is a major mod for this car... it will make the difference in being killed or killing a max.

NATE98GLE

Thank you JMAXIMA my point is proven!

Sin

Say you chip a 1.8T and add an intake and exhaust. Say that gives 50hp. That'll only get a 15.5 car down 2/3 of a second at the most. A 50hp shot on a max is only good for a half second in the 1/4, so when I say 2/3 I'm being generous. Plus, like I said, I was gaining the most on the 1-2 shift. It seems the 1.8T's just aren't geared for drag racing. When they get into 2nd, they must be falling too far out of the power band.

costcowholesale

iTrader: (12)

how much hp do u think ppl will get with just the reactive filter instead of stock airbox/no midpipe??

Sin

Not all that much. Add a velocity stack like I have, and Stillen and JWT, and you will gain quite a bit. Get rid of that last resonator, and that accordion section and you'll gain even more.

Sin

I was just cruisin' today, looking for another 1.8T GTI to run. And within about 35 minutes, I found one. It was silver, no tints, lowered, stock 17" rims, DTM style LOUD *** muffler. I pulled up beside him, asked what he had done to the car, and if he wanted to race. He was a really nice guy. Said he had a PES chip or something, a cat-back, and a Neuspeed intake. On the first run, I was expecting him to be REAL fast since you guys keep raving about them. Off the line, I started walking on him right away, and kept walking but slowly till about 5500rpm. Just before I had to shift, I stopped walking and I think I lost a little of my lead. But once I hit 2nd, I started walking on him again. At the next light, he was like, ok, this time, no nitrous. I was like, Man, I don't have nitrous, I swear! In any case, he wanted a second run with me. We ran, same result. He was like, what'd you get done to your car? You don't have an exhaust (he saw the stock tailpipe), yet your car makes a crazy sound, and you just blow me away. I just said, man, it's just an intake, and stick shift maximas are quick.

BTW, I also ran this Tiburon. He saw us running and wanted a run with me. It was an absolute joke. He made enough noise for two cars, yet I still whupped him. And a while later, a V6 accord coupe got absolutely smoked by me. He had a nice looking exhaust setup that actually sounded really nice, stock rims, nice body kit, silver, tinted windows. Off the line, I started running on him. It was really bad actually. At the top of 1st, I stopped walking, but when I got into 2nd, I started pulling so hard on him I actually let off. Considering I seem to pull really hard on people till about 5500rpm, I think I am gonna retune my intake a little to peak a little higher up in the rpm range.

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

hey man do you have aim? i really wanted ot talk to you, if you do, IM me at Jamsan920....

TurDz

iTrader: (3)

Maybe you should start elaborating on your launch and shift methods. This is the first time I have every read about a Max owner owning so many cars, so easily, and STOCK!

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

WHOA....hes got an intake ALRIGHT !!!

Pearl96Max

iTrader: (151)

Keep one thing in mind though...Its not how fast the car is, it is also how GOOD the driver is. Ive had slower cars and whooped people just because they had no driving skillz. Just something to keep in mind.

Sin

I usually rev the engine to about 2-3000rpm depending on the road, and weather conditions. I then start to let out the clutch, and work the gas so that I get slight tire slippage. I like to hear little amounts of chirping, or tire scrubbing. Kinda like ch ch ch ch ch, till the engine no longer produces enough power to overcome the grip of the tires. If the roads are nice and smooth and I get a good launch, it almost feels analogically like an eraser being dragged across smooth sand paper. I then floor it till I get to about 6100-6200. I find there is little performance to be found over that, plus when I shift into second, and the variable valve timing on the exhaust has kicked in I really pull hard on that shift. I never power shift, and I always clutch. I have also found that on perfect shifts, it almost feels like the shifter is being pushed out of the lower gear, and sucked into the higher gear, most notably on the 1-2. I described this to my engineering buddy and he tells me it's actually the engine rocking on its mounts, causing the shifter to be more prone to shifting in certain gates, i.e. 1-2, and 3-4. Weird yet awesome eh? Plus, when just driving normally, if I don't rev the engine, just engage the clutch and gas normally, at about 1000rpm, if I floor it, I will screech the tires a bit. The screeching usually happens till about 2-3000rpm, but sometimes, up till 4000rpm.

I beat the GTI today with his front bumper just behind my rear bumper, but I was only in second, and we hadn't travelled a 1/4 mile yet. I was still slowly walking on him. I estimate I would've beat him in the 1/4 by about .3 seconds. I would assume I would've pulled about a 14.6-7, and him a 14.9-15.

Mad Jap

LOL!

Hey Sin, send me a pic of your design....I can fabricate like a motha...I'd like to give it a try.

Sin

Very true! I'm not super driver, but I have gone through a couple racing schools and do have a racing license. I needed it to test drive and race for the University of Toronto Engineering Formala SAE team. Now that thing was fun. A motorcycle engine with a 14-16000rpm redline, weighing little more than 500-600 pounds. It's 0-60 was in the 3.5 second range, but what was REALLY impressive was the brakes.

Sin

You like my use of that word huh? I don't have any hand drawn pics. Only the computer ones used to make the original aluminum tube and the new mold. Diagrams which I will not divulge.

However, my explanation should make it simple enough. 2.5" to about 3" with about a 10-15 degree bend. If you have access to a simulator or software that can handle flow characteristics, it'll help you increase flow by about 15%. However, unless you are running over 300hp, the engine will not outflow the intake.

Draino

You said you were going to produce some right? About how long do you except untill you start selling them?

Sin

I'm actually going out tonight for a couple races, and go have a sit down with my buddy to talk about the manufacturing process of the intakes. But as for now, unless we can find a way to produce these things and make them look nicer than they do right now, I doubt I will market them, just because people not in the know, which is always a large part of the mod consumer market, will not bother buying an intake with raw fibreglass when there are nice shiny aluminum ones out there.

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

All these jokers who are raving about how fast chipped GTIs are either have no clue what they are talking about, or drive stock automatics.

Chipped GTIs typically trap between 94 and 96 mph, with some trapping 98 or so. They run high-mid 14s typically, low 14s with a really good driver. They are not the Maxima crushing cars that some people here think they are.

Pearl96Max

iTrader: (151)

My point exactly...YOU have some experience racing. Most of the people you find on the street do not. Driving skills make a big difference in the end result. Im not saying that you do not win or anything of the sort, but just keep in mind you are an experienced driver, while they are not.

Anachronism

If the gains are anywhere near what you claim and other .org members verify it then I am sure 1/2 the fourth gens on this board would buy one no matter what it looked like. You say you have the stock exhaust, with a free flowing exhaust gains should be even higher . Did you do before and after dynos? Care to post them?

Would you 'tune' these differently to work with the new 4th Gen VI?

Sin

My peak gains were around 12 hp over stock. At every point on the power curve, I made more hp. Right off the line, there is about a 5 hp increase. The original design was made to increase power most in the 3500-5000rpm range. On the dyno, at about 3100hp, there was a noticeable increase over stock, and held that increase till about 5400rpm, at which point it was still significantly higher than stock, but not as high as the peak of 12 hp at the wheels. I don't have slips, but I do have saved images of the curves. I'll see what I can do about posting them. This original design is the sort of everyday performance increase intake. I have another design, which I have yet to make, which will make the biggest gains closer to the redline. This would be great for me, since I can change out the intakes in about 2-3 minutes. However, until I get a freer flowing exhaust, 12hp, is all I will be able to gain, anywhere on the rpm range.

As for the VI, I have little experience with it. I do not know what actuates the intake. Whether it is load, rpm, etc. And since the VI crowd is so small, I have yet to divert attention towards designing an intake specifically for VI's.

Draino

I'm going to be honest, if it is as good as you say, I would definetely buy one. No matter what it looked like. And you said 100 bucks canadian before, and if you would still stick with that, it is an excellent price.