Cold Air Intake
08-21-2018, 11:38 AM
#1
Audiworld Junior Member
Thread Starter
Cold Air Intake
Hello,
Looking for a cold air intake for my '14 Q5 3.0 TDI. Only one I have found is the APR Carbon intake. I didn't want to go Carbon under the hood as it isn't a show car but seems the only one on the market. More importantly though, I have recently been told that upgrading the intake is pointless on my car because it would provide no benefits and could harm the turbo. This doesn't seem to make sense to me as it would simply allow the turbo to be more efficient and provide more power. The amount of course is in question but "some" power nonetheless.
Can anyone here provide a good intake as well as some insight into the actual results they have seen from an intake on these motors?
By the way, the source was a reputable a company I am sure most of you have heard of.
Best,
BG
Looking for a cold air intake for my '14 Q5 3.0 TDI. Only one I have found is the APR Carbon intake. I didn't want to go Carbon under the hood as it isn't a show car but seems the only one on the market. More importantly though, I have recently been told that upgrading the intake is pointless on my car because it would provide no benefits and could harm the turbo. This doesn't seem to make sense to me as it would simply allow the turbo to be more efficient and provide more power. The amount of course is in question but "some" power nonetheless.
Can anyone here provide a good intake as well as some insight into the actual results they have seen from an intake on these motors?
By the way, the source was a reputable a company I am sure most of you have heard of.
Best,
BG
08-21-2018, 12:07 PM
#2
AudiWorld Super User
Upgrading your air intake and filter can be counterproductive. These days OEM products are often tailored very well to their job. The system may be designed to promote linear air flow, which you can't see, and it will be using an optimal filter material which trades off maximum airflow for "enough" airflow with a proper micron size rating for the filter material.
Case in point, about ten years ago I asked K&N exactly how many extra hp I would get from their cone filter in my car. They say, gee, we don't actually guarantee anything, we haven't tested that car. I said OK, you send me the filter and I'll arrange the dyno tests. They declined. Other users (with the same car) were also unimpressed. Then we found one guy had actually compared the air pressure in the air intake system using the stock filter versus a brand name aftermarket filter. Guess what? The stock filter passed more air, without passing more dirt!
Not that you can't improve on "stock" anything, but remember that the car makers are all in deadly serious pursuit of higher EPA MPG figures. An efficient air filter contributes to that. They've spent a lot of money in R&D, so the odds are a "high performance" filter is just going to be less restrictive--which means more dirt entering the engine and turbo. I'd say to save your money and spend it on something with proven benefits. (Like, an inexpensive automatic air pump to keep all your tires pumped up to the correct pressure every month.)
Case in point, about ten years ago I asked K&N exactly how many extra hp I would get from their cone filter in my car. They say, gee, we don't actually guarantee anything, we haven't tested that car. I said OK, you send me the filter and I'll arrange the dyno tests. They declined. Other users (with the same car) were also unimpressed. Then we found one guy had actually compared the air pressure in the air intake system using the stock filter versus a brand name aftermarket filter. Guess what? The stock filter passed more air, without passing more dirt!
Not that you can't improve on "stock" anything, but remember that the car makers are all in deadly serious pursuit of higher EPA MPG figures. An efficient air filter contributes to that. They've spent a lot of money in R&D, so the odds are a "high performance" filter is just going to be less restrictive--which means more dirt entering the engine and turbo. I'd say to save your money and spend it on something with proven benefits. (Like, an inexpensive automatic air pump to keep all your tires pumped up to the correct pressure every month.)
08-21-2018, 12:52 PM
#3
Audiworld Junior Member
Thread Starter
Upgrading your air intake and filter can be counterproductive. These days OEM products are often tailored very well to their job. The system may be designed to promote linear air flow, which you can't see, and it will be using an optimal filter material which trades off maximum airflow for "enough" airflow with a proper micron size rating for the filter material.
Case in point, about ten years ago I asked K&N exactly how many extra hp I would get from their cone filter in my car. They say, gee, we don't actually guarantee anything, we haven't tested that car. I said OK, you send me the filter and I'll arrange the dyno tests. They declined. Other users (with the same car) were also unimpressed. Then we found one guy had actually compared the air pressure in the air intake system using the stock filter versus a brand name aftermarket filter. Guess what? The stock filter passed more air, without passing more dirt!
Not that you can't improve on "stock" anything, but remember that the car makers are all in deadly serious pursuit of higher EPA MPG figures. An efficient air filter contributes to that. They've spent a lot of money in R&D, so the odds are a "high performance" filter is just going to be less restrictive--which means more dirt entering the engine and turbo. I'd say to save your money and spend it on something with proven benefits. (Like, an inexpensive automatic air pump to keep all your tires pumped up to the correct pressure every month.)
Case in point, about ten years ago I asked K&N exactly how many extra hp I would get from their cone filter in my car. They say, gee, we don't actually guarantee anything, we haven't tested that car. I said OK, you send me the filter and I'll arrange the dyno tests. They declined. Other users (with the same car) were also unimpressed. Then we found one guy had actually compared the air pressure in the air intake system using the stock filter versus a brand name aftermarket filter. Guess what? The stock filter passed more air, without passing more dirt!
Not that you can't improve on "stock" anything, but remember that the car makers are all in deadly serious pursuit of higher EPA MPG figures. An efficient air filter contributes to that. They've spent a lot of money in R&D, so the odds are a "high performance" filter is just going to be less restrictive--which means more dirt entering the engine and turbo. I'd say to save your money and spend it on something with proven benefits. (Like, an inexpensive automatic air pump to keep all your tires pumped up to the correct pressure every month.)
Redd,
Thanks for the feedback. I agree with the R&D spent by manufactures to get more efficient numbers and thus create an optimal product but being a numbers guy, the numbers shown on a dyno from before/after ONLY and intake has been installed speak for themselves and show an increase in power. Sometimes slight and sometimes by almost 20. Not discounting your points/knowledge at all. Just putting it up against what I have seen not to mention the vast majority of people installing a cold air intake noticing benefits.
I have installed an intake on every single one of my vehicles and this was the first time I have come across any negative treatment about doing so. I haven't removed the stock one yet to see how cumbersome the tube and air box are.
I'll keep my eye out for an air pump, seems like a great idea for a daily driver
-BG
08-21-2018, 01:59 PM
#4
AudiWorld Member
I've said this before on the other forum. The days of extracting hp/tq from wimpy 90s Hondas using a CAI is done. Intake design changed once ALL brands started pushing the increases in hp/tq and still getting better mpg.
You can't find a CAI for a Q5 TDI because it doesn't need it. You can drill holes in the box to make more noise, because that is all you will get.
You can't find a CAI for a Q5 TDI because it doesn't need it. You can drill holes in the box to make more noise, because that is all you will get.
08-21-2018, 05:52 PM
#5
AudiWorld Member
I can tell you for a fact the APR Intake for a Q5 TDI part # CI100023 does not fit. I ordered one a few years ago and it just wouldn't go. Close but not close enough to seal. Sent it back. Can't believe it's still listed on their website.
08-21-2018, 07:14 PM
#6
Audiworld Junior Member
Thread Starter
I've said this before on the other forum. The days of extracting hp/tq from wimpy 90s Hondas using a CAI is done. Intake design changed once ALL brands started pushing the increases in hp/tq and still getting better mpg.
You can't find a CAI for a Q5 TDI because it doesn't need it. You can drill holes in the box to make more noise, because that is all you will get.
You can't find a CAI for a Q5 TDI because it doesn't need it. You can drill holes in the box to make more noise, because that is all you will get.
Not sure why you reference 90's Honda's but either way I have never worked with those. I have always stuck to American v-8's, or Italian sports cars (which clearly don't need any modification let alone a CAI). Every single American car I owned received a CAI and every single one had proven performance difference both from a feel and on a dyno.
As for CAI's being a thing of the past because manufacturers stepping the game up, even my basically track ready 2016 CTS-V had noticed gains (13hp/9tq at wheels) from only a CAI.
So although it may not be necessary on the current Audi's, it certainly makes at least a small difference on almost every other manufacturer. Mine arrives tomorrow and if it does nothing, than I will gladly report it to this thread.
Drilling holes in the intake isn't exactly something I would do and more noise is definitely not what I am looking for
08-21-2018, 07:17 PM
#7
Audiworld Junior Member
Thread Starter
Oy that sucks. Well it arrives tomorrow so I might as well try it out. Ill let you know.
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08-22-2018, 05:50 AM
#8
AudiWorld Super User
I don't understand benefit of a cold air intake on a turbocharged engine. Through turbo compression the air is heated, and cooled through the intercooler. Please explain why the cold air intake would have any resulting benefit.
08-22-2018, 05:58 AM
#9
Audiworld Junior Member
Thread Starter
The more efficiently an engine can get air the better. Regardless of turbo(s), supercharger(s) or naturally aspirated. The "source" would be the outside air. If the air has to travel through a bunch of twists and turns and up and down from water separator compartments in the intake tube, the engine will be working harder to get the air rather than it simply being a straight shot. Intercoolers aside, the less the air has to travel through an intake the better. That being said, some stock intakes are better than others and thus some vehicles may not even benefit from a change - which may be the case with the Q5 or other Audi's. But more often than not, upgrading to an aftermarket CAI provides benefits all the way around. Even my brothers Huracan has an aftermarket intake and we noticed a difference.
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Paul Breaux (03-25-2020)
08-22-2018, 07:34 AM
#10
AudiWorld Member
Anyway, in the real driving world "upgrading" (ie throwing money at a solution when there is no problem) to an aftermarket CAI more often does than not provides nothing more than an increased noise and peformance is lowered along the designed power curve. The real world isn't the same as drag strip.
This is such basic *** tuning stuff. It is almost comical. You know what is a great product? A CAI for a TDI Audi that is carbon fiber, now you can waste your money on pure aesthetics in two ways.
If you have $$ to burn maybe put it towards something worthwhile like buying a jobless person a bicycle to they can get to work. Sorry to be a mega grouch but damn man you just come off as so new to tuning and the internet forums in general but you can't be that young. I'll take a lap now.