View Full Version : Leon Modified Airbox
sportbilly
11-02-2003, 14:08
Has anyone actually done this on a Leon yet ?
I have searched through and various people mention the Ibiza airbox but I can't find evidence of anyone altering a Leon airbox.
I was looking at mine over the weekend whilst cleaning the filter and noticed that another intake at the rear of the airbox may be an option. There is a little plastic moulded area where something looks as though it slides in but as standard is blocked off.
What I was thinking is to drill this out leaving a round intake hole and then obvioulsy covering the whole with some kinda gauze to stop large particles entering the airbox. This is positioned above the gearbox area so should be ok regarding heat.
What do you think ?
I think you may have problems with the air coming the opposite way from the standard intake.
If you want more air your best best is to fit an induction kit or increase the bore of the intake already fitted.
sportbilly
11-02-2003, 14:48
Want to aviod having a induction kit fitted as its a CC and shouldn't be modified ... ideally!!
What problems do you think I would have ??
I would have thought that having holes at either end would lose you pressure or you could end up with air just flowing in and straight out of your airbox. More cold air via a single bigger intake pipe is simple to do. You can mess about with ducting for the front of the car as well and create a kind of forced induction DIY-thing but it would be a bit noticeable at service. Maybe a heat deflector or something else to reduce inducted air temps would help as well.
Too cold and wet for me to try out my tin-foil ideas yet.
sportbilly
11-02-2003, 14:59
I see. As standard does it work as forced air though ? I though, for example if there was no-bottom of the airbox then it would work as does the induction kit ?? [I know this isn't possible but just trying to explain what I mean] Or is this different ?
I may look at altering the intake pipe at some time then, see what it does.
Originally posted by neg
I see. As standard does it work as forced air though ? I though, for example if there was no-bottom of the airbox then it would work as does the induction kit ?? [I know this isn't possible but just trying to explain what I mean] Or is this different ?
I may look at altering the intake pipe at some time then, see what it does.
Kind of. There was a thread a while back showing how to find the best place on the front of your car to locate an air intake(s).
On mine, the airbox is completely sealed with an intake pipe that funnels out to the front splitter/bumper assembly. The intake at this point is large enough to simply scoop in air as the car moves along. A proper forced air kit would locate this intake at a point where the pressure was the highest (which may vary with speed).
Looking at the front of the Ibiza, the intake is only on one side of the car and could be adapted to take air from the other side or across a much larger frontal area too. This is what I plan to do but if all this air passes by the radiator it kind of defeats the purpose, hence some liberal use of tin-foil.
ibizacupra
11-02-2003, 16:55
the important bit is ensuring the airbox has sufficient supply of cold air, from whatever source.
Some inlet piping to the stock airboxes is very small to allow for fitment etc.. (compromises etc) and a larger inlet pipe combined with a suitable cold air feed can give you the best chance.
Ram air effect is negligable.
Bill
It doesn't make a great deal of differance what air filter you use,On turbo'd cars the turbo will suck all the air it needs.You would probably be looking at about 3-5 bhp differance . Shell optimax gives 2bhp!! race cars don't use open fillters (induction kits) because they pick up to much under bonnet heat.If you really want to do anything just do as the man said and make the feed pipe bigger and maybe a panel filter.but is it really worth skinning your knuckles and spending your hard earned for a measely 2bhp???
ibizacupra
12-02-2003, 19:41
Originally posted by jason leese
but is it really worth skinning your knuckles and spending your hard earned for a measely 2bhp???
Hell yea :p :) ;)
:jog: :jog: :jog:
Bill
:D you can get 2bhp on the rollers by putting 50psi in your tyres if your going for gains go for biguns
Originally posted by ibizacupra
Hell yea :p :) ;)
:jog: :jog: :jog:
Bill
ROFLMFAO
Had to Be YoU :D :D :D
Dormouse
14-02-2003, 22:27
Hell yea
Seconded.
It's an engineer thing.....:)
Dor.
BeezerDiesel
27-02-2003, 16:52
Volkswagen Racing's 200bhp Golf TDI uses it's standard airbox from what I've seen.....(and it's probably the same as yours plus maybe a bigger diameter air intake)
Originally posted by BeezerDiesel
Volkswagen Racing's 200bhp Golf TDI uses it's standard airbox from what I've seen.....(and it's probably the same as yours plus maybe a bigger diameter air intake)
The racing Golf uses the one from the golf/Leon/Toledo 150pd engine. It's also used in the R32. I would think it's good.
edit:
I've got a tuning magazine at home with a few 115hp golfs switching over to the pd150 airbox & some special ramair tube going from the box to the intake.
Dormouse
27-02-2003, 20:30
I have a 22 extra bhp (given a factory 180 bhp) form a green panel filter and a bit of shit pipe. You works boys wanna cut yer development costs? - SPT will accomodate you for a minor charge ;)
Dor.
Originally posted by Dormouse
I have a 22 extra bhp (given a factory 180 bhp) form a green panel filter and a bit of shit pipe. You works boys wanna cut yer development costs? - SPT will accomodate you for a minor charge ;)
Dor. Now that's worth skining your knuckles for. :D
sportbilly
28-02-2003, 09:27
Has anyone got any pictures/instructions of how to fit a better pipe to feed the airbox then ? and obviously what to use.
I noticed that the Supercopa Leon also has the standard air box!
If I go down the Revo route I won’t get any other mods! But if I go down the Jabbasport route I will go the whole hog!
Chip
Variable boost knob thingy!
Forge dump valve
Bill’s Dynatwist Induction Kit
All set-up on the rollers!
Both options cost about the same! Decisions! Decisions!
:D
Originally posted by neg
Has anyone got any pictures/instructions of how to fit a better pipe to feed the airbox then ? and obviously what to use.
Any pipe of similar construction to the existing one will do. Buy a bigger diameter obviously but make sure the top edge of the pipe sits below the line of the air filter.
Dormouse
28-02-2003, 12:40
Has anyone got any pictures/instructions of how to fit a better pipe to feed the airbox then ? and obviously what to use.
www.seatcupra.net/~mark
Some case studies there. No Leon yet I beleive, but we are open to
submissions.
BeezerDiesel
28-02-2003, 13:43
Although both the racing Leon and Golf TDI uses the stock airbox the Volkswagen Caddy (mk2 Ibiza based) TDI racer uses a cone filter.
Originally posted by BeezerDiesel
the Volkswagen Caddy (mk2 Ibiza based) TDI racer uses a cone filter. Diesels work differently to petrols, They dont have any restrictions in the airway,Because the fuel regulates the engine not the air like on a petrol.I spent a lot of time messing about on a rolling road trying different air filter set ups.The standard airbox gives the best allround torque and power without upsetting the engine to much,Cones give better top end power and sound wonderful,But you can get some flatspots in the torque curve.
BeezerDiesel
28-02-2003, 19:21
Jason, that would fit in with VW's plans then as the Caddy TDI was intended for max top end power as it uses the non PD TDI so a bit lacking in the go dept. in standard form.
Did you find any gains from a non paper panel filter?
ibizacupra
28-02-2003, 20:49
Brand new paper filters flow pretty well.... but... and there is a but.. Their flow abilities reduce quicker than ones mad from for example, Cotton Gauze (a la Green & K&N type construction)
Dormouse ran some checks on his Ibiza-R which proved some small gains on the Green Panel over the stock new paper element... Not massive but some. The Cotton Gauze Green jobbie would remain higher flowing longer, and is servicable unlike paper ones. (bin job)
regards
Bill
BeezerDiesel
28-02-2003, 20:52
Yeah Bill, you ought to see my paper jobbie!
Thats why I sent you that e-mail earlier!!!
Originally posted by BeezerDiesel
Did you find any gains from a non paper panel filter? Yes I did.Foam filters worked well but didn't keep out the fine dust that cotton filters do.K+N and GREEN were about the same.As long as they were kept clean, Most people just wack them in and forget about them ,Once they are dust laden they lose there free flowing properties. We also found scoring the inside of the airbox with a knife to give groves running from the edges to the air intake,Gave the air flow a specific route to follow and gave a slight gain.