ITG CAI Review (For Leon Cupra Mk2) **NOW WITH VIDEO FOOTAGE**

warren_cox

Back from the dead
Link to video footage: here

Before any of you get smart, yes I had noticed there isn't an S on the front grille, but I thought you may benefit from the knowledge that this product will fit your car (there is an identical kit currently running on Revotechnik's Leon Cupra RT360). Whilst their car has been reviewed recently, to date the filter in isolation has not been reviewed in any level of detail.

You have a Carbonio, why change for an ITG?
So before I begin let me fill you in as to my choice. I'd been needing a kit for a while, and had been awaiting the Twintake from Forge for some time. My lease on the S3 is running out fast, therefore time is of the essence. Yes, I ran a Carbonia intake / filter which whilst at stage 1 was perfectly satisfactory, however since fitting the HPFP & Revo Stg2+ map there was a slightly flat sensation when accelerating from mid speeds. There were 3 likely candidates: Intake / DP / Cats. From a considered review of previous experience mixed with the opinions of people I respect, I decided to sort the filter first as logs had shown I was lacking air at the MAF, and to be honest exhausts are just overrated and horribly expensive.


So who are ITG?
I was introduced to Andy Jackson at ITG by RevoCarl, and got chatting as to the merits of their CAI system. I had always believed ITG to be a company that made filters for race vehicles rather than road cars, and it turns out ITG's client base is actually extensive on and off the track (Vauxhall VXR BTCC / Renault F1 / Red Bull Racing to name a few of the ones you'd instantly recognise).

So what is there solution?
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This is the end product. See the girth on those pipes?! See the quality of the finish? See how tight the filter fits in the enclosure?! (Don't worry, this is an S3 affliction, and the Leon has far more space for the filter!). There will be some of you scratching your head now, wondering why this kit doesn't look like an Evoms, Forge or a Dbilas, with fancy logo'd enclosures. I will address these questions later, so stay with me for the 'science part' later on. I will be the first to admit, if bling is your primary concern you will find this system slightly 'functional' and lacking in glam. However, look closely and there is some VERY industrial and clever engineering, and as you will see in later photos an incredible level of attention to detail.

So what does it offer over and above OEM?
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See the plastic pipe above. That is the pipe that disappears down the back offside of the engine from the MAF. Getting the spring clip of this baby requires some patience and a rather funky tool, but as you can see it is not the most efficient pipe on earth.
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Above is the ITG replacement. It is less restrictive than the OEM unit without the concertina effect, and is made out of robust silicone hosing. The piping diameter up past the MAF has to be consistent with OEM equipment (67mm I seem to remember) to ensure the MAF reads as it would in the OEM pipework (to keep the ECU reading accurately). The MAF connector pipe connects to this pipe (the alloy section to the left), and there is a beautifully crafted cut out which seats the MAF precisely. Another piece of silicone hose connects to this (furthest left), at which point the pipework expands out (can't remember if this is 89mm).
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If you look inside the down pipe (goes down the back of the engine), you can see they have even bothered to chamfer the hose just like the original to ensure the air flow isn't constantly disrupted by steps inside the flow path.
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The pipework has been maximised in diameter for good reason. This intake has quite a long flow path from the filter through to the business end, and with 3 right angles also in the flow path it actually benefits airflow through the bends to increase the diameter of the pipework a little (or so I am told). I don't understand the dynamics of airflow so I won't embarrass myself, but Andy has years of experience and the results speak for themselves so I will leave that point there. A result of using enlarged diameter pipework (in conjunction with a large filter surface area and type of material used), the turbo spools up so (and when I say so I actually mean SO) much faster. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting that much from a CAI, however I had underestimated the restrictive nature of the OEM box I've been using. Whilst it served a purpose to keep the Audi service techs heart rates in the normal range, it was nothing but a blocker in stage 2 trim.

The compromise
In a perfect world, as Andy is passionate about quality, he would have loved me to have either relocated the battery, or replaced it with a slim line one (Audi TT's have this privilege bestowed upon them from factory. If so we could have fitted one of these babies:
DSC_9632.JPG

However, this is a compromise from a cost and convenience perspective I could not commit to. Big turbo cars would benefit from considering this as the filter would be able to flow well in excess of 400bhp due to its increased size. The one in the pictures is good for over 360bhp which mirrors closely with Revo's stage 2+ pack.
This was not to be, so a conventional barrel filter was fitted with a surface area which closely mirrors that of an OEM paper filter. Due to the maths, the surface area of the filter can significantly increase/decrease the capacity to produce BHP in turbocharged cars, and although Andy did furnish me with the equation for this for the ITG foam and how it's BHP capabilities per cm2 area change I have to profess I have forgotten them :doh:
It's quite a tight fit in the S3 as the adaptive bi-xenons are incredibly deep, and the rounded edge nature of the car further removes space. The Leon has the best space, followed by the Golf, Octavia and then S3 :(
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Althoug this kit is currently in prototype form, it has advanced significantly from the previous 2 iterations, and now includes very solid mounting points, a decent rear heat shield to deflect heat from the exhaust, and enough give in the silicone hoses to ensure the MAF is protected from any significant vibration.

The filter enclosure
ITG have researched this parameter of the CAI in some detail, and have looked at various materials to take charge of creating a defined enclosure for this open filter. After much trial and error they have used a foam baffle, and this makes sense for many reasons. Firstly ITG foam is fireproof, so can deal with a great deal of heat. Secondly foam expands into almost any gaps, and by using light to test for breaches round the foam wall they have been able to produce an enclosure which only suffers a few degrees increase from ambient (this has been tested). So now your thinking, foam lets air through, so that means engine air can get into the enclosure. Yes it can, but due to the pressure of air coming in around the headlight and inner wing there is equalisation which holds this air back. Whilst we're on the subject of heat, being the honest and open minded reviewer I try to be, the alloy pipework in the main bay can get very hot. To reduce the price of the kit to a decent RRP (due very soon), they have elected not to include elaborate heat insulation jackets/tape for the pipework. You can get this from Agriemach or other motorsport suppliers if you find you want it (circa £60).
DSC_9650.JPG

So the foam goes in and the kit is finished. Not a supermodel in the world of CAI's but certainly a titan of excess engineering.

On the road
Once all the bolts were done up, the MAF transferred in, and the foam adjusted to hug the bonnet lid we were ready to roll.
What I found initially impressive is that I was wondering whether this excess would lead to any odd side effects. I'm pleased to announce all was as should be, and other than a bit of gentle metallic rasp it was as OEM as you could wish it to sound pootling around town.
Out of town matters took a turn, and this intake rasps....loud. Between gear changes you get a chatter from the DV as the pressures equalize out, and the surge of acceleration is; well relentless. Gone (completely) was the flat spot at 4k, and the car surged hard to 7200rpm, gear after gear. Quite literally a transformation, and one that forced me to apologise to Andy as I'd doubted that his efforts would have transformed the car quite so much. Remember here I am comparing to the OEM engine cover unit, NOT another CAI, but I would reckon that whilst there is way in excess of 10bhp improvement, its actually the torques that have benefitted the most.

I'm confused - this is not a placebo effect. How does it work?
My old intake connected to the slam panel to take air in. A very noble cause, and it makes common sense. However the size of the inlet aperture is quite small and restrictive. We tapped a large opening from behind the nearside fog light, and another point behind the nearside headlight to get airflow feeding the foam baffled enclosure and it provided a far more plentiful supply of air than was getting past the mouth of the Carbonio. This in tandem with the large diameter pipework and large filter increase the spooling capacity of the turbo therefore delivering multiple benefits.

Should I buy one?
It's the common practice of anyone who buys anything to tell everyone they should sell a vital organ to get one. I guess my summation is this. If you value performance above aesthetics this is a great solution. I actually warmed to the look of this once I'd had the chance to acquaint myself with the attention to detail, but even it's maker admits its not beautiful. Purposeful, yes. I think Andy appreciated my open minded perspective on this attribute, as it would be easy for an Audiman to value looks over performance. Pricewise it is going to sit right in the main ground at circa £300 (subject to kit finalisation). This is an incredibly fair price for the benefits. If you ever have plans to go BT, this kit offers a stage 2 perspective by moving/changing the battery and go way beyond 400bhp capability so has similar flexibility to the Revo staged kit. It's no surprise that as Revo use it, it has been extensively tested with this unit, so works an absolute treat together.

When is it out
About a month for finalised production versions. To register interest please contact Andy Jackson at ITG, or for more detail on ITG products visit the ITG website here.

Any questions? Fire away.
 
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great write up Thanks :) no real questions, i agree it doesn't look pretty but then I don't think any of them do. Personally i still feel £300 is a lot for an airfilter and pipework however it probably won't stop me from doing the mod at a later date :) how are the noise levels under normal acceleration ?
 

warren_cox

Back from the dead
how are the noise levels under normal acceleration ?

Very low noise which is welcome.

If you see the quality of the couplings, connections, hosing, and the amount of effort and time that has gone into the kit it's not a bad price. Don't forget they have to tool up for a fairly low volume item. I know it's not a give away, but then people spend £1200 on an exhaust and think it's a bargain (whereas I personally don't!). It is a world away from OEM, so considering the gains, if you have stage 2+ its a godsend.
 

Poverty

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Contacted them to register my interest. I dont know what you guys are on, thats looks the business, it looks very well made and purposeful unlike alot of the other cai's. With this cai you know whoever has it installed isnt messing around lol.
 

Poverty

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I think the evoms and dbilas look flimsy in comparison to this lol.
 

ZBOYD

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May 19, 2001
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I'm certainly interested, I was some what disappointed with the Dbilas as the car was certainly not running right with it on and I have since gone back to the stock airbox arrangement to stop misfires and generally ropey running.

ITG seems to produce the only CAI to my knowledge where the design claims to take account for the MAF readings being incorrect. I'm not really fussed by the aesthetics as long as it works and doesn't make the car run bad.
 

Carr20vt

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Dec 18, 2003
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As always great indepth write up.

Typical they release this when i've only had my Dbilas a couple of months.

I wanted open cone but the evoms was just too loud.

Suprised to hear you've had issues ZBoyd. I feel the the Db is a good piece of kit however overly priced! Don't think its flimsy.

Interested to hear the noise on this ITG althought there is a small clip on Autotrader from the Revo K1.
 

ZBOYD

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May 19, 2001
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The Dbilas is certainly not flimsy, its well made even if it doesn't fit the Leon properly but I don't beleive the design has really taken into consideration the MAF reading problem.

I was having the odd misfire under high load, and I was getting concerned as readings indicated the engine was running lean at the top end. Since I've gone back to the stock air box, things have appeared to get better.

However I don't doubt it works for some people, my car was making more power with the Dbilas on. However it's just not working on mine properly for whatever reason. I need to investigate further it could be a dodgy coil pack or MAF I suppose, I need to do some more logs.

APR have always recommended sticking with the stock air box for their code though, which is what I am running.
 

Revo Kev

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Feb 24, 2003
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The guys over at ITG know what they're doing, and they're also willing to work with people to make sure they are 100% right... being that they're not a million miles from us we've seen a fair amount of Andy and the guys! No suprise that our cars all have ITG intakes on. Being in the lowly 1.8tsi A3 does have it's benefits as I've one of the lovely carbon boxes in my engine bay :) On that the ITG made an honest 13bhp from the 220odd it was seeing.

There's an easy 10bhp from a decent intake on the 2.0ltfsi be it the K03 or K04... I honestly think there's pushing on for 15-20bhp on a stage2+ car. Our Cupra has a very similar setup to this and our TT has a very large aluminium airbox, both are very, very good!

Z (aka pimp daddy!) - with the stock airbox you'll be limited at the top end, we tend to see 0.3-4bar increase over 4500rpm with the ITG setup... without the ECU just pulls load out towards the top of the rev range! Well worth it! On a completely separate note looking forward to seeing you a Saul's! :)
 

ZBOYD

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Z (aka pimp daddy!) - with the stock airbox you'll be limited at the top end, we tend to see 0.3-4bar increase over 4500rpm with the ITG setup... without the ECU just pulls load out towards the top of the rev range! Well worth it! On a completely separate note looking forward to seeing you a Saul's! :)

I know it loses power, not having the Dbilas on has shown a noticible drop in power, though its power delivery is now much smoother with the airbox/carbonio back on.

Whether that's the intake or some other underlying issue I'm unsure. But it wasn't happy with the Dbilas, and it's obviously made me wary about other CAI kits, however the ITG looks like a properly considered solution which had obviously shown it's merits on Revo's car.

Hoping to make it down for a drink and natter, he's not told me where it is yet other than it being a bar in Altrincham though :D I'll drop him a line.
 

Carr20vt

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The Dbilas is certainly not flimsy, its well made even if it doesn't fit the Leon properly but I don't beleive the design has really taken into consideration the MAF reading problem.

QUOTE]

Its not a great fit for the money. Off topic a bit but i wanted to ask do others with the Dbilas find it sits too high and presses in the bonnet lining too much leaving an indentation?
 

Slickline

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Great write up and very informative, it looks a well engineered piece of kit but my only concern would be water ingress. What happens in heavy rain with that big lump of foam up front acting like a big sponge, is this an issue or does it have an engineered solution built in??
Other than that the only downside i can see will be the need to clean the filter more often than some of the sealed types on offer.
 

robdf2

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Feb 21, 2006
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Warren top write up , kept me interested all the way to the end :)
and i think it actually looks ok , ok not as bling as the forge unit but i would rather spend money on performance than looks , thats why the last thing i do , if i decide to do it will be the exhaust.

I will be regisitering with ITG and hopefully make the car breathe how it should.
 

ZBOYD

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May 19, 2001
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Its not a great fit for the money. Off topic a bit but i wanted to ask do others with the Dbilas find it sits too high and presses in the bonnet lining too much leaving an indentation?

It's due to the diverter valve take off pipe being too low on the intake. Some people with welding experience or welding friends have managed to move the take off further up the intake pipe.

Because the pipe is crammed into the space it pushes against the intake making it swivel up at the airbox side and in turn makes the airbox push into the bonnet lining. It was designed for a Golf V and though it's essentially the same setup, the golf must have a bit more space in certain crucial areas.
 

Carr20vt

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It's due to the diverter valve take off pipe being too low on the intake. Some people with welding experience or welding friends have managed to move the take off further up the intake pipe.

Because the pipe is crammed into the space it pushes against the intake making it swivel up at the airbox side and in turn makes the airbox push into the bonnet lining. It was designed for a Golf V and though it's essentially the same setup, the golf must have a bit more space in certain crucial areas.

Cheers :)
 

warren_cox

Back from the dead
Interesting to see peoples thoughts on this, had the feeling it might be a bit marmite for some.

I spoke to Kev about prettying things up a bit, and he suggested fitting the engine cover from a TT-S. I will be looking into this later in the week.

As for the water issue, the foam filter is oil coated (in a light oil - PLEASE don't cue the urban myth for MAF failure). The only cases ITG have seen on MAF failure is where filters have been EXCESSIVELY oiled to the point of oil stranding back from the filter. A light coat will not see the oil affecting the MAF. The filter sits behind the headlight, so doesn't get exposed to a direct flow of water spray through the grille. The opening at the bottom of the bumper would have to see the water go backwards and then upwards into the bay which would mean you would have to hit the water very hard (& deep).

Didn't get the time to log it as most of the day was spent developing the kit for the S3.
 
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