R55/56 Intake Improvements?!

[MrMischief]

I'm looking at ways of improving the responsiveness of my turbo through improving the intake, whether it's flow improvements or temp/volume reduction.

I will be fitting a late spec non-sound generator (intercooler to intake section) hose but have managed to purchase & fit a Forge resonator delete hose (turbo to intercooler section) already. I think all of the reviews I've seen say it makes no difference but, (as usual!) I disagree :hand:

After fitting, under normal driving there is no difference, possibly a very slightly deeper tone to the exhaust.

However, under hard acceleration & on the over-run, the exhaust note tone is definitely deeper, more rorty is the best way I can describe it! My bum dyno says it's a tiny bit more responsive too, although power won't have changed.

Next step is heat reflective coating on all hoses & a jacket for the turbo hot side (it's almost winter after all :snow:). It should be interesting to see how a little heat management affects response.

I'm doing this before changing from the standard JCW filter/intake to AEM/DDM/K&N (undecided) for comparison to standard.

[badwolf340]

Always good to hear how people get on with mods ,coating against heat is always worth doing ,which product are you thinking of using ?

[MINI William]

I had a reduction in intake temps with the ALTA CAI (measured with Scangauge). When sitting in traffic temps did get a touch high but quickly recovered

[ELFMAN]

On the intake side I'm running Alta, as are quite a few NMS folks, I also have Samco hoses and that little lot seems to work pretty well - it also sounds good when coming off the throttle as the (standard) blow-off valve is much more 'vocal'. However if you're looking to lower intake temp, a big intercooler (Forge on mine) is a good way to go, but it's not cheap. On the exhaust side I have a Milltek downpipe and sports cat which works a treat and gives the exhaust a more 'throaty' sound, which I noticed straight away.

The above combination really changed the character of my R56, which I had found far too 'civilised' after my tuned R53! It also sets up the R56 for a nice remap should you feel the need later on...

[MrMischief]

I've got some quality gold heat reflective tape coming from the states, just to see how effective it'll be as a cheap mod. If it's decent then I'll use that on my track GTiR rather than going the more costly zircotec route. I doubt I'll go to the extent of a bigger intercooler on the Clubby as it's just my daily driver but quite fancy a Milltek decat downpipe for more noise :smilewinkgrin:

I like the look of the AEM intake but can't justify the money for such a small gain. I like the Alta & K&N intakes & may construct a composite channel to make use of the bonnet scoop.

[Blueboy]

My mate's just bought the AEM kit for his R55 Clubby, impressive looking at it in the box!

[ELFMAN]

My mate's just bought the AEM kit for his R55 Clubby, impressive looking at it in the box!

Stoney had an AEM on his JCW Clubbie, and I think he was impressed with it. Certainly a nice piece of kit, if pricey - but you do get more bits and arguably more power. Only thing is you need an AEM Strut Brace if you want to tighten things up at the front, as the air box etc means a 'normal' brace won't fit.

- - - Updated - - -


I've got some quality gold heat reflective tape coming from the states, just to see how effective it'll be as a cheap mod. If it's decent then I'll use that on my track GTiR rather than going the more costly zircotec route. I doubt I'll go to the extent of a bigger intercooler on the Clubby as it's just my daily driver but quite fancy a Milltek decat downpipe for more noise :smilewinkgrin:

I like the look of the AEM intake but can't justify the money for such a small gain. I like the Alta & K&N intakes & may construct a composite channel to make use of the bonnet scoop.

Re. Alta - I just removed the small black grille in the bonnet scoop to let in as much air as possible, but I know the AEM has its own dedicated channel from scoop to intake, so fabricating your own for the Alta would make sense.

My Milltek downpipe probably doesn't make more noise, as it retains the cat, albeit in 'sports' guise. It changed the sound and gave it a bit of an edge it lacked before. I have the JCW exhaust as part of the 'Stage 1' retrofit, and it all sounds quite nice without being too 'in your face' (or your ears). I'm not sure about decatting, sometimes it sounds great, but I heard a decatted JCW Clubbie a while back which sounded (to my ears anyway) just over-loud and tinny... Not pleasant. Also if it's a daily driver it might get a bit wearing after a while, but that's just my humble opinion! Old Fart, "I'll get me Werthers..."

[MrMischief]

Well, my head was buzzing last night after 4 days in Spain for work...sooooo at 9pm I decided I was bored & thanks to Eddie I had a pile of goodies to try out - ended up putting the Evolve decat on :cool:

The turbo definitely spools quicker, I find it reasonably quiet when just cruising around but anything more than half throttle wakens the neighbours. It's louder again in Sport mode & pops & bangs away nicely.

Cheers :thumbs up:

[Eddie_JCW]

Well, my head was buzzing last night after 4 days in Spain for work...sooooo at 9pm I decided I was bored & thanks to Eddie I had a pile of goodies to try out - ended up putting the Evolve decat on :cool:

The turbo definitely spools quicker, I find it reasonably quiet when just cruising around but anything more than half throttle wakens the neighbours. It's louder again in Sport mode & pops & bangs away nicely.

Cheers :thumbs up:

Excellent! I loved my decat, and my car is probably one of the most driven cars on the forum. I'm glad you're enjoying it, I certainly noticed a huge difference when it came off :frown:

I work crazy shifts and had no complaints from any neighbours when I was leaving/returning home at 3am :lol: however to be on the safe side I always turned sport off as soon as I seen a police car lol.

I hope you get as much enjoyment from it as I did.

Btw that's a lovely Clubbie you have :thumbs up:

[MINI William]

Great that you like the decat. I loved my decat on the GP :thumbs up:

[Ianstwt_r59]

I'm the exact same love the sound that the decat gives, I wish I had a brain like you though Eddie, getting asbo the first night I put mine on. Was my own fault though, love the pop and gun fire like sound it gives off

[MrMischief]

I'm the exact same love the sound that the decat gives, I wish I had a brain like you though Eddie, getting asbo the first night I put mine on. Was my own fault though, love the pop and gun fire like sound it gives off

Cheers Eddie, my neighbours are pretty cool to be honest (a new RS4 on one side & deaf OAP's on the :thumbs up:), the Clubbie definitely has a different tone to the hatch, kind of zingier....well worth the skint knuckles & yep it's safer to coast past Police cars :hand: :stop:

To be honest, it's nowhere near as loud as my GTiR - you feel that thing on tickover & it's deafening on boost at full chat :dizzy:

[stoney]

I ran a decat on my jcw clubman for 2 weeks then removed it due to drone could not live with it

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

[Eddie_JCW]

I ran a decat on my jcw clubman for 2 weeks then removed it due to drone could not live with it

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

That's just old age Rob :smilewinkgrin:

[ELFMAN]

Must stick up for Stoney here! I don't think his decision to ditch his Clubbie decat back then was age related :smilewinkgrin:

As a genuine old(er) fart, unlike Rob who's still a young chap (you know where to send the cheque Rob), having heard both Hatches and Clubbies running decat pipes, they do sound different. Eddie's car popped and crackled like nuclear Rice Crispies, but sounded fine whereas the Clubbies I've heard sounded altogether rougher and more 'metallic', less bass and more treble...

Glad you're happy with your new sounds though :thumbs up:

[MrMischief]

I've been for a run on the motorway now & it is a bit droney, in town & on the back roads its fine....I'll just take the Volvo for long runs :smilewinkgrin:

[MrMischief]

Well, in-between doing the Christmas lights I found half an hour to fit the AEM intake & strut brace. Can't say there's much performance gain (maybe a little more up the top end) but it does feel smoother & only a very subtle increase in intake noise - quite surprised as I know how much my other cars changed...

Forge recirc next methinks...:thumbs up:

[badwolf340]

Nice to hear it with the Forge fitted

[MINI William]

Great that you got the AEM bits fitted. AEM doesn't give quite the same increase in noise as the likes of the Alta, but always looks a nice bit of kit

[Blueboy]

Fitted Bruces car with AEM at weekend awesome bit of kit and he got all bits colour coded as well, not as good a noise as the GTT one he had fitted but really nice looking esp the thick strut brace-pics on the facebook page as something up with my photobucket account!

[digi]

i had an aem but but due to the intake pipe popping off the turbo twice i lost confidence in it so i replaced it with an alta but left the intake scoop on till i fitted a strut brace . for even more pops and bang fit an alta wee stiffy spring in the bov . next on the list for me is the hot side boost pipe and ...... something else

[MrMischief]

i had an aem but but due to the intake pipe popping off the turbo twice i lost confidence in it so i replaced it with an alta but left the intake scoop on till i fitted a strut brace . for even more pops and bang fit an alta wee stiffy spring in the bov . next on the list for me is the hot side boost pipe and ...... something else

I'm using the OEM turbo pipe with the AEM as it's an N14 so won't pop off. I've got the Forge hot side boost pipe, not much difference but the exhaust note got deeper. Just going to a Forge BOV, some dials then stop there as I need to spend time on my track car..:thumbs up:

[digi]

just found out my next mod wont fit :ragin: so looks like an intercooler and possibly a remap

[MrMischief]

just found out my next mod wont fit :ragin: so looks like an intercooler and possibly a remap

Why??