I'm still running the stock airbox and, after reading through some EvoX threads, I'm having my doubts about the benefits of an intake and tune (vs. stock airbox and tune):

I'm not sure if this is applicable for the Ralliart (and some EvoX guys report things differently), but does anyone have experience with this?

More specifically, has anyone been tuned with the stock airbox, and then later upgraded your intake? Any gains over 5hp to be seen?

 

it def allows for more options later on.

Plus at 150$ us, even if the gains are marginal, it makes the turbo very vocal, and bpv more then loud enough.

cheap upgrades if u ask me, and plan a tune anyways.

 

The reason I ask is because with our little turbos, intake airflow doesn't seem to be a bottleneck as much as exhaust. I'm not planning on running an X turbo or FP Red (not yet, at least...maybe after my 3 years are up).

 

From what I've heard, the exhaust isn't really a bottleneck for our turbos either. The turbo itself is the bottle neck.

 

true true a intake will make the turbo more vocal and you will hear the ssswwwooossshhh!!! that every newbie turbo owner wants to hear, there is no big HP gains from a intake but your the biggest upside to a intake is you turbo will spool a lot faster and with a good tune that will equal a small but good HP gain.

 

from all the dyno info I have, an intake is worth it, an exhaust is worth it and a tune is worth it. Pick and be happy.

 

pick em all

 

Of course, that being said, I would rank an I/C and piping WAY above an intake in terms of upgrade priority. The hard I/C piping would help with the spool too.

 

If that's true, good thing I'm upgrading in the path that I am. I've got the EvoX IC sitting at home and the IC piping is on its way...

 

Nice. I noticed in your sig that you are going to go with an AMS custom tune. You might want to ask them if you should upgrade your BOV to an EVO IX or X metal BOV. I'm not sure if it will make a difference, but it might for a custom tune.

 

Yeah I plan on snagging a metal one before I head off for the tune. With my luck, mine will start leaking once I hit 20+psi...

 

/me cues Freddy Mercury: "Under pressure..."

 

Haha good tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3qVl8Gb2J4

 

TTP Engineering told me that they havn't really seen any gains from installing an intake. The setup that is stock is actually a magnificient setup. There is an awful stigma around stock intakes and how restrictive they are. In most cases this is true, but our setup is quite the opposite.

If you were to get ANY of the intakes out there, the Injen one should be your ONLY choice. It has been proven that they do not cause your car to run in the super-lean department. In fact they seem to be only (from what I've read) 6% leaner then your preffered A/F ratio. These aren't my findings, but what I have viewed from the Evo X forums.

If that intake isn't what you are looking for due to the trans. cooler being moved, then I would suggest just a drop in. Maybe go with a K&N, they seem to have a good reputation (although I do not agree with aftermarket drop-ins at all).

 

I think you're right, and as others have mentioned, the biggest real benefit would likely be quicker spool-up times.