[GTR John]

Making the airbox "cheesey"???

I've heard some people alk about "swiss cheese" cutting there airbox. Is this actually effective in the BHP gain? Some people say that it's worse because it sucks in hot air from the motor, but there's supposed to be some certain type of way of cutting or drilling so the hot air does'nt get in. Have any of you guy's done this??? Is it effective?
Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

[Modified by GTR John, 3:07 AM 2-12-2002]


[Modified by GTR John, 3:07 AM 2-12-2002]

 

[BVibert]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (GTR John)

I've done it, I just drilled some 1/2" holes in the front of my air box. I only did it in the front in an attempt to prevent hot air from the engine from getting in. I don't have any real proof that it gained any actual power, but my butt dyno says I gained a little and it sounds cool.

 

[GTR John]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (BVibert)

How many holes did you drill? THe whole thing looks kind of complicated to me. It's a very complicated looking intake system.

You probabaly drilled the part that is right beside the radiator, right? I want to get this done because it might just be that little extra oomph I'm looking for to stop me from BARELY losing!

Every time I race I lose VS mid 16 cars and they only beat me by like 1/2 a car length. I'm sure you can imagine how annoying that is.

I'm alway's ahead of them at the start and they start to catch up.

 

[candywhitepassat]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (GTR John)

quote:[HR][/HR]It's a very complicated looking intake system.

[HR][/HR]​

That's what I was thinking when I first looked under the hood.
It looks even more complex than the intake on our B5's 1.8T!

What confused me was the snorkel. Our B5 has one too, but it's between two slats in the grille. The B3's is at the edge of the front panel and the hood, imo, not too much air can get in through that little crack. Maybee Volkswagen should have brought the snorkel behind the \X/ symbol, or underneath the bumper.

 

[96passatowner]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (GTR John)

The search seems to be down right now but if you do a search there was posted some really good pictures of some air boxes " swiss cheese'd". I recall seeing one that had duct work from below the grill straight to the airbox.

 

[munkmaster]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (96passatowner)

i swiss cheesed my airbox
i drilled holes in the front of the box and on the side of the fender. cut drill as many holes as you can in the box on the bottome half of the airbos (from where the lid comes off down) than just put the airbox back in. i thought it was harder than it was, its actually kinda simple and as far as i can tell it added alittle power and the enginge roars when you stomp on it

basically more cold air = more power

 

[GoFaster]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (munkmaster)

If you remove the "snow screen" from the inside of the box, and you remove the snorkel from the outside of the box, it is probably 99% as de-restricted as you can get; more holes won't contribute anything significant. This way it's completely reversible.

 

[munkmaster]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (GoFaster)

where is the snow screen
or are you talking about the filter

 

[GTR John]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (munkmaster)

How much BHP gain do you guy's think you get out of this cheesey mod??

1-5 BHP??? Is it a much noticeble difference?

 

[Boke-Ass-Passat]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (GTR John)

Why not just buy the K&N kone filter, i mean wouldnt that have a similar effect, but be a hell of a lot less complicated...

 

[Wrenhaven]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (Boke-Ass-Passat)

but then you would loose the ram air affect from behind the VW symbol. That snorkel gets cold outside air from behind the VW symbol, take you grill off you'll see the flow path.
I've cut holes in the air box too, right side behind the headlight, not the engine side(nice full throttle growl!) but kept the snorkel in place, why take away a fresh air duct?

 

[BkoolB3]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (Wrenhaven)

Last year after getting a tune up from my mechanic, he had mentioned he had removed a screen from the airbox, I didn't notice much improvement. I had swiss cheesed the air box in my GTi & our old Jetta, it only seemed to make a difference @ night when the air is cold, as probably expected. I was toying with the idea of cutting a few holes in the airbox, but it sems that htere seems to be a lot more hot air under the hood with the VR6. I think Carlos' (see his previous post about this) idea of a heat shield that acts like a ram air enhancement for a Neuspeed/K&N cone filter would be the most sound idea. Here's a couple related questions to those of you with aftermarket grills: Which grill works the best for airflow? Is the stock setup sufficient? Badgeless grills look cool, but do they suffocate the B3 VR6? I've noticed that my car seems to get fairly warm under the hood, even with the fans working as they should, maybe I'm just not used to a VR6...

 

[GTR John]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (demonGTI)

Wrenhaven;
That's prety cool that VW made that tube that way. It sound's like a better idea to just leave the snorkel on because it's probably the best way to get air in there. I think most people probably ended up removing it. Do you feel any difference in power???

 

[BVibert]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (GTR John)

The intake isn't all that complicated. Air comes in from behind the VW symbol goes up over the radiator support then down to the air box through the snorkel thing. I did exactly what Wrenhaven did, right behind the headlight and leave the snorkel on. Not sure how many holes I drilled, just as many as could fit on the front and right side.

 

[GTR John]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (BVibert)

How big should the drilled holes be??? When you say right side, do you mean the side closest to the side of the car or the side closest to the radiator?


[Modified by GTR John, 8:10 AM 2-13-2002]

 

[BVibert]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (GTR John)

I think my holes are 1/2". By right side we mean the part of the air box closest to the side of the car, behind the headlight, so as not to suck in too much hot air from the engine...

 

[TBT-Syncro]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (GTR John)

here you go
a How-to http://www.venommotorsports.com/howto/ModfiedAirBox.htm

 

[GTR John]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (TBT-PassatG60)

Thanks for the info, but I think that's for a VR6. GL's don't have that type of air box. That's a really cool air box though.
TBT-PassatG60; Are you from Vancouver, B.C???

 

[Action Jackson]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (GTR John)

I do not thing that VR6 air box would hurt on the 16v, all you are basically doing is increasing the airflow to the airbox by directing it from a source other than the VW badge.
I plan on modding my airbox this spring when I buy a K&N. Speaking of air boxes, I have mentioned before that the lid on mine got bent from the clip that holds it down. I now have a pic to go with that. Just wondering if anybody had the same problem..

You can see I have replaced the original gasket with an ultra think one! Seems to work OK. I will be trying to find a new/used airbox w/lid at a wreckers sometime. Then I have a spare to toy with, and a good lid.


[Modified by Action Jackson, 8:07 PM 2-13-2002]

 

[TBT-Syncro]

Re: Making the airbox "cheesey"??? (TBT-PassatG60)

yes, yes I am.