Despite being an effing newb, I have done the prudent thing and searched my butt off, read 40+ threads on intakes. Didn't find an exact answer to my question though so I am chancing my first thread. Be gentle!

Here is what I want: On my wife's wrx, and on my old MR2 Turbo, I used generic K&n filters. Reason being my favorite thing about turbo cars (besides the speed) is the compressor and stock bypass valve noise. I am not a ricer and don't need some mom in her minivan to hear it, or unecessarily shift to trigger some BOV, I just like the sound of the stock components. Also lets me know what the turbos are doing without staring at the boost gauge.

A lot of the intake info is old and many mentioned are no longer even available, but the impression I got was that the Apexi intake would suit the purpose. What I want to be sure of, is that I am not endangering my engine by installing a hot air intake. I am used to hot engine bays, but this may be the worst I have seen! I know I could fab up a heatshield or something, but that could muffle the noise I am looking for.
If there is no way to get both noise and safety I'd rather just mod the stock airbox with a k&n panel, as I have seen others do.

The apexi intake also leaves the question of what to do about the stock IC shroud. I'd have to remove the airbox resonator/IC shroud cover (the panel with mazda printed on it) which leaves a hole in the stock IC shroud. Assume I would have to patch that up to keep airflow going through the IC.

To complicate matters further, I have read many times that until you address fueling, you can choose two items from among intake, downpipe, exhaust, and IC. Well, I'd like to be reliable above all, so I have to think that downpipe should be one of them, to lower engine bay and turbo temps. That leaves intake as my second, which is fine unless the combo is going to lead to boost creep. PowerFC would be my third mod, so I could safely add an IC. Exhaust I don't care too much about, the stock one sounds pretty good and I am not looking to get crazy horsepower.

This is *not* the first and only thing I am spending cash on, by the way. My first "mod" was an oil change and boost gauge, and I'll be doing the fuel filter as soon as it arrives. This winter I will be doing AST and Radiator at the same time, vac lines, and potentially downpipe too. This is not my daily driver, just a "treat" car, but I want reliability above all else like a lot of people. I'd just like to have my cake and eat it too, and for me, I'd love this car all that much more if I could listen to the turbos from the cockpit. Speaking of cockpit, if anyone links me to one of those ebay "turbo sounds" kits, I will c*ckpunch them. Did I say that? only because it's probably what I would have done to another poster, for laughs!

Thanks all, so far I love the seven, its a great big brother to my mx5's/wrx, and this is one of the best car forums I have been on for information and attitude. Cheers!

 

there is alot of debate over intakes with heatshields and ones without. i decided to go with the greddy intake. it does not have a heatshield but i believe that it is getting cold enough air, and it comes with polished intake tubes. installation was very easy and it also opens up a lot of room under the hood which keeps it cooler and makes it easier to work on. it sounds great especially when you vent the stock blow off valve into the engine bay.
when i installed the intake i also removed the stock heat blanket on the hood, which made an unbelievable amount of difference as far as underhood temps, and the hood does not get hot enough to effect the paint in my experience.

i would also highly recommend a good downpipe, you will be amazed at the sound of the turbos after removing the stock precat.
i have been pleased with rotary performance(rx7.com) for parts and service if your not sure where to get your parts.

intake/downpipe then a PowerFC will be a good reliable start in my opinion
good luck...

 

An intake is not going to have any significant effect on spool noise on this car. Replacing the stock pre cat with a downpipe will allow you to hear some spool but it is not a huge difference. Are you talking about BOV noise? If so, get the eBay sound generator.

You must have been reading some pretty old threads. You can add as many bolt-ons as you like (excluding a mid-pipe) if you keep the boost at 10 psi. You don't even have to change the stock ECU.

If you want to hear the stock BOV just unplug the hose to the stock air intake.

 

(this is on my DD fd)

stock intake compared to hks rs intake made no big difference for me... sounded a little bit deeper..

with the downpipe and intake i can hear the spool loud and clear. people say they hear it from the outside as well.

if i had to choose an intake all over again. i'd go with the greddy airinx. (if you are going front mount ic// good clearance). if you go SMIC go for the m2.

exhaust.. if you like the stock look and sound. go for racing beat twins. great note on it.... dont know about you.. but my stock exhaust had major imperfections (dings/patches from previous owner)


fuel/ecu issues:
i ran intake/downpipe/catback on stock no problem.
got a PFC and FMIC mod together. and running well.
i am considering a (free) gutted hi-flow mod.. but i am not sure myself on the fuel pump reliability.

i'm actually liking the stock bov as well. it makes different sounds at different boost levels.. lol

 

A downpipe will definitely allow you to hear the turbo spool.
I'd recommend that before an intake, since it will decrease the engine bay temps. Aftermarket downpipes generate less heat and also allow more air to escape.

-s-

 

do the downpipe first as it is a reliability mod, then,

adam c cheap bastard stock intake box modification with a drop in kn filter sounds great and gives you good performance. i had it until i upgraded the intercooler to one that didn't fit with the stock box so I'm using an M2 box now.

 

The Greddy intake with hardpipes has a really good sound - I have a set on my project car, and it really sounds fantastic. I just used the Greddy hardpipes and put K&N filters on it for better filtering.

I'm just not a fan of running the stock airbox - yes, you can get good performance and everything, but good lord that sucker is SO in the way. When I put an intake on my car I was more excited about never having to pull and reinstall that giant bastard again.

I do happen to have a Greddy intake for sale in the classifieds, too .

Dale

 

you are interested in "spool noise"

how about worrying about actual performance first...

lol ricers

 

I like the sound of spooling turbos too. However, I don't really notice them at WOT, once the rpms get very high. The sound of the turbos won't help you to know your boost level, or when to shift.

Get a downpipe, then modify your stock airbox. That should get you to where you want to be.

 

Since I have my secondary turbo intake all the way at the back, I can literally hear it sucking air from inside the car once it kicks in. And spectators at the track say they can hear it even more so. Like so...



thewird

 

outstanding information guys. I think that I will go for the dp first with the modded box. Any advice on which dp? Just looking for a quality unit that will fit right and not need replaces due to cracks or anything.
One more thing- venting the stock bpv to the bay, that won't cause rich condition will it? In my other cars, if you vta, it's air that has been metered, so ecu will add fuel for air that is no longer there.

 

Bonez from rx7.com and the one from Pettit are known to fit well and work with the stock cat (larger bolt holes). rx7.com used to offer a ceramic coating option which will help keep the engine bay cooler if you wish to spring for that. There was a coated used one for sale recently. I think it was from a user name that started with RCCA or something.

No it won't. It might spit out some oil vapor and dirty up the engine bay a bit. Try not to point the BOV toward the fan relays and connectors. That vapor will eventually gunk up the connectors. Ask me how I know...


Like Dale Clark, I also use the Greddy twin intake with hard pipes with K&N filters swapped in. I like it b/c it has support for the bov and ACV hoses and air pump hose. I hear some turbo spool and BOV noises but its not overly obnoxious. The stock airbox is definitely quieter. The stock twins really don't make much cool turbo noises like you hear on other cars or when using a single turbo. Buy used and experiment if you are willing and resell if its not to your liking.

 

thanks all....just what I needed to know!!
If I vta the bpv I'll just get in there and clean it once a week. Was lucky enough to get a car with a detailed bay, and plan to keep it that way. I pop the hood every time I put it back in the garage to help cooldown so I will see if it starts to gunk up.

 

crap, is the turbo to dp gasket really 110? That's ridiculous...

 

i heard turbo VW's and SRT Neon's have pretty loud spool-noise...why not get one of those? lol

guess i shouldn't talk though, my license plate is "VRR PSSH"

 

In the FAQ thread, you'll find Ray Crowe's phone number at Malloy Mazda. Discounted parts from someone who knows the FD like the back of his hand. It is expensive but you don't want to have to install a DP more than once. its a bitch. Might even want to find a rotary specific shop to do the install as there is always complications - like broken studs and what not. Very cramped area to work in. Look in the Regional forums for local shops.

 

Ive changed downpipes a few times and always reused it. It's metal, as long as its straight it should be ok.

 

That 110 dollar gasket comes with the cheap ebay downpipes as a set for well under 100 dollars, they may not fit perfect but they are close enough especially if you are interested in cutting the midpipe that fits them to use an aftermaket cat.

 

half the FD's with sweet "spool noise" just have boost leaks

 

My turbo spool was loud as hell when the intercooler piping came loose.

 

OMFG! I don't think there is any intake that will suck hotter air than that one. Its right above the turbos!

 

I have the Apex'i Intakes, and they are way louder than stock. I rarely ever drive through tunnels, but I'm sure it would make my day.

BTW about the mod thing, I have all 4 of the components you mentioned w/ the stock ECU

 

make a aluminum megaphone and mount it somewhere close to the turbos, then get a vented hood and mount the openin of the megaphone towards one of the vents on the hood

 

wird, no issues with the position of the 2nd intake filter?

 

Issues as in? Works fine for me at the track....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiG3slM-o8w

thewird