[martinjones]

Here are some pics of my DIY air intake grill made in aluminium mesh sheet, available from most hardware stores; stuck on with Gorilla gaffa tape from inside.

 

[Or_GazM]

Looks nice, but you do realise you just cut the airflow down by 50% !

There's a reason they made those slots that big.....

 

[martinjones]

Constructive comment!

 

[Or_GazM]

Yeah, really like the look.
I used to work designing power supplies for Farnell Instruments.
They obviously have to airflow to cool them, but at the same time there were regulations about the size of holes ("finger test").

After much research, we found anything less than 3mm diameter cut airflow to around 10%
5mm allowed around 50%.
Anything bigger was deemed unsafe as a "child's little finger may touch something live" ?!!??! (Who lets a baby play with a power supply???)
We eventually went to "slots" of about 5mm x 30.

Looking at that mesh, I guess you have about 5mm area slots, so 50% loss in airflow.

 

[TURK]

Air flow ! ...................... makes me laugh those little slits in the side of the wing like that, what good is that if you're travelling down the road at 60mph ? shouldn't think you'd get much air through there.

Judging by the mesh Martin has put in there, my guess would be he doesn't have a standard air box in there.

Mind you .................. I no better, I've got an induction kit in mine ! I:




TURK

 

[Or_GazM]

Had to remove my induction kit this year.
Heavy rain driving to and back from Poland, engine went "limp mode" due to the MAF getting "erogenous" (oops...typo) signals.
Really, REALLY wet driving.
Moisture sucked straight in.

Came home and put the std filter back (after having to move a handful of relays and wiring, then went into the extra space.)

Thinking about having to drive some 4000kms with an engine that shut down every time it p*ssed it down, convinced me to go back to std.

 

[scruffytoo]

Had to remove my induction kit this year.
Heavy rain driving to and back from Poland, engine went "limp mode" due to the MAF getting "erogenous" (oops...typo) signals.
Really, REALLY wet driving.
Moisture sucked straight in.

Came home and put the std filter back (after having to move a handful of relays and wiring, then went into the extra space.)

Thinking about having to drive some 4000kms with an engine that shut down every time it p*ssed it down, convinced me to go back to std.

Only downside is that the standard air filter boxes are bulky, no problem with air flow though; and they offer better filtration T:

 

[martinjones]

I'm using a standard airbox but with the internals taken out and a K&N freeflow filter fitted.
If I had an induction system, I wouldn't have moisture problems as its a 1.9TD (no MAF or sensors) and if I did, I thought that it was beneficial using moisture to increase density in the airflow..... I understand that some performance houses use a system to spray water mist in to their induction.
Anyhow, it doesn't seem to affect performance and I will report back if it does. The weather's pretty showery at the moment so I'll soon find out.