"custom" intake for Cooper

[thanos30]

Reading about the various options for air intakes and especially a formula from K&N - the stock filter is already big enough. So maybe a simple solution is to use a drop in flat panel filter (like K&N) and change the intake snorkel pipe (the one from the front to the air box). That pipe is too small (2" at the front), too long and not straight.

What I'm not sure about is where the new pipe should go, as there is no clear path and entry point of cold air. I've even thought to use both the stock entry point and some second route.

As a note, warming up the car and then opening the hood, everything is hot, all the intake pipes, air box, intake manifold - which scares me away from the open cone filters.

[PRustan]

I have been working on the same problem. The stock system has two limitations. The pipe from the inlet in the radiator shroud to the stock airbox is too small and the pipe from the outlet of the airbox to the throttlebody is too long and corrugated. The only solution that I have seen on the inlet side is the Mini Mania solution:

http://new.minimania.com/NewMiniSear...s&ShowIcons=No

Nice but expensive. The solution for the second problem is a kit like the Monster-Mini or K&N Typhhon kit.

I though of the PiperX Viper kit but I don't like the fact that the inlet for the Viper is a very convoluted path. And it is hard to see the filter and determine when it is dirty.

I have decided to go with the K&N kit and then work on a solution for the other problems. I am going to try to fabricate a heat shield for the filter and tie it into the stock feed tube from the front for now. There might be enough space to route a secondary tube down into the access well for the blinker/driving light enclosure. I'll have to see once I get the box made - jumping into the deep end here as it is.

So far the K&N sounds fantastic under WOT and barely noticeable under cruise, at least not with the Supersprint. And it's still only 38 degrees here, so there are no temp problems at the moment. Let me know if you come up with any suggestions or better ideas.

Peter
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02 IB/W MC Aero kit, Rally lights, Supersprint, Iridium plugs, Magnecor wires, K&N kit
93 VW Corrado VR6 - for sale!
88 BMW M3 - too much done to list.

[thanos30]

Oh yeah, I should have mentioned that it's already in the 70s here, and the summer will on average have highs in the 90s, with some days 100+. This is why I am so worried about engine compartment temperatures.

I have seen a modification meant for the MCS - using an aftermarket cone filter, they then drill/cut holes in the plastic towards the back. This way they suck air from both the stock pipe and the vent by the windshield. For us it's a little far, but maybe ok as a secondary pipe.

I've seen the MINI Mania intake, I think it uses the bottom of the stock air box, the real benefit seems to be the new first pipe. The hole above the radiator is the same size (ie nothing is cut), just their new front piece is deeper, which then connects to a larger pipe.

I remember seeing dyno results of the Viper, without connecting to the intake pipe (and hood open), it was +4 hp, connecting to the pipe it was the same as stock.

The good thing is that even increasing the pipe to 2.5" from 2" is a gain of 56% in cross sectional area. One idea meant for some other car was to replace the snorkel with a piece that goes straight forward from the air box, a long rectangle in cross section, essentially fitting in the space of the gasket - the hood closes on it and it sucks air from above the radiator (which is not that great of a spot, the grill level is lower and that air must be totally turbulent).

I'm also not really willing to chop up the car, but if that doesn't bother you, cut a new hole in the plastic just above the radiator directly in front of your air filter. Otherwise, any new path to clean air seems too long. To go low is especially problematic for me, since in the summer, the air just above asphalt level must be 130+ degrees.

Of course, the power gain is apparently very small (a couple hp), so maybe just go for the cool sound? After riding around in a New Beetle turbo, the Cooper sound had an additional air whiffle noise - this took me several days to overcome (begin to forget).

[thanos30]

Check this out, it's from Cooper Turbo Research & Development - the company that makes the turbo sold by MINI mania. Although, the pictures I've seen from MINImania are a bit different.

Here's the filter location for the turbo, which is described as, "relocation of the air intake... to the right hand side rear bulkhead... cool air through a Uni foam filter... this modification alone produced an extra 8bhp on the dynamometer."