1.6L TD Air Systen Qestions

[1985JettaTD]

I have been looking at the pics of all your cars and have a bunch of questoons about your air filters and the set up for them. i would like to do something like thoes pic to my car (1985 Jetta TD (1.6L))

1. first off what type of air filters do your use? i heard that is it not good to use a oil based filter on a diesel, is that true?

2. can you just go out and change the filter and piping going to the turbo with out messing with any of the things on the engine?

3. where is the best place to put the filter and what size should i use?

4. about how much power will you get off something like that? is it very noticable?

5. and anything eles that i should know about when changing air system?

thank you for everything?

[fspGTD]

Very pleased with my latest air filter iteration on my Rabbit 1.6lTD.  More info on it at this old hostboard topic:
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4037&t=291

It dyno tested with no power loss compared to just the ram horn with no filter, with hood open and a large cooling fan directing cool airflow directly into the horn.

To test how restrictive your stock factory filter is, try removing it and seeing or measuring if there is any power difference.  You can easily hurt power by placing a free-flow filter in a warm air region by as much as you gain by going to free-flow in the first place!  Finally, last tip: the K&N replacement filter for the TD performs no better than the stock element since it is not as deep.  It is the same depth as a NA diesel air filter though, so it will performance better than a stock NA diesel air filter element.

[1985JettaTD]

So what you are saying is that a k and n filter that replaces the stock filter in the air box is no good? what about the k and n cone filters, are they any good? i just got the car and dont really know much about the diesels and what is good and what is not for them. i was also lookign at thoes pic of your car and what kind of filter is that that you are using? where can i get something like that one in Canada and about what would it cost if you know?
thanks!

[fspGTD]

So what you are saying is that a k and n filter that replaces the stock filter in the air box is no good? what about the k and n cone filters, are they any good? i just got the car and dont really know much about the diesels and what is good and what is not for them. i was also lookign at thoes pic of your car and what kind of filter is that that you are using? where can i get something like that one in Canada and about what would it cost if you know?
thanks!

Yes, I am saying there is no performance benefit to adding a K&N panel replacement filter to a 1.6lTD.  It will not flow any better than a stock 1.6lTD paper filter, because even though the K&N flows better per given surface area, it is overall a thinner filter element than the stock 1.6lTD paper element.  The maintenance is a better on a K&N, though, and that is a good enough reason for some 1.6lTD owners to switch to one.

A big cone filter (with lots of surface area) can give power improvements over the stock 1.6lTD paper element.  But only if cool air is fed into it.  (The air inside the engine compartment is not cool.)  The PRM filter that I am now using is actually sold by a canadian outfit.  It is essentially a medium-sized cone filter (that is big enough) which is mounted in a special housing that allows you to hook up a 3" hose-type inlet, to easily facilitate ducting in cold air.  You can just buy it direct from the manufacturer - there is a link in the thread on the old board you refer to.

[1985JettaTD]

thank you for all this information. i am going to check out this filter and see what it would be like on my car!
now what about the tubing to go from the filter to the turbo? will this filter (PRM) work with the stock ones? what if i did change the tubing, would doing that mess with anything eles? and what would be the best size for new tubing?
thank you again!

[fspGTD]

Read the other thread, there is a lot of info I have already posted in there.  I don't know about the A2 stock intake system other than yeah it's different than the A2 (Sucks air in from the fender, while the A1 aor intake system sucks air from a baffle from behind the headlight.)  If you can adapt it to your car post up here how it works!  Good luck.