[GarchingS54]

The German Abarth specialist is gradually publishing its product range for the 124Spider.

Stainless steal AirPipe

Piggypack

Abarth 124Spider with OZ Ultraleggera 18" and lowering

 

[iamz]

SSt air pipe seems like a bad idea - likely to absorb engine heat and transfer it to your intake air.

 

[GarchingS54]

The pipe is very short and G-Tech already has some experience with it from other Abarths.
The volumetric flow is too great and the delta T is too low, to increase the intake air temp appreciably only through the short airpipe. (Lambda of stainless steal is 15W/mK - about 100times more then rubber or neopren)
It is still sucked over the series air filter box. A K&N or BMC filter is probably used.

From the view point of the temperature rubber is clearly better, but here comes the problem with the possibly insufficient stability.

 

[kpoling]

The pipe is very short and G-Tech already has some experience with it from other Abarths.
The volumetric flow is too great and the delta T is too low, to increase the intake air temp appreciably only through the short airpipe. (Lambda of stainless steal is 15W/mK - about 100times more then rubber or neopren)
It is still sucked over the series air filter box. A K&N or BMC filter is probably used.

From the view point of the temperature rubber is clearly better, but here comes the problem with the possibly insufficient stability.

The Eurocompulsion V1 is equally easy to install and seems like a better idea. No metal to conduct heat. Silicone. Got mine in red.

 

[GarchingS54]

I like the EC V1 intake too.
Problem, no tüv in Germany or Austria.
The g-Tech looks standard if you open the hood.

 

[Greg]

I like the EC V1 intake too.
Problem, no tüv in Germany or Austria.
The g-Tech looks standard if you open the hood.

Please allow me to respond to this. I don't think a stainless steel pipe looks at all standard. Not even close because NO factory intake for any car uses stainless steel piping, they all use either rubber, plastic, or in some rare cases silicone.

On the other hand, the Eurocompulsion V1 silicone intake in black looks very close to standard. In fact, it's a direct replacement part.

Greg

 

[JFernald]

Please allow me to respond to this. I don't think a stainless steel pipe looks at all standard. Not even close because NO factory intake for any car uses stainless steel piping, they all use either rubber, plastic, or in some rare cases silicone.

On the other hand, the Eurocompulsion V1 silicone intake in black looks very close to standard. In fact, it's a direct replacement part.

Greg

EC V1 installed:

 

[MotoPete]

SSt air pipe seems like a bad idea - likely to absorb engine heat and transfer it to your intake air.

I hate to point out the bleeding obvious, but you know the intake connects directly to the turbo right?

Any heat the S/S pipe picks up is nothing compared to the inferno of those compressor blades... :|

As an aside, it's probably worth keeping in mind that the intake manifold on many cars is made from metal!

 

[kpoling]

I hate to point out the bleeding obvious, but you know the intake connects directly to the turbo right?

Any heat the S/S pipe picks up is nothing compared to the inferno of those compressor blades... :|

As an aside, it's probably worth keeping in mind that the intake manifold on many cars is made from metal!

Greg would be the one to clarify here, but on the EC intake the silicone slightly lowers the intake temperature to the turbo. Whether its that or just having straighter piping, they have the charts showing the slight increase in power and the difference in temperature before the turbo. Whether it really matters is, perhaps, the question. In my case, I like the V1 on mine.

 

[MotoPete]

In my case, I like the V1 on mine.

At the end of the day that's what these pipes really come down to, personal aesthetic preference.

 

[Greg]

Any heat the S/S pipe picks up is nothing compared to the inferno of those compressor blades...

Any decrease in temperature helps. In testing we, and others have shown that lower temperatures into the turbo mean lower temperatures at the intake manifold with all other factors equal. That's why the factory goes through such lengths to provide cold air to to turbo. So does nearly every other manufacturer of turbo cars.

As an aside, it's probably worth keeping in mind that the intake manifold on many cars is made from metal!

It's not in this car, or any current Fiat or Alfa Romeo turbo car.

Greg

 

[Greg]

At the end of the day that's what these pipes really come down to, personal aesthetic preference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCi2yo4UqPI

That video is utter nonsense. I have addressed this before.

The mighty car mods test is hugely flawed.

First of all the title is "cold air intakes mythbusted" Yet the only cold air intake in the entire video is the STOCK intake, and the stock cold air intake on the Nissan Skyline is quite good. This video never compared the stock intake against an aftermarket cold air intake. It simply compares the stock well designed intake to the stock intake with some very poorly executed filter mods.

The first "intake" they compare to is a HOT AIR INTAKE. Calling it a "cold air intake" is misleading at best. They made it my simply connecting a cone filter to the stock intake thereby sucking in hot air.

The second intake was the same hot air intake but with the headlight removed. The filter still isn't sealed to the outside air, so it's certainly not a cold air intake, it may be a warm air intake at best.

The third is just a joke. Obviously nobody would run an intake like that. Yes, this one is cold air, but the extra 6 feet of corrugated tubing are going to seriously interfere with flow. Amazingly this one did show a 4+hp gain even with all that tubing. That actually shows how well the filter flows vs. the stock filter.

Bottom line, these guys never tested an aftermarket intake, let alone and aftermarket cold air intake, so they didn't even try to mythbust what they said they would. Instead they tested various filter mods on the stock intake. I also want to mention that they are sponsored by an auto insurance company, not exactly a mod friendly organization.

Greg

 

[MotoPete]

I also want to mention that they are sponsored by an auto insurance company, not exactly a mod friendly organization.

Greg

That's a fair comment; so what you're saying then is that depending on the tester's particular bias or vested interest, that test results can be manipulated in such a fashion that we ought to take them with a grain of salt lest we be hoodwinked?

On that note I found a more balanced review, from a mechanical engineer.

 

[MotoPete]

That's why the factory goes through such lengths to provide cold air to to turbo.

Dang, someone forgot to tell Abarth!

 

[Greg]

Dang, someone forgot to tell Abarth!

Pete, I think you know darn well that the example you posted is a rare exception and you are just being silly. However even in that case they have the air inlet in a fairly cool spot in the engine bay well away from the the turbo. My guess is that they moved it there for non-US market noise restrictions, they put mufflers on them for the same reason.

Here are some other Abarth Intakes, all of which have cold air ducted from the front of the car.

Abarth 124 Rally car

Abarth 695

Abarth that took first in class at Targa Newfoundland, and second overall!

Factory R3T Abarth Rally car

Abarth 124

Abarth 500 MultiAir

Greg

P.S. it's not just Abarth that does it this way, it's the VAST majority of cars, from the exotics on down.

 

[Greg]

On another subject Pete, want to go to lunch tomorrow? I'm buying. Thinking about a burger place at Coogee Beach. (pending my actually getting over there of course)

Greg

 

[MotoPete]

The picture of the 695 biposto you've posted is of the show car; mine is of the production version.

Considering this is Abarth's all-out balls-out money is no object flagship effort, it's intriguing that they dropped the CAI on the production car.

Speaking of CAI's (or lack thereof) on production cars, I though to round out our picture efforts I'd include a Tributo Ferrari and Edizione Maserati!

 

[GarchingS54]

The 500 always had a heat problem and needs a bigger intercooler to perform well.
The 124Spider has much more space under the hood and is better cooled. I don´t think that you would see a real different between the G-Tech SS version and the EC V1.(the all black one)
I like both and I´m looking forward to what G-Tech will offer next.

 

[GarchingS54]

The 2 versions.
StainlessSteal nature and black powder coated.
Both: 250?

 

[MotoPete]

The 2 versions.
StainlessSteal nature and black powder coated.
Both: 250?

I like the S/S for its bling (which is what these things are really about I suppose), but the powder coated version is definitely a great looking OEM replacement; looks like it could be stock.