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MG MGF Technical - Modifications to engine breathing

I have a 1.8i with the standard panel filter replaced by a K&N panel.

Following Roger Parker's advice of a few weeks ago on the BBS, I recently re-plumbed the air intake to the filter housing (as has been carried out by a few other people). Basically the original air plumbing system is a flexible pick up pipe at the back of the engine bay mounted onto a plastic 'resonator box,' which I understand is to cut down noise, connected via a U-bend rigid connection to the air filter housing and hence to the manifold.

I disconnecting the U-bend connection from the air filter housing to the plastic 'resonator' box and connected the flexible air intake pipe originally connected to the resonator directly to the outlet from the filter housing. The flexible pipe was then lead down into the back of the left hand side air intake, taking care to make any bends as smooth as possible. The flexible pipe was secured onto the vent surround with a tie.

I only did this for my own sad amusement ..*grin*...but have been really surprised by the results. I'm not a great lover of intake roar (hence no K&N cone filter) but the small increase in noise on acceleration only is very pleasant. Also I have noticed a marked increase in throttle response at all speeds, especially below 3000 rpm. Roger reports increases in torque and power which I could also well believe.

Its a reasonable easy modification (further practical details in Roger's earlier posting..in the archive i guess) and one i would recommend.

Paul

Paul,

I am delighted that you have been able to achieve the same benefits that I have on my car. This is quite important since your success confirms the results with my own car. Better still is that it is reasonable for other owners to be able to achieve similar results.

Rog
Roger Parker

Did you get as many cuts to the hands as i did when doing this little modification? BTW the pipe i used had a neat bracket at the end to fit onto the intake grille screws.

Nick
Nick

Yep...cut hands........*grin*.....there's definately something sharpe down there. The main problem i had was the intake pipe was slightly too short (25mm). I fixed it in the vent first then found it was just too short to connect back upto the filter housing, most of the cuts i got failing in an attempt to stretch the pipe. Trick i found with the standard intake pipe was to fasten it onto the housing first then route the pipe into the vent and then fix with longer ties.

Where did you get the pipe with the bracket from Nick? I've seen a similar thing in the MOSS catalogue but i thought it was pretty expensive, (£116.33+VAT).
Paul

Unfortunately it was Moss where i got it from some time ago now. i believe it was £99+vat about a year ago. And i must say, when i opened the box i did think it was a rip off. But then again it's a pretty good quality pipe with a custom bracket probably made especially for Moss.

An easy way to make one yourself would be to attach a jubilee clip to the end with two thin pieces of metal sheet tucked through it and bent to meet with the grille fixing points.

Nick
Nick

Thanks for the tip Nick..appreciated.

Did you find an improvement in throttle response too after making the modification?
Paul

Paul,

Ooooh yes, the difference was immedietely noticable. Once warmed up a good little test was to kick the throttle twice, once gently to tip the revs up to about 2.5 - 3 thousand and then very quickly all the way to the floor and back(both times within about a second) I found that the engine immediately hit 6.5 thousand with no lag at all. and also returned to idle very quickly. Very different from the standard set up which tended to wind down more slowly. Though i do have the SP exhaust as well, which also contributes to better engine breathing.

Nick
Nick

This thread was discussed between 20/02/2000 and 22/02/2000

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.