ITG Maxogen Intake for 2.0TFSI

[SteveP]

Why

Well like all mods the why part is a subjective question, but to me I wanted an intake that had been designed to work with the car and wasn't just there for "eye candy".

As this is something that lives under than bonnet and is rarely seen, to me function was the absolute priority.

The limitation on my car has been two things when I when to Revo Stage 2+, one was the DSG box (now resolved with software) and the intake

So when I was asked to go and see ITG so they could test fit an early version of their kit I jumped at the chance.

This also gave me a good opportunity to really understand what goes into the development and production of these kits.

Here's some pictures of the parts that make up the kit: -

Turbo Hose with step to improve airlfow



Ali part's all rolled edged and with top quality welded brackets





Plus a bulit-in headshield on the main bracket



The rest of the kit









And the kit installed in the car: -







Sourcing

Available either directly from ITG - Tel 024 7630 5386 or from a number of different resellers and tuners.

Fitting

Takes less than an hour and requires a few basic tools. A good set of ratchet hose clamp pliers really help when removing the OEM hose connection to the top of the turbo.

Other versions

Plenty of options in the market, including: -

Evoms
Forge Twin Take
Dbilas
BSH True Seal Intake

Plus Points

• A really well developed and made product, key feature being a correctly sized MAF housing
• Using a properly rated and oiled foam filter
• Dyno and data logging based proven improvements over OEM intake and airbox
• Awesome enhancement to the engine / turbo noise, with my favorite being the "80's Rally car style" wastegate chatter

Minus Points

None for me, but some might not like the increased noise or the fact by default (unless you chop an original engine cover up or buy an after market one) you engine will no longer be covered.

Summary

So after now over 14k miles on the various kits I have had from ITG (4 in total during the development) I can 100% say I would recommend the kit.

As with most of the mods I have done it's opened my eyes as to how these different parts can really change the way the car "feels", this is certainly one I would do sooner rather than later next time.

My logging has shown a peak airflow increase across the MAF 17-18g/s compared to the old OEM airbox with high flow filter.

A back to back dyno test of the kit to compare the OEM airbox with OEM paper filter and the kit also produced a very healthy increase (wheel power shown below): -



Plus the final bit of positive data is my long term fuel trims have improved  to - Lambda (Partial) - Self-Adaptation = 1.8%
 

[Janner_Sy]

the ITG rocks, absolutely love mine.

If you love the chatter on yours you should hear the one on the Seat. So much louder than mine.

I didnt know the intake was known as the maxogen though.

[RedRobin]

^^^^

Obviously the ITG Maxogen is a great performer and subject to seeing graphs, data etc from it on other cars as well, it looks very promising indeed. As you say, eye-candy it certainly ain't!

I expect that an intake such as this is going to be more worthwhile on the higher performing GTI/ED30's.

[Janner_Sy]

i think your the minority there though RR (each to their own though, everyone who has seen mine has commented on how awesome it looks. my ITG made iirc 7-9bhp over my previous Code red induction kit, so prob alot more from a stock intake

[RedRobin]

^^^^
It certainly looks very "awesome" but more in a functional way - It's only my opinion but I still wish that ITG had resolved the foam seals more aesthetically than a couple of foam blocks on top of the battery.

It looks very purposeful and its many components have been very well manufactured as SteveP's pics show.

The intake has suited Steve's individal car performance very well too. That's why I hope others will also post their plots here in this review. As I say, it looks very promising indeed.

The ITG Maxogen would appear to clearly be a high-end intake.

[CarrG]

Nice write up really good review. 

Nice to see the MAF readings.

You got me sold. Currently have the Dbilas.

[gazbutS3]

^^^^
It certainly looks very "awesome" but more in a functional way - It's only my opinion but I still wish that ITG had resolved the foam seals more aesthetically than a couple of foam blocks on top of the battery.

It looks very purposeful and its many components have been very well manufactured as SteveP's pics show.

The intake has suited Steve's individal car performance very well too. That's why I hope others will also post their plots here in this review. As I say, it looks very promising indeed.

The ITG Maxogen would appear to clearly be a high-end intake.

Robin, I like things to look right to and have trimmed my "bits of foam" a little here and there and it looks much more finished, I'll take some pics when I get a chance , what we need to remember is all ITG do is filters and intakes, its what they do, a lot of the other intakes are made by companies that do all sorts of products. I'm not saying that makes their intakes worse, but if you were buying brakes you'd go to a company that did brakes, need I say anymore

[Tfsi_Mike]

^^^^
It certainly looks very "awesome" but more in a functional way - It's only my opinion but I still wish that ITG had resolved the foam seals more aesthetically than a couple of foam blocks on top of the battery.

It looks very purposeful and its many components have been very well manufactured as SteveP's pics show.

The intake has suited Steve's individal car performance very well too. That's why I hope others will also post their plots here in this review. As I say, it looks very promising indeed.

The ITG Maxogen would appear to clearly be a high-end intake.

Robin, I like things to look right to and have trimmed my "bits of foam" a little here and there and it looks much more finished, I'll take some pics when I get a chance , what we need to remember is all ITG do is filters and intakes, its what they do, a lot of the other intakes are made by companies that do all sorts of products. I'm not saying that makes their intakes worse, but if you were buying brakes you'd go to a company that did brakes, need I say anymore

Good point mate.  Thier development is soley on Inets / filters!  Sell me you PR1.2s in Jan!


Steve, do you know anything about modifying the transmision cooling duct to aid air flow to the ITG?  May just be a Leon thing...

[RedRobin]

Robin, I like things to look right to and have trimmed my "bits of foam" a little here and there and it looks much more finished, I'll take some pics when I get a chance , what we need to remember is all ITG do is filters and intakes, its what they do, a lot of the other intakes are made by companies that do all sorts of products. I'm not saying that makes their intakes worse, but if you were buying brakes you'd go to a company that did brakes, need I say anymore

....That's good that you are able to trim your 'foam bits' (Parisienne?) and I do hope that people don't think I'm anti the Maxogen - I'm just being very honest about my thoughts on it.

I'm not aware of other intakes which ITG have produced. Filters yes, and with an excellent reputation for them, and I have an ITG panel filter installed. That doesn't mean to say that ITG can't produce excellent intakes as well.

[SteveP]

the ITG rocks, absolutely love mine.

If you love the chatter on yours you should hear the one on the Seat. So much louder than mine.

I didnt know the intake was known as the maxogen though.

Maxogen is the range name for all the ITG intake kits - http://www.itgairfilters.com/content2.asp?section=maxogen 

I have heard it on Revo's Leon and it's slightly louder than the K04 based Golf, but that's mainly down to the differences in the sound proofing.

Plus i have found the Forge DV really brings the wastegate sound alive 

[JPC]

Good read, cheers steve. To me that is eye candy, fully functioning solution to me is eye candy, if your with me!

[SteveP]

Cheers Jay 

[JPC]

 

ask if they'll do one for a tdi!

[GTIjames]

Nice write up, only had mine on a day but had a good drive up to Liverpool this morning and got to say it's awesome

went for the all black stealth version and it looks mean!

After the trip up from London today I popped the bonnet and the foam and metal bit on the filter side was cold to touch so shows it's working.

Certainly knows his suff andy @ITG,     

[RedRobin]

To me that is eye candy, fully functioning solution to me is eye candy, if your with me!

.... ^ - For a change I won't take this off-topic to debate what eye-candy is. For me this particular ITG is say 90%, mostly because the foam blocks reduce an otherwise high rating.

I see from the link that many of the Maxogen range use sealed filter boxes - Always a preferable option. [Some very pretty in carbonfibre too ].

During their development I discussed at some length with Andy@ITG about enclosing the foam filter but I guess they couldn't achieve a big enough filtration surface area in order to achieve worthwhile gains because of lack of space in the engine bay. ITG always said that they wouldn't release a product unless significant power gains could be realised by the addition of their intake.

I think that ITG were concerned about costs too. You haven't posted a price, Steve, but I know that normal recommended retail price puts it higher than most others, but then it appears to perform better than most, subject as always to the whole raft of mods which an individual car sports.