Is there a reason the driver's side front lower grill is blocked on the OEM bumper?

Is this for aerodynamics or blocking something?

 

I dont know about the 180's but my 225 it looks blocked but the little piece of plastic actually routes air thru my other intercooler, 180 i dont know since your intercooler is on the passenger side.

 

Yeh, that plastic helps protect the SMIC from rocks and other debris, it also acts like a channel to send air to the IC.

 

No, actually on the 180 the drivers' side is totally blocked, which you have to remove if you want to route cold air to a ram-air tube for a TTDA

 

racer_x has it.

If you had a 225, you'd have two side mounted intercoolers, and that plastic wouldn't be there, the 180 only has an intercooler on the pass. side, so the driver side is blocked. I removed the plastic to get a little more airflow thru the engine compartment. Eventually I'll build my even-better-than-a-TTDA TTDA, and fill that void with intake piping.

 

My bad, I forgot you had a 180.

 

I actually just made my VTDA-clone out of a BMW M3 CAI. I'm proud of myself... I'm bruised, but I fed a LARGE tube all the way down there without taking my bumper off

A second one's on the way!

 

Okay, got another question concerning CAI

I recently purchased a Ingen CAI for my TT and I got a bit concerned on two fronts...

1. The filter element is extremely low - even comes with a warning not to drive with it installed in wet climates. May suck up water and cause damage.

2. With it so low - you esentially have to disassemble the front end of the car to get to it - what do you do to clean the filter??? Go through the same procedure of removing the front bumper and/or undercarriage cover?

This just seems like a idiot design. But I keep hearing more and more on here and elsewhere wanting an Ingen. I've toght about modifing it to bring it higher up in the engine compartment and panel it off to reduce heat.

Has anyone dealt with this?

 

I had CAI like that on my jetta, scared me to death when it was raining hard. I actually mad it through some deep water with it and never hydrolocked, so it is a little of a risk, so its up to you.

 

That's a relief on the hydrolocking - but what about maintenance??

From looking at the picture diagrams Ingen offers the filter is located damn near in front of the wheel well. How do you get down there to remove the filter for cleaning without disassembling the front end again?