Right now I'm actually running the stock MAF... and already outflowing the MAF sensor in the stock housing. Removing the screen potentially would only make this situation worse.

A larger MAF sensor housing isn't expensive, you can get them for $50 if you know where to look.

 

i had both screen and plastic mesh removed from my 01 1.8T jetta for 150,000 miles, no issues, also ran an oiled filter in the fenderwell, carbino, same stock maf in car at 199xxx, cleaned 3 times with 99% alcohol, car ran very well still averaging 30 mpg driving normally, apr ko-4 software on ko-4 001, forge side mount, carbino, forge TIP and pancake pipe to cooler upgraded, 3" catless downpipe for offroad 2.5 catted onroad with 2.5 in catback, easily changed since 304 stainless never rusts, guessing from mods 285 tq 265 hp, car pulled harder down lo than my 01 225Q apr chipped TT, really gave the quaife a workout sticking BOTH front wheels. i can't believe how few FWD guys boost power only to boost torque steer without a mechanical LSD, expensive but worth it, as one add said power is nothing without traction!!!

 

I'm surprised your stock MAF without screen can handle that kind of airflow. There's no way the stock AEB MAF could do it.

As for the torque steer issue you bring up: you're driving a transverse car, and my A4, while also FWD, is longitudinal. I haven't experienced torque steer even with the stock diff. Any time my car pulls to the right side it's the result of my slight front end mis-alignment (can't adjust camber or caster on the B5 A4 front end).

 

MetalMan, you are amazing..... that write up had me busy for like 30 mins, lol.... and your in HB! ...im in GG...lets go for a drive!

 

Thanks! Now that my car is nearly to the point I want it, I can spend more time driving and less time wrenching!

Speaking of nearing completion, UPS is scheduled to deliver my stock ECU to United Motorsport TOMORROW The Siemens 630cc injectors have been dying to get some use... it's kind of neat to think that soon I'll be running injectors with twice the flow capacity that my car currently has! (315cc)

On another note, over the weekend I installed a different DV (old one was black FrankenTurbo unit with original spring) to a different silver FrankenTurbo DV with the stiffest spring. I've noticed improved partial throttle performance, and sharper blow-offs that are more audible than they used to be. My thinking is I should have used a stiffer spring on the other DV because this one seems to be performing much better. At the same time I re-oriented the DV such that the side port is now attached to the boost side (I had it reversed previously).

Also I will soon have a Forge DV relocation pipe so I can install the DV right before the throttle body. Normal DV placement allows HOT (pre-intercooled) air to be sent back into the intake. So the relocated DV will send back cooler (post-intercooled) air into the intake.

 

Proper ECU tune is coming soon! Just paid $599 + $16 shipping for United Motorsport AEB Stage 3 (630cc injectors, 70mm MAF), and it's supposed to ship today. I'm dying in anticipation... Jeff Atwood said this is the file he runs on his daily driver.

Been working on fitting the 3" OD/70mm ID FrankenTurbo MAF housing to a stock airbox lid, trying to figure out the best course of action. Due to the amount of material that had to be removed I'm contemplating just using epoxy to hold it to the mouth of the lid, along with screws/brackets at the middle of the MAF housing. However this won't allow MAF sensor removal so maybe I'll just use the brackets, and RTV at the mouth of the airbox to keep air from leaking. Decisions, decisions... Pics will come when it's done.

 

my 01 1.8T jetta was an AWW engine code with the factory original MAF gutted, prolly 180,000 miles after reading the autospeed article, with a 3" downpipe and 2.5 catback, the KO-4 001 turbo responded very quickly. i would not waste my time with the stock airbox, if there is any way to get piping down to a colder area out of the engine bay you could gain performance, even cheaply fabricating it yourself from PVC or whatever, there is NO DOUBT that colder air adds PERFORMANCE!!!! the piping is said to smooth the air so the mesh flow straightener is unnecessary, i see most bigger MAF's have none of this restrictive JUNK in them anyhow

 

Stock B5 airbox actually is a cold air intake, one of the reasons why many people still use it when they upgrade their turbo. I also prefer to use it because it's quieter... when using a cone filter (like I currently am) the FrankenTurbo turbo inlet pipe causes rather loud noise.

 

for quite a few years most cars had a cold air setup of some kind, everyone knows that noise is not allowed on todays cars, choking the engine performance is typical to make the car quieter, especially upscale, luxury brands like audi, its your choice of course but as one builder put it, power level is only as good as the worse part of a system, balance of the setup is key, more air in, more fuel that can be burned, more waste gasses out. i am enjoying your experiences as we can always learn something.

 

when i did a stratmoshpere intake on the 4.2....it did not add ANY power, lol....sounded a bit better....but wouldn't be woth the money imo