MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Modifications & Technical Area => Performance Modifications => Topic started by: Dubtek on June 29, 2010, 07:58:11 am

Title: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: Dubtek on June 29, 2010, 07:58:11 am
Just thought I'd post up something we are working on at the moment....

Its not as per the one pictured below, as thats an Evo 7 headlight, but we're doing the same thing, making an air intake mould which will hopefully be road legal and retain all the original lights. If we cant achieve this then we'll make it a track only mod. Either way I think with the intake being where it is on the Golf it will make for a really good mod and allow a nice new flow of cold air flow directly into that filter.

Will keep you posted on developments and post a picture of the finished product as soon as its done..

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fww41%2FBenVI%2Fa0.jpg&hash=f6a7d93ba6778636ef52391d982917ba75a84628)
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: RedRobin on June 29, 2010, 09:29:58 am
.
That's a very interesting and novel idea :congrats:

As the Twintake proves, there's no doubt that more 'cold' air (fresh air might be a better description) can be sucked in from around the headlight area and it avoids the water ingress potential when the intake is at foglight level.

However, although I'm no expert, my gut feeling tells me that it might not get through MOT due to headlight beam requirements. Certainly this mod couldn't be applied to sealed Xenon units.

Thinking aloud, it would appear to significantly add air flow to a GTI with ITG tubular intake.

Are you thinking of this mod as an extra air intake to the normal upper grill front?
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: paulk on June 29, 2010, 09:42:02 am
the oe intake on the grill is so small its unreal...i cant belive there are no after market ones with a larger intake mouth...even the carbinio ones have a very small catch area :stupid:
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: RedRobin on June 29, 2010, 09:50:18 am

the oe intake on the grill is so small its unreal...i cant belive there are no after market ones with a larger intake mouth...even the carbinio ones have a very small catch area :stupid:


....Again, I'm not an expert but I had long conversations with Andy @ ITG while they were developing their 2.0T FSI intake and my understanding was that the most efficient type of air inlet was a Venturi shape and it wasn't a question of size of inlet. Full frontal inlets are going to grab more air than those which are positioned more towards the side.

I wouldn't underestimate the OEM frontal upper grill inlet position.
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: paulk on June 29, 2010, 10:00:00 am
but its so thin....must be a easy way to make it larger
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: RedRobin on June 29, 2010, 10:12:06 am

but its so thin....must be a easy way to make it larger


....Well, I guess you could cut out all the verticals to then make it one larger opening. Those 'verticals' must account for blocking a very significant percentage of the inlet aperture. On the other hand they might stop some debris such as leaves.

Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: Jaywoo-GTI on June 29, 2010, 04:11:14 pm
I was thinkin of looking into somthing along these line the other day as my brother used to run one on his skyline.
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: Dubtek on June 29, 2010, 07:50:20 pm
It works extremely well on the track cars we support and on the Mk5 its in an ideal position in relation to the filter. We'll see on the MOT aspect but its being designed mainly for the track orientated cars where maybe it can be interchanged with the OE light on the road.

This and many other ideas are all part of the R & D going into my grand plan to build a AMD/Milltek style track car for the 2011/12 season.... :laugh:

Will post up the Mk5 light as soon as its done and get some feedback. Thanks for the comments so far. It wont be cheap due to the mould and cutting costs/time element to do it, but I think it will be popular with the serious Mk5 enthusiasts and racers.
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: MAT ED30 on June 29, 2010, 08:15:40 pm
just a thought but on a xenon headlight i am sure the inner light has no function so u could easy use/ cut  that  area up
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: gillm on June 29, 2010, 11:10:24 pm
great idea but you have to get the bumper off to get the light out , so peeps will prob just leave it in the shed or on the car all the time
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: Janner_Sy on June 29, 2010, 11:11:19 pm
you sure, i know on mine i can have it out in about half a minute, surely its not that much difference on the GTI
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on October 29, 2010, 05:03:18 pm
great idea but you have to get the bumper off to get the light out , so peeps will prob just leave it in the shed or on the car all the time
You don't need to remove the bumper to take the headlamps out.  If you prise out the 'rubbing strip' in the bumper just below the headlamp, you'll see access to the lower headlamp fixing bolt. :happy2:
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: QD MBE on October 29, 2010, 05:15:12 pm
great idea but you have to get the bumper off to get the light out , so peeps will prob just leave it in the shed or on the car all the time
You don't need to remove the bumper to take the headlamps out.  If you prise out the 'rubbing strip' in the bumper just below the headlamp, you'll see access to the lower headlamp fixing bolt. :happy2:

I tried to get my headlights out using the above method.  No chance.

You can get all the screws out (x3), but actually getting the light out with either taking the slam panel off, or the bumper apron off was impossible.

Taking the apron off is a 10 minute job, makes the whole task achievable.
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: JPC on October 29, 2010, 06:42:20 pm
Ditto. I found the same Dave. Even with the bumper off, I always tape the sides of the lights as they are awkward to remove. The corners of the wings get in the way!! :signLOL:
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: QD MBE on October 29, 2010, 06:45:36 pm
Yes Jay, I did that too, you have to swivel the light out. 
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on October 29, 2010, 07:05:58 pm
Have any of you looked at the relevant manual in my sticky thread - because I'm sure that's where I gleaned the info from many moons ago?
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: QD MBE on October 29, 2010, 07:17:45 pm
I have and I used one of them to originally carry out the job.  I removed my lights several times to carry out work on my Ed30, and to retrofit (no washers or levellers) a set of OEM xenons.

I think VW got it wrong, I tried for ages, and no joy.  the sticking point is the lower fixing being behind the bumper bar.  Knowing how fragile the 3 lugs are (hence the repair kit available from VW)

Yes you can get the lamp loose, but not get it out, well I couldn't, and nor could Jay.  Less hassle to remove the apron.

I am not a Vehicle Tech, but an aerospace engineer (24 years) and before that a toolmaker (5 years).  Happy to be proven wrong, but I think you will damage either the lamp assembly or the bumper/wing.  I stand by my original post.



Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on October 29, 2010, 07:24:30 pm
I have and I used one of them to originally carry out the job.  I removed my lights several times to carry out work on my Ed30, and to retrofit (no washers or levellers) a set of OEM xenons.

I think VW got it wrong, I tried for ages, and no joy.  the sticking point is the lower fixing being behind the bumper bar.  Knowing how fragile the 3 lugs are (hence the repair kit available from VW)

Yes you can get the lamp loose, but not get it out, well I couldn't, and nor could Jay.  Less hassle to remove the apron.
OK, the only time I removed my headlamps was with the bumper off.


I am not a Vehicle Tech, but an aerospace engineer (24 years) and before that a toolmaker (5 years).  Happy to be proven wrong, but I think you will damage either the lamp assembly or the bumper/wing.  I stand by my original post.
Sorry - I wasn't doubting you or Jay, or questioning your abilites - I was just slightly confused that the official manuals said it could be done. :happy2: :grouphug:
Title: Re: Air Intake Headlight
Post by: stealthwolf on October 29, 2010, 07:29:17 pm
Is this why a lot of cars at santa pod had a headlight missing? i figured it must be to do with optimising air intake.