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      12-06-2018, 09:17 PM   #1
BuzzytheBlue
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Evolve Carbon Airbox Review/Introduction

Hey guys,

New to the forum. Long time BMW enthusiast and car lover. Figured it was time to join up with the forum as I plan on keeping my Z for many years to come. I have a small automotive YouTube channel called "BuzzytheBlue" as a bit of a passion project.

I'll save the personal details for a different post, I'm sure you're more interested in the airbox. I try to do some writing on the side and am building a portfolio of work. So, I wrote up a short and sweet review of the Evolve carbon box I purchased about a month ago and what I think of it thus far. (Spoiler, it's spectacular, as you'd expect).

Review: https://buzzytheblue.com/evolve-carb...ox-review-s54/

I'd love any feedback you can offer on my writing and look forward to answering any questions you have for me regarding the airbox. A note that I left out of the review, I installed it myself and it took about 5-6 hours (but I'm an awful wrench). Thank you and glad to be a part of the forum!

Also, here's a video of how the car sounds with the airbox and my RPI axle back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01jMFaG2YBs&t=180s
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      12-07-2018, 07:35 PM   #2
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I've watched your videos several times before this post! Awesome! Welcome!
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      12-10-2018, 05:47 PM   #3
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Solid writeup! This item (or similar) is on my to-do list if the car stays with me long term and experience more OEM+ upgrades. OEM CSL headers and European Section 1 await install this winter already.
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      12-12-2018, 11:18 PM   #4
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Thanks for sharing the write-up and video -- well done!

I've got an Eventuri intake and an RPi exhaust, and I really don't feel like I can hear the intake until I'm at about 7K RPM.

Can you actually hear the intake from inside the car with your RPi? I love the sound from outside of the car, but was always hesitant to spend that kind of money if the sound would just be overpowered by the exhaust anyways.
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      12-13-2018, 06:43 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurboDream17 View Post
Thanks for sharing the write-up and video -- well done!

I've got an Eventuri intake and an RPi exhaust, and I really don't feel like I can hear the intake until I'm at about 7K RPM.

Can you actually hear the intake from inside the car with your RPi? I love the sound from outside of the car, but was always hesitant to spend that kind of money if the sound would just be overpowered by the exhaust anyways.
Thanks guys!

To answer your question TurboDream, even with the top and windows up on my roadster I can hear the intake clearly. It isn't drowned out at all by the RPI. I can hear it from about 3,500 RPM when full throttle.

Honestly the induction sound is like 80% as loud as the RPI so you end up having them combine into an amazing tone.
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      12-14-2018, 12:11 AM   #6
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This might be a stupid question, but where does the air filter go?

Does it use the same air filter as the E46 M3 CSL?

I wonder just how much of the claimed 25-30hp gain would you say is coming from getting a remap and how much is coming from the carbon airbox design?

The Evolve website claims 15-24hp gain alone for just the remap HERE

And for only $799, it might be an excellent deal!

I know the sound of this carbon airbox is awesome. However, the cost is way way out of my price range.
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      12-14-2018, 08:52 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BuzzytheBlue View Post
Thanks guys!

To answer your question TurboDream, even with the top and windows up on my roadster I can hear the intake clearly. It isn't drowned out at all by the RPI. I can hear it from about 3,500 RPM when full throttle.

Honestly the induction sound is like 80% as loud as the RPI so you end up having them combine into an amazing tone.
Thanks for the notes, very tempting. I wonder if there's much of a difference between the roadster and coupe...
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      12-14-2018, 01:57 PM   #8
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I read your write-up and thought it was great - then I watched the video and damn, I don't know how you could put that experience/sound into words. Incredible.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BuzzytheBlue View Post
To answer your question TurboDream, even with the top and windows up on my roadster I can hear the intake clearly. It isn't drowned out at all by the RPI. I can hear it from about 3,500 RPM when full throttle.

Honestly the induction sound is like 80% as loud as the RPI so you end up having them combine into an amazing tone.
Having RPi cans (paired with catless headers) I'm in love with the exhaust note and don't mind the volume. But as I have my own CSL airbox on the way I was always concerned I wouldn't be able to hear it at all.

Reading the above has me more excited than ever as I was hoping to be able to experience the best of both worlds.
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      12-14-2018, 02:24 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ANILE8 View Post
This might be a stupid question, but where does the air filter go?

Does it use the same air filter as the E46 M3 CSL?

I wonder just how much of the claimed 25-30hp gain would you say is coming from getting a remap and how much is coming from the carbon airbox design?

The Evolve website claims 15-24hp gain alone for just the remap HERE

And for only $799, it might be an excellent deal!

I know the sound of this carbon airbox is awesome. However, the cost is way way out of my price range.
The filter fits between the plenum and air intake, where the two meet.

As far as the power is concerned, I plan on putting my car on the dyno to see how well the numbers mirror what I feel. I've read that people who have installed only the airbox, untuned, gained around 15HP. With the tune I'd guess the total power gains are likely right around 35HP. For those keeping score, about $100 per HP. HA. Naturally aspirated modding is a cruel mistress.

Like I said in the write up, it's definitely not for everybody. The value is primarily in the difference it makes to the driving experience overall, not the power gains. Honestly, an Eventuri or Gruppe-M intake is the more sensible solution for most people. But, now that I've experienced the CSL style airbox in person, I'd never be able to go back.
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      12-14-2018, 08:01 PM   #10
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I want to know how is the Alpha-N tune that Evolve is flogging with this fancy pants carbon airbox.

Have you noticed any of the widespread problems of going MAF-less with Evolve's Alpha-N tune?

So many people are complaining about the heel-toe issue that is continually proving to be a deal breaker for many. Evolve have reportedly refused to resolve this issue after many years of complaints.

Evolve might make great hardware but I have read are majorly let down by their tunes. Reminds me of the VF Engineering superchargers kits and all their problems with customer support and tuning nightmares all over again. The hardware is floorless, but their tunes suck bigtime and this is the hardest part to resolve.
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      12-14-2018, 08:13 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ANILE8 View Post
I want to know how is the Alpha-N tune that Evolve is flogging with this fancy pants carbon airbox.

Have you noticed any of the widespread problems of going MAF-less with Evolve's Alpha-N tune?

So many people are complaining about the heel-toe issue that is continually proving to be a deal breaker for many. Evolve have reportedly refused to resolve this issue after many years of complaints.

Evolve might make great hardware but I have read are majorly let down by their tunes. Reminds me of the VF Engineering superchargers kits and all their problems with customer support and tuning nightmares all over again. The hardware is floorless, but their tunes suck bigtime and this is the hardest part to resolve.
I've had no issues with heel-toe at all, works exactly as well as before. No CEL or other weirdness either.

I had read that others were having that issue but the ones I found were all a few years old. I'd be curious to know whether others that currently have the airbox and newest tune are still experiencing issues.
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      12-14-2018, 08:20 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ANILE8 View Post
I want to know how is the Alpha-N tune that Evolve is flogging with this fancy pants carbon airbox.

Have you noticed any of the widespread problems of going MAF-less with Evolve's Alpha-N tune?

So many people are complaining about the heel-toe issue that is continually proving to be a deal breaker for many. Evolve have reportedly refused to resolve this issue after many years of complaints.

Evolve might make great hardware but I have read are majorly let down by their tunes. Reminds me of the VF Engineering superchargers kits and all their problems with customer support and tuning nightmares all over again. The hardware is floorless, but their tunes suck bigtime and this is the hardest part to resolve.
If that's what has you on the fence you can buy an airbox-only without tune, and go with another option (Epic, ESS, or TTFS would be the bigger ones). Though I think most that go the Evolve route are looking for the one-stop-shop, plug-n-play option.
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      12-26-2018, 12:50 AM   #13
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Evolve sorted the heal toe issue a fair whack ago.. lol or more like they got someones elses tune and had a look. Not sure id buy from them considering the customer support they gave guys with the heal toe issue was next to ZERO for more than a year.
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