ITG filter review

[mjwells]

Hi all,

I fitted an ITG about a month ago, so I thought I'd do a review. It's all part of my PPC upgrade path, which I will complete this week. :P

I ordered it from http://www.partsforsaabs.com/product...oducts_id=1967. It arrived the next day (any PFS customer will know how good the service is there). Out of the box, a quick whip through the instructions, and out to the car to have a look. I was going to do it myself, but I didn't have the tools to remove the cover. They are star-shaped allen bolts. Frustrating.

My 2004 Aero went to the garage the same week for a rattle that (I'm pleased to report) was readily fixed, free of charge. While I was there I had the filter fitted, again free - great service as usual from Buckingham and Stanley in Cambridge, England. So, when I got it back with the ITG fitted, I started idling trying to detect the differences.

To be fair, I fitted the ITG on a whim. Like so many car enthusiasts, I did it because I could, and the temptation was there that I could make something good even better. It's part of the PPC upgrade I want to do, which is a serious mod compared to a change of filter. With the ITG (or PPC for that matter) I certainly didn't do it to "fix" anything about the stock Aero - which I consider to be a superbly well-rounded car already.

After a week or so I settled into driving it and concluded that the car had adjusted as much as it would to the new filter. I ran through a checklist - power, smoothness and even fuel economy, which are selling points of the ITG. I'm afraid I can't detect any of those (+3 bhp, even if consistently achieved, is hard to spot when you already have 210 bhp). No change in MPG. I can't complain, but if I'm honest, there's really nothing to report here. I'm satisfied it's a better part that will last longer. End of story.

...not quite. What I really notice (and love) is the new sounds. When the Aero was designed, I expect they still had to think about keeping the turbo quiet, and the stock filter does a good job. Anyone who's fitted a cone filter to a car (perhaps when they first had a car worth tuning?) will know what an amazing boost in noise and driving feedback this can bring. With the ITG, I wasn't expecting quite so much: it's a drop-in replacement, so I didn't believe the sound would change much. It turns out there's a pleasant surprise in store!

With the stock filter, you feel the acceleration and sometimes you hear the turbo doing its raspy whistles. With the ITG, you hear it all the time. It's right there, not too loud but much more noticeable, especially when you let your foot off the throttle. A rich whistle and a nicely punctuated hiss when you hammer the throttle. If you drive your 93 enthusiastically, your enthusiasm will be fuelled by this extra feedback. You can feel and appreciate so much more about how your throttle and the turbo are interacting.

Like a lot of Saab drivers I have an engineering background (sorry! ) One of the things I admire most in automotive engineering is a turbo-charged engine, simply because it's an amazing achievement and a wonderful piece of machinery. Being able to hear it, and feel the torque, is a great reminder of what a superb car the 93 Aero is. I think the ITG deserves credit for going further down this route and giving more feedback to the driver.

So, I can't confess to noticing a change in performance (or fuel economy or smoothness). But, the ITG has to be one of the BEST acoustic upgrades - or enthusiasm upgrades - available. For £50 you can hear your car breathing. Excellent. :-D

Cheers
Michael

[jcancio]

Nice and detailed review.... i have one on mine too and the only i noticed is the decrease in fuel economy. i used to get 30-32 mpg and now i average 27-29.5.
i drive it normal. oh well.

btw, there are tools in the spare tire area
for those funky screws of the air filter box
just in case you need them.

[mjwells]

Originally Posted by jcancio

Nice and detailed review.... i have one on mine too and the only i noticed is the decrease in fuel economy. i used to get 30-32 mpg and now i average 27-29.5.
i drive it normal. oh well.

btw, there are tools in the spare tire area
for those funky screws of the air filter box
just in case you need them.

<slaps forehead> I should have looked. Thanks jcancio.

M

[Viscouse]

Great write up! I echo all your joys with my filter. Any money spent to enhance they joy of owning a Saab is money well spent in my book.

[moz]

I have echo your sentiments, my thoughts exactly having run one for a few months.

I have a JR now, and can say the same except the turbo sound is more pronounced with this filter.

[loryans]

I too fitted the ITG filter a few weeks back.
After the ECU adjusted I have noticed a modest improvement in performance, plus higher rev-out when planting my foot.
But as the review says, one of the most noticeable differences is the sound - which is now fantastic.
Not nearly as loud or hideous as all those rice cars driving around with tiny blow-off valves - but instead this is a very subdued yet well-stated whistling.

I had a problem where (thanks to other forum viewers on saabcentral.com) it appears that some oil from the filter dripped onto the MAF which caused the SID to display "Engine malfunction". But after dabbing off a bit of the oil (just a little bit), I have re-fitted the filter without the warning coming back on the SID.

A strongly recommended buy for anyone!

Now, to begin cashing up for the PPC kit...