[UrbanLegend711]

Hi guys,

I just got an offer to trade in my 2009 2.0T XWD with BSR Stage 1 tune on a 2009 Aero V6 with everything but navigation at my local dealer. So I'm now the proud owner of a Nocturne blue Aero. I absolutely LOVE this car- the exhaust, cornering lights, Bose audio, etc. But I do miss hearing the sound of my turbo. I had put the BSR Optiflow intake on my 2.0T and adored the psssht sound of the BOV/recirculating valve.

My fiance has been a dick about my getting the BSR intake for the Aero. He says it won't add any power so it's not worth the price tag and that SAAB recommends not putting an open filter on the car because it will suck in too much air and suck the oil from the filter into the throttle body (that sounds like BS to me, but I figured I'd ask around here). (P.S. my fiance is a SAAB sales manager, so I usually trust him, but not on this issue, lol).

So guys, does anyone here have the BSR Optiflow intake on their 2008-on Aero? If so, how do you like the sound? Is it very much louder than the intake noise on an unsilenced 4Cyl? Have you had any problems with the engine?

And for those that don't have the BSR intake, is there another way to remove the silencers on the turbo without replacing the entire intake? I could be subtle about it that way and get around the intake cost. I appreciate all your help in advance. Thanks guys!

 

[TunnanXWD]

I too was tempted and called and spoke with a few of the companies. The gain is so modest and seems to be a number that is more statistics oriented somewhere in the graph of the power curve.

To the credit of the vendors, they said I would really not notice it. I would put money into getting a similar tune and for that matter from Map or GS.

Hirsch does not offer anything for anyone with a 280 horsepower motor. What they were saying was pretty much (filters), compliment and are the final touch to the tune.

 

[ERP]

My wife’s Turbo X has the BSR cone filter intake and heat shield. She actually requested it because she likes hearing the turbo and bypass valve. I think it sounds great, not too loud but not too quiet.

The filter will not ‘suck too much air’, the ECU will control the boost level to ingest the amount of air that it wants. Filter oil affecting the throttle body is also an unwarranted worry since all modern cars connect the crank case breather to the intake for emission reasons to burn oil vapor. So the throttle body is already seeing small amounts of oil. However, the filter oil can affect the MAF sensor. But it is not dangerous. I try and clean my MAF once a year.

You can also install a drop in filter to the stock air box. But I am not sure if you will be able to hear much of an increase in turbo noise.

I have found that the best way to maximize intake noise, after installing a cone filter, is to replace the rubber intake elbows before the turbo with smooth steel and silicone tubing. The accordion type ridges on stock rubber intake elbows allow for engine movement, but also dampen noise. I have done this on my NG900 and the turbo noise is quite loud. Unfortunately this means custom work to make these pipes.

 

[SaabMick]

The oil issue he's talking about has got to do with the MAF (M[mass] Airflow Meter/sensor). Some people have had issues (I believe more on the 4cyl) with oiled filters "gunking" up this little sensor that is downstream of the filter on the intake tube. I personally just bought a cone filter from autozone and haven't had any issues yet...but I'm just backing him up a little bit that his comments are not completely unwarranted.

EDIT: I put brackets around "mass" because when I just bolded the M, only asterix' were showing up....

 

[TunnanXWD]

One of the guys just posted in another thread on this. He said just to go light on the oil and no MAF problems.

Makes sense. Even with old tractors that oil bath filters they said to "wash in gasoline, dry, oil and blot dry" before re-installation.

 

[ZENITH X]

I've had both the K&N drop-in filter and BSR intake on my 2008 Aero and both killed my MAF sensor and put the car in limp mode and the whole deal. I definitely wouldn't recommend an oiled air filter for 2008+ (I never had a problem with it on my 04)

So, what I did is got an AEM Dryflow filter to use on the BSR Optiflow intake and it hasn't caused any issues at all. The sound is definitely amazing!

Also, the K&N drop-in did not affect the sound of the V6 at all unlike what it does for the 2.0T.

 

[TunnanXWD]

Ouch!

 

[awjones]

So, what I did is got an AEM Dryflow filter to use on the BSR Optiflow intake and it hasn't caused any issues at all. The sound is definitely amazing!

i did the same thing. swapped the BSR cotton for AEM dryflow. maybe made the tone of the Optiflow a little deeper. plus the AEM media is grey, so it looks cool!

 

[the_widowmaker]

how about performance?

is throttle enhanced noticably and lag reduced?

im in two minds about this.

im wondering why bsr doens't make the airbox with a lid.