Installing a turbo inlet elbow performance part on my 1.0L Polo TSI

Once it is installed, you won't even notice its presence, but your service technician will thank you softly.

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In 2021, I stumbled across a performance part from RacingLine for my 1.0 TSI engine and ended up ordering it. There was no rationale for buying this part since I don't race with my cars, and 0.05 seconds quicker or +5BHP was never a motivation for me. Hence naturally, I had no real performance expectations from this part, other than the fact that it would simplify the Air-Filter replacement task, by replacing a stiff hose clamp with a self-adjusting one.

You can read about the 1.0 TSI Air Filter DIY here.

The part was ordered from The Mechanix Automotive Pune, and now you can find this at almost any Tuner, or performance garage pan India. The price back then was close to Rs. 10k.

Things To Note:

This elbow is ideally designed to be used in conjunction with an improved intake system, which includes performance air filters, and performance intakes, and some of these might not be suitable for street usage.

The only modification I had on my intake was the Euro-spec cold air intake duct. This is an aftermarket performance upgrade and did not trigger a check engine light on my 1.0 TSI engine. However, some iterations of this part did need a part revision depending on the check valves installed on the intake. You may read more about it on the Racing Line website here.

Installation Experience

The installation was fairly straightforward, but it does require a few common hand tools like a T30 Torx Driver, some cable tie cutters, spanners etc.

The task itself was pretty easy but you'll have to use some tips and tricks for extra leverage. The first step is taking out the old intake elbow which is held in by a T30 Torx bolt. There is an electrical connector zip-tied to this elbow, and the zip-tie needs to be carefully cut off to free the elbow from the rear of the intake. RacingLine includes a new bolt to secure the elbow to the engine.

Comparison, Stock vs New Part

The stock part comes off as bulky with a few chambers for the air to travel through the intake. The new RacingLine elbow is smooth and designed to reduce the restrictions to the airflow. I'd still take these claims with a pinch of salt. Overall, the part does seem built well and also has a kink at the elbow. Sadly, there isn't a hook to secure the electrical connector anymore, but I haven't run into any issues since my installation.

Task Completion

Put everything back, re-install the intake, reinstall any unplugged connectors, and start the engine. There might be a Check-Engine light for a brief second since we did unplug one connector, but in my case, it went away in less than 10 seconds. This could also be because the intake manifold notices an air-flow difference.

Once it is installed, you won't even notice its presence, but your service technician will thank you softly, since the rear hose clamp, can be quite a pain to deal with. I managed to whip out a quick video where I briefly touched upon the installation and have a few engine sound samples after the installation.

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