Before we dig in, let's review our testing methods. All testing was performed back to back on our Mustang chassis dyno, with identical ambient conditions. We also took great care to make sure fluid and even tire temperatures were consistent. Finally, we chose the average runs out of each set of 4 for the comparison. No cherry picking here, we really wanted to see what kind of gains these parts offer in a fair environment.
We first tested the intake on our standard EQT Stage 1 E85 OTS tune. We started by getting 4 baseline pulls with the stock airbox/inlet so we have results from the same day and conditions. Then we installed the Blaze Inlet/Intake system and tested again. Below you will see the results of this test in both wheel and crank power/torque in the charts labeled “EQT Stage 1 E85 MK8 Golf R” – one chart is showing wheel and the other is showing crank.
Here we found a consistent peak power gain of 14whp/16bhp. There is also a healthy torque gain throughout the powerband. This was already impressive enough for a simple intake upgrade, especially considering the rest of the car is on completely stock hardware!
Next we decided to load an aggressive E60 custom tune that we used to run our record setting 10.9 ¼ mile pass. This was a bit of a “send it” tune that we bumped up during road testing and had not tested on the dyno since. This tune is running an extra 1psi of boost target and a significantly higher turbine speed limit. While this tune made more torque/power through the mid range, it actually dropped a few hp above 6000RPM as the turbine speed was getting very high and pushing the turbo outside its efficiency range and into an uncomfortable zone.
Leaving the tune unchanged, we installed the Blaze intake system and tested again. This resulted in greatly reduced turbine speeds and a whopping 28whp/31bhp gain over the stock intake! Now this is getting seriously impressive for a car still on the stock downpipe, stock intercooler, etc. You can see these results in the two charts labeled “EQT Aggressive Custom Stage 1 E60” – again one in whp and the other crank hp.
No, your eyes aren't deceiving you... that's 515bhp on just intake, fuel, and tune.... on a 2.0l Golf! What a time to be alive!
As you may know, the MK8 Golf R has a turbine speed sensor built in from the factory. This is an extremely valuable tool in determining effectiveness of aftermarket parts and tuning and gathering general data. So the final chart you will see below is an overlay of log data including boost (in psiA), and turbine speed.
Both sets of data are from our OTS Stage 1 E85 tune; red is with the stock intake, and blue is with the Blaze intake. You can see that while boost levels remain very similar, the turbine speed with the stock intake is significantly higher throughout the pull. At the top end, you can see that it peaks and starts to drop off as it hits the speed limit we set in our tune. With the Blaze intake installed, the turbine speed is well under that limit and actually allows the ECU to hold a bit more boost at the very top.
This reduction in turbine speed over the powerband is responsible for the actual power gains we are seeing. As the turbo is spinning slower to make the same boost pressure, we end up in a more efficient part of the compressor map, resulting in more overall airflow, less turbine restriction, and less heat generated. This turbine speed differential is even more drastic on the “send-it” custom tune, but we’ll keep that data to ourselves for the time being.
If you made it to the end of this, I thank you for reading and taking interest. Please feel free to ask any questions or clarification. The complete Blaze Intake System will be available for purchase through EQT in 1st Quarter 2024.