I've always fitted a performance Air Filter (K&N) to all my cars, but now that I am an Octavia owner, is it really worth it on the VRS 230? Does it make any difference at all? (It did on my previous cars).

Will it affect the MAF?

 

59 minutes ago, Noms said:

I've always fitted a performance Air Filter (K&N) to all my cars, but now that I am an Octavia owner, is it really worth it on the VRS 230? Does it make any difference at all? (It did on my previous cars).

Will it affect the MAF?

 

I also have on numerous cars fitted the K&N panel filter, I assume it's the panel filter you mean. Apart from a slight increase in induction noise, never had any improvement in performance. 

I actually did some tests on my Civic Type R EP3 years ago. I used a full on K&N Typhoon induction kit as well as a heat shield. Once V-TECH cut in, boy did it roar. Did a timed 0-60mph and a timed 30 to 80mph in 3rd. The firsts runs I had the standard air filter. On the second runs I had the full kit fitted. Did the K&N kit make it any faster, NO. Timings were just the same with or without the induction kit. However, I hated the roar of the kit at high revs so much, took the kit off and sold it on E-Bay. With a later car I did the same with and without the K&N panel filter. Same again, timings were the same. So what was my impression? I have bought a few K&N panel filters, just because they last a lifetime. I was always careful when I cleaned them and reoiled them, to not spray too much oil onto the filter and to wait before refitting for the oil to dry off. Don't want that oil on the MAF sensor, which by the way never happened. I now just fit original VW air filters and certainly get plenty of performance from them on my mapped Octavia VRS TSI 230, or 329bhp as it is now. They are not really too expensive either. 

Thanks for sharing your experience. I was thinking a panel filter would be good as no need to replace.

Ultimately, I like to fit a cold air induction like this: https://www.racingline.com/vwr12g7r600

I've had induction kits on my cars before which, when coupled with an exhaust, made a huge difference.

 

Have you actually mapped to 329bhp? Racingline?

Have you considered any of their 'bolt-ons''

2 minutes ago, Noms said:

Thanks for sharing your experience. I was thinking a panel filter would be good as no need to replace.

Ultimately, I like to fit a cold air induction like this: https://www.racingline.com/vwr12g7r600

I've had induction kits on my cars before which, when coupled with an exhaust, made a huge difference.

 

Have you actually mapped to 329bhp? Racingline?

Have you considered any of their 'bolt-ons''

Yes I had a Racingline map done on a rolling road, stage one. Gave great results with stock hardware. Wonder what it would give me if I had a Racingline induction kit and sports cat and exhaust plus  stage 2? Happy with the bhp I have now though. With that Civic Type R I did also have a Scorpion stainless exhaust as well. Still no increase in performance with the induction kit compared to standard. 

Changing the panel filter from "OEM" to a "K&N" wont make any difference whatsoever! You'd be better off keeping the factory "OEM" but changing to a induction kit like the racingline R600 linked above or https://www.mountune52.com/collections/mk3-octavia-vrs-5e-2014/products/x3-intake will make a difference. 

I fitted an induction kit RAM air with the upgraded turbo elbow. Adds about 5bhp, but sounds sick!