Arma Speed Carbon Fiber Intake System REVIEW!

[YMB_F80]

This is a review for all of you who are interested in the Arma Speed Intake system or any after market intake system to replace your stock one. I was able to win a system from Arma Speed and knew very little about them. I only found out about the contest after a fellow member on here posted about the contest. After seeing his system and the pictures of the carbon fiber quality I was determined to win.

Why change the intake system? Ever since I picked up my M3 I knew I wanted to go above and beyond on my mods. Coming from a E90 335i to the M3, it was a huge jump. With the car still being so new, many companies are still trying to develop a intake system. From previous experience, a after market intake system helps with airflow in the filters, sound of the turbo/spool (335i was twin turbo) and potential horsepower gain. With the new M3/M4 being so quite I hoped that an intake system might make it sound a little better.

Arma Speed Intake: After seeing pictures of the development of the intake system, here on the forums, I was interested in the build quality and how it would look in the engine bay. When I first opened the box with all the parts inside. I saw that Arma Speed wrapped everything up nicely to ensure that the carbon pieces were not scratched. After taking out the first piece I was shocked at how light the pieces were compared to OEM and how great the weave looked in person. As I tore the packaging apart, exposing more and more pieces, I got really excited as to how it would look in the engine bay. I was most interested in the filter design. Arma has incorporated a valve feature, which they claim can help with Torque at low rpms.

Install: As soon as I received my package with the Arma Speed intake system I was on my way over to Long and company at LTMW for the install. I have always gone to LTMW for all my car part installs and they have never disappointed. LTMW is great and always delivers great service. All the guys that work there are fantastic! The install was super easy and straight forward no issues what so ever.

Quality: The Arma Speed intake system was very well made. The pieces and fitment was spot on except for the center piece (which was hitting the hood but they have since fixed this issue). The carbon fiber weave complimented the Carbon Fiber Brace that was already in the engine bay. I inspected each piece individually and found no flaws at all. It was a very nicely made product and I was very impressed!

First impressions (Sound-start up): After installing the intake system, I started the car to see if there was a difference. First thing I did was let the car warm up a little after it had been sitting, due to the install. After revving it a little I could hear the turbo spools were louder and a whoosh sound when letting off the throttle. I was really impressed with the sound so far but was eager to drive it on the street and see how it performs in real life.

First impression (Driving): Right away when I was backing the car outside you can hear slight differences in the engine bay. When I got outside the lot of LTMW, I did a little pull and instantly could hear the sucking of air through the windows. It was a memorizing sound!! On downshifts you can hear slight blurps in the engine bay also. From the inside with the windows up, you can clearly tell there was a difference in how the car sounds. But I was eager to test it on a full day of driving since the following day I was going to do the Targa Trophy Holiday Cruise.

Full day of driving impression: After driving the car for 5+ hours on the Targa Trophy run, you can clearly hear the intake system working its magic. Constant sound of the intake sucking in air and whoosh sounds. I would let off the throttle just so I could hear it. The intake system sounds so good. It is definitely a LOT louder then stock. Having this system and driving around will leave a big smile on your face, as well as a amazing looking engine bay.

Performance: I cannot really comment on this part of the intake system yet, because I have a check engine light that maybe affecting my dyno numbers. But I will be updating this part of the review once I get my JB4 on and run Map 0 with the stock intake and Arma Speed Intake.

Conclusion: After driving the car around for the Targa Trophy event. I never encountered any problems whatsoever with the system I also did a lot of spirited driving during the run and just could not get over how much better the car sounded under load. I had a few friends in the car and they could instantly tell something was different about the car without me saying anything about the intake system. I would definitely recommend this system to fellow F8x members.

Thank you Long@LTMW, Noel@ArmaSpeed, and Dionne Mascunana@MascunanaBear for photos.

[Daft]

That intake definitely flows very well with the engine bay.

[Mandi90TT]

Nice looking (although could use a close up shot of the entire engine bay, not the distant shot that is in the first picture.

From your description, it sounds like it sounds great.

However, don't fool yourself into thinking there are HP gains. A number of reputable companies have done tests with no intake on at all, and saw zero gains on the dyno.

The single dyno that shows a gain (that has been posted on the forums, at least) from an intake is a fake dyno, with a completely different shape than any other S55 dyno.

Doesn't mean that an intake is not worth it, that's for you to decide, and with your description of the sound from this intake, it sounds pretty nice, and that alone could make it worth the cost.

[CanAutM3]

I doubt that an intake will add any power on a stock tune. The amount of air entering the engine is controlled by how much boost the turbos are allowed to add. Boost is controlled by ECU via the waste gates that allow exhaust gases to bypass the turbine wheel.

Unless a more aggressive tune is being used and/or bigger turbos fitted that allow for more air going into the engine, I don't see the intake adding any power.

[Hobbination]

Any pics of it not installed, super hard to make anything out

[YMB_F80]

Originally Posted by Hobbination

Any pics of it not installed, super hard to make anything out

[Merli]

Thanks for taking the time to post this, but way too many artsy, 50000mm zoom, 1mm DOF shots. Might look pretty to you, but useless for the rest of us

Just get the basic shots first, and then get "creative"

[YMB_F80]

Originally Posted by Merli

Thanks for taking the time to post this, but way too many artsy, 50000mm zoom, 1mm DOF shots. Might look pretty to you, but useless for the rest of us

Just get the basic shots first, and then get "creative"

I don't take pictures so , simply asked my buddy to just take pictures of the intake system.

[JBiddy]

Beautiful peace

[3er]

Wow, looks really clean (especially on post #8). Thanks for sharing.

[FC4]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

I doubt that an intake will add any power on a stock tune. The amount of air entering the engine is controlled by how much boost the turbos are allowed to add. Boost is controlled by ECU via the waste gates that allow exhaust gases to bypass the turbine wheel.

Unless a more aggressive tune is being used and/or bigger turbos fitted that allow for more air going into the engine, I don't see the intake adding any power.

Not really. Sure, the ECU is controlling how much pressure it allows the turbos to provide, but that doesn't mean there aren't gains to be had with increased flow. If it's easier for that air to be sucked in by the turbos in order to produce the given boost pressure the ECU wants, more power will be made. Using your logic, if the car was forced to suck air through a straw, power would not be reduced.

Not making any predictions about the gains (if any) to be had from this particular intake but in general.

[FC4]

Originally Posted by Merli

Thanks for taking the time to post this, but way too many artsy, 50000mm zoom, 1mm DOF shots. Might look pretty to you, but useless for the rest of us

Just get the basic shots first, and then get "creative"

You can thank Instagram for making everyone think they're a photographer.

[FSHNGRY]

Lots of Bling. I love carbon fiber, but I'd rather blow all that money else where. Looks awesome though

[YMB_F80]

Originally Posted by FC4

You can thank Instagram for making everyone think they're a photographer.

HAHA forreals!! I always give credit to all my photographer friends. But post #8 I took with my phone and put a little filter over it

Originally Posted by BROCHOP

Lots of Bling. I love carbon fiber, but I'd rather blow all that money else where. Looks awesome though

No I totally understand where you are coming from. Would this be one of my must want/need mods?! No. But there is a really cool factor when you just pop the hood and be hit with all the carbon fiber thats in there. Haha then again my list of MODS that I want are a buncha want and not needs

[Maddict3]

Price?

[Merli]

Originally Posted by Victorwu120

HAHA forreals!! I always give credit to all my photographer friends. But post #8 I took with my phone and put a little filter over it

Honestly? That was the best photo of the whole lot!

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by FC4

Not really. Sure, the ECU is controlling how much pressure it allows the turbos to provide, but that doesn't mean there aren't gains to be had with increased flow. If it's easier for that air to be sucked in by the turbos in order to produce the given boost pressure the ECU wants, more power will be made. Using your logic, if the car was forced to suck air through a straw, power would not be reduced.

Not making any predictions about the gains (if any) to be had from this particular intake but in general.

You seem to be contradicting yourself, in the other thread you mentioned that intakes do next to nothing on airflow... so which is it ?

But even if the intake does provide less restriction to the airflow, the ECU still controls the boost level. Once the set boost level has been reached, the ECU opens the waste gates and no additional boost is generated. A better flowing intake only has the compressor working a bit less to generate the preset boost level, but the engine produces the same amount of power. This is not a normally aspirated engine.

Just the fact that a simple tune can increase power by 40+hp indicates that the compressors are not choked by the stock intake in stock form (tune). If you reduce the size of the intake, at some point you will choke the compressors thus physically limiting boost and the engine will produce less power. So yes, an intake the size of a straw will limit the ability to produce power.

[Mandi90TT]

What the intake could do is allow the turbos to spool faster, thus generating max boost and max torque sooner. No real HP gain, but an increase in the area under the curve. It doesn't seem, though, that the stock intake is much of a restriction.

[8600RPM]

Man you seem to know a lot about not much. It's lowering g the work needed to suck the volume of air leads to less pumping losses and parasitic loss of power. Air filters, or intakes aren't making big power but the system works a little less to get the needed air volume and that translates to a few hp put down due to less wasted pumping lisses. Straw analogy is accurate

UOTE=CanAutM3;17496145]You seem to be contradicting yourself, in the other thread you mentioned that intakes do next to nothing on airflow... so which is it ?

But even if the intake does provide more airflow, the ECU still controls the boost level. Once the set boost level has been reached, the ECU opens the waste gates and no additional boost is generated. A better flowing intake only has the compressor working a bit less to generate the preset boost level, but the engine produces the same amount of power. This is not a normally aspirated engine.

Just the fact that a simple tune can increase power by 40+hp indicates that the compressors are not choked by the stock intake in stock form (tune). If you reduce the size of the intake, at some point you will choke the compressors thus physically limiting boost and the engine will produce less power. So yes, an intake the size of a straw will limit the ability to produce power.[/QUOTE]

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by 8600RPM

Man you seem to know a lot about not much.

Based on our previous arguments, it seems you don't know much at all. (See, I can throw insults too .)

6 years of science and engineering college studies and over 21 years working at an engine manufacturer got me to learn a thing or two about the physics around engines. But I am far from knowing everything and I am not always right. That is why I like forums such as this one, I always get to learn something new .

Originally Posted by 8600RPM

It's lowering g the work needed to suck the volume of air leads to less pumping losses and parasitic loss of power. Air filters, or intakes aren't making big power but the system works a little less to get the needed air volume and that translates to a few hp put down due to less wasted pumping lisses. Straw analogy is accurate

Have you even bothered to read my post ?

The S55 is not a normally aspirated engine. Engine pumping losses only occur downstream of the turbo. On a boost controlled engine, any losses upstream of the turbo are compensated by the turbo. Judging from the pictures, the Arma intake is only upstream of the turbo. The turbo needs to work a little less, not the engine. So I maintain my point, on a stock tune, no more power to be had . BTW, same goes for high flow filters.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Dave 90TT

What the intake could do is allow the turbos to spool faster, thus generating max boost and max torque sooner. No real HP gain, but an increase in the area under the curve. It doesn't seem, though, that the stock intake is much of a restriction.

Good point. It could theoretically reduce lag and boost threshold. But as you say, not sure if meaningful.

[Mandi90TT]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

Good point. It could theoretically reduce lag and boost threshold. But as you say, not sure if meaningful.

Given that at stock boost, plenty of companies have tested with completely open intakes and not seen a difference, yeah, not meaningful. With a tune, at higher boost, the intakes may become a restriction, and certainly opening up the intake flow can't hurt. Since the price of this is rather high, though, that's spending a lot of money for something that can't hurt, and may only marginally help.

But if you like bling, and if the sound difference is important to you, go for it. (Generic you, not you, specifically)