Karbonius Carbon Airbox: Traditional vs Race

[Fresh6390]

Saw these postings on Instagram from a UK tuning shop, TRS Performance.

Seems like Karbonius' traditional style carbon airbox design makes more HP than the race style.

Disappointing because I was going to go with race design.

[heinzboehmer]

Interesting data point. Pretty big difference everywhere in the rpm band

Edit: wait that doesn't look like the karb race airbox. The karb has a hump on it where the snorkel would traditionally attach and it doesn't neck down like that

[Thoglan]

Yeah doesn't look like the karb snorkel piece. Tapers down and weave changes direction. Karb one has the protruding lip where the two halves of the snorkel join too whereas this one doesn't.

[SQ13]

Yeah, that one has a tiny inlet.

[Slideways]

https://www.raceparts.biz/karbonius-race-airbox-e46-m3-1.html

It's a special version made for one company and has to be ordered through them. It would be nice if Karb made the Race without the lip like this one, but there is some weird reasoning behind it.

[Fresh6390]

Good observations! I guess I dont need to change title as it is still a karb race design, just not the one we typically see..?

Either way, I wish they would have tested the more common karb race snorkel as that is the one I was looking at getting. Didn't even know this one through ms motorsport existed.

safe to say the two race designs would have similar stats?

[Tbonem3]

I hate threads like this

[Slideways]

Good observations! I guess I dont need to change title as it is still a karb race design, just not the one we typically see..?

Either way, I wish they would have tested the more common karb race snorkel as that is the one I was looking at getting. Didn't even know this one through ms motorsport existed.

safe to say the two race designs would have similar stats?

Yes, don't lose sleep over it. The OEM manufacturer made both versions, CSL and the "Race". The only difference is less weight and complexity on the "Race".

[jet_dogg]

I hate threads like this

LOL!! I love threads like this. I win again.

But seriously, what a bizarre comparison with some obscure version nobody has.

[SQ13]

I have both Karb airboxes and can do back to back dynos with the silver car at some point, if anyone actually cares.

[Kdubski]

I think the race version is built on the fact that most people will run 4-6" ducting from the bumper directly to the snorkel. Some of those race cars are pretty hacked up and mcguivered.

[Theraqa]

I have both Karb airboxes and can do back to back dynos with the silver car at some point, if anyone actually cares.

Please show/tell us more about it, im super interested as im about to order one of those

[SQ13]

Please show/tell us more about it, im super interested as im about to order one of those

I ended up selling the standard airbox (selling car soon), so no comparisons. Sorry. IMO just go with the Race version since it’s cheaper overall. ECS still has them for just under $1800, and they’re in stock. Send it and don’t look back.

[CrisSilberGrau]

Just saw this, that neck down race snorkel ala bimmerworld has been proven to make less power and bottleneck the exact thing the the CSL airbox is trying to do by many including Hassan as far back as 2019, probably earlier too. Euro race cars dont use this shit, they have thiccc race radiators slanted at an angle with a CSL trumpet that takes air directly from kidneys. Also probably a reason the cheapo Turner makes good power as well, per the dyno thread.

[Tbonem3]

The race karb box doesn't "neck" down. There's no bottleneck lol. The opening is still massive, just extended down a bit farther.