We are quite proud of the Racingline R600 Intake for the MQB TSI cars. It is currently possible to choose between the Trifoam filter and the new Pleated Cotton filter.
The R600 is the most efficient intake kit available on the market today due to the combination of OEM fit and finish and the capacity to handle power increases of over 600HP. It is therefore no surprise that more than 15,000 of these intakes have already been sold worldwide. Now that a choice can be made between the filter materials, the intake has become even more interesting. Both filters are interchangeable with each other. If you have an R600 with a foam filter, it can simply be replaced with the Cotton version and vice versa. Looking to buy a new R600? Now there is a choice!
WHY IS THE R600 FILTER
SO CRUCIAL?
The engine of your car needs clean and cool air to achieve the highest possible power. But no matter how important the cool and clean air may be, it is even more crucial to keep the fine interior of the filter free from dirt. Only in this way can you reach the full potential of the air filter. Imagine running your engine for thousands of kilometers without an air filter. While the air supply may be direct and great for power gain, gradually small dirt particles enter the engine, causing engine wear, followed by power loss and possibly complete engine failure. Think of it as sandpaper rubbing against every part of the engine, and nobody wants that! The short and logical conclusion is that a filter must keep dirt out while still allowing enough air to come through to realize the power. Think of it as the heart of the R600 intake kit!
FILTER TYPES
The car comes with an original filter from the factory. It is simple, effective, and above all, cheap. But cheap is not always efficient. Since you are reading this, you are undoubtedly already interested in improving your intake. The R600 intake is the logical choice, but which filter should you choose? The only two reliable choices for a performance intake are a foam or cotton filter.
The first thing one must understand is that filters can stop dirt by holding it back or trapping it. In other words, holding it on the filter surface or letting it get trapped deeper in the filter. It is sometimes a surprise for people to understand that all filter materials allow the same amount of air through from the start. But it is only when the filter becomes dirty that the difference between materials becomes clear.
The next consideration is that the filter surface is as large as possible to minimize pressure loss. This provides more free space for the air supply from the inlet and therefore works more efficiently for the engine.
The cotton filter will always have more surface area than the foam filter. This is due to the construction of the pleated shape of the cotton filter instead of the smooth profile of a foam filter. At first glance, it may seem that a cotton filter offers more advantages, but the depth of the foam filter compensates for the smaller filter surface by being able to trap larger particles of dirt deep within the filter.
WHAT ARE THE CHOICES FOR THE R600?
Since the beginning, only the Trifoam filter has been available for this intake kit. Why? We know that this is simply the most effective form of filter operation available, combining the best possible balance between dirt protection and the maximum possible airflow needed for power gains.
But it is a motorsport component – and just like all motorsport components, you must adhere to a maintenance program – as regular cleaning and re-oiling ensure that the component will perform again.
Still, we know that not everyone wants to take on this kind of maintenance and prefers a ‘fit and forget’ more robust filter. Therefore, we have launched this alternative for maintenance convenience: our new Pleated Cotton filter. Both are great filters and you will enjoy them for years to come. There is no right or wrong choice here; we simply would not offer a product that was not right. This article is about helping you decide which of these good options is best for you.
TRIFOAM FILTER
Let's start by looking in more detail at our Trifoam three-layer foam filter. Three different densities of foam are bonded together into large sheets, then hand-cut into shape and bound over a plastic 'cage' to achieve the form. When you consider how many top-level motorsport teams around the world (including World Rally, WEC, and even F1, plus almost every individual off-road vehicle in the world) are currently using this foam filter material, the choice is clear. The first reason for our preference for foam is its tolerance for dust loading, which is much better than cotton or paper. The dust particles are held by the depth of the filter material and maintain more airflow than a filter that can cover the entire surface.
If we were to take a microscope, we would see that the TriFoam material offers much more space for capturing dust due to its depth. Also, due to the larger passages in the material, the air displacement through the filter occurs in a more efficient manner. The random structure of the foam ensures that if dust comes through, it gets trapped anyway, and the air continues to flow. All of this means that the Trifoam filter can handle much more dust and delivers better performance for longer in most environments. Foam filters also weigh only a fraction of a cotton filter. The 'dome' design used means a huge increase in filter surface area compared to many designs that have an end cap on the filter; the open end of the Trifoam filter is fully usable filter material.
Foam is a relatively delicate material, a material that really needs a bit of love from the owner to maintain it.
The secret to getting the Trifoam filter to perform optimally is to clean it regularly and re-oil it (with the Racingline Cleaning kit). Do this and it will be as good as new every time. If this is not done, the filter will dry out over time.
If you love racing and always want the best airflow, the Trifoam filter is the right choice!
Benefits of the Trifoam filter:
- The best possible airflow for performance cars
- The airflow hardly deteriorates once the filter has already trapped dust.
- Foam is more sensitive and needs TLC
- After cleaning and re-oiling, they are as good as new
- They are a lightweight, carefully designed, authentic motorsport filtration solution
COTTON FILTERR601
So there are plenty of reasons to choose the Trifoam filter, but what about the cotton variant? To begin with, it is a robust filter with a long lifespan, excellent airflow capacity, and minimal pressure loss in the intake path. Ultimately, a filter's effectiveness depends on the surface area it has to allow air in. The deep pleats on the cotton filter clearly increase the surface area while the epoxy-coated mesh envelops the cotton with an incredibly durable outer layer. It is made of three layers of extremely finely woven cotton, tightly bound at the top and bottom by the mesh. The material is then pleated and hand-formed. By increasing the surface area, these pleats enhance the filtering capacity and dirt retention capability. The mesh provides support to prevent filter material from being sucked into the engine and also offers a durable outer layer to protect against larger debris. When clean, both filters perform almost identically. The initial pressure loss data we have recorded is just as good, and in terms of power and torque, the difference is almost negligible.
So you might think that choosing the cotton filter is an easy decision. But again, there is a compromise. Any pleated cotton filter material will eventually become blocked more quickly by dirt that is captured on a dusty road or when following other cars. The dirt that accumulates on the filter surface can ultimately result in a loss of power.
As dirt tries to penetrate, it first begins to build up at the bottom of the folds and slowly accumulates towards the tops. It is not dangerous for your engine at all, as it still provides full filtration. But gradually you may notice that the performance is not what it once was – and ideally, that is the moment to replace your filter. Do you remember how the Trifoam filter captures this dirt much better throughout its depth, while still allowing a good path for air to flow through efficiently? In short, the pleated cotton becomes more restrictive, while the foam remains very open.
There are also other advantages to the design of the pleated cotton filter. All other cotton filters on the market tend to use a heavy PU clamp-style design; the Racinglines continue to use a giant air horn/ram pipe, just like the Trifoam design – which offers clear advantages over the competition. It reduces weight and allows for an easy connection to the factory turbo intake hoses or to our silicone hose upgrades with guaranteed efficient airflow.
So what is the reason to choose the pleated cotton filter?
- Extremely robust and very durable
- Excellent airflow characteristics when new
- No cleaning required – just install and forget
- Large surface area and air horn pipe to other hoses
- Nice design!
R600 COTTON FILTER 'OVERSOCK'
Precisely tested and developed, Racingline expands its R600 intake range with the 'Overstock'. This is a foam sock made from the well-known TriFoam filter material of the classic R600. The oversock is intended to go over the renewed cotton filter and provide extra filtration from the R601 intake filter. In the image, you can see on the left side the filter effect of small dust particles with the 'oversock' and on the right the filter effect of the cotton R600 filter without the oversock. For optimal filter effect, it is advisable to put the oversock over your cotton filter. The TriFoam oversock filter requires the same maintenance as the R600 and should be oiled with the Racingline Cleaning kit.
TRI-FOAM
COTTON + OVERSOCK
COTTON