Bolo

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I've been Researching about this gasket at both AW &amp; Audizine. Though some are still skeptical of its effectiveness...I generally thought of it as a possible Aid of keeping the sensitive APR injectors on the manifold running cooler and more efficiently by not getting too much heat conduction from the engine. Dealership did recent diagnostics on my car...Vagcom found a few old logged errors of cylinder misfirings.Not major they said,but its there. Being not an OEM part, they all too quickly assumed that its the Injectors possibly causing them. True or not, I figured this should atleast help keep it and fuel/air mixture cooler entering combustion.

Install for me was not that easy.The Instructions that came with was kinda generic and pictures was showing a transverse VW 1.8T. It could've been easier...but several unexpected events happened during the install:
After unbolting the fuel rail ,release the fuel pressure and slowly pryout it out, 2 of the APR Injectors started falling off from the fuel rail &amp; a retainer clip &amp; O-ring from the injectors fell deep down the engine bay. I thougth I was in deep sh*t..but luckilly my neighbor lend me a special extended grasping tool to retrive them. Next Screw-up, is when one of the rubber hose attach to the metal coolant rail popped out while slowly pulling the manifold out from the engine....Coolant all over. Maybe I was lazy, but trying to pry out the old gasket and install the much thicker Evoheatshield was a chore and a tight fit since the coolant rail and most of its hoses are still above the manifold..though unbolted, its still preventing the manifold to open up more. Then while slowly working the manifold back in place, I bumped and snapped off the all to brittle yellow oil dipstick tower...glued it back with gorilla glue,let it dry and wrap electrical tape at the break-point (hope it holds). While putiing things back together,I did have to Dremel the slotted hole at the support tower under the manifold after the much thicker Evoheatshield is installed and shifted the slot about 1/8" too high from the bolt location. Last Issue was engine cover/shroud no longer fit right after the thicker new gascket was installed....added some washers at the quick turn bolt location to closely make it work. So all in all...installing was a 4 hour PITA for me...I need to add coolant later on.

Test drove for about 30 mins (temp. is about 66 deg. outside)....If there is any benefit, I would say its the extended duration of the manifold staying alot cooler. Stopped at a gas station,opened the hood and I was Amazed how the intake manifold can still be safely touched after nearly 30 mins. of driving. The manifold is already very warm...but not burning hot to the touch. Also It appears that acceleration is somewhat smoother now.

I think its a worth while upgrade considering all the drama I made for myself during install.

heateris

do you like the outcome so for? do you feel like the motor has more power?

DLSJ5

Anytime you can cool the intake temps it's a good thing. : ) Nice work.

Bolo

Yup,definitely...even after the APR stage 1+..good gains added on the Samco Hose &amp; N.S. Pulley