CARBON FIBRE AIR INTAKE | BMW Z4 B48

The Eventuri Z4 B48 intake system consists of a number of components engineered to perform a specific purpose and fabricated to the highest of standards. We use 100% pre-preg carbon fibre with no fibreglass which means we can achieve a smooth internal surface to maintain smoother airflow.

Information

The Z4 B48 Eventuri intake has been developed to provide the turbo with a less restrictive flow path whilst maintaining low inlet temperatures. Heat and Volume are the main considerations when designing an intake for turbocharged engines. In the Z4, the intake system is located next to the exhaust manifold which rapidly heat soaks the engine bay. High temperatures are detrimental for engine performance as the turbo would have to build boost with heated, less dense air and so the only way to ensure IAT’s are kept to a minimum is for a fully sealed intake. This however, results in a restriction with only one stock air feed to draw air in from. During development we noticed an additional opening into the wheel arch area and took advantage of this by adding a secondary feed to our airbox. Furthermore our sealed airbox also has a heat shield with gold reflective to minimise the radiative heat transfer from the exhaust manifold. In order to maximise volume we made the airbox as large as possible with a recess for potential strut braces. The stock convoluted intake tube is replaced with a smooth carbon tube which is also larger in internal volume with a starting internal diameter of 111mm (4.4″) smoothly tapering down to match the turbo inlet. The tube provides a smooth path from the filter to the turbo inlet. Finally we use a custom made high-flow dry filter which is ISO tested for filtration performance and has a larger filtration area than the stock filter.

Crafted from Prepreg Carbon Fibre, the airbox serves 2 objectives - to seal the filter against engine bay heat and to provide a dual cold air feed. Since the airbox is positioned next to the exhaust manifold it is crucial for the filter to be fully sealed so we designed the airbox to encapsulate the filter and at the same time provide a large internal volume. To seal the intake tube we have designed a laser cut plate with a rubber sealing strip which secures to the airbox. The intake tube passes through the plate and the rubber seal ensures heated air does not enter the airbox. To further minimise heat soak, there is an additional heat shield with a gold reflective layer on the exhaust manifold side which effectively combats the radiant heat transfer.

Having a fully sealed airbox results in the problem of having a restriction for the cold air feed. The stock airbox draws air from a single duct which extends to the front bumper area. During development we identified another area to draw cold air from which was a gap between the wheel arch and the chassis on which the airbox sits. To utilise this feed we extended a scoop at the back of our design which protrudes into the wheel arch and can even be seen after installation behind the front wheel. This second feed allows the turbo to draw from a larger area therefore reducing the restriction. Since the scoop extends into the wheel arch area we also incorporated an internal splash guard to deflect water away from the filter. The animation below shows both feeds and also the internal splash guard.

Our final consideration was for race applications where our optional headlamp duct is used for maximum cold air flow. We incorporated a removable panel on the side of the airbox facing the headlamp so that when the optional duct is used, this panel can be removed for another direct feed of cold air to the filter.

The stock inlet tube has a flexible and convoluted section to provide movement with the engine. This however also adds the possibility of turbulence in the flow path as there are multiple faces which can cause eddies. We replace this with our carbon tube which is smooth and also has a larger internal volume. Unlike most aftermarket intakes we maximised the size of our intake tube, the OEM inlet tube has an internal diameter of 80.8mm or 3.2” at the filter end. Our tube has an internal diameter of 109mm or 4.3”. This equates to a massive 82% increase in cross sectional area over stock. The tube smoothly tapers down to the stock turbo inlet to ensure airflow remains as laminar as possible. The tube also has CNC machined fitting for the temperature sensor and the breather adapter.

Our cone filter is made from a non-woven mesh material which is double layered and is ISO tested to ensure that filtration is in line with OEM standards. The filter is cleanable and very stable at high temperatures with the base material being Urethane. The filter incorporates and internal flow guiding cone to help aid the airflow to converge while reducing the possibility of a stagnation point in the middle of the filter space. The filter medium has a significantly larger surface volume than the stock panel filter.

Fitment

BMW Z4 (G29) 2.0 B48 (2018-ONWARDS)

What's in the box

Carbon Fibre Airbox with Dual Feeds
Bespoke High Flow Dry Cone Filter
Carbon Fibre Inlet Tube with 111mm opening ID
CNC Machined Temperature Sensor Mount
CNC Machined Breather adapter
Heat Shield with Gold Reflective Backing
Laser Cut Stainless Steel Brackets
Silicon Coupler with OEM Specification Clamps