Upgrading without tuning

So basically I have been reading alot of everyones talk of manifolds around here lately. Im wondering if getting an intake manifold will screw with anything? or is it just like doing your exhaust? If I wanted to start with everything that did not require me to tune what would i be missing with my primary list:

new clutch, Apexi N1 exhaust, magniflow cat, some sort of down pipe that fits to those 2 (port the turbo to prevent boost creep?) ETS short route 3 inch race core, BOV (tial/greddy), Exhaust manifold -no clue(darren p s evo one looks very clean, or else one that is shiny and hopefully needs no heat rap), intake manifold (jmf/FP/ idunno)

Now i figure none of that SHOULD require tuning? but im not shure what al that high flow does to turbo pressures, fuel mixtures ect...
Realize I should get guages near the top of that list(3 pod a pillar-boost and iduno-egt?oil/water temp?) which means i need to decide on a boost controller for the guage I guess(leaning tward electronic for its ballin factor lol)

Thats my primary plans for now(im shure that ll be a bunch of years in comleting) tuning necessary? bigger injectors? (but with bigger injectors i need to tune?) FP/garret/evo turbo? That requires tuning?

Sorry massive long post lol

If your not sure if tuning would be needed on various parts, then your obviously not ready for them...

Sorry if I sound harsh...

Usually sheet metal intake manis are for the guys that are running bigger turbos and bigger cams. Therefore reducing the restriction in the intake manifold usually above 7k rpm,

Take Reza for instance, Stock intake mani has brough him to an 11.0
He is only now considering a SMIM.

If you have stock cams your probably not making any power above 7k anyways....

Good luck buddy, and keep on the researching.

Aaron

This is something you would do at the end. First get a big turbo ,cams, and supporting mods. Like Aaron mentioned above this is one of those mods that will free up some power up top. I would buy one if I had the spare cash because my dyno sheets take a nose dive above 6000rpms. As far as tuning goes get Dsmlink( Best bang for buck).

The car uses a mass air system. As long as you aren't overrunning the maf with too much air or maxxing your injectors to supply the extra fuel then you don't desperately need tuning. Once you change injectors though, a tuning method is required. The computer needs to know how much fuel the new injectors are putting out with x amount of open time.

You have a few options:

1) SAFC: Cheapest solution(unless you already have an Eprom ecu, in which case see one of the following alternatives... which all require a socketed Eprom ECU)

2) Have someone burn a chip for you with the new injector size. If you don't have a chip burner yourself then this can be a pain to make other tuning changes.

3) DSM link: Nice easy to use interface, but expensive.

4) Ostrich emulator + Tunerpro RT: This is the best alternative so far. As long as you can learn Tunerpro, you have full control of your ecu.

5) Ostrich emulator + DSMap: Ditch your MAF and get a 3 bar gm map sensor and IAT. Install DSMap. Enjoy almost all the functionality of an AEM EMS for less than an SAFC. Harder to tune though. Need to have a good grasp on tuning with Volumetric Efficiency.

You don't really need to tune from where you're going. But if you don't even have a boost gauge yet (that was my first mod, after a stereo) you shouldn't be thinking about an intake manifold.

As for exhaust manifolds, a ported and matched 2G manifold with a ported exhaust housing on the turbo should be just fine for you.

One other problem that plagues SMIM's, is the loss of low end torque.

If you haven't upgraded the turbo, you don't need a bigger intake manifold. I would look at the staged DSM upgrades, as well as what swappable parts you can use (6 bolt, 1G Intake manifold, etc).

ahh i understand now, I just didnt know what the manifolds affected, so now i understand it is later on in my plans.
it will be a while before i play with anything, but when I do my first mods will be guages, clutch,exhaust, BOV, and FMIC

When I started my 2nd projeck 93 TSi FWD. I found the best way was to get all the bolt on's out of the way right away. Then I move onto the foule system and futher tuning. I just made plans to start my 3rd projecked in 2009 wiht the 92 AWD tsi I just bought

1st step

3" exhaust
boost guage
A/F Guage
Manule boost controler
FMIC + 2 1/2 " intake piping
KN air filter with shroud removed
16 G evo turbo upgrade

2nd
Wide band A/F guage
walbro 255 LPM foule pump
650 cc injecters
apexi pigy back foule system
HKS cams

I to have plans to grab one of the nice shiney and beter intake manifolds but for now I am just runing 16-17 psi keeping it safe till I get beter at tuning