BSH Throttle Pipe
Overview
The BSH throttle pipe replaces the stock piping from the intercooler to the throttle body. It has a provision for two water-meth nozzles and a noise pipe connection. Block-off plugs are provided if you do not need the water-meth bungs or the noise pipe connection. This is a high quality piece and it really shows how far BSH’s manufacturing methods have come. The powdercoat is a nice wrinkle black finish, the welds, although still external, are much more uniform and the whole piece feels like quality. Nice job BSH.
Installation
Installation was not too hard. You’ll find all sorts of stories online about how difficult it was to install the throttle body pipe but I didn’t really find it too hard. It took me about 1 1/2 hours working at a moderate pace. I followed the instructions for the Neuspeed throttle pipe since BSH includes ZERO instructions in the package. I did not find any instructions on BSH’s website either. While not a show stopper, it’s just an annoyance that really shouldn’t be there. The best way to remove the stock throttle pipe is to undo all the necessary bolts and then remove the piece from the bottom. I don’t even know if you can remove the pipe from the top. You will have very little clearance to do so but it is completely possible to remove it without forcing anything.
Fitting in the BSH piece is just the opposite of removing the stock piece. It’s easier to attach the silicone tubing to the throttle body first and then to install the BSH pipe from the bottom. It helps to lube up the silicone with a little bit of motor oil. It’ll become clearer as you go through the install process. Clearance is very tight, as you can see. There is only one mounting point on the BSH pipe. I don’t have a picture of it but it attaches to the bolt that holds a coolant line. Once I get down there for an oil change, I’ll take a picture.
Once everything is fitted up, double check you clearances and make sure you won’t hit the fans. The engine does rock when you accelerate. Check to see if you reconnected the MAP sensor and all the clamps are adequately tightened.
Driving impressions
BSH does not claim hp gains with this pipe. They advertise it as an easy way to add water-meth spray nozzles and block off the noise pipe. They also claim increased airflow and better engine response by virtue of the larger diameter piping. I think I can fully agree with the engine response claim. The biggest improvement I felt was in the midrange. The engine just feels livelier, punchier for lack of a better word and feels much less restrained when applying the throttle. Definitely a lot more fun to kick around town.
Overall
I really like what this pipe has added to the character of the engine. To me it makes driving the car even more fun. It’s not a massive fundamental change but I noticed the change in response immediately. It is a nice option if you want to have a reliable method of installing a water-meth spray system, but I can’t really comment on it because I don’t run water-meth. The price hovers around 170 dollars and is available from the usual vendors. A search on Google shopper will find the lowest price. I really like this part and it would probably complement other intake mods very well. I am running the stock intake and still found gains. It is currently the best throttle pipe on the market as it offers a variety of configurations at the same price point as the others. Recommended.
markFive GTI 