induction or panel filter?

[power]

just lookin to get some views on wether to buy an induction kit or a decent panel filter, foam one maybe? i only have basic panel filter on my gx at the moment, i'm not really after a noisier drive, more after performance increase! also thinkin of de-cattin as i just about passed the nct! will this do much for performance either? cheers for any input

[Bernard]

Take a look here, there's some good reviews.

[CJ]

Its unlikely you'll see any increase over stock with either a panel filter or induction kit. If you fit an induction kit without cold air induction (i.e pulling is less oxygen dense air from the engine bay), you'll most likely see a reduction in power - nice sound but less power!

As I see it, the options are:

1. Drop in a K&N type panel filter.

2. Buy an induction kit, buy or make a cold air intake (Wavin is your friend), remove front bumper and fit CAI in such a way that it channels air directly onto the filter. Refit bumper and secure CAI in place.

In my experience, aftermarket induction is only worthwhile on turbo-charged engines where the air volume intake is significantly greater than an N/A application.

Note that any increase in power on the dyno as a result of a filter swap is usually unrealistic - the bonnet is always up with cold air being blown in towards the filter - not something thats easy to replicate on the road.

CJ

[power]

i get what your sayin, im goona look into the cai option! can i get wavin in any motor factors? wat about the de-cat? does that make any noteicable difference? i think im gonna de-cat it either ways though!

[Bernard]

the bonnet is always up with cold air being blown in towards the filter - not something thats easy to replicate on the road.

CJ

I don't know about that, ask Miss-Enzo

[CJ]

can i get wavin in any motor factors?

Certainly not - Wavin is strictly available over the plumbing counter only.

wat about the de-cat? does that make any noteicable difference?

Search is your friend e.g. http://www.fto-ireland.com/forum/phpBB2 ... php?t=6568

EDIT: while we're talking filters, take a look at this link, it talks about the filtration properties of common aftermarket induction kits - remind me to stay away from the HKS Megaflow!

http://mkiv.com/techarticles/filters_test/2/

In general, its fair to say that you're sacrificing filtration properties with aftermarket induction, an engine full of fine particles is not going to operate very efficiently.

CJ

[power]

well thats embarriing, i am a qualified plumber! i thought you were talkin about a type of rubber hosing from wavin! i'll be able to work wonders with normal wavin!

[mcgon1979]

Certainly not! Wavin is strictly over the plumbing counter. LMAO classic.

I dropped in a K&N panel filter as I wanted to keep the car standard-ish plus I figure the cold air box that Mitsu have is bound to be better than a big dirty cone sucking in engine bay heat when Im in traffic.
I also have a de-cat pipe. the de-cat has not made much difference to performance, but the car seems to rev happier and the exhaust sounds like I believe it was designed to..beautiful.

If you had a perfectly work CAI pipe and a cone filter, you will have a lovely great AAAUUURRROOOPPPP induction roar and maybe see 2 or 3bhp more. don't believe it if the dyno says 5 or 8bhp etc, its unlikley thats real world. I'd go with a panel filter myself unless your using the car for tracking etc. Sitting in traffic and your cone filter will be hot enough to fry an egg on after 10 minutes, even if you start driving again it will take a few minutes to cool down, and yuo may be stopped in traffic again by that time. cold air is more efficient, better economy too from a panel. (no I cannot back that up, but I reckon its right)

edit: btw, I mean the panel is probably more efficient because its not sucking in engine bay warm air, so it has a greater average supply of cold air over a days commute.

[Myfeckin FTO]

All good points re panel filter and aftermarket induction. However the ideal senario (on an FTO) is a good cold air feed to a quality aftermarket Induction with adequate heat shielding - slightly better bhp but MUCH better sound.

[pergau]

I bought an ITG filter a while ago and I felt that I got a definite power boost. A few months after I put it in I made a baffle that sheltered the filter from the air that was coming through the radiator. This also made a bit of a difference.

[power]

cheers lads, i think i'm gonna hav a go at putting in my own cold air feed just for the hell of it! i can always take it out if it poses any problems!

[kevinod]

I made a baffle that sheltered the filter from the air that was coming through the radiator.

Sounds good, any pics?

[CJ]

Look lads, don't be messing about with inferior materials when it comes to CAI and heat shielding, Wavin is the only thing you'll ever need. See my solution below - a section of 9" wavin cut to shape, wrapped in heat shield and secured in place. You'll also notice a Wavin 3" 45 deg elbow connected to the CAI and directed towards the filter:



CJ

[mark]

Is yours a tip or a manual? You'll have more heat issues to contend with if it's a tip. Ideally, you want a full carbon set up from cold air all the way to throttle body as carbon is the best heat deflector- so a group N rally driver told me!
Some cars with stock everything (air box and exhaust) proved better on a dyno than some of the modded FTOs (induction kit, aftermarket exhaust etc) it seems to depend on the car really. The FTO does naturally have a very good set up, Mitsi got it fairly right.

[CJ]

The FTO does naturally have a very good set up, Mitsi got it fairly right.

I'm gonna disagree with you here Mark - the standard induction piping is routed to the rear of the nearside wheel arch, i.e. a low pressure area with limited access to cold air. In saying that, it provides much denser air than an induction kit without CAI.

CJ

[mcgon1979]

The FTO does naturally have a very good set up, Mitsi got it fairly right.

I'm gonna disagree with you here Mark - the standard induction piping is routed to the rear of the nearside wheel arch, i.e. a low pressure area with limited access to cold air. In saying that, it provides much denser air than an induction kit without CAI.

CJ

Just to add my two cents worth here... I think they did a pretty good job. The reason being, no matter what you do with Wavin or CAI or a custom intake pipe you won't see more than 2 - 3% increase in power. Thats a very very good indication of the efficacy of the standard setup. I've seen guys replace the elbow joint before the throttle body with a smooth pipe down to the filter/CAI (ideal). They needed to move the battery to do this, and they still only saw 7bhp over standard, less than 4% power increase.

[mark]

CJ, I'm all for CAI as I've tried this before and it didn't make any difference in my opinion. Plus you need to be careful of water getting into the system. So Mitsi must have gone for the denser air option which makes sense. I'm all for improvement but they just seemed to get the FTO soo right to start with.

[CJ]

Fellas, if you've ever ripped out the induction piping in the bumper you would understand where I'm coming from - not only is it pulling in air from a low pressure area but the piping arrangement is inefficient in terms of the route and the amount of right angles apparent in the pipe section. The flexible piping from the filter to the TB is not a terribly efficient design and is also worth replacing if you trying your damndest to get an extra 1 or 2 bhp.

Suggest you take a look at th link below, it outlines whet you can (or can't as the case might be) do with CAI, piping and the stock airbox setup. In short, any gains are negligable and only come into play at high revs. IMO, this level of induction work is only justifyable in a turbo setup or big block application - this is where serious gains can be had.

http://www.ftowa.com/html/workshop/workshopart10.html

CJ

[mark]

You could get a snorkel, now there's an air intake