I'm considering a K&N Air Intake (Fuel Injection Performance Kit) for my car. Anyone have experience with these? Are they worth the $? I assume they are louder than the stock system and I don't want the car to sound too loud. Thoughts?
I have used both open element and K&N replacement panel filters and I would recommend keeping the factory air box and using the K&N replacement filter instead of paper. It does not change the sound like the open element does. Also depending on how the open element is made you could be sucking in hot air from the engine bay instead of fresh air from outside. EDIT - plus it is way cheaper to just replace the filter.
I put a K&R intake kit on a corvette, it is just an exposed lifetime airfilter, no noticable noise difference.
I did some data logging on a K&N on the throttle body of a Mini vs the stock system. Pressure drop was reduced, but it sucked some radiator warmed air. No power difference at all, but an improvement in throttle response. Warm air injestion is particular to your car and the intake design. Overall, sound differences mostly have to do with cowl partition changes that are made to allow more fresh cowl air in. For most CAI kits, benefits really depend on how conveluted the ducting that is being replaced is. At most, you're talking a couple % power improvements. Cold air is key to getting benefits. Every 3-4 C is a 1% decrease in air density. So as warmer air is injested, you need at least that corresponding increase in absolute manifold pressure to break even in oxygen intake. If the car is tuned near the onset of knock and governed by knock sensors, the increase in temp can lead to timing retardation, and this sucks power for sure. This can be an issue here in Ca with the crappy 91 octane we're cursed with. Matt
fuel injector upgrade I am not expert, but doesn't the MCS have a cold air intake setup for the factory? They have a sealed snorkel type of ducting that is taking (cold air) outside air through the bonnet scoop and directly forcing it in to the air box. Ask around to see if really you need bigger injectors or more fuel input, without changing your pulley or any head work, I would think larger injectors would leave the car running richer. Check some of the post on nam (www.northamericamotering.com).
It does... But it's a rather restrictive one. The intake diameter from the front is about 1.5" in diameter, and through the cowl adds another 1" diameter. Makes the filter space a bit of a low pressure zone. That said, improved cold air intakes don't make a lot of power. But with only 170 stock, every bit helps. Matt
Heat-shield effectiveness? I've been looking for cold-air intakes and I was curious if that heat-shield really blocks the hot air. I've looked at K&N and AFE.
I can't speak for K&N or AFE, but I had a Neuspeed setup on a 99 VW Jetta 2.0 and it seemed to rob the engine of power. It sounded good, but felt like I was hauling around a couple hundred extra pounds with me.
I have had a great deal of success with my intake. I took a cone filter and bought a heat shield that is light weight steel, not plastic or carbon fiber (they don't do a lick of good, I had one and they don't deserve to be called a heat shield) The heat shield has foam on top that seals to the hood when closed and attaches to the air scoop in the grills in the same spot the factory air box attaches. If you stick one hand next to the intake and one hand on the other side of the shield you can noticeably feel a difference in temp. I have experienced a great increase in throttle response and power gain, and a great growl along with it. My friends with stock 325's say it makes theirs feel like slugs. I must add however that I do have a Conforti Shark Injector as well, which already gave me more power but when I added the intake the car REALLY came alive. Here is a picture of my set up.... now my car....
get a steel heat shield!! This is my set up, great results. If you get a heat shield get a steel one, plastic or carbon fiber does not work and you will have wasted money. I basically just took off the air box bought a nice cone filter and a heat shield (heat shield made for this specific car). I had an increase in throttle response, increase in power, and a nice sexy growl. I also have a Conforti Shark Injector, which made it quicker by itself but when I added the intake the car really came alive. My friends with bone stock 325's say it makes theirs feel like slugs. Definitely do not get an intake without a heat shield that works. You can feel a very noticeable difference in temperature between the area of the filter and the other side of the shield. Here is my intake set up: [/IMG]
if you get an intake i would really suggest going a step further and installing a Shark Injector CAI, it plugs right into a socket under your steering wheel and you press a button twice i think and it takes 15 mins, flashes your computer, and presto, you have a 7,000 rev limit, remapped VANOS, no top speed limit, and just about everything else is changed up in a more performance minded set up.
where'd you get your set up? How loud is it compared to the closed box? I like the idea of a nice rev sound, but I don't want to shake the house if I start the car in the garage...
not bad if you drive conservatively it sounds pretty normal but then when you give it some gusto itll chirp up, not like an exhaust would but it does sound sporty, wont shake the house down but it does turn head, in a good way
Wow that is a nice setup and I truly believe that would work well. I have never seen one with such a seal on it. What brand is that or did you fabricate it yourself?
i bought the heat shield on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-...-N-filter_W0QQitemZ180233491181QQcmdZViewItem then i just used a cone filter i had from an intake kit i bought that wouldnt fit behind my HID xenons. so its just the cone connected through the heat shield directly to mass airflow sensor (where the factory air box connected)
These things vary by app lots... believe me... I've used data logging to actually measure the differences on lots of intake set ups on the Mini. What's good on one car from one manufacturer may not be good for another car. Despite what rcryder is saying, wall materials DO matter, but only a very little bit. Metal conducts more heat than plastics and fiberglas does... If the metal is in the direct path of hot air from a radiator or near some other hot body (like on turbo cars), some heat WILL make it to the intake air stream. The fact that it's cool over there is because the car injests so much air it takes the heat into the engine. That said, a well made metal intake divider will work better than a poorly made plastic or fiberglas one. When looking at intakes for your car, you want to make sure that the system does a good job of sealing out underhood heat. Otherwise it's pretty much a waste. Whether it has the foam at the top (like in the photo) or is enclosed, keeping out hot air is the key to improvement. And lastly, if you're really into modifications, get a G-Tech or some other performance meter. They are cheap, and can quantify gains. In all my time testing parts on cars, I've found that most perceptions is somewhat proportional to the hit to the credit card. Data doesn't lie, and it's the best way to know if your money has been well spent. Matt
thats definitely true matt, i bought the metal one after having poor results with both a plastic composite and carbon fiber dividers. i returned the plastic one for the carbon one after realizing it didnt do anything, i was also not pleased with the carbon one. the metal one has a layer of some material on the filter side that works with the aluminum. it has had the best results so far in my 325. the plastic and carbon fiber shield ridiculously expensive (esp the carbon fiber one) and the metal one was a lot easier on the wallet (this doesn't have anything to do with why i bought any of these products).
