Air Intakes a Scam?

[glendalynm]

I've been planning to upgrade my car with one of those beautiful air intakes most guys slap into their cars. At Fernandos, Visayas Ave, it costs only P4000! Unlike K&N which costs P12000

My problem is that a number of forums and review sites say that an Air Intake actually slows down the car!! Here's one such thread:

http://www.shamelessreviews.com/2006...intake-review/

How true is this? Is anyone satisfied with their air intake.

Over at kotse.com, I read posts that say torque suffers greatly with an intake because heat warms the air.

[uwak18]

It will suffer if it's not properly installed. Pero ako I'm satisfied with Stock. I had one in my previous cars. Mabilis pag gabi at mahina pag maiinit lalo na pag traffic and sunny days.

[m_ron]

If you'r always stuck in traffic just save your money.

[OTEP]

Free flow intakes work best for vehicles with restrictive stock intakes or those requiring large amounts of air (e.g. turbos).

For smaller engines found in subcompacts, an air intake won't really do much.

I'd stick to stock.

[glendalynm]

Thanks. You guys are super!

[niky]

There is something to be gained from air intakes, but not the cheap ones.

K&N heads regularly test at at least 2-3hp for small engines. On a good day, with a heat shield, maybe 5 hp... heck, I've felt more change from the K&N in one day of driving than I did from my old Simota head in three years (on previous car).

Only dyno-testing will be able to tell what head is best for your car, but if it's otherwise stock, forget it... it's not satisfying, and like uwak and ron say, it sucks bad in traffic (I know mine does... ). It's only when you've got other mods that it starts making significant power, but you still have to find ways (shielding, cold air intakes, vented hood (yuck!) ) to keep your engine from "heat soaking" in hot conditions.

In conclusion: if you really want a nice filter with little to no headaches, get a K&N drop-in filter. It won't be a drastic difference, but you'll notice it. If you want a nice performance cone filter, get a K&N or HKS... don't waste your time on cheap foam filters, small Simotas or no-name brands. Then just buy the Simota plastic tubing and heat-shield for dress-up.

[Memphis Raines]

The guys who posted that review must have been mislead into thinking that slapping on a free flow filter will give a coupla more Hp in his naturally aspirated ride.

The filter may, at most, improve a bit the accelaration but will hardly add horsepower. That's just plain rice talk

Otep explained it best.

My SiR has remained all stock since and although it did cross my mind to punch in an Airaid filter, it never happened because its just not necessary.

[bratski]

Ive gone from the cone type simota to the drop in filter by K&N and frankly none of them works, unless you're at full throttle always. Aftermarket filters are just a waste of money. BTW, you lose low end torque on these aftermarket filters not to mention the lightening of your wallet

[niky]

Depends on the engine and placement. As I stated before, it depends on the weather, too. Most air intakes inside the engine give a measly 1-2 hp increase, but if you want 5 hp or more (sorry, my mistake with the estimate with the heat shield... it doesn't increase the power, it just makes the time it takes for heat soak to set in a bit longer...), you need a long tube CAI with the filter in the fender or the bumper.

In real-life, a 1-2 hp increase isn't noticeable unless you drive the car to the redline, and can be negated by hot conditions.

You won't usually lose torque with a freer flowing filter, but if its too free flowing (read: too big, or doesn't filter at all), you most likely will... it can also mess up your sensors and make your car run rough. (most Sentra and Lynx boys can relate...)

But this is all stock... with an exhaust upgrade, it'll definitely help give you more... but unless you're willing to do everything, just putting an intake on makes a very small difference. And if it's a small, cheap one, like the Simota posted in the article, that difference will be so small as to be non-existent.

But heck, it's your car. If you can live with the 1-2 hp loss in traffic, and the 2-3 hp gain at night (as well as the nice buzz cone filters make...) makes you happy, go ahead.

[blink21me]

IT could be a scam, and it could not be a scam. If you're getting an intake for your car, get it well planned, match it with other bolt-ons. Avoid lego building.

I bought an AEM V2 for my integra a couple years back and yes it surprisingly improved the torque and throttle response. It was too loud too that it sounded like I also have an aftermarket exhaust system.

1-2 hp gain, you can HARDLY feel it regardless of how hard you drive your car... 5 hp advertisement is a scam, too, however Injen claimed an inicrease of around that much on various cars. K&N also claimed to gain ~7-12 hp gain on cars already making 250+ hp, and those 3.5 - 5.0L...

You're not going to see or feel the gain in power with just an intake system...

[banaweonline]

i agree with the other sirs about what they said.

remain stock unless you want a little engine accent and deep intake sound.

[razor]

Consider also the following:

Cost of an OEM Air Filter - P1,100.00 (this is casa price and my car is a Lynx 2.0 RS); it requires replacement every 5000km; and in my case, I'll need 3 replacement in one-year.

Cost of a KNN Filter - P3,500.00 - P4,000.00; good enough for the entire lifetime of the car, i.e., if we are to believe the manufacturer.

I may not get a significant increase in HP using a KNN filter but certainly I can save quite a sum as opposed to using the OEM air filter. After a little over a year bawi na initial cost of my KNN filter.

[Supierreman]

I've been planning to upgrade my car with one of those beautiful air intakes most guys slap into their cars. At Fernandos, Visayas Ave, it costs only P4000! Unlike K&N which costs P12000

12k?! AFAIK K&N cone types price ranges from 3k-5k. you can attach it on to the stock intake tube or get those simota tubes for 1.5-2k. it won't cost you 12k unless if its one of those complete K&N setups like the FIPK2

[badkuk]

Consider also the following:

Cost of an OEM Air Filter - P1,100.00 (this is casa price and my car is a Lynx 2.0 RS); it requires replacement every 5000km; and in my case, I'll need 3 replacement in one-year.

Cost of a KNN Filter - P3,500.00 - P4,000.00; good enough for the entire lifetime of the car, i.e., if we are to believe the manufacturer.

I may not get a significant increase in HP using a KNN filter but certainly I can save quite a sum as opposed to using the OEM air filter. After a little over a year bawi na initial cost of my KNN filter.

hmm...but won't we need to "recharge" the filter with some kind of K&N fluid every once in a while? magkano kaya ung fluid?

[Mamar]

12k?! AFAIK K&N cone types price ranges from 3k-5k. you can attach it on to the stock intake tube or get those simota tubes for 1.5-2k. it won't cost you 12k unless if its one of those complete K&N setups like the FIPK2

bosing ung 12k yan ay cai po not just filters! kasi non sense kung filter lang palitan mo sa intake ng oto mo!

[razor]

hmm...but won't we need to "recharge" the filter with some kind of K&N fluid every once in a while? magkano kaya ung fluid?

P800 yun cleaning kit.

But you dont need to clean it till after 20,000km.

[verm]

guys tanong ko lang kung magbabago ba ung sound kunwari drop in k&n filter lang nilagay? honda accord kasi auto ko, gusto ko sana kasi medyo bumaba ung sound nung engine.. eh ayaw ko nung cone type kasi experience ko dati dun ang bagal nga pag mainit at traffic

[bratski]

Minimal lang sound difference from stock pag drop in. Pero when you switch off the engine may parang whoosh sound hehehehe

[userfriendly]

What is the advantage of using a drop in k&n airfilter vs stock?

[non-vtec]

its reusable. and you still retain that "stock" look on the engine bay compared to open type filters.