K & N

ECUs, intakes, turbos, fluids, transmissions, exhausts etc.
User avatar
fatboyzlim
UB Senior Member
Posts:458
Joined:24 Nov 2005, 5:58 pm
Location:Dubai

Post by fatboyzlim » 11 Jan 2006, 4:12 pm

How many of you have replaced your stock air filters for K&N pod or panel filters? Has it made a noticeable diff to your rides performance or is it just a useless luxury?

mikeh
UB Super Member
Posts:4580
Joined:11 Sep 2005, 1:41 pm
Vehicle:Lexus IS300
Location:Dubai, UAE
Contact:

Post by mikeh » 11 Jan 2006, 7:19 pm

The normal 'flat' K&N filters won't give you that much.. Pod filters give you a little, but in the end a car runs better with a complete "cold air system". You have two main kinds a CAI (Cold Air Intake) and a SRI (Short Ram Intake)..

A cold air intake is longer in length and sucks in colder air, for example behind the front bumper - behing one of the fog lights. The advantage is that it takes colder air. Colder air is denser (contains more oxygen) so more power. The problem is, that it takes a "while", thus moving the powerband to the higer RPM's. My car lost a bit of the power at 2000RPM, but once it hits 3500RPM it roars and I could feel the difference. Mine gave more-or-less a 15whp difference.

A short ram intake (SRI) is shorter than the CAI, so will give you more instant throttle response. The problem is that it sucks in air from underneath your hood where your engine has been running so everything is pretty hot in there.. Sooner response, yet less power. My girlfriend's car has a SRI, it picks up power sooner then mine. A SRI usually gives 5-9 horsepower, but this can be different to all cars.

Both these "systems" have a cone filter at the end. It just a matter of where they suck in the air. Even if you don't want to spend the money for a branded solution for your car (Injen, K&N, AEM, ...) you can get some piping and try to bring the cone filter to a source where colder air is, outside of the direct engine compartment.

The normal "flat" filters will usually still suck in air through the small stock plastic pipes, it'll just be a little bit less restrictive, but not much. I doubt if you'd actually feel the difference.. Maybe a sloppy 3 ponies what you gained.

Just my two fills,
Michael

User avatar
fatboyzlim
UB Senior Member
Posts:458
Joined:24 Nov 2005, 5:58 pm
Location:Dubai

Post by fatboyzlim » 11 Jan 2006, 11:09 pm

Appreciate your response Mikeh.


Apparently the idea of a CAI setup struck me long time ago but due to varied reponses from friends I could never ever make up my mind. First of all in a place like Dubai during the summer period I dont think the performance filters could do anythin worthwhile due to lack of cooler air. I have been reading posts from members' on difference forums who brag about problems with 'flat spots' when using the sports panel filters or pod filters. Supposedly the car performs better above 3000 RPM, but suffers what you call a "lean-out" in the 1500-2500 RPM range. This range usually is very important when you take off at signal stops. At the same time my sources tell me there are Fuel Upgrade Kits that make up for the flat spot. The system targets the change in the fluctuations in the air pressure as measured by the MAF sensor. During times of lean-out the fuel is already effectively enriched, restoring the needed air-fuel balance. Thus you dont lose out on anything. Unfortunately such systems are not available in this region and since a Mitsubishi Magna is a family car chances of findin out a seller is impossible.


Now back to the question whether the sports filter is better than the stock air filter. Some of my mates do swear that there is a noticeable difference ( as per dyno results) after the switch while others curse for the money spent on the useless mod. If you take the case between the pods v/s panel filters most of them say the panel's "perform" better since more surface area an air filter has the less restrictive it is letting more air to flow. A pod filter can only be helpful if it is compllimented by a decent CAI. The filter just replaces the airbox assembly and mounts up to the MAS sensor. If things go wrong it will just suck hot underbonnet air and rob you of power. In the end i guess it wouldnt be wrong if i said a sport filter would only be worth it if a CAI was setup along with it and in the case of my car CAI+ Panel filter would make a difference.


If anyone else have views or opinions please share it. Id really appreciate the extra help. Peace.

FeNder
UB Junior Member
Posts:10
Joined:11 Jan 2006, 10:06 pm

Post by FeNder » 11 Jan 2006, 11:14 pm

thats well said mikeh ,
well if ure positioning an aftermarket filter in the same place as the stock one , it'll still be sucking up hot air from under the bonnett ,
a cold air intake + relocation to fron bumper works very well as for efficiency , sounds great on turbo spooling aswell :)

User avatar
fatboyzlim
UB Senior Member
Posts:458
Joined:24 Nov 2005, 5:58 pm
Location:Dubai

Post by fatboyzlim » 11 Jan 2006, 11:17 pm

how is this setup mikeh?

Image

mikeh
UB Super Member
Posts:4580
Joined:11 Sep 2005, 1:41 pm
Vehicle:Lexus IS300
Location:Dubai, UAE
Contact:

Post by mikeh » 11 Jan 2006, 11:31 pm

I don't think that CAI's will make your car "lean out" that severely, since only small changes are done. You're still "naturally aspirated" and you are not boosted.. I never saw anyone upgrading injectors or something when applying a filter. Do make sure to reset your ECU when you install it.

For a magna, I think you can find systems.. since they are pretty fast cars, and I'm sure there are several people who want to only upgrade it.. such as yourself.

A place to check maybe is this big shop in sharjah's bmw road in the corner (the one with edelbrock carbs, hooker heades, flowmaster, ...) next to this nos/greddy/blitz shop.. They say they only have stuff for american cars, but I found an intake (SRI though :/) for my girlfriend's toyota rav4. A rav4 is just a 4x4 car, so I guess you definately have to find it for your car.

Else, if you know some people, or if you are handy.. buy some aluminium piping (with some rubber hoses) and you can make your own 20aed intake! Only make sure everything is tightened, and you have a good filter.

Even only for the sound you'd like to switch to metal piping.

Dont know if it's your engine in this picture, but you wanna get something like Image..

Taken from http://www.rpw.com.au/How%20To%20Guide/ ... aikits.htm, there's explained how to make a CAI for your car.

mikeh
UB Super Member
Posts:4580
Joined:11 Sep 2005, 1:41 pm
Vehicle:Lexus IS300
Location:Dubai, UAE
Contact:

Post by mikeh » 11 Jan 2006, 11:41 pm

fatboyzlim wrote:how is this setup mikeh?
Hahaha, frankly.. besides from it being butt-ugly and not so good for a smooth airflow nxt to your car.. I think it's one of the best things you can have. The only problem is that on "longer rides", the metal pipe itself will become warm and warm up the air a little bit.

That's why also sometime you see race cars with one of the headlights "out", that's for cold air to the engine as well.

User avatar
fatboyzlim
UB Senior Member
Posts:458
Joined:24 Nov 2005, 5:58 pm
Location:Dubai

Post by fatboyzlim » 12 Jan 2006, 1:15 am

mikeh wrote:
A place to check maybe is this big shop in sharjah's bmw road in the corner (the one with edelbrock carbs, hooker heades, flowmaster, ...) next to this nos/greddy/blitz shop.. They say they only have stuff for american cars, but I found an intake (SRI though :/) for my girlfriend's toyota rav4. A rav4 is just a 4x4 car, so I guess you definately have to find it for your car.


I need to find this place. Is it on the same side that of the beamer showroom or opposite? If coming from Ghusais to the BMW road is it at the beginnin or at the end of the street? Finally does the shop have a name? :wink:

User avatar
Accord98
Moderator
Posts:2521
Joined:22 Sep 2005, 8:48 am
Vehicle:Toyoda
Location:Dubai

Post by Accord98 » 12 Jan 2006, 9:40 am

isnt it called

"Golden Car" ??? or something like that?1

mikeh
UB Super Member
Posts:4580
Joined:11 Sep 2005, 1:41 pm
Vehicle:Lexus IS300
Location:Dubai, UAE
Contact:

Post by mikeh » 12 Jan 2006, 12:26 pm

Accord98 wrote:isnt it called
"Golden Car" ??? or something like that?1
I think, but trust me, my memory aint what it used to be when I was young.. But I think it's opposite this "golden car" thing, yet on the same junction.

Name of the shop ..erm... :) Don't know anymore. But you have 2 (now 3 i think) performance shops next to each other..

Bmw road doesn't has the bmw showroom anymore, it's basically the street with all the car shops.. I know it's from the Dubai -> Sharjah road, past city center, before the second bridge go to the right.. and that's it.

But as I said, at my age, you tend to forget things.

User avatar
fatboyzlim
UB Senior Member
Posts:458
Joined:24 Nov 2005, 5:58 pm
Location:Dubai

Post by fatboyzlim » 12 Jan 2006, 1:22 pm

will defintely chk the place out ... thnx guys.

User avatar
Accord98
Moderator
Posts:2521
Joined:22 Sep 2005, 8:48 am
Vehicle:Toyoda
Location:Dubai

Post by Accord98 » 12 Jan 2006, 1:40 pm

Mikeh .... at this place u can get a CAI and SRI's right ??
Do they make it for your car -- or is it a general thing that "fits all" with a few mods? and
do they install it as well ??

and are CAI's Legal? -- I heard they arent ! (freind of mine got fined)!
or do you have to put your original back in every year for passing?

mikeh
UB Super Member
Posts:4580
Joined:11 Sep 2005, 1:41 pm
Vehicle:Lexus IS300
Location:Dubai, UAE
Contact:

Post by mikeh » 12 Jan 2006, 2:08 pm

Accord98 wrote:and are CAI's Legal? -- I heard they arent ! (freind of mine got fined)!
or do you have to put your original back in every year for passing?
Yeah they sell them, they have them for models.. If you have a (example) Magna 2003, they might have it. Don't forget, a CAI is just a aluminium pipe with a filter in the end.. and a hole for you MAF sensor.. and that's it.

Legal, i've been driving around with mine for a year now, and passed registration without a problem. My girl having intake, headers and exhaust passed registration as well. The rule here -as I understand it- is if it's not too loud, it's allowed.. but mainly about exhausts.

Additionally, if your filter is somewhere hidden behind the bumper, cops can't see it :) I've been stopped a few times and asked me to pop my hood, I guess looking for illegal modifications.. I have a shiney red AEM intake .. nothing happened. Maybe i'm just lucky :)

User avatar
Khan
UB Dedicated Member
Posts:337
Joined:15 Sep 2005, 12:11 am
Vehicle:1989 CRX Si
Location:Sharjah

Post by Khan » 12 Jan 2006, 3:13 pm

but what do u exactly mean by illegal modification....
are any kind of modifications legal here in dubai?????///
if so then from where, and what are the legal modifications???

User avatar
fatboyzlim
UB Senior Member
Posts:458
Joined:24 Nov 2005, 5:58 pm
Location:Dubai

Post by fatboyzlim » 12 Jan 2006, 4:28 pm

yea wht would you classify as illegal and legal here in UAE/



Post Reply