• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Is a K&N RU-3530 + heatshield really better than a dropin K&N filter + SVT heatshield

beyondloadedSE

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Sep 29, 2000
Messages
3,794
Location
Louisville, Ky
I know we all like to jump on the bandwagon and rip out the stock intake and throw the K&N RU-3530 on our cars along with a custom heatshield. Most of these custom heatshields generally have an open top and require the hood to create a good seal. Hot air can still be bypassed near the fender since these heatshields do not directly attach to the fender snorkel for "cold" air (less hot air is probably more accurate). Is this really better than a SVT K&N drop in that retains the stock heatshield which is enclosed on ALL sides and attaches directly to the fender snorkel. Only cold air is drawn into the filter with this setup. I would assume an SVT drop-in K&N filter has a CFM rating on par with the RU-3530. Unless it doesn't, I'm not seeing the benefits over the stock intake setup + K&N drop in. :shrug:

Discuss!
 
I'm obligated to chime in and say ditch the K&N regardless and get a dry performance filter that does a better job of filtering. I've never seen the benefit of putting an open cone filter on the SVT when it already has a closed cone filter setup from the factory.
 
Been wondering the same thing myself. In my case I replaced the stock GL square filter with the K + N and Pud HS. I would have gladly just used the SVT System had it still been on the car that I got the SVT UIM/LIM/TB from.

It would be nice if someone other than BAT or ShoShop had actual flowrates and dyno #'s.

And I'm probably in the minority here, but all that induction noise gets old really quick.
 
Replacing the square filter and box with a cone filter I can understand a little better. The cone will have a better flow rate than the square filter regardless even though the square filter probably outflows the engine requirements anyway.
 
I noticed a difference in the car - I enjoyed it more. its splittng hairs on such a mild powered motor really. I do think that the open filter will draw in more air...
 
Sure it'll pull in more air, but if the air its getting is warmer does it really buy you anything?

Colder air as i'm sure you know is more dense and therefore gives better performance. Ideally, we'd run a slightly more open setup utilizing a similar to stock heatshield and still draw all the air from the fender. If the inlet was opened up a bit on the SVT intake and was still able to draw air in from the fender, this would be our ideal setup IMO...
 
Sure it'll pull in more air, but if the air its getting is warmer does it really buy you anything?

Colder air as i'm sure you know is more dense and therefore gives better performance. Ideally, we'd run a slightly more open setup utilizing a similar to stock heatshield and still draw all the air from the fender. If the inlet was opened up a bit on the SVT intake and was still able to draw air in from the fender, this would be our ideal setup IMO...

It pulls in the same air the stock SVT does w/ the snorkel... at least my boxes do.
 
I'm going with the drop in K&N for CA smog reasons and random nights when the police check under hoods...plus its much cheaper when you look at cost/performance gain.
 
I noticed a difference in the car - I enjoyed it more. its splittng hairs on such a mild powered motor really. I do think that the open filter will draw in more air...

And it does, seeing that the stock svt air box is a restriction after 5k. It's only then that the engine is getting held back a slight bit.

But i agree with pud, your really looking at a few hp 1-2 in comparison.
 
And it does, seeing that the stock svt air box is a restriction after 5k. It's only then that the engine is getting held back a slight bit.

Did that show up on a dyno slip? I really doubt the SVT guys would go out of their way to use a higher flowing filter and higher flowing setup but make it restrictive after 5k when the SVT engine is really coming alive.
 
Did that show up on a dyno slip? I really doubt the SVT guys would go out of their way to use a higher flowing filter and higher flowing setup but make it restrictive after 5k when the SVT engine is really coming alive.
I think its more of them making the most of parts available by using the higher-flowing Mustang V6 conical filter and airbox.
I'm sure there's a lot of things SVT and carmakers in general would do if things like budgets weren't around.
-J
 
I think its more of them making the most of parts available by using the higher-flowing Mustang V6 conical filter and airbox.
I'm sure there's a lot of things SVT and carmakers in general would do if things like budgets weren't around.
-J

:)

But to help elaborate, when porchse sent this engine back to ford, you would have thought it would of fit in the car??? It didn't, ford had to redesigned the engine to make it fit in the car. Which is what most people think caused the design flaw in the oil draining problem from the heads :shrug:


You would think ford would of invested in a better diff knowing they break, This is an svt right?
Or even ford should of upgraded a rear subframe because the tabs break off even during regular driving. This was a car built for handling??

You get the idea, ford did it to help keep the DB's down to help pass goverment regulations. Thats why our exhausts are soo choked up. If it was up to them, they would have no muffles or cats or resonators. You would probably still be driving around with a carb if it wasn't for goverment regulations.
 
And it does, seeing that the stock svt air box is a restriction after 5k. It's only then that the engine is getting held back a slight bit.

But i agree with pud, your really looking at a few hp 1-2 in comparison.

Are you sure the stock air box is a restiction or is it the stock paper filter? I honestly can't see the air box being a restriction. :shrug:
 
I cant see the filter being the problem either. If its good enough for the larger mustang engine it should be good enough for ours.
 
Are you sure the stock air box is a restiction or is it the stock paper filter? I honestly can't see the air box being a restriction. :shrug:

Restriction is really a bad word,Its not that restrictive but the silencer is what is causing the whole problem. If the silencer was removed the inlet hole for the svt intake is 50mm..Which is fact enough for the engine to absorb air. Removing the stock svt intake box and replacing it with an open air filter removes the need for the silencer and increases power.
 
I cant see the filter being the problem either. If its good enough for the larger mustang engine it should be good enough for ours.

Good enough? they did it for cost cutting. Not everything ca companies do is for the best of the consumer. They do what hey can to make the most $ possible. Don't have that mentality that every thing the car companies do is done right.
 
What silencer are we talking about on the SVT?

The tube that goes into the fender of the car, that is called a silencer, to reduce intake sound from under the hood. That is why all cars have those. If it was up to goverment regulations, ford wouldn't even have a silencer because they have so spend all that time reducing intake sound and also fitting the silencer into that small compact place. Costs a lot of money my friend.
 
Good enough? they did it for cost cutting. Not everything ca companies do is for the best of the consumer. They do what hey can to make the most $ possible. Don't have that mentality that every thing the car companies do is done right.

Believe me. I dont have that mentality with Ford products. But SVT went out of their way to put on a different intake for the sake of airflow compared with the standard v6. They get a check in my book for that.

The tube that goes into the fender of the car, that is called a silencer, to reduce intake sound from under the hood. That is why all cars have those. If it was up to goverment regulations, ford wouldn't even have a silencer because they have so spend all that time reducing intake sound and also fitting the silencer into that small compact place. Costs a lot of money my friend.

So the snorkel to draw cool air into the filter box is a restriction?
 
Back
Top