OK, here's my two cents worth (maybe a little more than that
).
On my car the first thing I did was to remove the air 'silencer' in the fender and replace it with 2 sections of 1-1/4" vacuum cleaner hose routed down to the front of the car. [1-1/4" hose is much easier to route without crushing or kinking through the stock fender spaces. Bigger hose would have been better, but it won't fit without cutting things inside of the fender. I didn't want to do that, that's why I used two smaller hoses.]
After not being satisfied with that set-up, the next thing I did was to drill a series of 1/2" holes in the bottom of the airbox and remove the fender-to-airbox 'boot'. I also installed a K&N element in my stock, 'holey' airbox. The car was louder, and I think slightly more powerful (gas mileage was better). I don't have any data to back up my power increase claim (so sue me :p ). With this set-up, heat soak was starting to be a problem, especially with the A/C running.
In my quest for better air intake, the next thing that I did was to buy a used SVT 'airbox' (not really a box, but you get the point) from someone through the classifieds here on this site. [The SVT 'airbox' bolts right up to the stock MAF.] I wanted to use a K&N filter in the SVT 'box, but I didn't want to pay $50+ for a new element. I started to watch eBay for K&N filters that might help me out...I got lucky. I found a used K&N filter that fits the base of my SVT 'airbox' nearly perfectly (so now, my SVT airbox base is being used as an MAF adapter). The filter looks sort of like a 'big mouth' style conical filter but it doesn't mount using a large hose clamp like other filters. The base of the filter seals flat against the SVT airbox base using three studs. I had to drill three holes in the airbox base (they are just outside of the ridge that is molded in the base to provide a good seal against the stock filter). Heat soak is much less of a problem with this filter than the modified stock airbox (but it's still there, I need to make a heat shield
). The car is somewhat louder than before (mostly at full throttle). It seems to be just a little bit more powerful (butt dyno again!
). The gas mileage is definitely better with this air filter set-up.
Just a couple of things to note: 1) every time you try one of these mods, reset your car's computer by either disconnecting the battery for a few minutes or pulling fuses #4 and #11 (I pull the fuses; they are in the box just in front of the battery) 2) I live in California, so when I go in for my bi-annual smog check, I avoid the possibility of instant failure by reinstalling my stock airbox (reset the computer) before the smog check [if I had used the whole SVT 'airbox' with a filter I could skip this step (but then I wouldn't have an open air filter
)]. 3) I don't have any pics
. 4) If anybody is interested in knowing the model number of the K&N filter that I used, send me a private message and I will post it.
Mike
