Originally posted by Bridge:
What I meant was that if the MAF did not fit the stock air box wouldn't that cause a decrease in HP... Not overall, but a decrease in HP due to having no heat shield
It means the filter would be subject to heat soak in hot weather and stop & go driving. Heatsoak will degrade performance.
This is why folks with open air filters make heatshields and have cold air supply hoses feeding the filter area. Thus getting the benefits on an open air conical filter, avoiding heatsoak, and supply colder air to the filter area.
If you have ever looked at the stock SVT airbox you realize it has to pull all of it's air through that tiny inlet hole at the end!