New air filter?

Big difference i put one in my SVX.

Richard

Especially

If you go with a new intake that will accept a LARGER filter then you could expect improvements in airflow. If you get an improvement in flow with a stock size filter I would expect more dirt entering the intake...not good! TG

A world of difference. Better mileage, acceleration. Best easy upgrade out there

Especially

In news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m15.news.cs.com, Jkpoulos7 spewed:

Yep, and shorter engine life due to the small-size crap no longer trapped by the air filter.

A cite of some actual data would help a lot. Got any empirical data?

I've seen dyno tests in an auto mag (Motor Trend?) showing that a K&N cone filter had slightly improved top-end power by a few HP in a '94 Integra LS, but actually decreased lower end power (under 2K). I think Honda got it right with a dual stage intake that opens up at higher RPMs. Restricting the airflow is supposed to help with lower end power/driveability.

I agree with some of the other posters that it may do more harm than good unless there's some modification to the engine computer to account for the increased airflow. I also recall K&N's own info saying that paper filters were better at trapping contaminants.

Absolute rubbish. Proper performance filters are just as effective as the standard part, if not more so. You simply have to remember to re-oil them every 10,000 miles or so - or more frequently if you live somewhere with a lot of airborn dust or drive off road. Other than that, no problem.

Not sure that K&N is necessarily the best bet in a Rex, though. I'm pretty sure Scoobysport recommend something else. Take a look at their web site.

David Betts snipped-for-privacy@motorsport.org.uk

I somehow doubt that. Put a K&N in my 94 Trooper at about 15k miles. Still had in in there at 145K when it was totalled. NO engine issues whatsoever.

My understanding, admittedly limited, is that "Yes" the new (K&N or similar) air filter will enhance performance on a race track but not in real world driving.

I've used a K&N filter before. Their own literature claims that their oiled gauze filters are more effective at trapping dirt when dirt has already built up, which increases the surface area. Of course when the dirt builds up, there's going to be more restriction.

I sort of believe, but may need a little more convincing. Anybody do a G-Tek run before & after?

Actually I'm a lot more interested in how it affects an NA 2.5l Sube than a WRX. Still hard data beats "butt dyno."

This subject comes up quite frequently on the Mazda Miata ng too. A friend of mine on "scoobymods" (Peaty) got me to put a K&N in my 97 Outback back in

Especially

In news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com, y_p_w spewed:

I was speaking to cone filters, not the oiled gauze panel filter.

What kind of cone filter? K&N makes all sorts of drop-in replacement filters in panel/cylindrical/etc shapes, as well as "universal" cone filters with special air boxes that replace the factory ones.

K&N certainly isn't the be-all or end-all of air filters. Using an oiled-gauze filter requires a compromise in engine longevity, low-end power/driveability, and noise levels.

I'm a bit wary about the mileage claims. Regardless of all the other stuff, I'd think that if they really did provide consistent 2-5% mileage increases, most manufacturers would use them to increase the CAFE ratings. I once bought one for $30, so I'd guess that a carmaker could likely get them in bulk for $15-20. Ford and Honda have been going to

RXP gas kicker significantly decreases emissions so why doesnt exxon et al add it to fuel? Money. How much more do slightly better speakers cost in bulk? Automakers do all they can to pinch every penny from production costs.

IMO it is, Improvements in all you mentioned plus it lasts forever,

Agreed. I think they invest a tremendous amount in meeting CAFE, and pulling in the opposite direction is the fact that americans want to buy bigger, faster cars and trucks. If it were an easy way at that price to help meet CAFE requirements, I think they'd be all over it.

OTOH, a filter that requires proper maintanence, and if improperly used (e.g., over-oiled) can damage the MAF sensor (do current Subes use MAF, or do they now use a MAP sensor?) is a liability.