Stock intake vs. Cold Air and hood scoop

Red94Svx · #1 04-10-2012, 01:45 PM

I was thinking of improving air flow to my car and I was wondering the pros and cons of each and what would give the most horsepower?
Few thoughts I had
How much of a difference would I see from the scoop vs. Cold Air cone?
Best option for gas mileage?

Blacky · #2 04-10-2012, 02:38 PM

Your best option for horsepower and mileage is stock. The factory set-up flows very well and sucks in cold air from the inner fender area. A cone filter will suck in hot air from the engine bay. A scoop would make little or no difference and introduces the possibility of sucking in water with possible catastrophic consequences.

Crazy_pilot · #3 04-10-2012, 03:06 PM

The only intake with proven gains has been the dual-track one that YT and Myxalplyx put together, but that was with a set of aftermarket cams, not a stock engine. The parts of the stock intake that flow poorly are the accordian style pipe and the funky airbox that feeds the throttle body. Smoothing those features out is where you may see gains, not with changes to the filter.

It's been established that the "ram air" intakes are next to useless. Off the line you have no airflow to give you "boost", and at high speed you won't feel the difference that a half PSI or so will give you.

svxfiles · #4 04-10-2012, 03:14 PM

Having added a full ram air system to my first SVX back in 2001,
before I evan drove her home

and having drag raced with and without ram air on the same SVX the same day,
I have to agree with Blacky and Chris.

Red94Svx · #5 04-10-2012, 03:28 PM

I've seen some people put the cone in the fender would I see any increase with that setup?

Crazy_pilot · #6 04-10-2012, 03:51 PM

You'd see an increase in how much water and road debris your engine injests, but otherwise not much. Realistically without significant mods you won't get any measurable improvement in performance. Generally the "cold air intake"/cone filter setup gives people the impression their car is faster because it makes more noise.

Conn SVX · #7 04-10-2012, 04:19 PM

How about the K&N or some other low restriction filter?

svxfiles · #8 04-10-2012, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conn SVX

How about the K&N or some other low restriction filter?

Our intake system is one place that the SVX really shines!

If you change it for a more agressive sound, or a sportier sound,
or to look cool, or just because you can, then GREAT!
Its YOUR car!
Make it your own!
Tom

not a stock one in the bunch.

92 SVX · #9 04-10-2012, 05:43 PM

This is what Mine has been changed to look like, is it just for looks, perhaps I like it better though.

92snowmachine · #10 04-11-2012, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conn SVX

How about the K&N or some other low restriction filter?

one of the first things i did when i bought my car was throw out the k&n. i have been inside lots of engines and there is a correlation between a k&n filter and the amount of scoring you see on cam/crank surfaces and bearings.

Huskymaniac · #11 04-11-2012, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 92snowmachine

one of the first things i did when i bought my car was throw out the k&n. i have been inside lots of engines and there is a correlation between a k&n filter and the amount of scoring you see on cam/crank surfaces and bearings.

Ditto! I replaced mine with an AC Delco filter which, after ingesting some debris, actually flows better than the K&N. The K&N only flows better when it is newly cleaned but the flow drops quickly as it picks up debris. It isn't worth the extra crap the engine will ingest.

92 SVX · #12 04-10-2012, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red94Svx

I've seen some people put the cone in the fender would I see any increase with that setup?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy_pilot

You'd see an increase in how much water and road debris your engine injests, but otherwise not much. Realistically without significant mods you won't get any measurable improvement in performance. Generally the "cold air intake"/cone filter setup gives people the impression their car is faster because it makes more noise.

If done right the filter in the fenderwell does NOT increase water or debris it does however give you cooler air then whats available in the engine bay, and if you have replaced the "accordion" tube with straight walled tube better air flow will result.

Does cooler air help? yes but perhaps not enough to justify it.

LetItSnow · #13 04-10-2012, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red94Svx

Best option for gas mileage?

Weight reduction. Tape over the gaps between body panels. More weight reduction.

For fuel economy, flow is really the least of your worries - at least through the engine.

thickasxthieves · #14 04-10-2012, 06:03 PM

92SVX I really like what you did with the intake manifold. Is that painted/powdercoated or something else fancy?

Maybe someday I'll be able to provide insight into stock intake vs 'cold air'....someday...maybe...

until such a time.. sti panel filter in place of stock filter may be good for a smidge more airflow.

92 SVX · #15 04-10-2012, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thickasxthieves

92SVX I really like what you did with the intake manifold. Is that painted/powdercoated or something else fancy?

Maybe someday I'll be able to provide insight into stock intake vs 'cold air'....someday...maybe...

until such a time.. sti panel filter in place of stock filter may be good for a smidge more airflow.

its ceramic paint, I thought about powder coating but the extra money was just not in the budget.