[whiskeytangofoxtrot]

Everytime someone posts a 'What to do first to my Focus' type of thread, the cold air intake is at the top of all lists. I can hardly justify $300 for an AEM cold air or Volant. I mean, how much different can these possible be? Someone please explain to me why these long tubes with a cone filter make that much of a difference over a drop in in the stock airbox. I'd hate to think I wasted $35, but I'm starting to think I did.

 

[mcs7865]

It has to due with the better flow through less restruction of the intake pipe, the flow of the filter, and the cold air. I see what your saying about $250 to $300 on a CAI. I have the iceman, which is basically bigger and smoother pipe, and a K&N filter retaning the stock air box and I love it. Not as much noise as the AEM and gains at the top end, but more power at the low end. Plus I never have to worry about sucking in water. It happened on my Neon.

 

[hockeyfeva]

Just depends on how much you want to spend.

Here is from the K&N website www.knfilters.com
for a drop-in filter.

2. What increase in horsepower should I see from a K&N replacement filter?

We perform internal dyno (power curve) testing on all our product designs. Our replacement filters are designed to provide a 2 to 4 percent horsepower increase. Your results will vary depending on your vehicle, driving habits, load on the engine (towing for example), existing air system restriction, and other factors.

Then from AEM's website a dyno sheet on their AEM CAI. www.aempower.com

http://www.aempower.com/pdf/results/21-450%202000%20Focus%20ZX3%20CAS.pdf

Plus if you end up doing other mods HP and TQ can go up from having the intake, plus those other mods than if you just had a stock intake.

If anything the drop-in is going to be 30 or 40 bucks and any intake is going to be 150 plus with most of them being 200 and over.

[ 01-18-2003, 10:42 AM: Message edited by: hockeyfeva ]

 

[UltegraSTI]

what he said. and u can always pull the snorkle from the iceman and run dryer vent tubing down 2 the lower grill (ie ghetto intake).

also the iceman plays nicer w/a Pro M MAF. just a lil trimming is all thats needed (Volant does win on that though, pretty close 2 bolt in). AEM/BOMBZ/etc can use a bigger MAF w/o major alterations 2 it (ie prolly cant sell it if u wanted).

-Ult

 

[UltegraSTI]

hey some1 has their volant 4 sale in classifieds....175bux.

-Ult

 

[greystealth]

Just get one of those AEM CAI look alikes on ebay. They are just as good quality and perform pretty close if not the same. They just don't say AEM. I paid like 60 for mine, and loving it. I already got like 2 speeding tickets in less than a week though. I try not to speed but the sound of the intake just makes me want to slam on it. Also i can see my front tires already wearing faster, it's only a intake that i have on my car and it has made quite a difference.

 

[whiskeytangofoxtrot]

I'll probably buy one of those too and reinforce the joints of the tabs with some epoxy or JB Weld. Someone mentioned recently that their's broke at one of the junctions where the tab meets the tube.

Sucks to waste money though, even if it's only $35.

What's everyone doing about sucking in water? There's plenty of potholes where I live that will fill with water come spring thaw.

Would buying a sheet of aluminum at Home Depot and just bending a piece of it into a semi-circle for the underside of the cone work well enough? Ghetto splash gaurd if you will.

 

[MichaelXi]

I'd say that a Ghetto-Splash-Guard would be a MUST.
Just design it so water can drain out and not pool in it.

 

[BLOWNSTANG]

I just have the K&N drop in along with the SVT snorkel. I also opened up the resonator hole as much as I could. I'm happy with the setup and have no plans for anything different.

 

[2o*FoCusZeTec*o2]

I have the K&N Filter, went out and bought it the day after I got my car. Just helps with better air flow and throttle responce.

 

[Welding Rod]

If you are on a tight budget and don't mind hacking your OEM box a little, I would say a setup like Blownstang's would be great.

Personally I would recommend the SVT box and snorkel with a gauze type filter.

Does a K&N help? Depends quite abit on your air requirements. With my turbo (high air requirement) I used both the ZX3 and SVT boxes/snorkels with both the OEM paper and gauze filters.

The difference between paper and gauze was VERY noticeable from the drivers seat with both boxes/snorkels. If your engine is virtually stock, any difference would probably be minimal.

BTW, if you like paper filters, the SVT paper filter uses 14 or 15 additional pleats.

[ 01-19-2003, 02:40 PM: Message edited by: Welding Rod ]

 

[BLOWNSTANG]

The only reason I did it this way is I couldn't see spending $250 on the Volant. Being the Volant draws air from the side of the battery, I figured my setup would be kinda sorta close to it(behind the battery, but with the air box acting like a heat shield).

 

[yellowlightning]

spending the money on a CIA is worth it, getting a K&N in same cases may make your car suck a little more air and make it sound a little deeper, save the money, get the CIA

 

[caulfield316]

blownstang, what did you do? is it like cameroon's with the k&n cone on your stock intake?

 

[xerofall]

I bought the K&N just because it is washable and reusable. It should be the last air filter you'd have to buy. Wash it out, reoil it with the K&N oil charger and you're set. It pays for itself within a few years, if not months.

Utah air can get dirty. I haven't noticed any real difference in HP gain.

I just bought one for the recycle abilities.

 

[BLOWNSTANG]

Originally posted by caulfield316:
blownstang, what did you do? is it like cameroon's with the k&n cone on your stock intake?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No, I just have the K&N panel filter. I also removed the resonator and opened up the hole as much as I could (All the way side to side and all the way to the bottom. I cut a little towards the top, but you can't see the side of the K&N looking through the hole).