Can somebody educate this old goat (love goat cheese) on how can an air cleaner cost $300+ and what benifit is it in real life situation as related to total driving performance. I'm questioning the K&N filters I see on ebay. I mean I have bought K&N filters over the years but never near a price like thatThey just seemed to be easier to clean and last longer than the competition.
Greg & Grimm Go Tigers
My SSR: 04, True duals w/Cherry Bombs, 3G spoiler, 4.56 , K & N Cold Air Kit, Gforce KDW T/A
Quote:
Originally Posted by grimmye
Can somebody educate this old goat (love goat cheese) on how can an air cleaner cost $300+ and what benifit is it in real life situation as related to total driving performance. I'm questioning the K&N filters I see on ebay. I mean I have bought K&N filters over the years but never near a price like thatThey just seemed to be easier to clean and last longer than the competition.
Greg & Grimm Go Tigers
The ones for $300+ are a full cold air intake kit that replaces the factory box, it gives an impoved airflow, but I'm not sure it is any better that just replacing the factory filter element with a high flow K & N or Green filter, which cost around $60. I've had both, it does make a small difference in mid range RPM pull, but that is subjective also.
I know the K&N cold air kit on mine makes more power and there is some difference to be felt and measured, but my car seems to run faster after I clean and wax it so maybe I need to have my "seat of the pants meter" recalibrated.
Can somebody educate this old goat (love goat cheese) on how can an air cleaner cost $300+ and what benifit is it in real life situation as related to total driving performance. I'm questioning the K&N filters I see on ebay. I mean I have bought K&N filters over the years but never near a price like thatThey just seemed to be easier to clean and last longer than the competition.
Greg & Grimm Go Tigers
grimmye:
Like the guys have said, the $300+ deal is the complete cold air system utilizing the wide open, somewhat conical shaped filter. I'm not sure that you could not come very close to that set up with a combination of just the flat K&N filter (I have a Fram Air Hog) and cutting out the hood on the front of the air box, thereby exposing the air filter. I found it very interesting to see recent photos of the Callaway SSR on this forum in which they did that very same thing.
But bottom line, I believe the biggest bang for the "(no) bucks" is simply removing the screen in the mass air flow (MAF) sensor. Mine is that way and you CAN tell and feel the difference. However, that subject has been covered in several other threads, so I'll leave it at that.
My SSR: 06/6sd Sil on Blk-2SS, Chrome pack,Magnaflow. #23284
I agree with Alex. Keep it simple and low cost. My experience with the K & N FIPK is that it looks good and it's easy to maintain. Other than that it's a waste of money. The SSR will not do wheel stands or break any records. It's for show & tell only. My opinion.
__________________ SSR 1st Chevy/1st 6spd- Saw it, loved it, bought it.
The others:
02 Procharged Mustang GT Conv. 5sd
07 2 dr Jeep Rubicon 3"lift/35x12.5MT's - skids & bumpers
06 X3
Cole Haans
I agree with Alex. Keep it simple and low cost. My experience with the K & N FIPK is that it looks good and it's easy to maintain. Other than that it's a waste of money. The SSR will not do wheel stands or break any records. It's for show & tell only. My opinion.
Let me also add that instead of spending the money on the K&N Air Charger package, from what I have read here on this forum, I would opt for the Diablo Predator handheld tuner instead. Not much more money than the air charger. Do the other things I mentioned earlier and couple those with the tuner. I have not bought one yet, but it's definitely on my list. I'm still basically concentrating on "looks mod's" before I get into that stuff.
Just recieved mine today, Predator will be here tomorrow then the MAF SCREEN and pull #27 fuse , oh yea cut the stock air box like the one on the Calloway SSR should be a fun project
My SSR: FOR SALE ! 2005 Aqua Blur #17,981 K&N Air Charger, Magnaflow Exhaust. Polished Stainless UnderHood,
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg Ducato
I know the K&N cold air kit on mine makes more power and there is some difference to be felt and measured, but my car seems to run faster after I clean and wax it so maybe I need to have my "seat of the pants meter" recalibrated.
Note: K&N 63-3055 Air intake kit (AirCharger HorsePower gain 12.75HP @ 4700RPM
Ron @ TinToyShop
Note: K&N 63-3055 Air intake kit (AirCharger HorsePower gain 12.75HP @ 4700RPM
Ron @ TinToyShop
TinToyShop:
I've already seen that reported 12.75 HP gain that K&N claims. I would just feel a whole lot better about that number if it could be and was substantiated by an outside, independent source. I've also read K&N's HP increase guarantee. From what I read, as long as their product increases your HP by if only even 1 HP, then they are meeting their supposed guarantee to you. Their guarantee is not for a 12.75 HP gain.
Like I said earlier, if the folks at Callaway thought much of it, then I'm pretty cetain that they would have used it in their SSR, not just cut the hood off of the air box.
First off, I have a 2005 auto. The FIPK for the 03-04 is different and so these results don't apply to the 5.3, just the 6.0.
The K&N FIPK was the first upgrade I did, so the truck was otherwise stock. I ran and averaged 3 1/4 mile runs both before and after the K&N install. I used a G-Tec meter that I calibrated before each set of runs. The runs were made at the same spot on the same day. I gained an average of 0.21 in the 1/4 mile after installing the K&N, clearing the computer, and allowing some re-learn time. The truck was more fun to drive too because it was more responsive. No other "easy" upgrade made as much improvement, Predator and exhaust included.
That, my friends, is $300.00 well spent.
__________________
2005 Slingshot Yellow 1SB No 16549 - 12.74 et @ 105.36
2000 Silverado 5.3 Step-Side PU - Daily Driver
1957 Chevy BelAir Street Rod - 10.65 et
First off, I have a 2005 auto. The FIPK for the 03-04 is different and so these results don't apply to the 5.3, just the 6.0.
The K&N FIPK was the first upgrade I did, so the truck was otherwise stock. I ran and averaged 3 1/4 mile runs both before and after the K&N install. I used a G-Tec meter that I calibrated before each set of runs. The runs were made at the same spot on the same day. I gained an average of 0.21 in the 1/4 mile after installing the K&N, clearing the computer, and allowing some re-learn time. The truck was more fun to drive too because it was more responsive. No other "easy" upgrade made as much improvement, Predator and exhaust included.
That, my friends, is $300.00 well spent.
AusTexKid:
Now we're talking! THANKS VERY MUCH for posting the results of your personal tests. I have much more reason to believe results from guys like yourself than that from vendor test results, which most likely are done in near perfect conditions and circumstances, for the obvious benefit of promoting sales of their products. I would love to see more "real world" posts like yours.
Well that is a tough one, I have a friend that changed his K&N and put a cold air intake and run at the drag strip, He sure didn't pick up any thing close to .021, Man that is a monster gain, I run a K&N filter and a K&N cold air on my GN car, I don't see the need or the gain to run one on my SSR but I might stick one on there and take it to a drag strip and check it out
Did mine late last night , used the 91 tune , whats everyone running for a tune in their Took my DAD for a ride when we got all done he seemed to be very impressed with the first time he has ever rode in 1
After looking at the factory setup, I doubted there would be much improvement from the FIPK. I even have the 05 setup which seals to the hood from the factory. And the SSR has a nice, straight airflow path right to the throttle body already too. I put a ported MAF with no screen and a K&N filter in the stock box and figured I was done. Having used other K&N products in the past and having been surprised by how well they worked, I decided to take a chance on the FIPK eventually. As reported above, I gained over 2 tenths. I was surprised, to say the least. And this was above any gains the K&N in the stock box may have provided because it was there on my baseline "unmodified" runs.
DoubleL - If you decide to try one I recommend you buy the one for the 05-06. It has a much better air box/heat shield design. It is black powder-coated so it looks better than the 03-04 version too. The air tube to the throttle body is different because the LS2 has an angled throttle body, but you will have to modify that part anyway to work with the supercharger.
__________________
2005 Slingshot Yellow 1SB No 16549 - 12.74 et @ 105.36
2000 Silverado 5.3 Step-Side PU - Daily Driver
1957 Chevy BelAir Street Rod - 10.65 et
Since we have such a straight shot to the air filter, I cut out the slotted area that is indented and placed a S/S 1/4" SCREEN behind the new slot. The screen will help keep some debis from damageing the K&N FILTER. This leaves the filter hood partially intact and should allow more air to be forced thought the filter. Seemed to help. But my SSR seems to be getting faster with time.
My SSR: 2006 Black Auto #22925, Diablo Tune, Patriot Sidepipes, K&N, Wing, Lingenfelter Cover, AVIC-D2 Radio
RE: K&N installed on 2006
Hello fellow Fanatics!
I installed the K&N on my 06 over the weekend. Took about an hour. The only problem I had was that the hard nylon spacers that they supply have to be enlarged with a rat tail file to make them fit over the original 10mm nuts that hold the filter shroud in place. The hardware is of good quality as are the hose clamps. Other then that it was a breeze. Can I feel any improvement? Well lets just say not really.
There is definitely a difference in sound when accelerating making it feel like your are moving faster. LOL!
I modify air Boxes everyday on 2 Strokes at the shop and I would say on this application you could do just as well in improving the air flow gain by opening up the stock Air Box as many have already done.
I never trust HP ratings that the manufacturer makes for its product. I'd have to do some pulls on the Dyno to justify what K&N claims. Other then that it sure looks "snazzy" though with the Carbon Fiber filter housing on the top and bottom of the element. That's were all the money is in the filter. They could have made it out of plastic to save money but I don't think it would have as much appeal astatically to gear heads like myself. Well that's just my opinion... hope it helps.
Thanks so much for your post and for being so honest and frank in you observations and opinions. I've been debating over cutting the stock airbox or going this K&N kit route, and I think that you've swayed me toward cutting the airbox, if I do anything at all. I already have the de-screened MAF sensor in place.
Will take pic's in the morning. This mod can not hurt the SSR. The location of the air filter either way (K&N-FACTORY) other than the hood of the air box, rain and debis can get to the filter more or less. The cool air sys. has straightened the flow behind the MAF making a less restricted area which could be acheived by a simpy fix. Still, the cut out of the air box could not hurt you any worse than the COLD AIR BOX as far as water. Just me!!! The SSR world is out there, so do what you gotta do!!!!
Since we have such a straight shot to the air filter, I cut out the slotted area that is indented and placed a S/S 1/4" SCREEN behind the new slot. The screen will help keep some debis from damageing the K&N FILTER. This leaves the filter hood partially intact and should allow more air to be forced thought the filter. Seemed to help. But my SSR seems to be getting faster with time.
oc
OC:
Yes, I'm sure a lot of us would love to see some photos of your modified air filter box. How did you attach the protective screen to the box?
Well, that is the problem. I got this ideal from another SSR thread after doing the seach for AIRBOX MOD. In the thread they cut the air box hood completely off. So I didn't want to take away the factory look and adding the mess looked good and would keep debris , at least some of it out of the filter.
Back to your question: First I had double sided tape (3m) holding it i place and it held it good, I thought but failed later down the road. Right now I had to take it out so it is an open hole which dosn't look bad. The mess gives it a richer look. Got to come op with
SSR 1st Chevy/1st 6spd- Saw it, loved it, bought it. 
K&n Filter
Note: K&N 63-3055 Air intake kit (AirCharger HorsePower gain 12.75HP @ 4700RPM 
Took my DAD for a ride when we got all done he seemed to be very impressed with the 
