[jdecar1]

OK, I've seen all the typical cone style CAI's, and I really liked the volant style because it was enclosed in a plastic box & protected, with the ability to hose it to a ram-air type of source. So that got me thinking...

If you used a filter with more surface area, you could decrease any restriction it might impose. If you used an off the shelf paper style filter, you could replace it cheaper & keep it cleaner easier. Then ofcourse, there's that huge gaping hole through the engine bay, straight through to the asphalt- IF you remove the factory airbox.

So I came up with this idea. I figure I could probably fabricate it from fiberglass or CF easy enough. Forgive the crude drawing- but in my head it is built sortof tall & narrow to fit where the factory airbox was, and built around whatever the most accomodating OTS filter would be. A simple flat lid held in place with a couple of screws would give you access to the filter, held in place & sealed by groves on either side & at the bottom.

I've got a perfect spot in my bumper facia for a ram-air scoop- tucked in where you won't see it. Anyway, if I get ambitious, I could round out the corners on this thing, so that it even looks and fits a little more like stock.

Comments / Suggestions?

J

 

[gatmog]

I think the angle of which the air is hitting the filter element may cause problems with flow, since it looks like the filter will deflect it pretty badly and cause turbulance... As for what filter to use, a cone would have more surface area, however working at proficient performance, i noticed that the trueflow panel filter is pretty unique (non disposible, but easier to clean?)--and it is said to compare well to the cones.

I may well be wrong, just a suggestion

 

[Lil PZEV]

Hmm interesting idea. Someone with a better knowledge of physics may be of more use, but... I'm just thinking kind of like what gatmog mentioned, there could be turblence. And also, the angle of the panel filter might mean that, though t has so much surface area, it's not efficiently using it all.

I feel like with the regular cone-filter CAIs, the cone is used efficiently to suck up the air into the tubing. It's an intriguing concept though, so it would be enclosed more like the stock airbox effect, with tubing coming from outside and then to the TB/engine.

Let us know if you try to fabricate something like it, you might get effects better than stock, but I feel like it wouldn't be as good as one of the 3 mass-produced products. But here's a [thumb] for creativity, I gotta say.

 

[jdecar1]

Thanks! Yea, right now, I'm running bone stock. I was thinking of taking it somewhere to get a baseline dyno just for reference purposes. Then I could purge a lot of pent-up creativity & measure results with dyno's in the future. If my idea stinks, then I could always place an order w/ Mr. Marcy[]

In the meantime, I'm greatful for design suggestions.[thumb]

J

 

[Foci_Fosho]

Mr Marcy's intakes are high, quality... enough to bring a grin to your face everytime you step on the gas.

anyways, good luck on your intake idea...
hold up i found a pic somewhere... it can help give you more umm motivation..

 

[yellowbean00]

damn that one nice ass custom set up looks like that would work better than the volant with ths scoop, I like the carbon fiber mmmmm very lovely.

 

[P0WeRbyDuratec]

Yeah I really don't like the angle in which the air hits the filter. Not to mention, oem style filters suck, not to mention you would have to fabircate a box to put the filter in because the stock airbox is sealed and i honestly haven't heard of anyone actually open the stocker.. So i really don't think your idea is the best, i'm telling you your better off spending money on an intake that has a dyno to back up its price. Furthermore, if you avoid puddles, there is no reason you would suck up any water unless you like diving into puddles with you car.

 

[Foci_Fosho]

He's got a point, FocusSport or Marcy Motorsports Intakes are backed by the good ol' dyno tests. I don't worry about the water sucking up, just drive slow, especially in entering parking lots.

I'm no expert but something about your inital drawing seems flawed. I wouldn't mount any filter at an angle. I'm about to inspect my cone-filter. it's been on for 15k miles, it might possibly need a cleanse. And even if you wanted a easy way to replace paper filters, im sure it would be more costly than buying a reusable filter like k&n or itg. These last 5-10 years if kept maintenance.

 

[jdecar1]

YEA!! I was looking for that pic, and couldn't remember where I found it! That carbon-fiber job was prime inspiration for my idea. I sorta saw that and thought... I could build something like that... except that I had the idea of trying to use an off-the-shelf type filter, thinking that might provide some additional benefits. Alot of people here, and over at the jet seem to think that the cone style filter setup is really the best way to go because of how the air hits the filter... but when I take a look at the CF setup there... I think that my idea has to be atleast as good as that- assuming that the filter media I would choose would be as efficient.

 

[Foci_Fosho]

i say dump the idea of paper filters. Use cones that claim to filter tiny particles. and have a good reputation, k&n filters would be a good choice. ~$25 for the drop in stock kind i believe (not applicable to duratec) but like you said, you wanted to do some custom work. Or you try the ebay sponge type of filter, really low cost, but doesn't filter as tiny particles as the reusable, warranteed k&n filters, although they might flow more air.

this type of filter was used on a greddy turbo system for miata.

 

[jdecar1]

Here's a better drawring of my idea... this is a little better representative of what I had in mind. I might do another draft of something similar using a cone style filter, just to see what response I get on that idea.

 

[P0WeRbyDuratec]

why don't you just buy a marcy or something and stop friggin around with being so cheap. There goes an old saying with cars:

fast, cheap, reliable
pick only two of the above, because thats the way it works

 

[Lil PZEV]

Wow that CF setup is insane! Where'd you find that picture Fosho?