I removed my Vortech SC airbox to check the filter and noticed how cramped the filter was in there and how only one side of the filter was dirty... so I decided to try an experiment. I got a spare K&N cone filter with a 3.5 inch attachment and just put that on the plastic pipe to the supercharger, eliminating the box and its pleated connecting hose. It's about 80 degrees out and performance may be better, it certainly isn't worse than with the box. I think the powercooler is effective enough that the airbox doesn't have a significant influence on the temperature of the compressed air. Either that or the airbox has no effect at all to begin with.

I like being able to easily see the condition of the filter, so I may keep it this way.

MG.

 

Interesting.... I have my car comptech supercharged... and I don't have any aftercooler setup, and I was toying with the idea of making a custom CAI with some plastic piping and a cone filter... wondering if what could improve my power a bit too?

 

Be careful when it rain
If you get water into/onto the airfilter with
7psi
13:1 compression

you wont like it!!!
Good luck

 

I don't think this kind of simple intake (WAI) would help the Comptech setup, which really needs the cooler air in the absence of an aftercooler. There may be better CAI solutions than the comptech airbox, but their design is the best from a maintainability standpoint (unless you want to deal with having the filter in the fender). I found the Vortech airbox to be not that user friendly if you want to remove and clean the filter, so the WAI appeals to me rather than a CAI.

MG

 

MG, that's a very interesting idea. I don't like that Vortech airbox set-up either. Not maintenance friendly at all. And I think you're right. With the cooler, that slightly hotter intake air won't be any problem. I think the chargecooler can take care of it. I mean, look at the turbo applications. Their filters are right in the middle of all that engine heat.

Is it possible for you to take a pic of what you've done?

 

It might be 80 outside, but it's 140 plus under your hood especially with the sc. Yes the intercooler will cool the charge, however, it will still be less dense.

 

I say keep the box. If anything it should prevent some of the engine bay heat from radiating onto the filter and making it hotter. With the Comptech SC my filter was always dirty on one side as well...but the car wasn't having any trouble getting air. I personally don't like the air filter setup on the turbos. I really don't know why it's sitting there right in front of the motor...other than laziness in design. I guess when you can just modify the boost a tad to get more power they don't look to get 5-10 HP out of a cooler intake temp...I plan on modifying my intake.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 03spa
[B]It might be 80 outside, but it's 140 plus under your hood especially with the sc.

 

A 5 degree difference really doen't make a big difference if you are talking about heat before the intercooler. A more efficient intercooloer is what really matters. Not sure about the SC setup that doesn't have a cooler.....
Beroz

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Wesmaster
[B]





Your sly comments always crack me up.