I noticed that several of the posters here list "K&N " in your sig.

After learning that the CAI's are not adding much power for the price (bang for the buck) and that there is bumper removal involved can anyone comment on why you are using K&N's?

Did you decide to stick with this filter because the stock intake system in solid enough already and just wanted some more air flow in?

OR

Are you using the K&N until you decide on which CAI to use?

I am considering just putting in a high flow K&N and being done with the intake for now then just chip my car and maybe tweak the exhaust more later. Seems like a safe way to avoid MAF problems and hydrolock.

Should I spend the 40 or 50 on the K&N or get the CAI?

Any butt meter SOTP (seat of the pants) difference when switching air filters?

Any noticable increase in gas mpg?

Any difference in engine sound?

Any and all comments apreciated, I want to make the right decision without dropping tons of money into my car for minimal gains like I did my FireHawk that I didn't race much anway.

After doing my exhaust this car is damn quick as is anyway and I plan on chipping it when they become available.

Thanks.

 

what do you want from your car? a CAI is a bolt on mod, increases hp, changes sound. and some small amount of install time(or pay someone).

K&N is for those that dont want to really modify anything, some tiny amount of power might be gotten, but the main idea of CAI is not from the same reason, as the engine bay heats up during hard driving, you lose power if you draw from that area. not so with CAI.

if you dont plan to do much in the way of modifications, Id reccomend K&N or another good option owuld be to get a short ram intake, no removal of bumper, also changes the exhaust note, better gains than a K&N, only downside is that its still subjected to engine heat.

 

As far as I can tell, there is absolutely no difference in performance with my K&N. The car may sound slightly different, but again, not by a whole lot. I got it primarily because it was cheap and because I like to fool myself that there is a difference.

I wonder how many hp it takes before the butt dyno can tell the difference. I'd say something close to 10, and I seriously doubt that the K&N provides more than 1-2 hp, if even that.

In regards to a CAI, I'd wait to see solid dyno numbers first. I still haven't seen any, posted either by members here or by the companies that make them.

 

Of course it must be Smog legal which I believe the AEM is. I also want it to look good so I am leaning towards the blue AEM to match my car and grounding kit wires.

I do not want KR (knock retard), MAF problems, IE too rich or too light on air etc like when I switched MAF's on an LS1.
It really screws up a Dyno run.

I also want bang for the buck for my bolt ons.
IE 50 bucks for the filter at 1HP?
or 250 bucks for 5HP?

I am not into HP numbers from manafactures they are almost always over rated.

I expect for $250.00 to get some increase though.

My main area of expected performance increase (my desire/goal) is more low end torque resulting in a better 60', my mid and high end is fine. IOW, beating stock cars off the line. I can already open up and scream from 80 to 120 on the freeway so high end is not a concern. I don't plan on going faster than 120 around here or at the track.

Of course this is also a daily driver so no loss in mpg (like in my gear swap and torque converter swap I did in my FireHawk) would be a HUGE plus.

Summary, at least 6 RWHP, more low end torque, more cold air and better mpg or if not at least the same?

All mods I do I would want to be complemented by a chip/prpgrammer or ECU I decide to do later.

Thanks!

 

I chose the K&N direct replacement filter route because I didn't want to significantly alter the stock induction note and it's cheap. And if it increases rwhp by even a couple horse, then that's just gravy.

If you want bang for buck, then I'd wait for the ECU and/or forced induction.

Michael.

 

I guess I should add this in since you mentioned it.

I plan on keeping this a bolt on car. I will not go Turbo or SC, it's fast enough for me and I go through cars quite fast. Bolt-ons will be good enough if the SC will be 5k installed it won't be an option and also I am not concerned about a more pronounced exhaust note, I already removed the pre-muffler silencer and switched out the stock muffler so I probably wouldn't noticed any tone change this CAI would make.

*If* the K&N produced "2RWHP" for 45 bucks I will go buy it right now that's 15 % more than the normal HP measurement BTW

Update add;

AEM announced a Version 2 in Ttanium aka V2
Shown here

It says M/T only, is that Manual Transmission only and if so why? It also says TBA (To be announced) for the Nissan 2003.
So this is not the one being sold currently by Avalon et al?

 

LOL, fair enough. Everything that I've read and heard from various sources seem to indicate that intake, ECU, and exhaust should be good for 320hp. The JDM Nissan options catalog (NISMO for us) has a high-flow direct replacement filter (that's not re-usable!!!) and various types of exhausts available (stainless steel, titanium, etc.). I'm guessing these parts along w/ an ECU (as the catalyst) will produce that 320hp.

There's been talk that larger-diameter equilength headers would also free up some hp. On that note, I'm also thinking that if you got rid of the pre-cats (for cold start emissions), but kept the main cats, that might also free up some hp. I'd be curious to see before/after dynos on those before I take the plunge.

Personally, I would not spend over $150 for an intake system, unless that intake is proven to yield like 20rwhp (which is quite far-fetched). The interesting thing about the K&N direct replacement filter for the 350 is that it's the same one for my SE-R (as well as other Nissan vehicles, old and new). So even if you put it on eBay and recoup 50% of it's cost (~$44), you could still offer it for other models besides the 350.

Michael.

 

I need more than just "low end torque" to "beat stock cars of the line", low end torque is good but that was a sill statement. Of course I need mid range torque and HP too especially around 3 to 5k. What good is it if I beat them off the line then they fly by me 60 feet later lol.

Hope this clarifies my question/desired outcome.

 

That is what I mean by bang for buck mods, this would be quite cheap. Where are these pre cats located? I'm 100% sure they are HP robbers!!

Here is a pic from underneath my car.

pic here

Are they the cats located just in front of the Y-Pipe? I though those were the main cats. Are the main cats hidden up near the exhaust manifold?

Point them out and they will be gone withina week guaranteed

BTW,

Here is a Dyno from a Nissan that shows impressive results and this new AEM "V2" will be available in Blue! No chart yet for the Z though



AEM CAI Dyno

 

I will eventually be putting on a CAI to my car. On a side note, if I decided I didn't want to do this for safety reasons, etc., I would not get a K&N filter. These are barely markets as performance enhancing and are mainly used as a replacement filter. They have been known to lose hp on occasion. If I didn't want a CAI, a K&N would not be added to my car, waste of $50 IMO. Just my .02
peace,
-TJZ

 

I agree- as discussed previously- K&N will not go on my next car- I've used them for years and I find NO performance (or other desirable gains) and it only left my intake plenum and manifold coated in greasy, grimy gunk-- no fun to clean..... Oh yeah--- this SURELY DOES ROB HP--- so go ahead, throw one in your car, not mine!
ZZ

 

Wouldn't a short ram air kit work for me?
It says it relocates the filter to gather more cold air.

So what exactly is a short ram air and CAI and is there a price and performance difference?

Trying to get as many facts as I can. I have ruled out the filter alone.

 

A CAI will give you better power as it draws in colder air (again only slightly but we're only dealing w/ slight gains). Also, since a SRI is inside the engine bay, you'll lose power once the engine heats up (which will really suck), and you might as well not have it. A CAI will draw air in from outside so you wont encounter this.

 

I bought it. I like it. As long as I don't have a problem with it, I'll keep it.


HFM

 

I'm only guessing the 350 has pre-cats because it's a ULEV vehicle and pre-cats are on other vehicles (becoming a norm for OBD-II vehicles???). Anyway, you can check if the 350 has them by looking for a bulge in the exhaust pipes between the engine exhaust ports and main cats. On my 300, the pre-cats are on the exhaust manifold. Pre-cats are located before the main cats and are only used for cold start emissions.

Michael.

 

That greasy, grimy gunk isn't from the K&N filter, but from the PCV system: http://www.hastingsfilter.com/engine...tsb_94-2r.html

The K&N direct replacement filter is freer flowing over stock, but it is not as freer flowing than a cone filter. However, consider this: the CAI for the 350 adds more intake plumbing; which will draw air quicker -- a full-length straw or that straw cut in half?

Michael.

 

"Phresh DYNO on my Coupe by K & N ...... 12.27.200

socalmmr (enthusiast )
12/27/02 10:41 PM

Hey guys / gals... I have a really great Horsepower story. First let me start off by saying there are really 2 parts to this, one I can talk about & am putting here, the other facet I can not talk about, think of it as a non-disclosure thing until they go to production.

Ok, I'm lucky enough to have a Coupe & live in Southern California. I just had my coupe at K & N for a couple of days & just picked it up today. What was my coupe doing at K & N? Well, what I believe I am allowed to say, is that they are developing a bolt on, cold air intake system for our little babys. What I am not allowed to talk about is what kind of #'s they are pulling in the tests for this product. They wish that to be kept under disclosure & I will honor that. However, what makes for an interesting twist on this story & gleans a little info, for something that I can talk about should be encouraging for our little G's. Funny story too!

Before my 35 I had a '99 G20t, & I put an OEM / stock fit K & N filter, for like 45.00 - 50.00 in the G20. Well, when I got my G35 last month, I sold my G20 to my buddy, & told him, the only modification I wanted to keep, was my K & N filter (since they were the same size, Nissan is using this size as a common part #), so I gave him the new factory paper filter from my G35 & took my K & N back, & put that in my G35.

Well, I had also forgot that I did this & just dropped my car off to K & N to use for prototyping & did not bring the factory filter which they would need for a "stock" baseline on the Dyno. Ironically, they also had a brand new Z in the bay, which I pulled right in next to when I dropped it off. Anyway, we postulated the one off of the Z would also fit, which it did & was good, since I live near 2 hours away from K& N research. So what this presented was an opportunity & they decided to take it, & this was to not just dyno my G35 stock w/paper filter & with the "prototype", but to also run the dyno as a comparison between the stock paper filter & the regular OEM fit K&N filter that you can go buy in the store right now & has been on the shelves for years. So, I am allowed to talk about THESE numbers, since that part is nothing more than an already shipping product that anyone can go get & put in their G35 right now (I will add the dyno results page, I need to scan & post them, & I will also post the part # of the OEM fit K & N filter for anyone who cares to know it......

So, they were VERY suprised themselves to see the #'s it pulled on the dyno, even with just the factory air box no "prototpe intake", all this was, was changing the filter, plain & simple. From factory paper to OEM fit K & N.

Anyway, there are of course peak & average #'s & they are relative to RPM's & gear. With the OEM fit K&N in 2'nd @ 5500 there is about a 7 HP gain at the wheel over the paper filter, in 3'rd @ 5900 there is about a 5 gain & in 4th @ 5100 there is about a 5 gain. These are all AVERAGED gains, NOT PEAK & in all but 2nd gear, peak matched averaged for each run. They said the OEM fit filter is usally only good for a MAX gain of 2 or 3 HP in most any installation, they were blown away at how well the G35's did with just that stock fit filter replaced in the stock box & stock intake.

Now the rest, I can not talk about. However, I think it's reasonable to say that anyting you do to further improve the intake system, will just unleash a bit more of that hidden power in these cars. Especially for a bolt on, or even just AN OEM fit, it really shows how well designed this vehicle is & how easy it's going to be to "tune" them & get real nunbers out of them & truly how badly these cars want to perform. I really love my G!

So again, when I have time, in the next few days, I will scan the official K & N dyno print out's to post in this thread so people can see they are for real, along with the K & N part # for the OEM fit filter, that anyone can go out & get today.

The custom prototype intake, you'll just have to wait & see what they come out with when they get it out to the consumer market.

I really had a great time, & it was a privilige to have them work with my car. I had a blast talking with them, they were really a great bunch of guys there, who really care about what they are doing. I was impressed. So now I have my baby back home, safe & sound, all tucked away in my garage.

B/Silver / Willow / 5-Manumatic / Premium / Performance / Aero / Nav / Factory Bra / U/G factory H4 Fog/High Beam to PIAA Super Plasma GT's (Which looks great with the factory HID's, much better than the yellow factory halogen's & yes, how to get in there & change those dammed things is another story, but guys, with a little pain & effort it CAN be done, just be brave, mind you I did that with no jack or wheel removal)

Next up is Titanium tint for the windows!!!

Thanks for reading guys, hope some can share in the fun I had taking my car down to K & N...

Randy "

 

I bet they are working on a Gen II FIPK too!

I went and spent 42 bucks today for the K&N and even if it was in my head I felt a difference in pull (40 degrees here today)

To me it doesn't matter, the psycholgical effect of knowing I am flowing more air making me feel like I am going faster was worth the small amount of cash

 

If you'll notice in "Sakred" post, with the OEM filter removed from from the airbox the dyno show a power of 10hp & 6ft/lbs of torque. If the K&N allows more air to flow through, it would make since that there would be a significant hp gain. Dont' you think?

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....highlight=dyno

 

Great info...

Thanks!