Induction Kit or Uprated Panel Filter

Morning all, I was wondering if someone can help please. I understand this question has probably been asked often.

I am looking for a replacement air filter but am unsure whether to go for an induction kit or replacement panel filter?
I had a HKS type Mushroom filter on my 20VT which had somehow snapped off the plastic which it was connected to so have to put the standard airbox back on.

Car has a Stage 2 FC remap and has a Scorpion cat back system. Purchased the car with the exhaust and filter.

Thanks in advance,
Paolo.

Hi Paolo,

Welcome to the forum!

There will be a difference in the amount of noise generated which you may have noticed when you went between the induction kit and original airbox. Induction kits tend to make a 'darth vader sucking type noise where as the standard airbox is more muted.

As your Coupe is modified it was probably mapped with the induction kit on and therefore a change in the way the air 1st enters the engine *may* alter the driving characteristics and power. I'm sure Leighton from FC Performance (Flea on the forum) would be able to confirm this.

An in-between option is drilling the passenger side of the airbox to give a bigger roar but not so much darth vader.

I started with an original airbox -> drilled it -> Apexi induction kit and frankly for me the best noise was the drilled airbox, but since the shortest inlet tract was the induction kit, I kept the Apexi.

Hi Gunzi,

Many thanks for the welcome and response. Admittedly, I would like to get another induction kit as that sounded great but for the moment I have to put the airbox back on which I will do tonight.

Yes, Leighton did the remap with the kit which just fell apart and hopefully when getting another kit, it will be the same (performance wise) as before.

I'll have a look at the Apexi as I've heard these are decent for the 20VT.

Many thanks again Gunzi.

Drilled airbox with K&N Panel Filter is the best way forward

Thanks as I guess that would save a bit of ££ as the panel filters are quite cheap. Where is the best place to drill the holes in the airbox?

This was my approach, I didn't so much as drill the airbox as install a piece of B&Q drain pipe.



It made a great noise whether spooling or full boost.

This was the Apexi Induction kit I ordered. I read a lot of stories of fake units being sold cheap on eBay so decided to order from a firm I knew direct from Japan. If you don't mind waiting then this is a great way to buy.

If you go the Apexi route presumably you can measure the inter diameter of the inlet pipe and match to the correct Universal kit?

I drilled three 70mm holes on the passenger side of the air box and another in the base, then pop riveted on a gauze cover sprayed Matt black.

This gives an awesome sound and air flow.

I will try and dig out a pic but don't hold your breathe as that's a bit techy for me

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i6h9di56kv7258t/Airrbox.jpeg?dl=0

Cheers all. Still not sure which route to go as I do love the work that's gone into the airbox and the Apexi kit does look great value. Decisions decisions eh :-)

I had a K&N cone on mine for a couple of years...swapped to airbox and panel filter about 10 years ago...couldn't believe how much better/responsive the engine was lower down the rev range compared to the cone...my car is near standard.

Interesting. Saying that, I had a Strada Abarth with bolt on K&Ns and it sounded nice until a heard a friends one which sounded even better. I asked him what he did to make it sound that way? He had the standard airbox with an uprated panel and cut the top of it off. It sounded immense so I did the same.

I'm veering toward drilled airbox and panel filter now :-)

K&N or pipercross?

Will a remap be needed for replacing the panel filter from OE to say a pipercross? I'd like to change only to gain a little more induction noise whilst keeping the OE look of an unmolested air box.........

That is one thing I'm not sure about Clintos as I don't know how much difference and induction kit/uprated panel filter will make.

Mine was remapped with the mushroom type filter I had on mine, which has split in two. I've put the standard filter and box back on and will go for a K&N panel filter with drilled airbox at the end of the month. I hope I won't need another remap for this small mod!

Yep, been said on here on several occasions that a cone filter will loose you omph just where you would want it. K&N panel is disliked by some because of the oil issue. Standard set up works well, in saying that I've a non oiled Pipercross panel filter simply because I purchased it for next to nothing & it will last.

When I first got my Coop I had a double foam mushroom filter that I used, sounded great but it was messing about with the air mass sensor.

Thanks for the response Jimboy. So, standard or Pipercross panel filter with drilled airbox is possibly the way forward then? I'll look into that.

Cheers again pal.

Drilled airbox will not give you anything other than extra noise. It's been proved on here how the OE air system is well up for handling tuned up Coops.

I had the same apexi filter a few years ago on my 16vt...i didn't understand why my coupe would not produce more power above 0.9 bar (with td05h-18G so around 280hp, filter was given for 450hp and was 76mm inside diameter).

I searched for months the reason of the low performance at 1.2bar then I tried to remove the filter "just to give it a shot".
I instantly gain 30-40hp

I now run a massive AEM filter with no performance downside.
Stock airbox is ok until 250hp, if you want to go 300hp+ then you should look for a good induction kit.

Thanks guys,

I'll have a hunt around and see what I prefer. Would definitely love to drill the airbox as I liked the noise it had before.

With big induction kits comes a lot of extra noise & that is enough for some petrol heads to be going on with. I'm no expert but I used to swear by this sort of thing, but on reading up & listening to what others have said/discovered the amount of extra air going into the engine with an aftermarket induction kits is minimal, & that's the whole idea of things is it not?

If more/extra power is your goal there are other avenues to pursue, but I Like a bit of extra noise myself. Actual tests & proved data kinda does it for me.

A bit of noise and definitely a bit more power is what I'm after....well, I like the power to be responsive all in all.

Pipercross panel filter it is then.

Thanks guys :-)

The oil on the panel filter has not been a problem for me and the MAF (nor was the cone tbh) if you are liberal with the oil after cleaning it.

Cone apparently gives more top end for slightly poorer low down, around Town the cone was awful and the car felt unresponsive. I agree with Jim a bit more induction noise and nice whoosh from the recirc dump valve is nice, I don't personally like the chavvy PSSSSHHHHT of the vent to atmos one's.

Is the standard air box inlet horn in the best position for maximum cold air inlet too as I always thought it was a bit high in the engine bay and could have done with a longer inlet pipe into the air box horn......any comments or thoughts?

Thanks for the input Submariner. I like low down torque and with the mushroom filter, it was purely more noise rather than response when accelerating low down. I'll see how it goes with an uprated panel filter.

I used to think along these lines once Clint & was convinced cold air would be better if the position was different, however I've since read a well informed piece about how a car on the move, the air is cool all over the engine bay. I'm being a bit simplistic, there was more to it than that, but that was the nuts & bolts of it.

This is mine. I removed the front trumpet,then made the hole bigger.
I now have that red tube collecting air down at the front spoiler and the rest of the hole collecting air as before but no trumpet.

I like what you've done there Magoo. Interesting mod.

URL=

Apologies for going slightly off topic, on a different take on performance & things that can be done to the Coop especially so a daily driver & I'm not the only one on here that thinks this. A well set up car ie suspension/rear uprated arb etc, upgraded brakes all tailored to the individual's requirements, makes for comfort & a spirited drive that lends itself to the Coop...

No doubt about it, a trackday beastie would be a great experience & I do get why some are chasing more & more horses. A daily driver in a well set up tweaked Coop as we all know can be a very rewarding driving experience for the petrolhead....

It still performs well in very hot temperatures.

But I can't really say if it's an improvement . I would have to put a standard system back on to see a difference I imagine.
And that's to much faffing about.

I think it's basically that you make a choice and try it out.

In my situation all sorts of stuff is going on and it's hard to think about what slight difference an air intake makes when I have two or three French hot hatches trying to get past me on a hairpin.

Today is the first time I've driven it with the standard air box and filter and it was so much nicer to drive lower down the rev range. I'll get a pipercross and see what I think of it before I drill holes into the air box.

Jimboy, regarding other mods, I'm thinking of putting Mtec drilled and grooved discs all round but not sure about what pads to use. Also, will update the rear ARB (can it be bought on its own?) with front strut brace and front lower strut brace.

Thats good to hear

mtec drilled discs are certainly an acquired taste - I cannot wait to take mine off - so noisy and aggressive - not for road use in my opinion

Are they that noisy? I've heard mostly positive things about the drilled discs and admittedly, I'm not keen on having loud brakes.

They can be noisy depends on pad choice. .you can 'feel' them biting through the steering etc..not sure as have replaced mtec with more mtec but they seem to at times pulse when used very hard...again maybe my pad choice...I had OMP pads before and thought it happened less...have Mintex now and it happens more.

By noise I do not mean squeal...squeal was for couple of hundred miles then have not squealed. Noise is friction type.

My Mintex pads noisey, like submariner says it's a friction noise not squeal.

Very aggressive breaking though unles you are very gentle with pedal.

Ah ok. Cheers for the clarity both.

I don't mind the friction noise to be honest as had the same on my Strada Abarth and Grande Punto (previous cars).

Saying that, when I put the grooved and dimpled EBC front discs on my Grande Punto (with EBC OEM type pads) the squealing was horrendous. I thought I was driving a London bus but then changed the pads to standard Fiat ones and the noise stopped completely.