Stillen filter kit or Injen cold air...Hype or Hot???
Ok gang...here's the question:
Which is better and why: Stillen air filter intake kit w/ z-tube or full-on Injen cold air intake with the long tube setup?
In a nutshell, the numbers are similar dollar wise, but the Injen takes a whole afternoon to install...which I don't mind (my girl would argue this point since it will probably take me all weekend)
Anyway, what I'm looking for is professional G35 owners/tuners to share their honest opinions about the advantages/disadvantages of either system based on their personal experiences with these systems. For example: Are the Hp gains really true or just very inflated? Anyone find any fuel economy by adding these systems in or is it just hype and everyone is syncopating to run with "talking heads" gang?
Any valid advice anyone has to offer will be very welcome and appreciated. Suggestions for a newbie to G35's would also be appreciated.
I personally have been doing "mods" to cars for ALOT of years. Air intake kits are mostly show, the most anyone could expect from even the most blueprinted Air intake would be 5 - 8 HP. The above being said, there are more signifignt risks to using a cold air kit that is outside of the fender and close to the ground (i.e. Water sucked into the engine).
My advise is to go with the Stillen box and Z tube. They maintain stock look and placement with better overall airflow than your currently getting. The "long" cold air may move the filter to "cooler" air, but it also puts it very close to the ground and risks sucking up water on a heavy rain day or deep puddle and that spells disaster. Some may argue that some kits are designed to cause the water to be expelled along the route to the throttle body, but I am not going to risk my engine and an arguable 3hp based on possibilities.
People tend to forget that MILLIONS of dollars are poured into engineering cars and that your air box location was optimal based on all possible factors, being performace, air temperature, engine noise etc. and yet folks will still argue that you should replace that "restrictive" system with one that is outside of the heat of the engine bay. Remember, there is no cold air system that in and of itself is going to give you enough of a HP advantage to walk away from a similar powered car of the same weight. People install them for the look, the arguable HP gains, and on some rare occasions, actual better throttle response.
...People tend to forget that MILLIONS of dollars are poured into engineering cars and that your air box location was optimal based on all possible factors, being performace, air temperature, engine noise etc. and yet folks will still argue that you should replace that "restrictive" system with one that is outside of the heat of the engine bay. Remember, there is no cold air system that in and of itself is going to give you enough of a HP advantage to walk away from a similar powered car of the same weight. People install them for the look, the arguable HP gains, and on some rare occasions, actual better throttle response.
"optimal"-I think a better word would be compromise. Performance and air temperature are probably on the bottom of the priority list (most cars). On my '01 Accord you could barely hear the engine running from all those dang resonators. In the case of the G35 engine noise (reducing) took the lead and it's obvious based on the "z-tube".
The setup on the G35 can draw cold air. If you follow the air path coming in the grill, it comes up through the hood latch and there sits the air filter ducts. The hood seals to the top of those ducts so the air has to come in from the front.
From all I have read cold air intakes tend to be restrictive at higher RPM due to their length.
Best bang for the buck is z-tube and drop in k&n, every little bit helps.
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Thank you for voicing exactly what had passed through my mind...especially after looking at the installation instructions...sometimes the greatest gains are from the least input.
Regarding the cold air intake concept: My impressions were that these systems are better used on track cars, rather than the day to day vehicles. Sucking up water off the road would be typical down here in Florida...and yes, I do drive my car in the rain.
As well, I have seen a few 350Z's with either system installed and noticed little differences in performance at normal driving speeds (but then which one of us really drives at 55mph? Please...)
As an engineer, I did my homework and compared both systems and found little advantages with going the cold air path...even with a short ram set up. The Stillen system has several minor advantages from easy installation to "not having to cut up things in the car". The price is slightly less too.
However, I had to ask the question just in case I was missing something...being an old fart gear-head and having worked solely on American muscle cars since my days in high school. Now my G35 is my new toy that I would like to tweak within reason.
Thank you again for both of your inputs. I do appreciate it.
I say that because I think our intake design is one of the best that can come on a stock car. I say this because you will lose HP and TQ when you switch our OEM intake to some of the aftermarket intakes out there. When you do get gains in HP, it usually a small increase. The Stillen Intake take the OEM design and makes it better, IMO.
I would stay away from the cold air because if you run over a large puddle you might get hydro lock, but they both make the car sound nice under hard acceleration.
I would stay away from the cold air because if you run over a large puddle you might get hydro lock...
I think you are a little exaggerated in what it takes to ingest water with a CAI. I have one on my '01 Accord and it is probably only 12"-15" off the pavement. I have driven through standing water, less than 5" or so, and have had no problems. If you try to cross a stream or something, well, that's another story. Hitting a "large puddle" won't cause any problems.
They also sell bypass valves that will prevent water ingestion. Sport Compact Car, i think, tested one on an NSX a few years ago. If I remember right it was AEM owner's NSX. They installed the cone filter on a piece of clear pipe a few feet long, that was attached to the throttle body with a piece of flex. On a full dyno pull they would dunk the filter in a 5 gallon bucket of water. The water would travel up the tube but never enough to get in the engine.
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no, its not exaggerated. i had a friend who ran over a puddle like a moron in his civic a few years back. the car was stuttering to stay on after that for a couple of days, AND he had the bypass valve. of course, i told him just leave the car on for a bunch of hours and it will eventually burn off... and it did
no, its not exaggerated. i had a friend who ran over a puddle like a moron in his civic a few years back. the car was stuttering to stay on after that for a couple of days, AND he had the bypass valve. of course, i told him just leave the car on for a bunch of hours and it will eventually burn off... and it did
those bypass valves dont work.
My CRX did that every time I hit a puddle, basically anything that could be considered "standing water". The distributor was getting wet, I had to pull the cap off numerous times and dry it out. Granted I got real good at pulling it off and putting it back.
A little water will not hurt an engine, old radial engines use "water injection" in to reduce cylinder temps so they could dump more fuel. I know it's not water they used but either way it wasn't flammable either.
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No trees were killed in the sending of this message, However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
no, its not exaggerated. i had a friend who ran over a puddle like a moron in his civic a few years back. the car was stuttering to stay on after that for a couple of days, AND he had the bypass valve. of course, i told him just leave the car on for a bunch of hours and it will eventually burn off... and it did
I'm in West Palm Beach most of the time. Every other weekend I'm in Lauderdale...
Motordyne 5/16 plenum spacer...please clarify (got a web site I can look thru?)
BTW: I'm still waiting for my Stillen kit...ordered last week. They must have put it on a slow UPS truck...long drive from Cali! Got the kit with the z-tube too...ebay guys were killing me by uping the bids (good old auto-bid!!).
Anyway, there's another one on there now which is ending soon (used for 10K) off an 05 G35...just thought I'd share.
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Stillen filter kit or Injen cold air...Hype or Hot???
Not enough difference for the risks
Thank you!
