K&N Air Filter?

BenK wrote:
There is a balance between after market engineering and OEM engineering

Of course OEM has hundreds of millions $ spent on R&D per vehicle
platform vs the small percentage R&D any after market can spend. This is
PER YEAR

I've looked at several after market cold air systems and noted that
all of the ones I've checked out has engine bay air ingested.

On that, the colder the intake air delivered into the CC will allow
more advance vs higher temp intake air because colder air has a lower
pre-ignition potential. Hence many 'think' it increases the octane, which
is incorrect. Octane is a rating or measure of the 'gasoline' potential
ignition characteristics

Since it will have a better ignition characteristic than heated air,
the computer will allow more advance up to a preset point (either or
both mechanical or software)

I've kept the OEM intake system from the filter to the engine...but...
have modified it for cold, ram air. The OEM system on my GMT400 also
has a cold air system, but it does gain a bit of heat via the engine
bay fender sheetmetal in contact with heated engine bay air flow

OEM has two filters. Standard and HD. I use the HD and it is about 2"
larger in dia...therefore more filtration area...therefore lower PSI
drop. This image is of both and from NAPA


I also change air filters around 20K miles or 2 years, whichever comes
first



Designed my ram, cold air intake system to be complimentary to the OEM
intake system and have better performance than OEM. Write-up HOW2
in below link with pictures
My cold, ram air system


Discovered that the OEM filter box is double insulated both for noise
control and thermal insulation from the heated engine bay air

OEM has the filter box ingest through the passenger side void between
the outsider fender and the engine bay liner. That then has an opening
in front of the radiator wall just behind the head lamp assembly

The inner fender sheetmetal is filled with holes and one large hole
for the antenna cable.

Kept that system and duct taped over all of the holes



Then cut a hole in the bottom of the filter box and wheel well sheetmetal








Scoop just under the bumper. First was part of the drainage hose
components, but lost that in a fender bender. This is the new one
and is a home heating vent made of sheetmetal


With the scoop....my design has more PSI than the OEM, which I left
intact just in case have to ford a stream or some sort of water, as
find bugs, small rocks, sand, etc in the bottom of the filter box
that was never there before with just the OEM setup

Cleaned up the bugs, rocks and sand...then decided to take this pic
to show that water mist has also been scooped up. Note the water mark
and the new ram, cold air hose poking up through the bottom of the
filter box. Also note the OEM hole on top and that goes into a complimentary
hole in the fender void area