Stock Air Box Vs. Aftermarket Cone Filter

Dave2000GT

Active Member
Oct 3, 2005
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Seattle
My present ride when I bought it had an aftermarket K&N cone filter, installed just direct strapped to the mass air.

I went on ebay and picked up the stock air box. Threw it in with a fresh new paper fram filter. Butt dyno picked up like 15HP.

Thoughts?
 
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Cause when they say "Cold air" it is not accomplished by putting an open air filter under the hood that sucks in under hood hot air. Your in fender air inlet on the stock box is an actual "Cold air" intake. I had a K&N in my stock box for years. Then when I was upgrading the intake system I went with the open cone filter that sits in the fender and has a plate to keep under hood hot air away from it. Mine also has no metal plate in the front section of the cone. Its filter media all around the cone area and where the metal cap would be as well. I cant find the exact set up I bought a few years back but this should give you an idea of what im talking about:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335821607&icep_item=370401020816
 
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Cause when they say "Cold air" it is not accomplished by putting an open air filter under the hood that sucks in under hood hot air. Your in fender air inlet on the stock box is an actual "Cold air" intake. I had a K&N in my stock box for years. Then when I was upgrading the intake system I went with the open cone filter that sits in the fender and has a plate to keep under hood hot air away from it. Mine also has no metal plate in the front section of the cone. Its filter media all around the cone area and where the metal cap would be as well. I cant find the exact set up I bought a few years back but this should give you an idea of what im talking about:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/89-93-MUSTANG-MAC-FENDER-WELL-COLD-AIR-KIT-3693-/370401020816#vi-content


Yup that's what i was thinking.
Seems like half of the "CAI" upgrades that get done involve taking HOT engine compartment air and putting it through a K&N cone filter.
I'm really happy with the look, sound and feel of this "upgrade". Stock engineering is the way to go with stuff like this.
I was considering throwing on some shiny set of headers like these http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ceramic-1986-93-Ford-Mustang-5-0-Shorty-Headers-SBF-/320759536769?fits=Model:Mustang&hash=item4aaec21c81&vxp=mtr
Would shorties like this provide any performance gain ? I'd like to do this since there is an exhaust leak and I'd have to change the gasket anyway, plus they are old and rusty.
 
The headers in the link look like stock units other than the coating. The coating would help reduce some of that under hood hot air but you would not notice any more power from them unless I missed something. If I was to consider swapping headers I would look into some long tubes with that coating on them. Would probably not be able to find such a good deal, but in the long run its the best you could do. My car has stock headers, off road "H" pipe, and Flowmaster 40's. The headers have been rusty since I bought the car in 2003 and my only issue with them are bolts that back out every now and then. My car is an 86 and the ones I have are still going strong. Not sure if that helps :flag:
 
The headers in the link look like stock units other than the coating. The coating would help reduce some of that under hood hot air but you would not notice any more power from them unless I missed something. If I was to consider swapping headers I would look into some long tubes with that coating on them. Would probably not be able to find such a good deal, but in the long run its the best you could do. My car has stock headers, off road "H" pipe, and Flowmaster 40's. The headers have been rusty since I bought the car in 2003 and my only issue with them are bolts that back out every now and then. My car is an 86 and the ones I have are still going strong. Not sure if that helps :flag:
Cool, thats kinda what I thought. I'll skip the headers altogether. Save up for a KB instead.
 
I'm "enjoying" the best of both worlds. K&N cone filter in a stock looking airbox that breaths through the fender from a nice little scoop down below.
 

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Would shorties like this provide any performance gain ? I'd like to do this since there is an exhaust leak and I'd have to change the gasket anyway, plus they are old and rusty.

Those headers, if true ceramic coated, will work just fine.

Test have shown there is not much of a difference in HP gains between long tubes and various shorty or mid-length headers.

Those pictured are not Stock units. Stock headers can be best identified by the small tubes and the noted pinches in the bends probably designed-in for optimal bolt clearance> these are a couple factors that make stock units fall short on flow.
 
[quote="Mustang5L5, post: 8742126, member: ]I ditched my BBK cold air a long time ago and gt a stock air box setup. Much cleaner looking too[/quote]

Define cleaner looking - nice chrome tube and silicone fittings vs ugly plastic and rubber?