which one to choose........so mant to choose?
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What is the best air filter for horsepower?
- Thread starter nosboy4life
- Start date
There has never been a reliable test that indicated a power increase from intake/filter alone on an otherwise stock NSX. But that's exactly what you should expect from a car like the NSX.
If you start doing other major power mods, then the demand for air increases and you may find that the stock filter can't support it. I’ve yet to see that even headers, exhaust and a chip are enough to require a new filter. If you are shooting a big dose of nitrous then it might be an interesting test on a dyno some day since it is so simple to run back-back comparisons. (I’d also try one pull with no filter since you are in a clean environment.) Meanwhile, anything else you use for the intake may sound cool, but it may also not filter as thoroughly as the OEM unit, which of course is bad.
If you start doing other major power mods, then the demand for air increases and you may find that the stock filter can't support it. I’ve yet to see that even headers, exhaust and a chip are enough to require a new filter. If you are shooting a big dose of nitrous then it might be an interesting test on a dyno some day since it is so simple to run back-back comparisons. (I’d also try one pull with no filter since you are in a clean environment.) Meanwhile, anything else you use for the intake may sound cool, but it may also not filter as thoroughly as the OEM unit, which of course is bad.
the only info i have found out about intakes is that K&N is a not so good for a nsx
3179 said:
OMG, you are kidding right? I was researching the ARC set up from Chris SOS.
Tan
In my opinion, the stock air filter is best. Just changing the air filter alone isn't going to do a thing except maybe change the sound level. I went through the air filter thing with many cars along the years. You like to think that such a simple change can bring you power that makes a difference, but it doesn't. You may hear a difference and think its better, but it really isn't. In fact, some performance aftermarket filter will let more grit and grime into your engine and shorten its life.
That being said, on aftermarket FI engines, the factory filter may be too restrictive and going to a high flow element can raise boost which = more power.
Bottom line... if your not FI, save your money. Keep the factory filter.
YMMV and i'm sure there are other opinions on the subject, especially the folks who sell aftermarket filters.
That being said, on aftermarket FI engines, the factory filter may be too restrictive and going to a high flow element can raise boost which = more power.
Bottom line... if your not FI, save your money. Keep the factory filter.
YMMV and i'm sure there are other opinions on the subject, especially the folks who sell aftermarket filters.
maybe stock air box w/comptech hi-flow filter + side intake mod.
all i heard bout the K&N air filter is it only makes loud sound.......
kenjiMR said:
Maybe, but not likely. The bottom line is that a stock engine gets all the air it needs in the stock configuration. Unless you can obtain significantly cooler air (not likely compared to the stock NSX) or achieve a slight positive pressure from a vent, you aren't likely to gain anything with a stock(ish) engine.
nsxhk said:
Can you state your source for this?
I've used K&Ns for years on my other cars (not my NSX), and have never found even a single minute particle of dirt or dust in any of the crannies on the clean side of my cars' air boxes. I've cleaned out layers of fine dust when using paper or foam filters, but never with a K&N.
sjs said:
Ask 2slow2speed, he has tested the configuration I recommend at Laguna Seca. There is definitely a difference.
I use comptech filter element, but still don't use the side scoop.
kenjiMR said:
Different in what way? Please understand that without a properly conducted dyno comparison I will remain more than a bit skeptical.
sjs said:
The way he compared was exiting turn 11 and how much gap generated by a friend's Porsche RSR.
The RSR is faster, but Ken was able to better keep up with the RSR on full throttle front straight.
basically 40mph -> 120mph drag race down the front stretch. Laptimes would be good, but we are
all still improving our skill. Dyno wouldn't prove all of the theory either since the car is at a standstill.
sjs said:
I cannot speak to dyno results, but the CT hi-flo box with a stock air filter has much more "crap" around the left air intake, and this is on a car that has no left rear fender liner. With stock airbox and stock induction chamber in fender with intact fender liner, I rarely had a lot of material stuck around the fender intake. Yes, this is not horsepower, but it tells me that the new intake is moving more CFM.
I do not know what this is worth, just my experience.
dnicho05 said:
I have never used a K&N filter, but I have definitely had the same experience of cleaning dirt and debris from the "clean side" of the airbox. If the K&N filter left the "clean side" truly clean, how could it let more dirt pass through?
nsxhk said:
I think I remember reading that there were some NSX's with engine problems related to this years ago. Aftermarket filters letting in too much dirt.
nsxhk said:
I've used K&N in other cars as well and the clean side of the housing is always clean like someone else mentioned.
Often people over oil the filter (thinking more is better) and that is why their throttle bodies get all gunked up. If you put on the same amount of oil that the filter came with when it is first installed, you don't get the gunking of the throttle body. After seeing so many posts on the NSX and K&N, I started wondering if there was some unique issue with this filter and this car. I haven't seen proof - just people saying "it flows more, so it must let more dirt through". We don't know if those people improperly oiled the filter, improperly cleaned the filter and/or improperly installed the filter (ie without the OEM rubber gasket for the drop in filter). I wonder if anyone has experience with an NSX and K&N (properly installed) and ended up with scored cylinders or broken piston rings due to the K&N. Acura will say yes, b/c they want to keep selling OEM filters at $50+ each.
Honda engineers know that American buyers beat the hell out of their cars, so they do what most smart engineers do - over engineer (without breaking the bank). I'm willing to guess (based on my personal experience with aftermarket filters on Honda engines) that an aftermarket filter does little damage to a Honda engine in which the engine will not live out its serviceable life as it normally would. Heck, most people do worse things to the NSX than putting in an aftermarket filter. Just my thoughts. I guess I'll put a K&N in this weekend. I like them, so I'll keep using them.
I think that statement of motives is absolutely untrue, and is also a shameless insult to the hard work and integrity of the folks staffing the Techline service at Acura HQ. (Techline is the service that tracks problems and diagnoses their root cause, and assists dealerships by communicating their findings.)mickeylex said:
If you had ever met the Techline people - anyone who has attended seminars at various NSXPOs has, you haven't - you would know that they really don't care whether you spend money on their parts or not. They only care about giving people the very best advice they can on how to take care of their cars and prevent problems from developing.
nsxtasy said:
I'm picturing some poor guy who works at the honda air filter manufacturing plant screaming "Don't listen to him! Buy Honda Filters!!!"
filter and box
I have a K&N filter with a Comptech box. It came with my car so I don't have a comparison on this car but I love the sound it makes! I only notice the great sound when you are WOT!
I agree with the need to not over oil the filter, it will make a real mess of the throttle body and the drain inside the engine compartment out of the bottom of the air box. My NSX tech says the K&N will actually filter better with a bit of dirt in it and it should only be cleaned when you see the engine side of the filter getting dark, as much as 20K if your world in not real dusty. The K&N litrature states their filter will filter out particles as small or smaller than the stock. I would love to see independent tests!
I would guess there may be some HP advantage with my CTSC car, but I have not compared, my guess is it is small on the dyno, but could make a difference at track speeds when there is the advantage of air moving over the car.
Dave
I have a K&N filter with a Comptech box. It came with my car so I don't have a comparison on this car but I love the sound it makes! I only notice the great sound when you are WOT!
I agree with the need to not over oil the filter, it will make a real mess of the throttle body and the drain inside the engine compartment out of the bottom of the air box. My NSX tech says the K&N will actually filter better with a bit of dirt in it and it should only be cleaned when you see the engine side of the filter getting dark, as much as 20K if your world in not real dusty. The K&N litrature states their filter will filter out particles as small or smaller than the stock. I would love to see independent tests!
I would guess there may be some HP advantage with my CTSC car, but I have not compared, my guess is it is small on the dyno, but could make a difference at track speeds when there is the advantage of air moving over the car.
Dave
I’ve said it before, our back-to-back dyno runs on the same car yielded one less horsepower for the K&N on the same car compared to the stock filter. One horsepower is less than the repeatability of the measurement, therefore it doesn’t mean anything, but the K&N doesn’t increase the performance on a NSX.
The entire internal flow passage is analogous to electrical resisters in series. On many cars, the air filter is the big resistor (the long pole in the tent sort of speak) and reducing it’s value reduces the overall resistance of the circuit. This is not the case for the NSX and is why you don’t improve the flow with changes to the filter, box, or inlet pipe.
Bob
The entire internal flow passage is analogous to electrical resisters in series. On many cars, the air filter is the big resistor (the long pole in the tent sort of speak) and reducing it’s value reduces the overall resistance of the circuit. This is not the case for the NSX and is why you don’t improve the flow with changes to the filter, box, or inlet pipe.
Bob
