I was thinking about getting an intake for my 3.2. Procarparts.com has one for $70 (http://www.procarparts.com/store/dis...id=AI-ACUTL3.2)
but from what i hear i would probably want a bigger filter than what comes with that package which would bring it up to $120-150 depending on shipping and stuff. How much will it improve gas milage and performance? Any thoughts welcome.

thanks,
will

 

The K&N drop-in replacement filter improved my mileage by about 2-3 MPG.

I haven't seen much from others who have put in cone style filters, so I don't know how much of a mileage improvement they will offer...

 

i was actually thinking about this the other day. i have a cone filter poped onto the stock rubber tubing. i keep hearing that the gas milage actually increases with the addition of a better air filter. but then it got me thinking about the air/fuel ratio. with our stock boxes, a certain amount of fuel is injected. But now when we allow more air to get into the cylinders, the ratio still has to be maintained. doesn't that mean more fuel is used? so we would actually be using more gas than saving it? correct me if i'm wrong.

 

i was wondering the same thing... for some reason i seem to fill up with less miles on my odometer. But still i like the intake for the little bit of throttle response and sounds nice with the exhaust

 

You are correct...
i.e. a car with a super charger and if the ECU is keeping up with the fuel mixture then the milage per gal should go to the crapper.

Too much air without the ecu keeping up the correct fuel mixture could lean out the car and in the case of a super charger, it could be a potential bomb waiting to go off.

If the car was running rich then it's sucking up gas and the car's not burning it... so there are acceptable limits where fuel/air starts to push the milage one way or another.

In general more air should get the ECU to kick in more fuel however it takes several gas tank fills before the ECU will change the mixture. meaning a new install of CAI could give someone better gas milage but they are running Lean for a while.
Then after 3+ gas tank fills the ECU will re-mix the fuel/air so the fuel use should go up like what happened to unx.



Anyone know of anyone with a Super Charger in their TL?

 

what model and where did you get your air filter? do you know any places online?

also: thanks to all of you guys for your help...its nice to have a place where people have actually tried what my friends tell me

-will

 

One thing that's not mention from the above that will affect mileage and power.

After market filter has less restriction for air to get in (not only more air, but also less friction), during intake stroke of the piston, it take less power (explosion stroke on the other cylinder)for the air to suck into the cylinder, that's where the mileage gain comes from.

Another thing is negative pressure in the cylinder during intake stroke, with less restriction on the air filter, you get less negative pressure, means more air(oxygen), O2 sensor on the exhaust header will pick up the un-burn oxygen, send the signal to the ECU and increase the fuel flow to match the pre-set air fuel mixture.

You also won't notice this power gain during low RPM, because air demand is low, only at high RPM, you will notice the difference.

Air fuel ratio are control by the air flow sensor and O2 sensor, so it will stay constant.

Conclusion on the after market filter, if you drive at low RPM (crusing)~3000RPM, you gain little power and mileage, if you drive at high RPM, you gain more power and decrease in mileage.

Current mileage on my 2.5 TL is 26 to 29 mpg, always crusing at 3000RPM.

Sorry for the long post, just my 2 cents.

 

so in hindsight getting an filter system doesn't do squat!!!! hahahaha

i'm just playing, i definately do feel an increase in power on the low end, but is that performace gain justified by the increase in gas consumption and noise? you betcha.

 

Damn...my cars a super gas killer. I got a 98' 3.2 and I average 17 mpg. I'm from the bay too where gas prices are at its highest. Sucks...

 

 

just remember if you wnt to go fast expect to waste gas