Instead of getting a complete, new cold air intake (CAI), someone advised me to simply change to a Frahm Airhog or K&N Filter. I don't want to notice a difference in sound. What are your opinions on sound, price, and horsepower? Thanks!

 

I have a K&N filter in my airbox - no noticable difference in performance or noise; just won't have to buy any other filters.

 

k&n dtopins make a difference in v8's

unfortunately, we have an I4. there have been a few members who have the drop in - and i can't even remember one member who has been happy with it. it is nice to have a cleanable filter, instead of the cheap paper one from the factory, but don't expect to see any gains.

esp since the stock air box is super restricitve. if you're afrraid of water damage to the motor, you can look at getting the comptech ice box, which basically is a lower restriction version of ths stock intake that will NOT suck up water like other cai's could possibly do.

board vendors are always a good source, but i'm working on trying to get comptech products to members on the board from an authorized dealer.

so take your pic, pm me if you're interested.

cheers.

 

You might want to read this article before buying that K&N. They do flow more air than the stock filter but with more air also comes more dirt.

Just in simple terms:
Say both filters filter 99% of all dirt particles out of the air but the K&N filter can flow 20% more air. So if the OEM filter flows 1000 units of air and the K&N flows 1200 units and assuming there are 10 dirt particles in every unit of air, the OEM filter would allow 100 dirt particles through but the K&N would allow 120 particles through. A 20% increase in airflow means that 20% more dirt particles will pass through the filter.

I'm not saying it's good, bad, or indifferent I just thought that you might find that interesting. I'm running a K&N cone filter on my intake so I really don't think it's that big of a deal. Just don't automatically assume you're getting better filtration with the K&N than you would with the OEM.

 

Yup, I believe a higher flow filter allows more dirt to flow through as well. I noticed the throttle body plate and IAC valve screen on my Civic got dirtier, faster with the K&N filter.

 

If you don't want to notice a difference in sound, don't get a CAI. On the other hand, you won't get much (if any) power from a drop-in filter.

 

Hmm... I didn't know this. So is doing this mod possibly a bad thing? Letting more dirt in the engine sounds bad in general.

 

It is, but it only has a negative effect if you don't change your oil often enough.

 

Ah ha! If you change it normally at the specified intervals, it should be ok then. However, you definitely can't be one of those who people who go for 1000s of miles over before doing it. (I'm pretty religious with oil changes.)

 

Exactly.

 

Actually K&Ns filter better once they get dirty. Cleaning them too often will lead to them letting more dirt in.

EDIT: Oh I now see that you were talking about engine oil and not about cleaning the filter and reapplying oil on it. My bad...

 

How much of a difference in sound wiht the CAI? Enough that somebody vaguely familar (like a wife) would notice?
Thanks!

 

BIG, BIIIIIG difference. Your wife will notice unless you keep it under 4000 RPM and half throttle for the rest of your life. I'd recommend just asking her.

 

Ugh, I would hate it if my wife cared what I did to my car. Luckly she dosent

 

My "wifedar" would detect a CAI in about 0.7 seconds on the first ride. She detected the Comptech exhaust in about 0.3 seconds. The Neuspeed upper strut, well about a week and she noticed that while I was detailing the engine bay one weekend.

Married life is grand <sigh>

 

When you talk about sound....like how much sound?

 

I have the Injen. It has a pretty good growl to it, but it dosent sound ricey at all if thats what your worried about. It is louder then stock, but only if your droppin the hammer at every stop. With normal driving, the sound is fine.

 

Actually, it does sound ricey (IMO). What do you think all those rice boys put on their cars?

But the power gain is worth it, so...

 

Joe I live in Escondido...right down the 15 from you. Where can I get the best price and can I install it? I'm a normal guy with medium car experience.

 

It does soudn Ricey?

 

I think so. Drive over to joerockt's house and have a listen for yourself!

 

No it dosent!

They put those FARTCAN exhausts on...THATS ricey...

 

I would check with some of the vendors here.

Cool, your right next door. If you want to stop by some weekend to check it out, your more then welcome. Just PM me and I'll shoot you the info. I installed it myself in about 2 hours or so, and I probably have the same car experience as you...

 

They also put on intakes.

 

Damn you Space Ghost!

 

IMO K&N Filter is just a matter of replacement ~ there wont be any noticiable changes for normal human beings ~if i still have the OEM airbox ... yes i might hand my money to the K&N filter and not the pricey Acura paper product after it gets dirty ~ if u r a family guy then dont go for the CAI .. SR also .. cuz it it's almost as loud as the CAI ~ but if u want sounds and performance .. it's really a good buy ~
for me .. ~ CAI is not ricey .. i call those Civic with huge ass mufflers with boo boo sound even in the 10km~ 20km range ricey .. ~~
with CAI u can be as agressive as Factory racing cars above 3k rpm .. and as elegnet as a mercedes below the 3k range ~

 

I used to have an Injen CAI in my previous car. Some symptoms I encountered were:

1. bog/hesitation at low rpm's especially from a stop
2. a psss sound as I turned off the ingition
3. took a lot longer to warm up the car
4. multiple CEL's that never wanted to go away.

I admit that top end power was great, but with all the problems it brough, not worth the gain for me. Do you experience or have any similar problems with the Injen CAI on the TSX???

cheers

 

I have none of those problems whatsoever.

 

my frd who drives the last generation TL-S has the pass sound when turning off the ingition too .. ~~
i thought that is the way it is for injen on TL-S .. ~ ? ~

 

What is a pass sound?

 

sounds like Piiizzzzzzzzz ~ .....lol ~ donno how to explain .. ~~ it's like the perssure in the tube is being released .. ~

 

I'm glad to hear that. My previous car (00 celica GTS) seemed to have what little torque it had, robbed completely with the Injen CAI. I was having to reset my ECU what seemed like every few weeks in order to try and get rid of that dredded CEL.

I was just curious how the O2 sensors reacted to the intake on the TSX. I haven't really heard anyone talking about CEL's being a problem here. Interesting....I may have to reconsider this as a modification

cheers

 

I haven't had any of these problems, either. But I've only had mine on for about 2000 miles...

I don't really see how an intake could affect the length of time your engine takes to warm up. You get the same heat release regardless of what's in front of the throttle.

 

1. Not at all, I usually blip the throttle anyway before starting off.
2. No, and If I do its not noticable
3. I live in socal and my car is garaged, this means nothing
4. Never have had one. Sure you didnt tighten your gas cap enough?