Thesis to be tested: An AutoPhysics "BigMouth" cone filter will flow better than the stock 1996 airbox with a drop in K&N filter (33-2086), resulting in more power even at the expense of hotter intake air due to the open cone.
Experiment:
First test car with stock setup with AP-22 to set a baseline in the current environmental conditions (same day, same test area):
Baseline - stock air box, K&N 33-2086
85F, Humid 46%, Baro 30.1, Alt 600ft
Start Speed 0.0mph
mph s g ft hp
10.0 0.88 0.55 6 62
20.0 1.82 0.42 27 95
30.0 2.85 0.45 64 153
40.0 3.89 0.41 118 188
50.0 5.21 0.34 205 199
60.0 6.88 0.26 340 192
70.0 8.67 0.23 511 208
Pk Power: 49.3mph 5.11s 198ft 215hp
Peak G: 13.3mph 1.15s 10ft 0.55gNext, test the car with the cone filter instead of the stock airbox/drop in filter. Now, I used an AutoPhysics 7" bigmouth unit. This is basically similar to a K&N cone, but has an additional intake at the end of the filter where the K&N cone is blocked off by an endcap. Also, the bigmouth fit in the car, where my 9" K&N cone would not.
Attachment: I removed the "upper" airbox, leaving the "lower" airbox which contains the PCM in place. I removed the air intake sensor from the airbox, and placed the sensor in the air path of the BigMouth.
Cone filter Data:
Test run 1 - AutoPhysics big mouth
85F, Humid 46%, Baro 30.1, Alt 600ft
Start Speed 0.0mph
mph s g ft hp
10.0 0.87 0.55 6 61
20.0 1.82 0.42 27 94
30.0 2.87 0.44 65 149
40.0 3.92 0.41 120 189
50.0 5.25 0.35 208 204
60.0 6.91 0.27 342 197
Pk Power: 66.3mph 7.99s 442ft 212hp
Peak G: 11.6mph 0.99s 8ft 0.56g
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Test run 2 - AutoPhysics big mouth
85F, Humid 46%, Baro 30.1, Alt 600ft
Start Speed 0.0mphmph s g ft hp
10.0 0.92 0.55 6 61
20.0 1.90 0.42 28 94
30.0 2.95 0.44 66 150
40.0 4.00 0.40 120 184
50.0 5.37 0.30 211 178
60.0 7.03 0.27 345 197
70.0 8.76 0.25 510 216
Pk Power: 69.6mph 8.69s 503ft 219hp
Peak G: 10.3mph 0.94s 6ft 0.55g
Side by side Comparison
MPH Baseline Cone Run 1 Cone Run 2 10
0.88 0.87 0.92 20 1.82 1.82 1.90 30 2.85 2.87 2.95 40 3.89 3.92 4.00 50 5.21 5.25 5.37 60 6.88 6.91 7.03 70 8.67 N/A 8.76 Conclusions:
The BigMouth filter performed slightly worse in these environmental conditions.
Ideas for further study:
Rig an air intake hose to the front end of the BigMouth and run down to the air dam for more cool air.
Repeat the test when the temperatures are lower. The test temp of 85F is a bad environment for analysis for the cone since under-hood temp is very high.