I'm thinking of taking our CGS intake and outlaw filter off. I'm tired of the noise and of constantly refitting it. The setup always hits the car body frame or engine where the filter sits so tight. I've been thinking of bending some metal and tack welding another bracket on as well, but will like not. Too much work for to little return. So I'd have a stock filter assembly and muffler. Nothing wrong with that, though my MPG may go back down a bit.....we'll see.............

I took off the Imco and put the Turtle back on already. I tried. I did not like it.

I have a 2.4 but let's be real, it is a grocery getter. I'd love a real performance version like the proposed future turbo, but for now, I'll stick to modding the stereo and looks.
The best mechanical mod has been installing the antisway bar. Now that Rocks!.
The air intake/exhaust mods, not so much- for me. YMMV

 

I'll take the intake off your hands if you do. Been thinking of putting one on Bonnie's.

 

Or you can use a K&N filter which allows it to clear the body / engine parts..
sn-2540

 

I have a K&N filter element in my stock air box.I feel because the stock set-up already draws it's air from outside the engine compartment,it's a "cold-air intake". I have used K&N filters on everything I have owned for many years now and they all worked great for me.

 

Same with me! Despite any naysayers, I'll keep using them 'til it's time to "Hang up my steering wheel"!!

 

The stock setup does indeed appear to be a factory CAI. Which to me means it is counterproductive to install an after market intake that puts an open filter sitting inside the engine compartment. Heat soak occurs inside the engine compartment as the engine runs. It is true that the stock air box will absorb some heat soak by being mounted where it is, but its no worse (and probably better) than the after market intake putting a filter where it will draw warm/hot air directly from within a heat soaked engine compartment, whereas the stock setup draws air that is a bit cooler because it is not drawing from the heat soaked volume of air around the engine.

HHR's are not designed to be fast. They're laid-back cruising machines. To each his own, but from my point of view its kind of counter-productive to undertake a lot of effort and expense to try and make a relatively slow vehicle (HHR) fast by modding. If speed is the goal, why buy an HHR in the first place? I had all the speed I cared for with my Vette, but I don't miss it. The speed game is like a rat race. There will always be someone who had more $$ to spend and will go faster than you.

As for filters, the Green Filter brand is interesting, mainly because instead of the medical grade gauze they use woven fiber which tends to prevent oil misting of the MAF diodes.

 

I bet GM thought about putting a (more) free flowing air filtration system, which would`ve given more stock hp, but knew that all that added power would be a turn-off to the targeted market.

 

My point exactly.

 

I finally remembered to order me one of these. I forgot how much of a pain it was to get the outlaw and CGS filters in there!

Thanks for the reminder!