That's not an accurate statement. Take a firehose and shove it in your mouth. I can assure you that the firehose (which has well understood physical flow limitations) will pose NO RESTRICTION in your ability to drink.

Take that analogy to the airbox discussion... if the engine is maximally capable of swallowing n air, and the stock airbox can provide a continuous supply of >n air volume, it is in deed "no restriction" to the system.

 

"Costs nothing," my eye... around here, Pringles are going to cost you $1.49 on sale!

 

It's a Good Thing Pringles are Baked ! You Wouldn't Want Any Oils from the Inside of the Canister to Throw Any MAS Codes !!!!!

 

Hello Hib. Many thanks for the excellent posting. That comparison post should become a "sticky". As a side question, did you try the K&N without the hose while breathing underhood hot air with the hood shut? I am thinking of the various kits that do not breathe through the "wooly worm" tube. One other question please - does the plastic housing basically end up the same as a sheet metal housing once the plastic housing has heated up to underhood temperature? Thank you again for the thoughtful posting. God Bless, Marc

 

I did not test with the hose disconnected and the hood closed. Obviously, there'd have been a loss and testing that was unnecessary.

We tested both boxes with hose connected and disconnected. All four test configurations had the hood open so as to lessen the effect hot underhood air would have on the test if the hood were closed. The result was that the temperature of the air going into the boxes when the hose was connected was about the same as the temperature of the air going in the boxes with the hose off. That would tend to minimize air temperature as an issue and have the hose's restriction (or lack thereof) the main factor. As it turned out, with our engine at the 155-157-hp SAE-at-the-wheels level, the hose wasn't a factor. My guess is that would hold true up to about 180. For power levels above, that, if it were me, I'd run the same series of tests on the "wooly worm tube."

If we're considering the K&N and the GMPP kits, the plastic housing may end up as hot as the sheet metal housing but it will take a lot longer longer to get there. In the case of the Airaid, which is open to underhood air in the front, the K&N plastic box will always stay cooler inside.

 

It's been a while since I've visited this thread.

I've had the K&N Fuel Injection Performance Kit on my HHR for about 6 months and it's worked quite well. I'll pulled the filter out for inspection and noted very little dirt on it so it's clear to me that I can go perhaps a year between cleanings.

The intake noise is louder than the stock air box but not as loud as the Airaid I had on the truck for a short time. One thing I like better than the Airaid is the K&N has a completely sealed airbox where as the Airaid's is open to hot underhood air in the front.

After testing it on the dyno (see results listed earlier) and running for half a year, I'm a very satisfied with both the performance and the troublefree service. I'm confident I made the right airbox choice.

 

Great Post Hib. I know you have not been on in nearly one month but I am going to branch out as I have not gotten an answer yet on this. Is there an issue on using this intake on a 2.2L Eco Tec HHR?? One in particular is a 2007 Automatic 2.2l LT

 

Interesting thread..

 

If you installed a K&N replacement filter in your stock air box and then insulated the outside of the box with a thermal element. Wouldn't you see a HP gain also?

 

Indeed, I'm neglect in checking back to this thread. I apologize. Been distracted with home remodeling and family emergencies.

As for putting the K&N Fuel Injection Performance Kit on a 2.2, I have not tested a 2.2 with the FIPK, but I would think, unless there is a fit problem (check with K&N for that questions) there will be no "issues"

That said, I would not look for the kind of performance increase you get with the 2.4. I suspect that any gain will be somewhat less on a 2.2.

As for how the FIPK has been working on my HHR, it's been excellent intake kit. All I've done since I put it on is check the filter occasionally. So far, it hasn't needed cleaning although the next visit the truck makes to my shop, for tire rotation and an oil change, I'll probably clean the filter.

I like the performance increase we got and I much prefer the somewhat louder intake noise the FIPK allows.