Intake with an airbox really worth it?

[capaz04]

I am looking to purchase an intake, although I want to be a little different, I will most likely stick with cobb. I'm curious how much of a difference the air box makes. How much does it really decrease the temp around the intake? Is it really better? Is it for a better performance increase or more to keep debris away from the intake filter? Also, can you still utilize the economy mode on the accessport with the intake or is it out of the question? (I do a lot of travel between CT and NJ and like to save some gas in the econ mode) Any feedback is much appreciated. Cheers!

 

[IGOTASTi]

Stock intake is good for 400 HP.

If you remove the intake silencer they sound lots better.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

If you are in the process of adding multiple power mods, it might then be advantageous to add an intake and tune for it all at the same time.

Otherwise, don't bother with the intake besides maybe a K&N and a silencer delete.

 

[Alin]

I would suggest you keep it stock and just change the filter to a k&n drop in filter from autozone.

 

[capaz04]

I've got an '11 wrx, I don't believe mine has a silencer? Isn't it just a white tank? My intake box has the port on the bottom for it, but there is nothing attached and the hole appears sealed. I've also got the K&N filter in there... Thanks for the quick responses guys...

 

[Alin]

All stock intakes have a silencer. Did you buy your car new? If you got you used, then there is a possibility it was deleted. Take a pic and show us! :tup:

 

[capaz04]

I'll upload a pic, give me a minute... I did buy it new, rolled off the lot with 8 miles. I went to pass a truck, ran over scrap rubber from another truck tire and it ripped my my inner fender and popped off the front right cover on the bumper... its possible i lost it then... but if i stick my fingers up the port on the bottom I just hit a flat about 2 inches in, its smooth around the edge too which leads me to believe it was manufactured that way. I'll upload in a couple...

 

[capaz04]

Here we go... As you can see, right now I have the bumper ziptied to the bottom of the intake box, it kept flapping with nothing to clip to. (replacement inner fender and new cover already ordered)

What do you guys think? I tried to capture how it was sealed... really weird.

 

[capaz04]

:|

 

[capaz04]

So after doing some searching the '08's+ do not have the silencer, they must silence it by covering that port. I removed the front duct that slips just under the hood ONCE and drove down the street, and it was a downhill... I felt it wasn't running right and put it back on as soon as I got home.

My question is what if i modify the box by opening up that blocked port (cut away) and throwing a screen over it for peace of mind? I'm not too concerned about water getting in and I'd assume its the same design box for the STI with that one difference. I'm just not sure if my car would run well ultimately forcing me to purchase an intake regardless. Maybe once I get the accessport hooked up it won't run the same way and would allow me to do that? Any feedback?

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Idk about the GR, but the GD chassis has the intake silencer in between the body and the wheel well splash cover. You generally need to remove the wheel to make space to work and undo the tabs holding the wheel well splash cover in. If it is actually in that configuration, the air box connects to it via a pass through to the engine bay via the wheel well, a foot or so behind the headlight. Hope this helps.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

I just realized what I was looking at in the second picture. Looks like the silencer is missing...?

Once again, I'm not GR chassis savvy.

 

[Alin]

[MENTION=1507]Spamby[/MENTION] for confirmation.

 

[Spamby]

Mine had it but mines an sti.
I don't believe the wrx had it. You'll want to cut the hole out if you want more sound, fwiw.

 

[capaz04]

Idk about the GR, but the GD chassis has the intake silencer in between the body and the wheel well splash cover. You generally need to remove the wheel to make space to work and undo the tabs holding the wheel well splash cover in. If it is actually in that configuration, the air box connects to it via a pass through in the engine bay metal into the wheel well, a foot or so behind the headlight. Hope this helps.

Yea, there is nothing there... I have a clear view into that area after I ran over that piece of rubber left from a truck tire exploding, I was pretty upset but it got me going on this intake idea... If you peel back the inner wheel splash cover, its just an empty space under the airbox. (check the photos, that view is through the cover thats missing after the incident, the zip ties are tied to where the silencer would be sitting. I want to modify it to basically simulate the removal of the silencer but at that point I feel i might as well get the intake and save the box if I need to revert to stock for whatever reason.

 

[capaz04]

Mine had it but mines an sti.
I don't believe the wrx had it. You'll want to cut the hole out if you want more sound, fwiw.

Thanks [MENTION=1507]Spamby[/MENTION] I want to.. just not convinced its worth it. I'd rather save the money I'd use for the intake for a turbo back and I feel I could make it look clean around the hole but I don't think its worth it.

 

[capaz04]

I just realized what I was looking at in the second picture. Looks like the silencer is missing...?

Once again, I'm not GR chassis savvy.

Yea, I'm not sure why they would make that different, Is the GR vs GD just sedan vs hatch?

 

[Spamby]

The GR is the +08. GD is the 04-07.
It really doesn't make a huge difference in sound. If you do do it, it's not like your really gone fark it up. If you don't like it later, put a cap on it. Easy peasy.

 

[capaz04]

Ah,, learned something new... True true, Thanks again @Spamby - Nice GIF btw, i remember that episode but got tired of not finding out how they met!

I'll brew on it a bit. I just wanted to keep it intact if I needed to go back to stock and not get questioned on it. But I also doubt whoever would purchase the car would avoid making mods anyways. I guess there's no harm in trying, hopefully it doesn't start running funky. (mentioned above that removing the front shroud that directs air into the box seemed to make it run a bit awkward, didn't feel the same) I might rip it apart this weekend provided the weather holds up. Cheers!

 

[Spamby]

Have a friend that hit a coyote on that side in his Rex. Though he had a CAI, the lack of liners and such essentially left the intake to the open air. On the highway he got all sorts of weird things happening as the ECU was going crazy trying to figure out why the maf was seeing so much air. Lol