[EURO] Air Intake Comparison

[EuroAccord13]

Ok.. I was so pissed at my assignment and I decided to relax by doing something else. It struck me that many Euro Owners here have either had their Intake system done or are comtemplating to have one.

So For All You Euro Owners Out there thinking of having an aftermarket intake system installed, I hope this will help your decision in some ways...

So here I have, the three main players in the Euro Intake System...

K&N Typhoon Cold Air Intake
CompTech IceBox
Injen Unit




Okay, here comes the Legal Part...
THE FOLLOWING IS PROVIDED AS A GUIDE ONLY! Neither Me Nor OzHonda hold any responsibility for any outcomes of anyone who chooses an intake system for their car based on this comparison. IT is solely based on my Opinions.
If you want more Information, contact the Manufacturers.
K&N, InJen and CompTech did not endorse this comparison.

Basically, read at your own risk!
If you don't agree, you better not read it


CHEERS
Nick

P.S : Yoram, do you mind reading the legal part of this and make any changes if needed so as to make the disclaimer easier to understand THANKS!

P.S : Boss, I want the Euro Owners to have a read at this before I move this to the Article Section, Is This Ok?


Ok, one concern about CAI is the possibility of a Hydrolock, what is it? Hydrolock in simple terms is simply water getting inside the engine and causes your car to stall and it also means a DEAD Engine...

The following diagram below show three Euros and each have a dotted line that in MY OPINION show the approximate highest level of tolerance before water can be sucked in huge amounts to cause a Hydrolock. How I came to this is rather simple. Water is heavier than air, as long as there is still a cavity for air to enter the filter, water will not be able to be sucked up. Water will be sucked up IF the cavity is not big enough to feed the amount of air required i.e. You rev the engine in a flood.... REMEMBER this is MY OPINION, I am not asking you to go try it to verify my opinion, if you choose to, IT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK AND RESPONSIBILITY.

Ok, to the diagram...
I hope it's informative and simple enough for you to understand.. I have the K&N Kit therefore, I know more about it. I've installed the CompTech Icebox before and know about that too. However, for the Injen System, from how I see it, is VERY similar to the K&N Unit except for the positioning of the filter...

NOTE : The K&N and Injen can both be converted into a Short Ram System meaning, Filter SITS in the Engine Bay..

EDIT : I woke up feeling refresh... Removed Legality of Filters on Yfin's Advice....


LASTLY.... It's ALL MY Opinions... No Responsibilty on me for you to listen..

Enjoy.....

[euro77]

The CompTech IceBox is also legal although the filter sits inside the engine bay but IT IS ENCLOSED. Only thing that makes it Illegal is that the UNIFilter needs to be oiled for it to work effectively, this applies to the K&N Filter, AEM etc etc.

Nice write up Nick. However, I think the CompTech IceBox is illegal because you remove the resonator (correct me if I'm wrong though). Although, most people probably wouldn't be able to tell.

[yfin]

Nick - a couple of things. I would prefer we not say things are legal or illegal until we are sure it is correct in all States. For example:

• are you sure oiled panel filters are not legal in all states of Aust? The Comptech filter is oiled but sits in an enclosed box - I can't see oil ending up on the road if it is in an enclosed box. Further - if what you are saying is correct it would make ALL K&N replacement panel filters used in a stock box illegal across Aust. If that is right how does the K&N distributor sell these panel filters legally? They sell them for passenger cars and do not specify in Aust they are for track only.

Re hydrolock:

• The diagrams above suggest that the Comptech Icebox would be the easiest to hydrolock. I am almost certain that is not the case. On the US forums people say the Icebox is the HARDEST or impossible to hydrolock due to the holes in the buttom of the airbox. I am emailing Comptech for the technical reason why and will post up response here.

[adammet04]

yeah i agree with yfin about hydrolock on the comptech...most of what ive read in most cases on forums etc = hear say , reckon comptech is safest for hydrolock. but reduction in air flow..

but the diagrams and information in the others looks pretty good so far..

great work on putting together an article like this though

[h22a accord]

interesting read. Technicaly changing any part of the intake can be deemed illegal as it MAY affect the emissions. It realy depends on the cop's discretion that looks under the bonnet. I have a CAI on my CD accord but the pod filter is not visible from the engine bay, althogh I've been defected for not having the CAI piping not properly secured...which i simply fixd with a zip tie. As 4 hydrolock, while the chances are increased by installing a CAI, the probability is low if u dont drive through deep water. You can buy special valves that u install in the CAI pipe 2 eliminate any chance of hydrolock but i have seen dyno results that show that the valves negate any performance gain as a result of a CAI 2 begin with.

[VirIIx]

well done mate!

only you spelt Cold Ait(r) wrong for Injen

[Nickt]

Nice work!

But what is the final verdict? You have the K&N and you have installed and IceBox...which is the best option in your opinion?

[EuroAccord13]

Each unit have their own Pros and Cons..

For Example, The K&N Unit has a louder intake hiss as opposed to CompTech which has the filter enclosed inside the box...

Injen/K&N has the wank factor and CompTech is a discrete unit if you don't want the attention...

You might wanna also take price into consideration etc etc etc....

The decision is best left to each individual's discretion...

I won't say which one is better.. To me, as long as it has a proven dyno chart of a power increase.. It works...

[Pum[Z]]

Nice Review Nick...

It all depends on personal tastes and what the person wants in the end..

Comptech is the cheapest at all three filter...

Injen & K&N is relatively about the same in pricing... It all depends on the budget as well...

[VirIIx]

budget was no issue for me, i've had an AEM CAI before, cost a bit to get here, plus customs hit me..

i chose my icebox simply coz it's not loud like a CAI, i want to be descrete, yet have a bit of a performance buff

[qmjona]

Nick - a couple of things. I would prefer we not say things are legal or illegal until we are sure it is correct in all States. For example:

• are you sure oiled panel filters are not legal in all states of Aust? The Comptech filter is oiled but sits in an enclosed box - I can't see oil ending up on the road if it is in an enclosed box. Further - if what you are saying is correct it would make ALL K&N replacement panel filters used in a stock box illegal across Aust. If that is right how does the K&N distributor sell these panel filters legally? They sell them for passenger cars and do not specify in Aust they are for track only.

Re hydrolock:

• The diagrams above suggest that the Comptech Icebox would be the easiest to hydrolock. I am almost certain that is not the case. On the US forums people say the Icebox is the HARDEST or impossible to hydrolock due to the holes in the buttom of the airbox. I am emailing Comptech for the technical reason why and will post up response here.

I expect they they are referring to the small hole in the bottom of the air box, it is only say 2% of the size of the opening to the cold air intake pipe, but if thay were to block (by going under water) air would be drawn through the small hole preveting the engine being starved of air to water being drawn in (which I reckon would be very unlikely anyway).

[blkeuro]

I had a K&N Typhoon SRI, Injen CAI and modded airbox w/high flow filter on my last car (integra DC5R). In terms of best to worst it would have been:

- Injen CAI. Best intake system (IMO) for the DC5R. Pulled all the way to redline. Didn't feel any loss in low end torque like others have described.
- Modded airbox w/high flow filter. Gave better throttle response than the CAI, but felt restrictive past 6000RPMs.
- K&N SRI. Piece of sh*t. Was nice and loud, but the car drove like a dog on warm-hot days (didn't take long either - maybe around 30-40minutes was enough).

But from what Im reading from other members, it sounds like the icebox is the way to go for my euro - nice and quiet but improves throttle response.