javyLSU

iTrader: (21)

Okay, after of week of driving around with my K&N 69 Series typhoon intake, I decided to post my initial impressions... I'm not here to defend the intake, simply to say what I have experienced, as this may help some of you who want an intake decide which one to get. So here goes!

Installation
I had some issues with the installation... all the hose clamps supplied with the kit are not long enough - they are JUST long enough to fit around the pipe - no room for slack at all. Also, the "top loc edge trim" wasn't quite long enough to go all he way across the top, as shown on the instruction sheet. K&N also decided to use 4mm allen bolts to transfer the MAF sensor to their intake tube. Why they decided to do this instead of using the phillps screws already on the stock tube is beyond me - MAKE SURE you have a 4mm allen wrench before you start, or you'll be stuck right in the middle of your installation.

Design
I like the design of the intake system, but it definitely could have been better. I like very much that they incorporated the stock cold air scoop, but I wish they would have produced more of a seal for the heat shield to completely isolate hot engine air. However, then I remembered that it's a "heat shield," not a "heat box." This is something I'm working on right now. Eventually I'd like to completely seal off that area and create more suction to take advantage of the integrated stock air scoop. K&N initially told me and Chris (pinoychris) that the finished product would be powdercoated, but instead shipped us a tube that was polished chrome. It looks nice, but I'm going to powder coat the tube myself because I think it will match the overall look of the engine bay better - personal preference here.

Sound
The intake is unquestionably louder than stock, and produces a nice throaty sound when you stand on the throttle... Very noticeable, but not obnoxious (which is a balance that a lot of us are looking for). When paired with my Tanabe exhaust, I noticed that the tone of both the intake and the exhaust became a bit deeper... Just the sound I've been looking for out of this car! You can listen to the end result of the K&N combined with the Tanabe exhaust here - just make sure you're listening through a real set of speakers or a headset, and not on tinny laptop speakers to get the full effect.

Peformance
Unfortunately, I can't go into too much detail about the gains produced by the intake because I don't have a true before and after set of dynographs for comparison. I only have a baseline stock dyno done on a DynoJet at K&N Engineering of 254 hp, and my latest dyno of 266 on a DynoJet at Mustang Dyno in Dallas. I will say that, like other intakes, the throttle response is quicker, I notice a considerable difference in acceleration after 4,500 RPM.

Okay, here are the pictures!

javyLSU

iTrader: (21)

Here's something I'd like to point out to ALL aftermarket intake owners. Most replacement intake tubes are larger than the stock assembly. The fact that they are larger in diameter and NOT ribbed like the outside of the stock tube is going to pose a problem for clearance of your engine cover. If you take a look at the underneath of your engine cover, you'll notice it has ribs built into the foam to help clear the intake tube - I'm going to have to shave the foam down in this area so my engine cover will not chafe against the hood. You may not care about the engine cover chafing, but mine is painted to match my car, and it's a definite issue for me.



All told, I like the intake very much. I was one of the test fitters, so I didn't pay for my unit, but I would have no problem at all laying down my own cash for this product. Again, not saying it's the best, I'm just saying that I like it. Anyway, I hope this was of some help to get you all familiarized with this as-of-yet unreleased product.

*UPDATE*
This is what the intake currently looks like. I changed all the hose clamps in favor of some longer ones, and clipped the extra metal that is showing below. I also added some larger foam pipe insulation around the entire heat shield so as to create more of a seal, in hopes of optimizing cooler air flow from the stock snorkel. As it turns out, though, this wasn't necessary, since the dust spot I discovered when starting this modification revealed that the intake was already sucking cool air through the scoop. I rotated the filter so you could see it in the picture below - the black spot was the area of the filter element that was closest to the scoop before I started the modifications...


Javier

imaputz

iTrader: (2)

thanks javy.. good first impression

montgb

iTrader: (7)

Javy - thanks for posting this! I was about to ask the community for the same first impressions.

I noticed on the K&N website that they've posted dyno numbers for this intake, a claimed 11.27HP @ 5800 RPM. http://www.kandn.com/dynocharts/69-8701.pdf

ff_

Good write-up, Javier. I appreciate the fact that you didn't jump to exclaim immediate and huge power increases, something that I normally have my doubts about. I'd be curious to see dyno results after the intake change.

imaputz

iTrader: (2)

fyi - it is for sale on k&n's website.... ~286 dollars shipped.

menech

Thanks for the write-up! This is the best looking intake so far! I like the fact they used the stock air box and with the engine covers created a full heat sheild.

the dyno looks good too. Climbs away from stock @5000 rpms and the biggest increase was at the top of gear range.

Lets Drive

iTrader: (3)

Just remember to keep that piping clean and polished.

javyLSU

iTrader: (21)

I was planning on powder-coating it black this weekend, but the chrome is kinda growing on me...

Javier

sincityIS

That's great, you get a "cold air" intake and it has a metal intake tube. Now correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't metal get hotter than some kind of composite material that they should have used. I would venture to say when your engine gets to temp., you would probably loose HP, not gain any, since the air is going through that hot metal pipe.

StockIS350

look cool, like the heat shield and that it uses stock intake tube,

dyno
dyno
dyno

javyLSU

iTrader: (21)

Not true, as has been discussed previously - the air passing through the aluminum pipe is simply not there long enough be heated. If it were passing THROUGH some hot coils (like in a blow dryer or heater) then the temperature would change, but not through a high flow intake tube - this is true of ALL intakes, not just K&N's.

Javier

taejin09

does it fit an IS250? and do you know what kind of power yields I can expect on a IS250

varok

Pretty good review . I'm glad it blended well with the Tanabe exhaust. This will definitely my next mod.

Shinedown

Good pics and write up...nice job javyLSU.

Thanks