My new air filter setup

[FFeng7]

I want to get you guys opinion on my temporary air filter set up I made for my cobalt. As some of you my know I want to get the stock air box back in place but could not find one on my last trip to the junk yard. After some research on this board I found some people have adapted a filter for a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer to use as a cold air intake filter. It fits very snug with the same adapter from the spectre filter. The pipe size is 3 inch and the inside diameter of the filter is about 3.25 inches. The spectre filter had a rubber adapter in it to make it fit so I reused that. I think it will work and should filter better than the old spectre. What do you think?
Old

New

 

[FFeng7]

Sorry forgot to post the new filter is a Purolator A35433.

 

[Artem]

Your headlights need a serious makeover. Other then that, the new filter cools decent although I would have saved the money and simply washed the washable Injen air filter and keep on rolling.

 

[FFeng7]

I know the headlight is bad. It's not as bad as it looks. It got moisture on the inside that is now kind of like algae or something. Those will be the next thing to get replaced!!

 

[yonyon]

I would be concerned about water entering between the headlight and the hood and reaching the paper filter with that setup. Have you done any highway driving in driving rain since installing it?

 

[FFeng7]

My overall goal here was to have a more efficient filter. That's why I wanted the stock air box back. The spectre filter is still good and I will continue to use it if you guys think I should. I got the filter from k mart for like 5 bucks so not a big money loss. Will water coming in the engine compartment ruin the paper filter?

 

[Smokescreen]

There is always a chance that the element could get wet as is is essentially exposed.

...Also, any time you install an air filter within the engine bay and don't separate that air from the air going into the filter...it's a warm or hot air intake.

 

[yonyon]

On the up side, you shouldn't have to worry about varmints trying to build a nest on it. They seem to like air filters inside dark boxes for that.

 

[Jim Allen]

Well, if it were me I would be redoubling my quest for a stock airbox. I would think that if you were able to test intake air temp, the net result with that setup is warmer air than stock. A WAI ( : < ). I ran some tests on a Jeep "CAI" some years back and the intake air temp was significantly hotter than stock.

If it's a paper filter, it is indeed way more vulnerable to water. Essentially, cellulose fibers swell when wet and cease to flow. Sometimes, they then collapse. Oiled cotton gauze filters and synthetic are more tolerant of water, essentially atomizing the water and giving you engine a decarbon blast (atomized water in the combustion breaks up carbon... old timers trick). Otherwise, you achieved your goals in improving efficiency.

 

[FFeng7]

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Well, if it were me I would be redoubling my quest for a stock airbox. I would think that if you were able to test intake air temp, the net result with that setup is warmer air than stock. A WAI ( : < ). I ran some tests on a Jeep "CAI" some years back and the intake air temp was significantly hotter than stock.

If it's a paper filter, it is indeed way more vulnerable to water. Essentially, cellulose fibers swell when wet and cease to flow. Sometimes, they then collapse. Oiled cotton gauze filters and synthetic are more tolerant of water, essentially atomizing the water and giving you engine a decarbon blast (atomized water in the combustion breaks up carbon... old timers trick). Otherwise, you achieved your goals in improving efficiency.


Thanks Jim Allen
Do you think that if it gets wet and I'm sure it will from spray in the rain that the filter will be ruined? I may have to swap back to the oiled cotton in the mean time. This intake was on the car when i bought it. The previous owner did not have the stock box but did have the rest of the injen intake that takes it back down in the fender. The previous owner was scared of flooding the engine and i am too. So thats why the filter is in the engine compartment.

 

[robshelton]

You might want to fab a curved piece of sheet metal to go behind the headlights and kinda under the filter. Might be able to use the studs on the strut tower and/or the bolts near the headlights to hold it in place. And really dig deep looking for the stock air box! Looks like you are sucking in hot air right now.

If you have the rest of the Injen kit, I'd use it! I don't think there will be enough air flow to push much, if any water up to the filter.

The water trick does helps remove combustion chamber deposits. And can help pre-ignition/spark knock. That can return some power and fuel economy if your computer has been retarding the spark. I have had mixed results with it, but it's never hurt one of my engines.

 

[Jim Allen]

Originally Posted By: FFeng7


Thanks Jim Allen
Do you think that if it gets wet and I'm sure it will from spray in the rain that the filter will be ruined? I may have to swap back to the oiled cotton in the mean time. This intake was on the car when i bought it. The previous owner did not have the stock box but did have the rest of the injen intake that takes it back down in the fender. The previous owner was scared of flooding the engine and i am too. So thats why the filter is in the engine compartment.



Being a four wheeler from way back and someone who has saturated a lot of old paper filters, it's 40/60 whether the water will permanently ruin them. When wet, they cease to flow air so if you aren't paying attention, you mash on the throttle more, differential pressure increases and perhaps the filter collapses before airflow dries it. The best bet is to remove them from service and let them fully dry before they go back into service. Usually they were OK for me after but I once read that with some filters (this was the old days, might be better now) airflow took a permanent hit after being saturated.

You can eliminate all this anguish by going back to a stock filter ASAP. (not to be repeatative or anything ( : < )

 

[FFeng7]

Do you think that at least for the time being I should reinstall the oiled cotton filter. I have to go back to pick and pull junk yard. I know they change their inventory of cars ever so often. I will get a factory air box as soon as I can find one.

 

[RiceCake]

The fact that it says injen on it has to add at least 50, 60 horsepower to your car, easy.

As for the filter I'd just watch it. Your primary concern will be ingesting water which will happen with either if you hit a pond.

 

[Jim Allen]

Originally Posted By: FFeng7
Do you think that at least for the time being I should reinstall the oiled cotton filter. I have to go back to pick and pull junk yard. I know they change their inventory of cars ever so often. I will get a factory air box as soon as I can find one.


Depends on the weather. Plus we, the BITOG "we," ... those of us who are sitting here professing in our underwear ( : <0), don't really KNOW how much water that filter will actually see. But from the pics it LOOKS like it might see some, at least. You could always take a hose and spray the front of the car, simulating going down the road in a rainstorm, and see how much ends up on the filter. That would tell you. Overall, short term, the oiled filter is probably the better choice if water is a possibility. In the short term, the loss of efficiency is not going to hurt you much, especially at this time of year when it's more wet and there is less dust in the air. But no Sahara Desert crossings until you get the OE filter back on, huh ( : < )!

 

[FFeng7]

Thanks! I think I'll put the spectre filter back for the time being and I'll try and avoid the Sahara for now.

 

[AMC]

Here is my K&N set up on basically the same engine. This is on a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire which is basically the predecessor to the Cobalt. The kit originally came with a regular K&N air filter but I tossed it for a paper air filter. Knowing what I know now about air filter systems, I am kind of P.O.ed that K&N calls this kit a cold air intake. Most would argue it is a warm air/short ram intake system, especially because it has no filter box or shroud with the kit. That being said I have never had a problem with this setup. No check engine lights, no troubles with water getting into it, nothing. I keep a panty hoe over the filter just to keep leaves and bugs off the actual paper filter media. That brown stuff you see on the panty hoe is just dirt from the hood lining material. I have never had a hole in the filter with this setup.


Here is a close up of the filter. At least K&N did something kind of smart with the filter location. If you look below the filter, the fender extends out past the mouth of the filter, so water doesn't spray up into the filter when you Hydropla errr, I mean, drive through puddles. The filter is also in close proximity to the wheel well and battery, which kind of act as a make shift filter box. They also located the filter very high in the engine bay, to further avoid water getting into the intake.


I am just trying to compare notes with you, not trying to jack your thread. Thanks for your pics.

P.S. As you can see, hooking up jumper cables to the battery with this setup is a major female dog!

 

[FFeng7]

What kind if paper filter is that? Is it specifically made for aftermarket untamed of is it from one you adapted to fit. If so what vehicle was it designed for? Nice looking setup!!

 

[AMC]

This is a Napa gold air filter for a 91 Honda Pre-lude. The Napa part# is 6277. It has a thick wire frame on the inside of the media and a plastic mouth built on to it. The adapter is just a 3" adapter from specter that I got from Auto zone's Specter section. It is very similar to the Injen coupler on your setup. I am pretty sure a 3" rubber plumbing coupler would work too though lol.

 

[FFeng7]

Ok thanks, I thought that might be what it fit. I've read on the internet lots of people using those filters on aftermarket intakes. The injen intake I have is supposed to be routed down with a 90 degree elbow from where the filter currently is clamped. Then it runs strait down into the area the front grill and inner fender. It would truly be a cold air kit but that also places the filter only a few inches off of the ground. Where I live our city is a sea level so any heavy rain or unusual high tide and a lot of roads are flooded.