anyone run theyre rex w/o an air filter?
 

just with a empty box, how does that affect proformance and stuff?

is it worth it to sacrifice your engine for 2-3 horsepower? just get a high flow filter or ditchs the stock airbox and get an actual intake system with a filter.

no but you just cant get a filter around here and i was just wondering...

you could do it but its not a smart idea. Unless you lived in a relativly clean air area i wouldnt. id be worried about sucking up road dirt into the engine. although it may not destroy the engine right away, over time too much of it could wear the internals of your motor which could cause your engine to shit out

aight, thx for the advice, ill put mine back in (dirty though it is) and see about ordering one

hey, yeah dont run no filter not worth the risks.

corner seals are weak enough with clean air, dont go throwing particulates in there and expecting a happy engine

Only two kinds of vehicles don't need an air filter; an airplane that never lands, and a boat that never docks. Order a K&N to fit your stock box its cheap insurance.

:withstupi


I cannot beleive no one called this guy an idiot...:rolleyes:

everyone has to start somewhere no reason to rub salt in his wounds. he's already possibly damaged his engine thats enough :(.

If removing the filter will only get you 2-3hp (and that'd only be if the filter is dirty), why would you waste your money on a so-called "performance" filter? Don't believe the marketing BS, drop-in filters don't do jack for performance.

^ what does? (seriously)

BTW, I have a K&N drop-in and I think it works better than the basic stock filter... Probably smarter than getting rid of the stock box and placing an open filter in my engine bay...

I'm assuming a true CAI is the only thing you'd stand behind NZ?

Actually, some airplanes have two intake sources - one filtered source for low altitude takeoff/landing, and then an unfiltered (usually ram air) source for use at altitude.

-=Russ=-

learn something everyday

Why? Did you do back-to-back pressure drop and performance comparisons between a new OEM filter and the K&N? Or do do you just hope it made a difference because you paid money for it? Don't be offended, that's exactly what most people think when they buy aftermarket stuff...

And remember than the filter's #1 job is to filter, and there's not an aftermarket filter available that "works better than the stock filter" in that regard. Aftermarket filters do a very average job at filtering compared to OEM.

Maybe, but putting a new OEM filter in would've had the same effect and been cheaper. I know the K&N is reusable, but once you take the filter purchase cost, cleaning kit cost and cleaning interval, and compare that to Mazda's recommended filter replacement interval, you'll see the K&N takes a long time to pay for itself. Too long IMO to consider the long-term cost savings as a genuine advantage.

A "true" CAI is simply any method that ensures only outside air enters the engine. It doesn't necessarily mean using a pod filter as part of the intake system, but if you want decent performance in an FC that's pretty much what you need. Personally I like the idea of using stock airboxes (with stock filters) modified for better flow (bigger and better inlets and outlets) but the FC's airbox is just not suitable for that approach. It was designed to fit in a very constrained space. A high-flow intake design with a heat-shield and a path for cold air is best for the FC.

i think its the peace in mind that you have a "high flow filter" that some people need

I hate to burst your bubbles but K&N filters do not filter as well as OEM. This information is based on numerous used oil analysis that show elevated levels of silcon in the oil with K&N filters. What this means is increased wear. Do a search on www.bobistheoilguy.com in their oil analysis results forum section and you'll see the facts for yourself.

The airplanes I work on don't have an air filter at all. 2 cent humor, but true.

And do you occasionally have to inspect the engines after they ingest birds? :D

-=Russ=-

aftermarket filters do flow slightly better than OEM since they are not packed as tightly as OEM, that said they also do not filter as well.

is it worth it paying $70 or whatever they cost for a couple of HP gain and an increase in wear?

those who say they do nothing are wrong but it's hardly worth even popping the box open to change the filter for an upgraded one..

You have to ask yourself which you would rather have filtering your engine:

A filter that is made well enough to filter out dust with its own media or a filter that relies on oil to filter the air.

I'll always chooe the first myself.

That said, there are dry mesh filters out there you can buy...

If you must go with the cone type aftermarket, K&N and HKS megaflow are cited as the worst filters out there as far as their filtering capability.

APEX'i and Team Green are known for making filters capable of doing a good job.

Here's the best source I run across.

http://www.mkiv.com/techarticles/fil...t/2/index.html

In this test K&N was ranked second to Apexi, neither were rated poor.

Note that I didn't say they did "nothing". But numerous tests I've seen show than OEM filters cause only a tiny amount of restriction compared to the rest of the intake system (let alone the engine itself and the exhaust). Even if an aftermarket filter is half as restrictive as stock, half of a tiny restriction is still a tiny restriction, so the benefits are going to be equally tiny.

You could say that removing the cirarette lighter improves performce, and you'd be technically right, but we don't... ;)

3 cheers for dry mesh filters!