For now, I want to make a bit more power, lert the car breathe a bit more, but I dont want to get too crazy. i want to do reliability mods before the performance stuff. I also want to get somer fresh paint. But, overall, any opinions on the K&N drop in filters...

 

I have one. I'll sell it to you for $20 plus shipping.

I got an open air intake.

 

Just make your own custom intake with 2 round K&N filters and 3 small breather filters. Easy and cheep in the long run.

 

The K&N drop in will let you keep your stock (quiet) airbox, put not perform as well as the cone filters. I bought an extra airbox a while back so I could open up the bottom and build a duct down beside the radiator. It worked great performance wise, but even with the narrow slot I made I could still hear the BOV. I don't need to hear it to know I just let off the gas.

Spyfish's poor man's intake is just fine too, but I always have to disagree with him

 

all i felt was a bit better throttle response

 

My brother had both dual cone type intake K&N and now the stock replacement type and he said the dual cone type intake was much louder, you can hear the turbos spool up as well as it having much better throttle response, as for the stock replacement type, he says it is smoothe, less jumpy when you tap the throttle and quiter and seems like it has more top end. Personnaly I like taping the gas and going/taking off, Zoom Zoom.

 

i am a big fan of the diy "poor-man" style.

 

its perfect for those requiring better airflow that requires maintaining the stock airbox. ...cheaper in the longterm as well

 

I didn't notice any performance gains with the k&n drop in. I think you'll need to modify the stock air box to realize the benefit. The stock paper filter does fit better bc it's got plastic frame where as the k&n has a rubber soft frame which can be harder to position it perfectly in the airbox. If you aren't careful when you install the k&n, you could have a small leak in the intake bc the soft rubber frame doesn't easily sit in the airbox properly.

 

Check your PM.

 

It was a big waste of $55 iv ever spent! i could not tell the difference from the stock to the k&n drop in. I would put a few hundred more into a good intake if i were u.

 

Based on my vacuum measurements, K&N drop in will not improve flow due to limiting restriction at the airbox inlet.

Need RB duct (non-track use) or another entry point for air (bottom, side) for K&N to help. Wire tie closure if the hinges break, as they often do.

 

After reading this you will know why not to put a cone in the engine bay without cold air:

http://www.rx7turboturbo.com/robrobi...od_pro_con.htm

http://www.rx7turboturbo.com/robrobi...ae_article.htm

The third-generation RX-7 had come off Mazda's rigorous development test programs on the bench and on the demanding Global Road Circuit section of the Miyoshi Proving Ground with flying colors. Yet, there was one arduous test left undone. When the car was taken to a race track near Tokyo known for its tight turns requiring short bursts of speed followed by fierce deceleration, the pride of Mazda's rotary rocket team quickly cooked its powerplant when pushed to the limit. Subsequent investigation revealed that air temperature at the entry area had risen as high as 50 C (122 F). Fresh air for the engine's consumption was taken from the single intake that also fed to the air-to-air intercooler. On wide-open driving, air flow reversed its course from the intercooler and went straight into the engine's intake. The intercooler was acting as an inter-heater! In the updated RX-7 with a designed fascia, fresh air is taken through a separate, dedicated duct guided by a newly installed air-guide. Air temperature at the engine's intake entry area has been halved to about 25 C ( 77 F), which adds about 7 kW (10bhp) to the output.

I went with K&N drop in and opend up the stock air box with three holes and tubes running to the front:
-cheap
-safe (cold air)
-quite
-good performance

What else you want?

Don't waste hundreds of $$$ for an intake. The power gain difference is Not worth it.

 

I had a k&n before my apexi , my car runs much stronger with the apexi. its worth the $.

 

You will notice a major difference if you use it with the RB intake. I did not notice much before I put on the RB. I guess the poor man's would provide the same function. The stock airbox is too restrictive without either of these mods to notice a difference.