Air Filter Baffle Bypass

[Gbt]

I have recently discovered how the standard airfilter box has a ridiculous pipe and baffle set up which would impede airflow.

Has anyone bypassed the baffle and/or cut out all that crap in the bottom of the box? What was the result in noise? performance?

I am really looking to get more airflow into the engine. Any pics / ideas would be appreciated.

I dont want to put a K&N filter in....

 

[10navst]

I'm keen to see if anyone's modified there's too.

 

[Old.Tony]

I rebuilt mine (here's a thread with pics).

I'd advise against doing any more than removing that inner baffle. Part of the reason for such a deep box is to keep the inducted water away from the filter (that's also why the filter is at the top). You'll find a little hole right at the bottom of the box which lets the water back out.

 

[Gbt]

Thanks OT. I had a look at that thread earlier.... And agree that inducted water is something to consider. I do think the way the air box is designed is terrible though as the inducted air cavitates in the first chamber before being redirected in the complete other direction through the baffles and back around to the filter. I understand that by stalling the air any suspended water should drop out and drained, but I am convinced there will be away to achieve a similar process without disturbing the airflow.

The way it is designed means that air is effectively sucked through the cold air box, and that complex process must be hard for the engine to breath.

 

[Old.Tony]

You've hit the nail on the head there. By swirling the air, any moisture in it will hit the side walls of the air box and then gradually reach the bottom.

Swirling the air isn't a drama. That's not going to have any impact on the motor. The curves have a greater volume than the tubes in the box, so the air velocity doesn't get affected (fluids turning a corner can lose energy). Then, the turbocharger grabs it and spins the daylights out of it, pumping it across so that it can be squeezed through the relatively tiny holes of the intercooler. I can't see a LOT of gains out of reducing the air path at that point, but I can see some problems with snorkel-equipped cars in the rain, or anyone that does a water crossing.

The baffles would be a restriction. The idea is to speed up the air velocity at that point (notice that the baffles are inside layers of the air box) and that means that induction noise is going to be trapped in there. There's another set of baffles just outside the turbocharger attached to the top of the engine in the air tube between the turbocharger and the intercooler. If you wanted to remove the restrictions, I'd start with both of those. You ought to see an increase in induction noise (minor) and turbo whistle (maybe not as minor!) afterwards.

 

[Gbt]

I am pretty sure I removed the baffles after the turbo when I installed the hard pipe between the turbo and the intercooler.

The are 2 parts of the airflow that seem restrictive to me,
1) The pipe between the mouth of the intake and the air box, it has a kink in it, that should be straight.
2) The cavitation chamber where the baffles are inside the air box. The air does a 180 degree change in direction.

Both those points cause turbulence, which slows air speed and pressure, inhibiting cool freash air from flowing smoothly into the system.

 

[4 naving]

Search some threads, as there has been some of the guys on here that have removed all that piping and made up an elbow and some silicone connectors. I remember it being sealing of air box or something like that..

 

[Johnkathy81]

Is it possible to just remove baffle on stock pipe after turbo without replacing to hard pipe? Also when I fitted my snorkel on mine I gutted all the baffles out of air box and sikaflexed one of those pod flanges from supercheap straight to air box and used a silicone and pvc elbow to connect to inner guard pipe that came with snorkel if that helps at all.

 

[Gbt]

I didnt even look at the post turbo baffle, the hard pipe just replaced the whole section so I took it all out. I will have a look when I get home.

And this is the Thread that 4 Naving mentioned: http://www.navara.asia/showthread.php?t=26213