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To many here, there is beauty in function over form. The bits that make it go fast have an appeal to our eyes.
The same goes for our ears. We like the sounds performance engines make. But there are db limits imposed on production cars. Engineers have to numb out even the good sounds. From a regulatory perspective, there is no distinction between harsh, annoying noise, and the sonorous beauty of high rpm intake rush.
So creative performance focused engineers must design an intake system that doesn't sacrifice performance, but quells sound. All sound.
But fortunately for us, in this case Honda did so in a way that is easy to undo. Perhaps they even did so hoping we would.
^ This.
Regulations always pose a threat/hindrance to engineers. Honda even had to install a cat and we all know that replacing that with a test pipe definitely yields more power and is just more efficient overall. I used the cat as an example of regulations engineers have to abide by for public sale of their creations.
Nothing sounds like an F20/22 so I wish there weren't any regulations forcing sound reduction via the airbox. Otherwise, the airbox is well designed for the S2K. The snorkel is a good addition too. Would have been nicer if Honda included one as standard. One that could be detached if you so wished.
^^I agree with you on the snorkel. It feels like the car responds better, of course only when moving.
I think the stock airbox/intake as a whole works very well and honestly hard to really improve on. I added a Spoon OEM replica snorkel (OEM version is so the snorkel opening is right at the grill and you don't need to cut the hood, unlike the other Spoon snorkel designed to be used with Spoon's front bumper and hood), Ballade intake arm and filter with velocity stack . I mainly got the Ballade filter because I needed a new one and the intake arm because it looks nicer and theoretically is a smoother passage for air? I left everything in the airbox stock though.
Cool, simple setup man! How much did the snorkel set you back? Is it genuine carbon fibre? What differences did you feel with the new filter, arm and snorkel? Smoother intake passage should increase air flow a bit.
So you do all that to gain some extra air, then block the air getting to the intake with a 'cooling plate'?
The OEM air guide directs the air to the intake - see the slots and opening on the guide. With the plate you're blocking off the air coming up
No, the cooling plate is not the flat top design. It has a channel that goes over the opening of the intake box which kinda acts like a snorkel which still directs air into the intake.
^^I agree with you on the snorkel. It feels like the car responds better, of course only when moving.
I think the stock airbox/intake as a whole works very well and honestly hard to really improve on. I added a Spoon OEM replica snorkel (OEM version is so the snorkel opening is right at the grill and you don't need to cut the hood, unlike the other Spoon snorkel designed to be used with Spoon's front bumper and hood), Ballade intake arm and filter with velocity stack . I mainly got the Ballade filter because I needed a new one and the intake arm because it looks nicer and theoretically is a smoother passage for air? I left everything in the airbox stock though.
Yeah that is a great setup, I had the J's snorkel that was made to fit the oem hood without cutting, your Spoon snorkel looks nice too. I moved to the Mugen intake after the snorkel/oem box setup and as much as I loved the Mugen I think it performed similar to the snorkel/oem box setup, probably my two preferred setups, though the snorkel/oem box setup was a better bang for the buck.
Cool, simple setup man! How much did the snorkel set you back? Is it genuine carbon fibre? What differences did you feel with the new filter, arm and snorkel? Smoother intake passage should increase air flow a bit.
The snorkel was like $100 used haha (S2000 FB groups) and it is actual CF. With the new set up, throttle response improved, mainly when the car is moving because the snorkel is doing it's job. Power wise, not sure, minimal if anything.
Originally Posted by arsenal
So you do all that to gain some extra air, then block the air getting to the intake with a 'cooling plate'?
The OEM air guide directs the air to the intake - see the slots and opening on the guide. With the plate you're blocking off the air coming up
He stated the AUT cooling plate, which helps direct air to the OEM airbox
Originally Posted by zeroptzero
Yeah that is a great setup, I had the J's snorkel that was made to fit the oem hood without cutting, your Spoon snorkel looks nice too. I moved to the Mugen intake after the snorkel/oem box setup and as much as I loved the Mugen I think it performed similar to the snorkel/oem box setup, probably my two preferred setups, though the snorkel/oem box setup was a better bang for the buck.
I have always loved the Mugen intake, just costs so much lol. Maybe one day.
A snorkel combined with the Ballade filter (with built in velocity stack) is the best budget setup, IMO. I have a Mugen intake, and this oem/Ballade hybrid is most similar to it. The Ballade intake arm being made from silicone won't make any appreciable difference in performance. I replaced my factory intake arm with the Ballade only because mine ripped due to age. If anyone is looking just for the Ballade intake filter, PM me. I just needed the arm and not the intake.
The snorkel was like $100 used haha (S2000 FB groups) and it is actual CF. With the new set up, throttle response improved, mainly when the car is moving because the snorkel is doing it's job. Power wise, not sure, minimal if anything.
He stated the AUT cooling plate, which helps direct air to the OEM
I have always loved the Mugen intake, just costs so much lol. Maybe one day.
Do you remove the stock air guide when you put the AUT plate in?
my simple mind tells me the oem air box still sucks hot underhood air, the oem airbox snorkel is too short IMO and too close to the radiator. I never have been a fan of cooling plates, , more for looks than performance from what I've seen of them, though the AUT does help with the oem air box snorkel being too short, so it has some benefits in that respect. One of my other favourite mods with improved cold air feed to the intake is a vented hood to exhaust underhood heat. Get a good cold air feed to the intake and a vented hood and your intake manifold temps will be drastically lower in constant speed driving compared to the factory setup. The benefits of reduced intake manifold temps are hard to quantify or measure on a dyno but in street driving conditions very beneficial. My J's racing Type S hood with either the Mugen intake or the oem air box with J's racing snorkel was a great combination, cool air into the intake and cooler manifold temps worked great together.
