hay im going with this exact setup (fipk with aut cooling plate)...was the aut plate an easy install or did u have to drill some extra holes?? im planning on ordering mine from gruppe-s.com...its a seibon for 199.99

 

No thats wrong. It's angled up so that the air underneath goes up to the top of the radiator and that piece keeps the air from escaping out the top without going THROUGH the radiator first. It does not direct any air to the intake!!

 

I thought that when you drive the air rushes through, then get's directed over the top of the plastic divider, then the air moves up over the radiator and into the intake?...
could you please show me a visual of what you are indicating in your post. Sorry must be all the meds i'm on from my operation

 

Don't have any skill at photoshop or the time haha. But the picture above of the stock cooling plate thing goes where it goes haha. That thing slopes up but air is not going on top of it. The air is underneath that cooling plate. The air is forced through the radiator and then out into the engine bay/ out the bottom etc. That is not air that goes to the intake. You do not want that air as it will now be hot from passing through the radiator. When you remove that piece you allow air to go up AND through the radiator now. So you get cooler air coming in through the bumper and now up through the new AUT cooling plate and that directs the air right at the filter if you have a K&N FIPK. The stock one is made to force air through the radiator. It is not there in any way to direct air to the intake.
The best option for the K&N FIPK and aut cooling plate would be to make a snorkel piece as well that scoops air and then direct it right to the bottom of the aut plate. That would ensure you get the most possible air going up and out the aut cooling plate to the filter.
Does it make sense to you now? I can't think how else to explain it really.

 

I see, so where does the stock intake get air from? I was under the impression that the air did infact go over the radiator after being directed by that plastic divider. That is why j's racing came up with that snorkel thing? But yes I understand your point now.

 

from all my research, its best to keep that radiator piece in.. just cut a hole in it where the aut cooling plate "hole" is

 

I have the AUT cooling plate myself. I have driven it with the radiator plastic thing in between and driven it without the plastic piece. There is honestly no difference whatsoever. It can be a pain in the ass to take out because of two of the screws/bolts that are hard to get to, but I have it out now and with a snorkel you need it out any ways. Either way its not going to matter, and once you boost your car (like i plan to this summer) all that stuff becomes obsolete haha.

 

I took this out too, I think more air will get to the intake w/o it.

 

Removing it will without a doubt let more air go up towards the filter. Removing the stock one also will absolutely not have any negatives. Not a single person has ever overheated or shown any higher coolant temps or anything. If you put a big fan in front of the car I actually felt the air coming out of the AUT cooling plate towards the filter. Now take that and put it on the highway going 75 mph and that effect will be much greater.
Remove it for best results. End of story.

 

I removed mine, had it out for over 2 years, no problems at all, and it gets very hot down here.