hygiene boy

I switch my intake from stock, modified stock and short ram back and forth from time to time just tinkering and out of boredom. Long story short I currently have on the Weapon- R intake. I put on a stainless steel mesh air filter to test out from RE works. My butt dyno went off the charts. It was louder than the k&n and the foam filters I've used on the intake. It seems to rev slightly quicker, good strong throttle response ect. There is also a "small" stretch of road I drive on that I drive usually go very fast on. It starts at a stoplight that I turn right on and usually get up to 70mph before I have to slam on the brakes and turn right again. Well since the filter on the intake I get up to 78-80mph consistantly! I'm not claiming any crazy horsepower gains just my observations. Has anyone else used a steel mesh filter before and got good results. I've read all the independant lab tests on different air filters and they all say stainless steel mesh flows the most cfm of air but obviously doesn't filter as well as other filters (paper, cotton, foam) .

Road Rage

I find it hard to believe that even removing the airbox completely would produce the HP gains it would require for you to pick up 8-10 mph over your previous setup. Not saying you are preverifying, but rather that you probably are being more attentive to your driving (takeoff, shifting).

That said, a mesh filter open enough to allow huge airflow would let damaging dirt into your car.

Any engine will only make more power if it is deficient in airflow to begin with - K&N's "more air = more power" is simplistic. The S2000 airbox and axial filter are huge compared to most cars, and it is a small 4-banger. The power adds people have seen with even the best CAI's is at best a handful, and that is likely not the result of more air in terms of CFM, but colder air, and possibly a slight ram-induction effect.

MacGyver