Air Filter in Cowl?

I've seen on some other forums/threads about people either running hose from the stock airbox into the cowl to raise their intake point or getting rid of the stock box, running the hose to the cowl and sticking a cone filter inside the cowl.

Has anyone ever done this or have any ideas/suggestions about it? I think it sounds like a pretty easy alternative to doing a full-on snorkel, however I wonder about it taking on water more easily in heavy rain or the occasional swim if water comes over the hood. Thoughts???

I've been thinking of running a pipe straight to the passenger side of the cowl (more room there supposedly), and boxing it off with some sheet metal or something to support a rectangular filter... that way I could run it with just the cowl holding it down for summer, or make a small snorkel for any rain I may encounter.

benefits:

Fresh, cool air
Water avoidance
Wont kill driver-side visibility if I make a snorkel
It's cool and stuff!

Drawbacks:
More maintenance
Non-stock filter
I dunno what else?

I thought about doing this and still am. The problems you'll find are that the access hole is awfully narrow and will limit the type of filter you can drop in there; you'll find that the wiper motor and arms are also in there limiting you on the place you have to mount the filter. I have considered making a bolt on filter box where the a/c goes, but haven't finished the design yet. I have considered running a inter cooler end box to the cowl on the engine side with motorcycle panel filters sunk into the engine side of the cowl.

I have this setup I used a small section of flexable 4in hose. I cut a hole in the firewall where the emission sticker is, then another in the back of the air box. I left the font of the box open for daily use. Just used some intergalatical bonding strips to cover the front when the time to use it as a snorkel arose. It actually felt a bit pepier.

homebrew said:

I have this setup I used a small section of flexable 4in hose. I cut a hole in the firewall where the emission sticker is, then another in the back of the air box. I left the font of the box open for daily use. Just used some intergalatical bonding strips to cover the front when the time to use it as a snorkel arose. It actually felt a bit pepier.

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I read the first post right, but isn't he asking about putting a filter INSIDE the cowl...ie as in NOT use the stock airbox? Any monkey with a butter knife and half a brain can put some poop pipe from the cowl to the airbox.......just saying.

His question is in regards to both.
1. Modifying the stock box to breath from the cowl and
2. Removing the box and putting the filter in the cowl area.

like homebrew, im running a sealed stock box to the cowl. it works very well and i have had 0 issues with water. snow is another story. you need to disco the intake hose at the airbox to prevent a lean coniditon, or at least that was my case. the snow would melt off the windsheild, the freeze over the cowl from the cold air from driving. i wouldnt put a filter in the cowl for various reasons.

otherwise, im really happy with it, and it was one of the cheapest mods i did. i used the writeup on madxj's site.

Does anyone know what size filter will fit inside the cowl? I think I'm going to do this mod, but haven't had time to get inside the cowl and measure it out yet.

Short answer? 19"x4", but you're not gonna get a filter in there....at least not that way. Stay tuned...I'm not done yet.


Long answer. With some fabbing, you can do the filter in the cowl. I have been too lazy to go source a filter yet, but here's my plan. I plan on cutting an access panel into the cowl and firewall, resembling and upside down "L". This will allow me to put the filter in and take it out and have it on the passenger side where it is protected from rain. I will have to find a filter narrow enough to keep it off of the bottom of the cowl so that it doesn't suck water up with it, but other than that, theres no reason why it wont work over there. Plumb some tube and you're good to go. I hate to reveal my secret design, but here we go.




The reason it can't go in the drivers side....



Drivers side cowl....



Passenger side....

My idea....











....now to find a filter....and not a K&N one.

As far as filters go, Amsoil has decent ones and by the looks of it, there is one that will work great. Use two of them for the surface area and to make sure that the engine isn't starved for air, 3" air tube and a "y" connector between the tubes should be sufficent.

http://www.amsoil.com/products/ea_filters/EaAU_Photos_and_Specs.pdf

Amsoil Part #EaAU3570
K&N Part #RU-3130

Dimensions:
Base OD 4.625"
Flange ID 3.5"
Flange Length .625"
Flange Type Center
Media Height 7"
Top OD 3.5"

nice write up and pics so far. I'll be waiting to see the finished product. I might start mine this weekend.