Will stock airbox kill my power?

[NCSupraowner]

Upgraded to 57 trim turbo, 935motorsports divorced (recir) downpipe, 3" exhaust. Everything else stock. Will running the stock airbox hurt anything? Or just lower power levels? Planning on upgrading to apexi or k & n intake and intercooler with hardpiping, just running low on funds.

 

[AbsoluteSpeed]

Its not going to hurt anything, but there are advantages to be had if you allow it to breath better. It might, let me stress this, MIGHT make you turbo work harder as it has to pull more to get the air.

 

[NCSupraowner]

I'll baby it until the intake and intercooler are done then...sucks...but I'd like it to last. Thanks

 

[AbsoluteSpeed]

No need to baby it at all, a 57trim is not going to pull enough air even if you raise boost to fuel cut you will not have a problem.
I'm sure there are a ton of people using stock air box and pushing 12-14psi on upgraded ct-26's.

 

[Poodles]

Stock air box has some flaws in it's design IMHO that limit power, but I'd still be running one if it would have fit with my hardpipes...

Running high boost on the stock piping won't end well either

 

[NCSupraowner]

Alright. Thanks.

 

[Cya]

Lots of high end tunners use air boxes on there setup for customers, i.e. Mines and Tommi Kaira. I don't know if that helps any, might not apply to our cars but just a though.

 

[NCSupraowner]

Stock air box has some flaws in it's design IMHO that limit power, but I'd still be running one if it would have fit with my hardpipes...

Running high boost on the stock piping won't end well either

When you say it wouldn't fit, do you mean because of intercooler piping or that you replaced the intake hose?

 

[Poodles]

Cooleeze intercooler piping. The piping that goes through the fender is larger and doesn't allow enough room for the airbox.

 

[935motorsports]

It could be debated. We typically all use 3" cone filters, yet the intake snorkel on the stock airbox is larger then 3". So where is the restriction? Also, you only suck in outside cool air, always a plus.

The problem with the stock airbox is the K&N filter that most people use. The black rubber middle portion takes up half of the flow area and restricts maximum possible flow.

If you use a flat panel filter like HKS, TOMS, etc, you won't have this problem.


For what it is worth, I did 2 different runs in the 1/8th mile, one with open cone filter and one with stock intake. I picked up .3 secs with the stock intake on the 2nd run, because I was not getting heat soak any longer.

 

[MK3Brent]

Car comes stock with a CAI.

 

[NCSupraowner]

Pretty cutting edge for 1987!

 

[MK3Brent]

In fact, most all cars come stock CAI. :rofl:

 

[NCSupraowner]

If I stick with 2.5" intercooler piping can I keep the stock airbox? I've read 3" is more difficult to route and deal with. Is 3" worth it?

 

[MK3Brent]

Depending on how you route the piping.

Going the stock path, sure.

 

[Nick M]

Pretty cutting edge for 1987!

As though kids think they thought it up. Even though grandpa's car with a carburetor likely had one also.

 

[Poodles]

Stock airbox backing has a dam before it enters the actual AFM which could hamper performance compared to a better kit.

Also, I wouldn't call it a cold air induction, I'd call it fresh air as it's usually not in the ideal spot of cool air on OEM cars...

Good luck with getting intercooler piping through the fender and still keeping the airbox.

 

[tekdeus]

I'm amazed that so many people happily suck in the blistering hot air that comes directly off the radiator. A cold air intake was one of the very first mods I did to the car. IIRC, IJ said that he measured a 20 degree drop in intake temps by pulling in cold air from outside the engine bay.

 

[NCSupraowner]

I'm amazed that so many people happily suck in the blistering hot air that comes directly off the radiator. A cold air intake was one of the very first mods I did to the car. IIRC, IJ said that he measured a 20 degree drop in intake temps by pulling in cold air from outside the engine bay.

Sweet Supra! Any engine bay pics or interior?

What size wheels and tires are they??

 

[Cya]

Depending on how you route the piping.

Going the stock path, sure.

I don't think 3" will work going the stock route (turbo to IC), at least without beating the engine bay wall in.