Subiesport Magazine - November 2008 - (Page 88)

Story and Photos Dan Harman & Harman Motive 2007 STI Intake Test Harman Motive Style NOT A DAY goes by at Harman Motive without someone asking, “Should I get an intake for my STI? Which intake is the best? How much power does it add?” While I’ve had my own theories on this subject, we’ve never done a complete back-to-back test to answer these questions. I decided to grab a few intakes we had in stock and see what they’re made of. TEST SUMMARY INTAKES FOR TESTING AEM COLD AIR INTAKE $260.00 • Design: Filter in fender. Single-diameter piping. • Construction: Aluminum - polished • Filter Type: Dry synthetic (large) • Fitment: Very Good • Ease of install: Easy • Quality of parts: Very Good • Airflow Scaling: Excellent (like stock) • Pros: Easy assembly, big filter, no oil needed for filter, good looks. • Cons: Couplers are not as nice as competitors, but this is minor. The AEM intake is a simple design. One thing that stands out is the huge air filter — it’s significantly larger than either the Injen or K&N. Installation is very easy, but you will need to raise the vehicle and remove the passenger side tire to access the fenderwell. (We removed the bumper for our installs. This allowed us to install each intake without removing the vehicle from the dyno. It is faster and easier to leave the bumper on in most circumstances.) Piping size is consistent throughout. The rubber couplers included look a little cheap compared to the K&N and Injen, but they are long enough to make installation easy and fitment a breeze. With only four pieces of piping, it’s the easiest to assemble. The filter is made of a synthetic material that uses no oil. This eliminates any chance of contaminating the MAF sensor – a common problem on Subarus with aftermarket intakes. Furthermore, you only need Simple Green (a household cleaner) and water to clean the filter – a big plus. It’s important to clean your filter regularly with any cold air – they get dirty quickly when installed in the fender. K&N TYPHOON INTAKE SYSTEM $260.00 • Design: Short ram (filter in engine bay) with heatshield. Integrated velocity stack. • Construction: Aluminum piping, steel heatshield • Filter Type: K&N cotton with oil • Fitment: Very Good • Ease of install: Medium (requires most assembly) • Quality of parts: Excellent • Airflow Scaling: Excellent (like stock) • Pros: Excellent quality. • Cons: Hardest to assemble, filter in engine bay (hot air). The K&N is a short-ram intake, unlike the AEM and Injen. This places the intake filter in the hot engine bay. To help keep the heat down, the K&N includes a heatshield that does a decent job of blocking the engine heat. Installation is pretty easy, but Using a 2007 STI, we conducted an intake test with the AEM, Injen, and K&N systems. After obtaining a baseline (stock) dyno run, we custom-tuned the STI with the most common aftermarket modifications (turboback exhaust, ECU reflash). We then installed each intake and tested power output and collected data with and without custom tuning. Surprisingly, all the intakes provided a notable increase in power, around 10whp, over the stock airbox. 88 NOVEMBER 2008

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Subiesport Magazine - November 2008 Contents Editor Letters Readers’ Rides New Products Subaru News 2009 WRX Test Drive Back on Easy Street Brothers in Boost Treasure Island ESPN X Games 14 Subiefest 3 Subie Extravaganza WWJCD WRC Rally Finland WRC Rally Deutschland Rally America: Ojibwe Forest Rally America: Colorado Where to buy Subiesport Orange Invasion - Europe 2007 STI Intake Test Dreadnought Widebody Install p2 Ad Directory Spotted!

Subiesport Magazine - November 2008

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