[Szumita]

nah, they wont be able to tell. i think youll be fine. doubt they even would look for that.

[drev]

Hey guys, I don't want to sound like a "know it all" or anything, but I design air cleaners and intake manifolds for a living and all this mod is doing is "detuning" the audible noise levels of the air cleaner, which is why you hear the bypass valve much better. How it works is the resonator bottle (the tumour as you call it) is a large volume with a smaller neck that attaches to the the duct. The air inside the volume acts as a spring and affects the sound waves produced as the air rushes in, thus making the system quieter by cancelling the sound waves through interference. As far as performance goes, there won't really be much of a gain if any at all by leaving the hole open, however, you will be drawing air in from two locations instead of one now. If there is to be any sort of gain then my recommendation would be to add some sort of ideal entry (flared lip with a radius all the way around) to the open hole to aid with airflow. I'm sure many of you know this stuff already, but I just thought I would post it for those who may not know why the air cleaner was designed that way.

[ebelp]

^^ good info, thanks!

[KarlSTI]

Yeah, I've wondered how to do that. The hole in the elbow has an irregular shape....not lending itself well to a velocity stack type of intake...

[Szumita]

good info drev. this turned out to be a good thread...

[coop1103]

So can I just unbolt the two 10mm bolts and remove the silencer and that is all that is needed? I dont want to saw anything up since this is a leased vehicle.

[KarlSTI]

Originally Posted by coop1103

So can I just unbolt the two 10mm bolts and remove the silencer and that is all that is needed? I dont want to saw anything up since this is a leased vehicle.

Hacksaw the tumor off of the elbow as shown in the pictures above. Save the Tumor. When you return the vehicle, duct tape the tumor back on. No one will know the difference since you can't see it. Done.


-OR-

Simply leave the tumor off since no one will know anyway as long as the elbow is in place.

[sti8107]

Originally Posted by KarlSTI

...and a ton of cool air comes into the wheel well from the fog lamp cover on the 05's and a different opening on the 06...located to take air from the lower front central opening.

This is why CAI's work so well....lots of cool air in the wheel well to be had....


Try it both ways....covered for a month....and open for a month....easy enought to change. On mine, I just reached thru the fog lamp cover with my hand an pulled the cover off of the elbow...

I clean my air filter every 5k miles and it always looks good...

Hey KarlSTI
Are you sure about this lower front central opening. I removed the silencer today and left the hole open on the elbow. I don't remember seeing a place where air can come into the wheel well, except now from the open hole on the elbow. I'm a little worried about air not reaching the intake properly now. For me, I didn't hear any difference at all. I didn't get up to any real speed though. By the way, I have an 07 STI with a stock air filter. Can use this pic I found and cirlce the location you are talking about. Thanks for you help.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89...STI-2006-a.jpg

[MasterMind]

if your really worried about water, tape up the hole, or buy the elbow from jscspeed, or fastwrx.com

[KarlSTI]

Originally Posted by sti8107

Hey KarlSTI
Are you sure about this lower front central opening. I removed the silencer today and left the hole open on the elbow. I don't remember seeing a place where air can come into the wheel well, except now from the open hole on the elbow. I'm a little worried about air not reaching the intake properly now. For me, I didn't hear any difference at all. I didn't get up to any real speed though. By the way, I have an 07 STI with a stock air filter. Can use this pic I found and cirlce the location you are talking about. Thanks for you help.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89...STI-2006-a.jpg

Not positive, I was only told this...when you look at the picture in the link look a little to the left of the black tag on the front. My understanding was that there is some sort of vent here that leads to the wheel well. A friend of mine with an '06 told me this. This made sense to me when I heard it since CAI's would need positve air flow. Also, with the stock air filter you may not hear anything. With a K&N drop in or other high flow filter you should hear something when you suddenly let off the gas.

On the '05 the vent is located on the fog lamp cover. The vent in this case is a narrow vertical slit with a rubber/plastic louver (sp).

Let us know what you find out.

[MasterMind]

i heard the bpv with the stock filter, but a k&n made it a little louder

[KarlSTI]

Originally Posted by MasterMind

i heard the bpv with the stock filter, but a k&n made it a little louder

Same here...but the K&N made it loud enough for my wife to say, "What did you do? Did you put a BOV on?" Mind you I was driving it to maximize the sound if you know what I mean....

[MasterMind]

ya, you'd think after a while you'd get used to it. i at least give it just enough gas to hear it when i shift. no wonder my gas mileage has gone down..

[Szumita]

Originally Posted by MasterMind

ya, you'd think after a while you'd get used to it. i at least give it just enough gas to hear it when i shift. no wonder my gas mileage has gone down..

haha, yeah, mine suffers alot.

[sti8107]

Originally Posted by KarlSTI

Not positive, I was only told this...when you look at the picture in the link look a little to the left of the black tag on the front. My understanding was that there is some sort of vent here that leads to the wheel well. A friend of mine with an '06 told me this. This made sense to me when I heard it since CAI's would need positve air flow. Also, with the stock air filter you may not hear anything. With a K&N drop in or other high flow filter you should hear something when you suddenly let off the gas.

On the '05 the vent is located on the fog lamp cover. The vent in this case is a narrow vertical slit with a rubber/plastic louver (sp).

Let us know what you find out.

I wouldn't actually call it a vent. There is a small opening in there to take some fresh air in. Also, if the side air diffusers work, air should be entering from there. I'm just going to leave the elbow open on mine. I can't wait to get a K&N to get the sound you guys are talking about.