Cold Air Induction

[lotusrock]

Hi, drive 1998 996 C2 3.4 had some xams money burnig a hole my pocket and on a whim purchased a K&N filter and a Cold Air Induction Kit ! arrived last week and surprised to find the induction kit consisted of a bit of plastic tube and a cap to block off the return back into the filter box... can't help feeling ripped off at this stage!

Fitted both last week and take the motor out for a spin, sounds a little better, but there appears to be a much smoother power delivery (not sure if power increase but feels like it). Before i fitted it there was also like others have expereinced a power drop or hesitation at 4-5000 rpm which seems to have disappeared, £200 appeared to be well spent!

However, one small afterthought was the impact on insurance if any! didn't call the insurance company about the filter but called up to enquire about the induction kit.. the lady i spoke to couldn't find the mod of her computer and in anycase my policy didn't allow mods and the next one that did was £800 more!!!!!!

Did a few searches on Confused and Moneysupermarket but neither had the mod option of the induction kit!

Can anyone suggest if this mod requires insurance approval and suggest the best insurance company in the Uk?

Also, before i decide to take the induction kit off do you think the differences i'ved experienced may be dwon purely to the K&N filter?

Cheers

Lotusrock

[DeAd-EyE]

Hi, drive 1998 996 C2 3.4 had some xams money burnig a hole my pocket and on a whim purchased a K&N filter and a Cold Air Induction Kit ! arrived last week and surprised to find the induction kit consisted of a bit of plastic tube and a cap to block off the return back into the filter box... can't help feeling ripped off at this stage!

Fitted both last week and take the motor out for a spin, sounds a little better, but there appears to be a much smoother power delivery (not sure if power increase but feels like it). Before i fitted it there was also like others have expereinced a power drop or hesitation at 4-5000 rpm which seems to have disappeared, £200 appeared to be well spent!

However, one small afterthought was the impact on insurance if any! didn't call the insurance company about the filter but called up to enquire about the induction kit.. the lady i spoke to couldn't find the mod of her computer and in anycase my policy didn't allow mods and the next one that did was £800 more!!!!!!

Did a few searches on Confused and Moneysupermarket but neither had the mod option of the induction kit!

Can anyone suggest if this mod requires insurance approval and suggest the best insurance company in the Uk?

Also, before i decide to take the induction kit off do you think the differences i'ved experienced may be dwon purely to the K&N filter?

Cheers

Lotusrock

Don't tell insurence anything, it's just an intake, 99.9999% of the time this is a non-issue, especially on highend cars. They're really more worried about canning insurence policies of 19 year olds with honda civics with NOSed Type R motors that are gutted and caged with slicks.

As for the change in the driving, if it feels good, do it. Its a bit late over here but i'll post up some more on the intake after dinner or 2morrow morning.

[wwest]

Hi, drive 1998 996 C2 3.4 had some xams money burnig a hole my pocket and on a whim purchased a K&N filter and a Cold Air Induction Kit ! arrived last week and surprised to find the induction kit consisted of a bit of plastic tube and a cap to block off the return back into the filter box... can't help feeling ripped off at this stage!

Fitted both last week and take the motor out for a spin, sounds a little better, but there appears to be a much smoother power delivery (not sure if power increase but feels like it). Before i fitted it there was also like others have expereinced a power drop or hesitation at 4-5000 rpm which seems to have disappeared, £200 appeared to be well spent!

However, one small afterthought was the impact on insurance if any! didn't call the insurance company about the filter but called up to enquire about the induction kit.. the lady i spoke to couldn't find the mod of her computer and in anycase my policy didn't allow mods and the next one that did was £800 more!!!!!!

Did a few searches on Confused and Moneysupermarket but neither had the mod option of the induction kit!

Can anyone suggest if this mod requires insurance approval and suggest the best insurance company in the Uk?

Also, before i decide to take the induction kit off do you think the differences i'ved experienced may be dwon purely to the K&N filter?

Cheers

Lotusrock

In my experience insurance companies look for ANY reason to deny coverage, even the most trivial. Given that the K&N filter is well known to cause MAF/IAT oil then dirt contamination problems and in the long term engine failure due to dirt entering the cylinders they would have good, SOUND, cause. And remember that, other than intake sound/noise, the ONLY advantage to the K&N filter is at WOT and high intake flow, at all other times the throttle valve itself is the major obstruction/restriction to intake airflow.

And if you want colder air at the intake manifold move north. Expensive but FAR more productive.

Edited January 30, 2008 by wwest

[JohnJStewart]

I would ditch the K&N filter. It doesn't add anything apart from a big bill and the bad publicity around seems to suggest it may cause issues.

I like you went mad a bought a Fabspeed Cold Air Kit. I bought it online in the US and brought it back in my luggage when I was over there.

The upside is that it does make the car sound better, it possibly improves the performance a tiny bit - especially in 2nd or 3rd gear and it's easy to fit.

The bad news - the cost. Who are they kidding! I got the tiptronic version which used to be two bits - the replacement "plastic plug" and a thin ring which replaced the mesh airflow that seemed totally pointless and I gather has now been withdrawn from the kit. As mine was a Tiptronic, you didn't need/get the red pipe. The cost - a whopping $160 and I think $220 for the manual. Frankly it's a bit of plastic and you can get the famous Orange Naigara plug (which fits perfectly) for free either as a sample in the UK or US. I got some plastic plugs off a company in the UK in Witney Oxford - got the details if you want them.

I think on balance it's a rip off. I've got my "kit" on sale on Pistonheads for £50 and will throw in a Plastci Plug if anyone offers me close to that. It's a big saving on new and recovers some of my costs although I do feel it's still a bit of a rip off for a piece of plastic.

As for the insurance companies - I'd keep stumm and don't crash it and expose the airbox.