AFE drop-in noise level

[Ncostello]

Any owners of AFE drop-in's for 94-02 care to describe the noise levels of the turbo. My Fleetguard BHAF noise level is about all I'm used to. I'm sure neither is as loud as a full intake kit but I'm kinda interested in the drop in with modified OEM box for "waterproof-ness" reasons. I'm not really modified in the power department so decent airflow is fine for me.



Actually I'm kinda hoping the AFE drop-in is a little louder than the BHAF. My idea is to enlarge the OEM filter box hole as large as possible. Then I can install some foam seal on the fender opening to help keep hot air out of the box. I figure that should give me the "medium" amount of air I'll need.



If I put too many holes in the box, it will surely suck in hot engine compartment air. My BHAF gets fairly hot to the touch even with my Mallory Shield. So I know its sucking hot air.

 

[1tuffram]

I can you there is a pretty substantial INCREASE in turbo noise "music" going from the OEM paper filter & airbox with turbo silencer removed to the AFE MEGA CANNON with the turbo silencer removed.



Can't comment about the AFE drop-in for the OEM airbox. I can say when I put a K@N filter in the OEM airbox of my '95 truck there was a noticable different in turbo noise, which at a later date was further increased when I removed the silencer ring and the plastic snorkel between the airbox and the inner fender.



In my 2002 truck I have the AFE MEGA CANNON with no silencer ring and in the '95 truck I' currently running an Amsoil filter in the OEM airbox with the silencer ring and snorkle missing. The turbo music in the 2002 is more noticable than in the '95, especially when cruising thru parking lot's at low speed with just enough RPM's to get the turbo spooling. When in the '02 I usually turn a few heads, but seldom in the '95.

 

[Dane]

I have the AFE drop in with 4 holes drilled in the bottom of the stock air box. The fender to air box snorkel is removed too. Definitely better flow.



Turbo music is louder, don't know how to describe it exactly, but 25-35% louder than paper filter and stock box sounds about right to me.

 

[Ncostello]

Instead of drilling the holes in the lower section, I'm going to enlarge the OEM oval opening on the fender side of the box. I figure that if I make this opening as large as reasonably possible it should give me enough air flow. Plus it will hopefully limit the amount of hot air it sucks in from the engine side of the box. I'm not sure how much air really comes through the fender opening while driving down the road. I doubt its anything like a ram-air effect. Maybe just a little.



I kinda wanted to make enough opening in the box to equal the sq-in area of the filter surface. But I dont think this is really possible as small as the box is. I'd end up with nothing left if I attempted this... . maybe just the three mounting nuts .



Edited: The ID of the turbo intake hose is close to 4. 125". This gives a cross section area of 13. 5 sq-in. The filter measures 9"x10" thus giving a 90 sq-in flow area (not counting folds in the filter). The enlarged opening I can make will give me 33 sq-in... which is 2. 5 times the turbo intake hose. These numbers may or may not really mean much either since I cant test anything. But they sure cant be all that bad.



I can also cut some triangular shaped openings in the sides of the box giving me an additional 10 sq-in if necessary. But I think an airbox opening of 33 sq-in will be plenty for my under 300 HP truck. Drilling holes wont give me that much more so I'm going to stay away from that.



I already ruined on box bottom section with a hole saw!

 

[Ncostello]

Got my AFE drop in today. Really pleased with the quality. The factory oil job looked fine... a nice gold color over all the filter fibers. Didn't look over oiled at all.



The box turned out well (thanks gitchesum) and the factory opening was enlarged to basically a 4" x 9" rectangle for 36 sq-in total. No other holes are planned at this time. Even with a somewhat dirty Fleetguard OEM filter (no foam) it wouldn't pull the minder down at all. I'm sure the AFE wont pull it down any.



The spool up is as good or better than my BHAF and the noise is slightly louder than the BHAF. I have a good ear and have driven with the BHAF for about a year so I can tell easy. Idle whistle is about the same. When I get the boost up high then shift... the turbo slowing down is much more "wooshy". Sounds good.



Now I dont have to worry about underhood hot air too much and shouldn't have to worry about any water getting on the filter. I'm very pleased with this setup.

 

[Bob Wagner]

I've used the amsoil ts106 drop in filter and it works great and I have used the afe drop in too both work great and I would agree the AFe is a top notch filter.



I've also switched to the AFE mega cannon ( won as prize)



so if anyone wants to try the AFE or Amsoil air filter at reduced cost





just email because we all try em all





Heck I even have a almost new K&N RE-080 cone filter that pristene





Wow

 

[JGK]

Ncostello,



Regarding the issue of getting cool air from the fender...



On Sunday I posted the results of some testing I did with a friend of mine on the Scotty II and aFe Mega Cannon filters over in the Prod/Access. - No Engine, etc. forum. In all tests with the Scotty, air was drawn from the fender, cowling, or from an air dam. No under hood air at all. However, the aFe got all it's air from under the hood (though the fender hole was open next to the filter). In all cases, the temperature measured in the rubber hose between the filter and the turbo remained the same, roughly 5 to 8 degrees above the outside air temperature. This was at speed (65mph).



Certainly, in town, like at stoplights, the air drawn in by the aFe Mega Cannon will be hotter. But once you get moving, it's apparently not much different than getting from the fender, cowel, etc. So doing something like just drilling holes in the lower section of your airbox will do good things for airflow without serious issues of the air being too warm.



FWIW,

-Jay