sdpatt
Sr. SHO Engr.
I had partially cut some of the plastic in the inner fender box many years ago to reduce the air flow restrictions. After reading the many posts about removing the cone and the entire box, I thought I'd take a closer look at the air path in my car.
With the air filter box, wheel and fender splash shield out of the way, I was able to get a good look at the flow path of the intake air. I believe that the fender box has a purpose both to shield the air inlet from the debris that blows around in the fender well and to use the slightly higher pressure air in the forward portion of the fender, forward of the small metal bulkhead.
Yes, I removed the cone, which had been the smallest flow area in my entire inlet path. But rather than remove the fender box, I trimmed the forward face of box where the cone had formerly attached all the way out to the sides. Now there is a greater area for flow through the box's front facing inlet. The foam sealed triangular passage through the fender to the air filter is still in place to let the engine inhale the cooler fender air instead of the engine compartment air.
On the first drive after this change, the increase in the sound volume and tone quality at full throttle was readily apparent. My calibrated butt dyno (ha ha) says that I may have added the few horsepower that I needed to top the 200 fwhp mark. Yeah, well, maybe not. But it sure does sound like it did.
With the air filter box, wheel and fender splash shield out of the way, I was able to get a good look at the flow path of the intake air. I believe that the fender box has a purpose both to shield the air inlet from the debris that blows around in the fender well and to use the slightly higher pressure air in the forward portion of the fender, forward of the small metal bulkhead.
Yes, I removed the cone, which had been the smallest flow area in my entire inlet path. But rather than remove the fender box, I trimmed the forward face of box where the cone had formerly attached all the way out to the sides. Now there is a greater area for flow through the box's front facing inlet. The foam sealed triangular passage through the fender to the air filter is still in place to let the engine inhale the cooler fender air instead of the engine compartment air.
On the first drive after this change, the increase in the sound volume and tone quality at full throttle was readily apparent. My calibrated butt dyno (ha ha) says that I may have added the few horsepower that I needed to top the 200 fwhp mark. Yeah, well, maybe not. But it sure does sound like it did.
