I'm Planning on getting a new exhaust system and intake. Probably Flowmasters ana I was think of getting the K&N FIPK, (Fuel Injected Performance Kit, I think). Does any one have any experience with these? Are they a good deal, and do the work well enough to spend several hundred dollars?

 

Nope! Personal opinion but the FIPK just isn't worth all the money for the nominal gains it produces. Not to mention it pulls in hotter underhood air than the stock setup. You are better off with the stock airbox and the drop in filter. Want the numbers on the intake temps? Here they are listed for comparison. http://performanceunlimited.com/projectmpg/airtemp.html

 

I have an K&N FIPK installed on my 351 and it was well worth the money ($133.00) which included shipping. It is insulated and uses the snorkel from the oem box , which provides cold ram air.

 

where did you get a fipk for that much. summit sells them for 200 + easy.

 

I'd like to see a photo of that setup considering one of my biggest complaints about the STOCK setup is that stupid corrigated plastic duct from the upper crossmember to the airbox.
Ram air would require quite a bit of straightening of the system to achieve it with any of the effectiveness of true ram air.

 

greystreak92 i am with 514... i am not sure if the $133 kit (#57-2510-1) comes with the correct heat shield. the kit i have is 63-1066, it comes with the new tube, heat shield and it still uses the factor ram air setup. it will hit you up for about $230 but is well worth it. they boast 26hp i would say 12-13 is about right. here is the link. take a look at the part numbers then take a look at the install inst. it really is a nice kit.


www.knfilters.com/aircharger/aircharger.htm

 

Say what you will guys, the numbers at performance unlimited don't lie. The simple truth of the matter is that the stock setup is NOT ram air by any stretch of the imagination and by opening the filter to underhood air temps you are inherently increasing the temperature of the air being drawn into the engine. This is a no-no by any standards for performance. Everybody knows that their cars/trucks run best on a cool damp evening. Thats because cool damp air is the best thing to pull down the throat of any internal combustion engine. In looking at the equipment in the link provided I saw only the regular FIPK and the Aircharger setup which BOTH remove the stock airbox and leave the filter to draw air in from under the hood. And I really don't put much faith in a rubber gasket and a thin piece of plastic to keep this air out and nothing but external air coming in. Does that heat shield really seal against the under side of the hood and keep nothing but outside air from entering the system?

Not that the stock setup is flawless, it can certainly benefit from any "straightening attempts" made to it.

In short I see drawbacks to both setups and still hold that they can be overcome with a little thought and ingenuity. But definitely not $100.00+ worth of plastic, paper, and rubber. Just an opinion and one I intend to hold until I have real numbers to discount it. The numbers at performance unlimited are hard to deny. Greater airlfow and faster airflow don't do near as much good if the air you are pulling in is 10-15 degrees hotter than it is with the stock setup.

 

that is why we insulate, i agree with your points... yes the hood does seal around the top of the heat shield, the draws air from the inner fender/ wheel house. i agree with your hot air point that is bad. remember what your intire air box is made of, PLASTIC, the same plastic as the heat shield. i find it hard to believe that the plastic shield allows for more heat transfer than the factory airbox or corrigated intake tube(s). but using the kit along with a little of that ingenuity you speak of you could make a pretty good upgrade. the stock setup leaves quite a bit to be desired, the corrigated intake tube (and if you have mass air) the y fitting all create a great ammount of turbulance. i live at 6,000 ft and twice a month i drive to 14,000 feet on mountain passes. after the air charger kit i noticed quite a bit of difference when pulling in 4th gear , before i would have to have it floored in 4th to maintain 45mph. now if i floor it i can do 55mph or better. now i know that my city driving may be effected while sitting in bumper to bumper traffic (drawing in all this hot air) but i could care less i dont need the power then. i need it on the freeway and while towing. this is what i did, i got the kit (not emissions legal) www.knfilters.com/aircharger/aircharger.htm kit number 63-1066 and i thought just like greystreak92 i dont want all that hot air, since i have seen that write up before (project mpg) i insulated my intake tube and heatshild. plus i sealed a many areas as i could to draw only cold air.
i think this is a great thread and i enjoy exploring the inner workings of what makes my engine run better.