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Originally Posted by dalparadise
The "bud" design of the HKS filters seems to be more directional than the "K&N-style" filters of other short rams, which seem to take in air from all around them. Could it be that the base of the bud filters acts as a heat shield and the airflow coming from the front and bottom of the car (where the buds are pointed) is not really heated at all at the point where it's taken in by the TS intake?
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If they indeed managed to control where they're getting the airflow from on a short tube, that may be possible...for a limited time. I think it would only provide a short term boost in power, eventually heat soak will start to affect the intakes. The way the short tubes are set up in our engine bay, the entire intake is just too close to the engine to get a good amount of cold air into it. Which is why many of our forum members here are adamant that you need a long-tube CAI instead.
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Could the length of tubing in the Stillen or Injen design be conducting heat throughout the intake, therefor containing the column of air through a longer tube than the short rams and allowing for more time and surface area throughout its length to heat the incoming air?
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If the air flow through the intake was really slow maybe. But considering driving at cruising speeds, you have a great deal of air moving through those tubes, the heat transfer from the surface would be minimal. Again, I think the concern was more towards the temperature of the air drawn in. Short tubes are already at a disadvantage by drawing in the hotter air in the engine bay.
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That said, could thickness of, or bends in, the tubing contribute to this?
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This is where my design question came in. What material did TS use? What is the thickness? How did they design different from others (i.e. Takeda) that makes their short tube system work?
I'm not convinced applying a metal with a low heat transfer would suddenly allow it to beat a CAI. Unless I'm totally missing a heat shield that's been integrated to the design somewhere.
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Is the filter medium in the buds less restrictive than in the K&N-style?
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Another design question, I'd have to compare the two designs since I'm unfamiliar with the inner workings of both.
Anybody wanna hook up an air flow sensor just beyond the filters?
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Is a larger surface area actually facing the airflow in the buds? (Again, the "directional" aspect of their design)
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And again, see my above comments about having a 'directional' aspect to the design.
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Just some points I've pondered as to why the TS might outperform or equal (which was my vote, BTW) the Stillen.
In the end, the marginal advantage to the TS is not worth the cost for me. If money were no object and I only accepted the best, like on this Mothra car, yeah -- strap on plenty of Smoky's gear. But for a little more than half price, the Stillen performs almost as well. That's right on-mission with the 370Z and where most of us regular guys end up.
Still, you have to hand it to Top Secret and their ability to take designs one step beyond and eek out a little more performance. Those who appreciate that committment and who are willing to pay for it will always get their money's worth.
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Mothra will really be a one in a million car I guess.