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R-Spec Intake Modifications

Rey

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The R-Spec intake can be easily and cheaply modified to produce more power and even better gas mileage. I have over 15K miles on this mod. with no material downsides. It is louder on hard acceleration, but normal light acceleration and cruise it is just as silent as OEM.
The air filter I use is a K&N "RF1040". It costs about $50 online. The reason I choose this particular filter is its size. It is one of the largest aftermarket filters available. Filter size matters - more filter area, less restriction=more power.
With the filter in hand you just remove the OEM airbox and attach the K&N to the airbox connector. It slips on and needs no further support. I did some before/after comparisons of ambient air temp vs. intake air temp; and I found this mod does not materially increase the differential at highway cruise.
On the same subject is the size of the throttle body. Adding a larger throttle body is quite a common mod with Corvette owners. The ECU automatically compensates for the increased airflow. Unfortunately, there seems to be no source of larger aftermarket throttle bodies for the R-Spec. BUT, there is a source that will enlarge your throttle body. http://www.maxbore.com/maxbore.html.
 
The R-Spec intake can be easily and cheaply modified to produce more power and even better gas mileage. I have over 15K miles on this mod. with no material downsides. It is louder on hard acceleration, but normal light acceleration and cruise it is just as silent as OEM.
The air filter I use is a K&N "RF1040". It costs about $50 online. The reason I choose this particular filter is its size. It is one of the largest aftermarket filters available. Filter size matters - more filter area, less restriction=more power.
With the filter in hand you just remove the OEM airbox and attach the K&N to the airbox connector. It slips on and needs no further support. I did some before/after comparisons of ambient air temp vs. intake air temp; and I found this mod does not materially increase the differential at highway cruise.
On the same subject is the size of the throttle body. Adding a larger throttle body is quite a common mod with Corvette owners. The ECU automatically compensates for the increased airflow. Unfortunately, there seems to be no source of larger aftermarket throttle bodies for the R-Spec. BUT, there is a source that will enlarge your throttle body. http://www.maxbore.com/maxbore.html.

I use to run this type of so-called "short ram intake" on my Elantra like you are describing, where I would simply remove the stock air-box/filter and replace with a slip on K&N cone.

I've heard the argument that you present here that at highway cruise the air temperature under hood is the same as you would get with the stock or an aftermarket cold-air intake. This may very well be the case, however while just cruising around town on a hot day the heat soak under hood did cause (at least in my subjective opinion) a loss of some low-end power.

Once I switched to the K&N Apollo CAI, I got my low end back. The Genesis does already have a CAI of sorts that is pulling in outside, cooler air from the front, whereas some older Hyundai's stock box pulled in hot air under hood causing you to gain power going to an SRI or CAI.

My vote, if you're just looking for more sound without severely altering the stock set up, is to go for the K&N panel filter. It amplifies the stock intake "snarl" if you gun it, while still be quiet for cruising/light acceleration. My K&N cone only set up on the Elantra would get loud as hell when I had to downshift to go up a steep hill or accelerate hard.
 
I did a lot of comparison measurements on heat soak and in-town driving. It was impossible to do a true back-to-back comparison simply because there are too many variables. For instance, the time it takes to dissipate heat soak is dependent upon weather, distance, speed.
I also have used the K&N drop-in filter. It is a good choice, but personally I find the cone a bit better for performance/gas mileage. You can, and I did, make some small improvements to airflow and simple exhaust heat shielding that reduce underhood temperature.
 
I did some before/after comparisons of ambient air temp vs. intake air temp; and I found this mod does not materially increase the differential at highway cruise.
I did a lot of comparison measurements on heat soak and in-town driving. It was impossible to do a true back-to-back comparison simply because there are too many variables.
This is a very interesting thread and has piqued my curiosity...

How did you test and compare the ambient versus intake air temperatures when you did your analysis? How did the heat soak measurements compare to the highway driving; what were the differences? What were the ambient temperatures when you did your testing? Did you find any differences on cooler days versus hotter days?
 
*sigh*

I really don't mean to come across like a dick, but I have to ask:

Do you have before/after dyno readings to compare, if any, HP differences?

Adding a cone filter (I'm guessing that's what was done) to the stock intake pipe, in my opinion, is useless. The pipe itself is restrictive with its ruffles and not to mention the other airboxes (near the TB) attached to it.

Secondly, as much as I would LOVE to install an actual, functional intake, headers (if they were available) and exhaust, the BPU mods are useless if the computer cant be tuned to release the true potential of this motor. Also, for what I understand, the transmission taps out at 450bhp.

Look, I think its great that people are trying to improvise here, but for this platform, what is the point? Really?

/rant
 
I'm interested in getting a little more sound from the engine, so I appreciate your comments here. I had a G8 GT that I modded like crazy, and after driving my Genesis for a few weeks I realize the loud exhaust is something I don't miss. I do miss hearing the engine rev up, though. Thanks again!
 
I think that changing the throttle body from factory specifications may void the engine warranty. Here is a section of a letter regarding a GM warranty "Based on the information below - Please inform the customer that the Powertrain portion of the Vehicle Warranty is no longer in effect for the engine, transmission, driveline and rear axle on 2G1FT1EWXA9111238 due to the presence of non GM calibrations and equipment."
 
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We keep hearing folks raise the issue of any mod possibly voiding the warranty.The law is pretty clear on this. A warranty may be voided only if there is a direct casual connection between the mod and the failure. The burden is on the manufacturer/dealer.
That written, as a practical matter a service writer can just deny a warranty claim. Then you are stuck and have to work yourself up the chain of command at the mfg. For instance, I installed an aftermarket shifter on my Cadillac CTS-V. The 5th gear syncro went out (usually is is the 1-2 syncro that goes first). The shifting mechanism on that transmission is entirely internal; and a shifter changes nothing internally. Yet the service writer at first denied my warranty claim saying "we cannot rule out the shifter being the cause." I was able to obtain relief at a higher level.
My point is this: any time you mod any vehicle you are exposed to the possibility of warranty denial because of your mod. It makes sense to do only mods which are either non detectible or reversible. Never discard OEM parts and return the car to OEM configuration as needed.
 
We keep hearing folks raise the issue of any mod possibly voiding the warranty.The law is pretty clear on this. A warranty may be voided only if there is a direct casual connection between the mod and the failure. The burden is on the manufacturer/dealer.
That written, as a practical matter a service writer can just deny a warranty claim. Then you are stuck and have to work yourself up the chain of command at the mfg. For instance, I installed an aftermarket shifter on my Cadillac CTS-V. The 5th gear syncro went out (usually is is the 1-2 syncro that goes first). The shifting mechanism on that transmission is entirely internal; and a shifter changes nothing internally. Yet the service writer at first denied my warranty claim saying "we cannot rule out the shifter being the cause." I was able to obtain relief at a higher level.
My point is this: any time you mod any vehicle you are exposed to the possibility of warranty denial because of your mod. It makes sense to do only mods which are either non detectible or reversible. Never discard OEM parts and return the car to OEM configuration as needed.

^Well said.
 
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