Anyone have any issues with sucking up water through your intake? Either with a coldair or with this mod? I'm worried that it would here. The streets flood a bit if it rains pretty hard.

 

You'd have to drive through like a 6 inch deep puddle for water to get up far enough to get to the filter.

The front bumper and inner wheel-well protect the filter pretty good... plus if you use the stock box it still has that little snorkel part up top that it would suck air through before it sucked up any water.

I drive my car pretty much every day and we get some nasty flooding here in the city when it rains... I'm a smart enough driver to pick the lanes that don't get flooded (don't have to worry about hydroplaning that way either) so I haven't had any problems. If I do come to a puddle that is too deep I'll either crawl through it or turn around and find another route... but that hasn't happened yet.

 

It happened to me last yr and had to have the engine replaced. I was in about 3-4 inches of water. Luckily it was still under warranty and I worked at a chevy dealership. But with my new cobalt I am leary about doing the mod again. Or I need to pick better routes to go home when its raining.

 

That's what I'm afraid of here. Sometimes there's 1 to 1 1/2 feet of water in the roads. Even deeper on some intersections. The road I live on usually has 2 - 6 inches if it rains. Depending on if it was pouring down pretty hard and I get there just after.

I dont want to hydro lock my baby

 

Well I think if you get more than 4-5 inches its gonna get water in it no matter what,just from where the airbox sits.

 

I tried to do the mod, but couldn't justify(car is only 12 days old)leaving the bottom open. I instead opted for an autozone(performance aisle)#8136. They have them in red,blue,ect... It supposedly works with 3",3 1/2" and 4". Well the 2007 balt ss/sc is neither 3" nor 3 1/2". I took the insert off the autozone filter and stretched it over the lip of the airbox. With that and a little white lithium grease, and a couple of scraped knuckles, had it fitting TIGHT. I took the clamp off before install(didn't need a rattle). I could still get the bottom of the box to bolt up,...........not tight though. I ran it with the bottom on and off a few times. not on strip just the road. With the bottom off,....it is definitely louder(super sucking air) with it on and a lil gap, louder, almost noticeable.
Differance between bottom off and bottom almost on in my eyes, not much. Throttle response and jumps in boost gauge numbers were 'bout the same. I was also doing the driving, tech analysis and evething all in one. My opinion, for $25-$30 bucks, can't beat it. You can tell a difference and still hear it if your sub ain't kicking.........
btw if anyone thinks I am f' N up......let me know, this is my 1st sc.................thanks for the help guys/gals.

1/2 airbox mod

 

My balt came with stage 2 from the dealer, so this is my first "mod". I couldn't be happier. Boosts faster, better response and the sound is just flat out disgusting.

BTW, I used the Spectre filter, disconnected the battery during install and no CEL so far (it's been a week). Nice mod!

 

enjoy!

 

I'd be more worried about splashing and water hitting the filter. That happened to my friend who has the AEM intake. I use the AEM filter, but with the airbox mod, the sides are protected a bit better (i just took the bottom off, no sawing). But if you are really concerned, get a hydro block cover for the filter.

 

ive had this done since this writeup and never have ingested water, but to each his own, the good part is as long as you put the splash shield back on the car you should be fine, just dont drive thru deep standing water..

 

I finally got around to trying out the GM filter for the airbox mod, but there is a problem. The diameter of the filter's neck is exactly the same as the opening in the airbox, and so when they meet they kind of just reject each other.



Is it the same with the AEM filter? I feel like I could force it through if I could reach in and pinch the neck, but I was working upside down tonight since I didn't have time to completely remove the airbox from the car (cant miss the playoffs :P).

If anybody has some insight I'd greatly appreciate it. I may try again tomorrow morning.

 

if you get the correct dryflow its a bolt in...

 

I successfully mounted the GM filter to the stock airbox! I had to cut off the majority of the filter's neck, and used the 3.5" adapter that comes with the Spectre part number 8131/8132/8134/8136/8138 (all the same, just different colors) as a coupler between what was left of the filter neck and airbox opening.

I am pleased with the increase in whine even though I opted to close the airbox. In fact the only reason I cut the neck was so that the filter would fit inside the airbox with the cover on. If you plan to use the GM filter with the airbox cover off you could just get a coupler and clamp it down. It sticks out approximately 1 1/2 inches without cutting the neck.

I'll post pics tomorrow showing exactly how much of the filter's neck I cut off, what it looks like with the adapter/coupler attached, and the final product.

 

my AEM slid right on tightly, then i tightned the O ring with a socket wrench with a flathead attachment, no problems it felt like it was made for the gm intake

 

Yeah I'm aware that the dryflow is the filter of choice for this mod because of the great fitment, but I wanted to give the GM filter a shot since nobody else has thus far. Looks like it works if you're willing to do a little cutting to have a GM branded filter on your car.

For ease of install I would recommend the AEM filter over the GM one. The GM filter is only for obsessive compulsive people such as myself that demand every performance mod be GMPP.

 

sounds like the same mods to do to the spectre filter, if GM had a brain, they would make a bolt in version for the SS sc

 

Why would anybody want the stock GM filter?? YUCK.

 

he's using the gm performance parts filter, not a stocker

 

Here are the pics as promised. Not shown is a clamp that I later attached to the coupler to make sure it would hold on as tight as possible.






Again, the part number for the GMPP filter is 88967478

 

I just finished doing the "air box mod" With a pep boys specter air filter. The install went good, took a little longer than I would have liked but it was no biggie. The hardest part was getting the filter to stay on but I think it is on there as good as it can be!

The SC is much louder now, still not as loud as my 05 GTP was but I think a stage 2 kit and 2.90 pulley will take care of that .

To the original poster, thank you for the write up! It was very helpfull!!


ALSO** I didnt put any oil at all on the filter before I installed it. I know I am not supposed to over oil it, but is it ok that I didnt oil it at all??


Mike

 

The spectre filters I've seen in stores recently are pre-oiled. I just popped a new one on mine the other day and haven't had any issues.

On a good note... I left the last spectre brand filter on for 10,000 miles and it was still pretty clean when I took it off. I was wondering how well the cheap-o brands would hold up and it did suprisingly well. This new one is staying on for atleast 15,000 miles... maybe more.

Hmm... looking at those pictures I can see that the adapter on the end of the GM cone filter is offset... very interesting.

 

I have the Spectre filter also... works fine it looks like good construction, its washable and has a 100,000 mile warranty...I plan on cleaning mine and keepin it until 100,000 or when I sell the car, whichever comes first.

 

It's "guaranteed" for 100k miles... I'd suggest taking it out every 15-20k and cleaning/re-oiling it just like the K&N filters suggest you do.

With proper care I see the $25 filters lasting a long time.

 

I would assume it is because it was designed for the GMPP short ram system for the 2.2/2.4

 

Do you have the AEM part # .... Was it 21-2110DK ?