Last week I got the strange urge to take off my Mina Filter/Quasi cold air intake setup and install the stock airbox with the K&N, flap removed with ram air. While driving back to back, I noticed that there was a large performance gain under 2K RPM while the weather was hot. I did not notice too much of a loss over 3K RPM, but then again, I pretty much never take my car over 4.5K RPM unless I am passing on the free way or feeling special. 99% of my driving is under 2K RPM, so the laggy dead spot is now gone. Obviously there is a loss of intake noise and blower wine, but at least the people taking the bus don't turn around at my car anymore.

Being that the Mina Filter/Intake is more of a hot air design, with a really nice filter that is twice the surface area of the stock filter, I think the performance gain comes from simply that and the block off plate does not do much to prevent hot engine temps from surrounding the filter. But I am almost certain, there is a defnite loss of low end power that is gained up in the mid to top range power with the Mina. So I have concluded that the Mina is probably best for really cold climates, which do not include mine (Arizona) and probably ideal for the drag strip or the track, but not for daily driving. Of course this is all emotional and I have no data backing it up, but I thought I would share.

I wish there was a cost efficient way to design a cold air intake box that could utilize the large filter like the Mina, but be completely blocked off from the engine like all other new cold air intake designs for mustangs, camaros, and challengers. And it would be especially nice, if the stock ram air could be widened and enlarged so that it utlizes more of a ram air effect from the center grill. I think the stock ram air is pretty nice, just way too small, so again if somehow it could be enlarged and be the main source of air for the intake, there could be a robust source of cool ram air. This would prevent the IAT's from climbing at idle and give a huge ram air effect while moving. Just dreaming...thanks for listening.

 

Not only does it allow hot air in, the replacement MAF tube is actually smaller than the factory one. To block off the hot air, I use truck topper insulation (it is about an inch thick), and that has cured a lot of the hot air from coming in.

 

Michael, good point on the tube being smaller. I wonder what diameter the MAF tube is, compare to our aftermarket intake elbows, compared to the stock tube that goes between the intercoolers, and finally the MAF. It appears, there is a whole lot of diameter changes going on.