So I'm about to roll into about 15k miles so I looked at the book and it tells me I need a new air filter. So i spoke with the dealer and they were going to sell me another stock air filter for $35.00 (not bad) But I then called to a couple of local shops and got the K&N Panel filter for $50 and it actually makes a difference.....

Wow I was surprised... (It doesn't make a huge difference but it seems to smooth things out) I was going to go with some of the other company's intakes but I have heard that they cause big issues with the mast air sensor so I figured a panel would work...

Not bad for $50 bucks and a minute of work....

 

well about aftermarket intakes...you might wanna consider it since it's at the base of the upgrading tree (along with exhaust and ecu), enables you to actually hear your BOV (assuming it's stock...i can hear my stock bov with new intake), and gives you better mpg

not too shabby eh?

 

yeah i have the cai on my normal lancer and i love it cause i can just drive normal and you can barly hear it but if you go full throttel it sounds like a beast, especialy around 3 grand. my only reservation is the under stay under the engine filled with water one night and i guess the air sensor sended it cause i couldnt turn my car on. so i unhooked it at the throttel and drove home and cleaned it out, now i drilled some small holes in the tray and no problems.

 

be careful... aftermarket filter can lean your fuel mixture out abit, thats why you feel the "smoothness".... this can be all go or can cause problems.

 

well'm running a panel filter as well with a homeaid air guide to help direct air up into the duct... I'd stay with the stock box until you decide you want to run a fuel controller just becasue of the fact that it does mess up settings... the stock box is prob the most efficent airbox out on a stock vehicle. Plus your not voiding any warranties and it looks factory but is still deadly...

 

I just bought another stock air filter also, but I got mine at my dealership (Performance Mitsubishi) for $14!

 

get an intake and upgrade fuel pump, then aem, then injector, cams, exhaust, then..

list goes on. If you're not going to mod heavyly for a while, k&N is great, i think. I'm ordering one as we speak.