I'm looking to replace my OEM fitted panel filter in my 2003 WRX, which one is the better one to get, are they worthwhile?

Thanks,

Andy.

 

I recommend a green panel filter as I've heard very good reports about them, especially for my year of scoob (MY00) as apparently the MAFs are quite sensitive. Also heard good reports about the K&N filter.

 

Subaru STi filter works well in my 03 WRX.

 

Is your car under warranty still AndyMoody with Subaru UK?

I found out the other week that Subaru UK will not replace a faulty sensor if it has a oil based after market filter.

If this is the case maybe think what I am doing and get a Sti filter until warranty expires. It will be under Subaru warranty.

 

From my experience on the 911 I'd say be very careful with wet oiled filters like the k&N. I don't know what the flow rates are for the stock filters on the wrx but I know that the high induction sucks the oil of the wet oil type and it ends up knackering hot wire maf's and lines your manifold with oil which can disturb the flow. Also if you do a search on google you will see the k&N lets a TON of dust particules into your engine which can create serious valve wear.

The apexi power intake (dual funnel) induction kit was the best I ever found with incredible flow. I actually had a custom mount made so I could put this on my 911 it was so good. This was a dry weave fibreglass dry cone which needs no oiling and was good for 450bhp. It filters down to something silly like 5microns. standard paper does about 20microns and the k&N is something awful like 50microns.


http://www.mkiv.com/techarticles/filters_test/2/

http://www.apexi-usa.com/product_suc...=166&pageNum=1

You can get them off ebay pretty cheap...

 

I've got the GREEN cotton panel filter on mine, not had any problems so far with the MAF (touch wood, that's jinxed it ).

£42 delivered from www.japanimportcarbits.com

 

I have a JR Racing panel with the air-intake silencer and ram-air scoop removed, and the airbox sealed to the wing to ensure cool clean air in plentiful supply. Works a treat, with nice induction noise, spool-up whistle and even a dump whooosh from the OE recirc valve. After doing this I found the engine runs slightly cooler when in traffic (probably as it's not sucking in engine bay air) and the turbo spools up a couple of hundred rpm earlier. £45 for the filter and free to remove the other bits No problems with sensors after 2 years and 25k miles

 

HKS Green Hybrid Panel. Non oiled. Top Product. £34 from

http://www.osaka-autodesign.com/

Same part number as a Subaru item, direct replacement takes 5 mins!! I got one.

 

Yes my car is still under warranty. Is the STI filter mentioned the one you get from a Scooby dealer or where?

Apexi panel filter looks good if you can find one.

Andy.

 

It's actually an induction kit...£60 inc shipping - the whole kit is in the box - can't go wrong!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/APEXi...25884826QQrdZ1

 

I honestly don't think that they make a ha'pence of noticable difference over the std paper filter.

I stand to be corrected,but the STi filter I fitted to an old RB5 of mine really made the car feel stifled

If they were that crucial and as they're comparatively cheap in performance terms,then I'm sure one would be included in the PPP,or not

 

i thought PPP included a Ram Air Filter?

Hmm reading this i wish i hadn't bought a K&N off ebay last week - not arrived yet.

how much is a new MAF fitted?

 

If you read the newage modification stage 1 thing you will see the increase in power for the kn filter over the standard

 

I called Subaru UK re: STI panel filter and they said that the overfuelling is to help with cooling the engine and as such, better air flow from any non -standard air filter would lean the mixture and if the engine went bang !! bye bye any cover from them. Standard filter ony was the statement made by them.

 

^^ how likely is this? has it ever happened to anyone?

 

I'm sure if a bin is nearby, if your engine goes bang and you have the standard filter in the boot ready and waiting. Then the warranty will be fine ;o)

 

I use the J&R from Scoobyworld.
Has excellent flow rate and allows the engine to breath
and rev a lot more freely.
www.scoobyworld.co.uk

Rob

 

If your car could go BANG after just fitting another air-filter then it's surely knackered and on the upper edge of demise or else the most fragile engine ever manufactured...maybe if you ran WAY lean or WAY rich for 20,000 miles you could accelerate the rate of engine wear but that's about as bad as it's ever going to be...a replacement filter is hardly going to change things that drastically...it'll show up on the next MOT you have if your mixtures gone way astray anyway cos your co2 will be cocked...besides doesn't the ECU and the MAF have a say in this on a scooby - between it and the MAF it certainly did on my 22 year old porsche!

Of course I understand why they'd have to say this - which is why I wouldn't mod a car under warranty unless it was prodrive approved stuff anyway.

 

FWIW After market includes the STI filter, if they want to be arsey about it ANYTHING other than the standard filter will invalidate your warranty. However, as said, what's to stop you swapping your old oem filter back (3 mins) in the even of a warranty claim..?

Green is my personal choice BTW

 

so when i take it in for service, i have to flip back the standard one and let them charge me a tenner for a new one? w@nkers

 

If you are still under warranty, then yes, take it out and out astandard one in. If they did find anything that involved a claim that was engine related they will squeel like a pig if they think they can get away with it. Don't give them any reason and they won't know otherwise. Better safe than sorry. Also, I agree re the mixture thing, I know it makes naff all difference dur to the ecu compensating if required, but we are talking form the warranty companies stance and they are as mad as cheese !!

 

You needn't use a main dealer for the servicing anyway. Save some ca$h and get it done by a specialist like Scoobyclinic, and you won't have to bother about changing the filter or paying for one you won't use

 

This may interest you...........I bought a Green panel filter and had it in my car a while, I was then talking to Mike Wood of Prodrive, who said that anything other than the standard paper filter is unsafe, and also doesn't offer the same filtration as the standard paper filter, (the result of extensive tests carried out at Prodrive). I now have the standard paper filter back in my car, and it really, truly isn't a fraction slower.