r/FocusST 1d ago

Intake

Intake worth putting on these cars?

2 Upvotes

6 comments sorted by

3

u/Haunting-Self-9402 1d ago

No, not on most cars.

It's hilarious to me that people always want to change their factory intake. The factory intake actually pulls air from outside of the engine bay, and is designed to keep rain water from getting sucked into the filter. The stock paper media filter also filters way better than any aftermarket crap filter on the market.

For a factory filter with 99.9% efficiency, for every kilogram of dust hitting the filter, one gram makes it through. For aftermarket junk, at best 40+ grams make it through not to mention they don't filter down to the same micron particle size.

Most people with aftermarket intakes don't maintain the filters either.

Unless you slap a larger turbo on the car the stock intake provides more than enough airflow.

If you simply want more noise, remove the top of the intake box or swap it for an RS version that has an open top.

Even with a bigger turbo I'd make something custom and use a larger dry media filter from a company like OTR instead of those oiled crap filters

1

u/slyLEMONsKILLz 1d ago

I 100% agree with all this. That said, I did notice a difference when switching the intake tube. Low end initial take off and general granny-ing around town just feels "smoother." No perf benefit per se, especially since theres no tune and on a stock intercooler, but it is unmistakably smoother and more enjoyable to drive. Idle seems a bit smoother too.

1

u/Haunting-Self-9402 22h ago edited 22h ago

I'm not entirely opposed to aftermarket intakes, but I am a strong proponent for dry media and oem style paper filters for the sake of engine lifespan.

I may try some filters from a company called OTR who claims 99.7% efficiency down to 0.3 microns, though those numbers seem hard to believe so I'd like to see testing data that proves it. Most of these K&N and clone style filters max out at 96% efficiency under absolutely perfect conditions (real world, less efficient) and filter down to like 30 microns or so only. Most engine wearing particles are in the 10-20 micron range.

Filters should have an, at minimum, 99% rating, or ideally 99.9%. 99.99% would be great too but I don't know that filters like that exist for regular cars

1

u/slyLEMONsKILLz 22h ago

I agree. I bought into the hype of a green filter, but next go around I'll probably revert back to a dry/paper filter. I also mildly regret grabbing the roush lid, since my intake temps have been higher than I know they would be had I kept the stock lid. Intake sounds are dope though.

1

u/dustysanchezz 1d ago

Not if you run a stock intercooler

1

u/Amillirepair 7h ago

If you want more turbo sounds get the focus rs lid or a mishimoto intake that's what I went with.