Backbox & Induction Kit killing power???

[Topgeartom]

Hi there, this is my first post so im really sorry if i make a complete arse of myself or get the technical names for stuff wrong.

Anyway i have just (last friday) bought and picked up my first ever car. Im 17 so the insurance group had to be fairly low. Im making excuses here but ive got a 1996 Mk1 Phase3 Clio RT 1.4. I spent ages trying to find a nice 3dr RT that wasnt an auto, and its taken me about a month after passing my test in feb.

The car by chance has already been fitted with a really rather ncie set of 15" alloys. they are TSW Catalunya's in black/silver - wouldnt have been my first choice but they are growing on me quite a bit.

Anyway im getting too far from the point. What it also has is an Induction kit - no idea what brand its not marked as anything, but its a cone-style filter that hes connected to the outside of the filterbox in place of the tube that feeds the cold air from the front bumper - hes taken the OE filter out of the airbox though, but still a few of my mates have said that it will now be sucking hot air in which will drop the power.

Also, the car has a rage backbox - now i wouldnt have though about putting a rage backbox on as they tend to sound a bit tacky. To give him his dues though, its a nice subtle dual square pipe affair, so it doesnt look too bad. The sound isnt as bad as i was expecting either. Its not farty at all, it sounds more fruity than anything. (daft descriptions i know, im sorry)
The thing is though, the same mates also say that this will reduce my power as well as it kills all the backpressure you get in normal exhausts, so its actually slowing me down.

Can anyone with some technical knowledge shed some light on the subject - would it be worth my whle buying a standard exhaust for it and buying a new OE filter to put back in the airbox and take off the cone it has on???

Apologises for the big ba**ard essay if youve kept up with me you deserve a medal - i do ramble on a bit.

Cheers
Tom

 

[Englebert]

Your mates could well be right. I doubt your backbox makes an positive or negative difference to be honest but i imagine in most circumstances an open filter is losing you power.

Ideally the thing to do would be to invest in a remap that caters for the filter and exhaust.

 

[Eat The Rich]

He's got a cone attached to the original airbox?? If you're fitting an induction kit you usually take out the whole air box and the new filter will just connect straight to the throttle housing (at the back I'm guessing). If you're not up for the induction kit then just buy a replacement panel filter and use the original set up (although with this you'll have a more breathable filter).

As for the exhaust... it depends what you want. If you dont mind the sound/look then keep it. It won't be doing any harm so it's down to you dude. I'd type more but 4pm has come and it's time to finish work

 

[Timmay]

also welcome to the CS forums!

 

[Topgeartom]

Thanks for the advice, if the exhaust isnt doing too much harm i think ill focus my attention and very limited cash to the filter. After doing a bit of reading on here last night it seems that the best option by way of a replacement panel filter in the original box is an ITG panel - would that fit my car? and is it the best filter to go for without having to go into diverting airflow and all that jazz

 

[Jay MK1]

I have exactly the same car Mk1 Ph3 but mine is a 1.2, I have a Pipercross I/K and also a cat back exhaust system.
When i first got my car like all new drivers you want to see how fast it could go lol, and it was an ok speed without the induction kit and the exhaust sounded ok,
But when i put an I/K on my car the pull off was much better and sounded alot better but the top end wasnt as good.

I personally like my car sounding and looking nice!
I dont see the point in having a car that does a stupid amount of speed due to the fact that where you are a new driver you will end up killing yourself.