K&N filters (sensations and question)
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 1:45 pm
Hello,
First let me tell you that I bought my Elan (Plus2) in 2010 or 2011 before a long dark era of my life forced my to sideline the car.
Last year I unearth it and started work to put it back on the road. Among other things I installed a pair of thick (3 inches) K&N filters directly on the DelOrto's. A few week ago I got to the point of starting to drive the Elan again I loved it even if driving without an interior and with the K+N was ... kind of noisy; but with so few Elan's on the roads in Switzerland I had nothing to compare to. And with almost 7 years without driving even for short distances I did not remember how it sounded originally. I did tell myself however that with that level of noise it was surprising Lotus was aiming at the upscale market with the +2 back in the days.
When I tied to pass MOT the 1st time early last month, I failed for some non-existent spring/damper problem I might talk about some day. Anyway, the technician added that next time he would submit the car to a noise test. I got scared and told myself I'd stand a better chance of passing the test with the original filter. So I did put it back in.
What as difference! I am really into enjoying my Lotus as a sports car, driving hard and fast. But it is so much more comfortable with the original filter. Maybe there's not this grunt that makes you believe your driving a racing car but there is still plenty of engine noise to enjoy and the level is quite acceptable. I am not going back to those K&N unless I start racing (in which case I will change the car around the filter(s) to a baby Elan).
I remember seeing a conical filter that attaches directly to the air box somewhere on a picture. Has anyone tried one of those ones out?
Happy summer roads
Fran?ois
First let me tell you that I bought my Elan (Plus2) in 2010 or 2011 before a long dark era of my life forced my to sideline the car.
Last year I unearth it and started work to put it back on the road. Among other things I installed a pair of thick (3 inches) K&N filters directly on the DelOrto's. A few week ago I got to the point of starting to drive the Elan again I loved it even if driving without an interior and with the K+N was ... kind of noisy; but with so few Elan's on the roads in Switzerland I had nothing to compare to. And with almost 7 years without driving even for short distances I did not remember how it sounded originally. I did tell myself however that with that level of noise it was surprising Lotus was aiming at the upscale market with the +2 back in the days.
When I tied to pass MOT the 1st time early last month, I failed for some non-existent spring/damper problem I might talk about some day. Anyway, the technician added that next time he would submit the car to a noise test. I got scared and told myself I'd stand a better chance of passing the test with the original filter. So I did put it back in.
What as difference! I am really into enjoying my Lotus as a sports car, driving hard and fast. But it is so much more comfortable with the original filter. Maybe there's not this grunt that makes you believe your driving a racing car but there is still plenty of engine noise to enjoy and the level is quite acceptable. I am not going back to those K&N unless I start racing (in which case I will change the car around the filter(s) to a baby Elan).
I remember seeing a conical filter that attaches directly to the air box somewhere on a picture. Has anyone tried one of those ones out?
Happy summer roads
Fran?ois