Air intake

[steble]

I was fitting a recon headlight motor the other day and saw the standard air intake for the standard airbox.

Its in a pretty rubbish place, facing the wheel! not what i'd expect from Lotus lol

Is it worth fitting an induction kit? or does everybody just use a decent replacements filter? (KnN, pipercross etc.)

Are there any induction kits available if required? I can't find any

[dapinky]

Whilst the intake does face towards the wheel, it isn't going to get any muck thrown into it (as long as the wheelarch liner is fitted!).

My own 2 thoughts about why the engineers fitted it like that are:-

1) ..... This will pick up clean(ish) cool air from the slipstream as the car is moving.....

OR

2) .... Here's a space, chuck in in this bit of the car......

I don't think that there is a specific induction kit made for the elan (apart from a couple of bespoke items I've seen), but there are a few which can be fitted in place of the 'dustbin' air filter.

There is always plenty of discussion between those who say that the cooler air from the OE intake is the best way to do it, and those who argue that the greater volume of air from inside the engine bay is better..... I'm in 2 minds, and have never sought to change mine.

I suppose if someone were to design and build a system whereby the intake were still at the front of the car, it may be worthwhile, but I wouldn't expect to see any significant gains from doing it (but that's never stopped me doing things I want to have a play with!).

I put a K&N filter in the red car, whilst keeping a standard one in the blue one - can't say I noticed a huge difference when I fitted it though.

[steble]

It wasn't the dirt from the wheel I was worried about, it was the lack of air getting to the pipe there.

not exactley rammed in is it lol

[steve matthews]

If you look under the wheel arch liner you will see the end of the pipe with a mesh screen over it. Not a very good position to gather any
good air in my opinion. I have re-directed that supply pipe to scoop air from beneath the car for track days and seems to work well.

Steve

[lotusflasherman]

I was fitting a recon headlight motor the other day and saw the standard air intake for the standard airbox.

Its in a pretty rubbish place, facing the wheel! not what i'd expect from Lotus lol

Is it worth fitting an induction kit? or does everybody just use a decent replacements filter? (KnN, pipercross etc.)

Are there any induction kits available if required? I can't find any

I have an ITG (Induction Technology Group) Competition spec oiled foam filter inside the standard airbox which I've retained as I have a Bailey Recirculating Dump Valve feeding into the box - I can't stand the 'popping and banging' of open Dump Valves. Does need the occasional wash and re-oil as part of a service.

Cool air is important so I think those who fit K&N filters that draw from inside the engine compartment are going in the wrong direction. Whilst the NA might benefit from a bit of 'rammed air', the SE has a turbo that will do all the ramming necessary as long it has an adequate supply of air, preferably cool. When turbos first appeared in F1 Keith Duckworth commented that a normal engine needed an elegant induction system to breathe properly but a turbo would work even on a bad design and all you needed was a screwdriver to turn up the boost pressure...

[steble]

Thank you for your views guys

In my opinion keeping the standard airbox with a decent filter seems to be the way to go.

However re-routing that terribly positioned intake pipe is required.

I agree an open filter in the engine bay isn't the way to go. However you could duct it well

[GeoffSmith]

Probably more to be gained by smoothing the flow from the trash can to the turbo.

[steble]

This is true.

I shouldn't play too much though lol

[rip]

Could it be so indirect to reduce the possibility of sucking in water?

[lotusflasherman]

Could it be so indirect to reduce the possibility of sucking in water?

Very valid point. I went through a flood of about 2 foot in my Eclat that has a filter on the carbs and an 'elephant's trunk' running across the front of the engine that breathes through the slats on the bonnet so all high up but kept the revs up as the exhaust was under and 'bubbling'. My neighbour followed me through in his turbo diesel Toyota Landcruiser but that breathes from under the bumper and he bent his con-rods with hydraulic lock when it sucked in water. I used the Eclat to pull him out. That was the cause of much amusement in our local and a lot of 'mickey taking' at his expense whenever the local ford was deep. My wife's Espace also had a low intake for a high filter drum so, learning from his experience, I got rid of the jubilee clip so she could quickly pull the intake pipe off the drum before she drove through any deep water.

With all the flooding happening around the country it's important to know where you car's intake is.

[HJ2]

Top story, thanks for sharing.are yhere any pictures of the eclat in action?

[chrisP]

I thought the intake was where it was to prevent water being sucked in, there is a picture (which I can't find now) of Lotus test engineers going through a water tank in an Elan

[steble]

I thought the intake was where it was to prevent water being sucked in, there is a picture (which I can't find now) of Lotus test engineers going through a water tank in an Elan

Could it be so indirect to reduce the possibility of sucking in water?

I don't see where it is preventing it from sucking water. Its down so low, yes its facing away from the front of the car and it is hidden behind the wheel arch liner. BUT.... that arear behind the arch is still going to fill with water when going through a puddle :s

I'm not really sure why they put it there, but they have made very good cars for a very long time so I guess there must be a reason for it.

[tigerdog]

If you look through photos in the Projects threads, you'll see a variety of approaches: foam filter in stock dustbin, open filter-on-a-stick from a number of sources and my favorite at least for the visual: Lotus Girl Marie's carefully grafted Honda airbox. See it in [url=forum.lotuselancentral.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=10694&start=240#p154649]the photo in this thread[/url].