FWI vs. K&N
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Kitt99
- SE Member

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- Year and Trim: 1999 Pontiac Bonneville SE
FWI vs. K&N
I have a 99 Bonnie SE, and idk what i should do. Because my engine is N/A am I better off by just throwing in a K&N filter? or will i see a little better performance with an Intense FWI? I don't mind the extra work with the FWI.
P.S. with the location of the FWI will I risk water locking my motor? This car is my DD and i drive it through everything.
Thanks!
P.S. with the location of the FWI will I risk water locking my motor? This car is my DD and i drive it through everything.
Thanks!
Re: FWI vs. K&N
The accordion tube that connects the filter box to the throttle body is the restriction/turbulence in the stock set up (down stream of a gutted air box).
Heres what I did with my car. It is also a DD, so the filter has seen rain and snow, and I have not had one problem with it. As long as you don't drive through puddles that are 1 1/2' deep there is no risk of hydro locking your motor.
You will notice the difference in sound (especially at start up) and it will seem a little more lively.
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=23155
This picture shows the filters placement in the fender well.

If you're not sure about doing a FWI, I have a gutted air box I'll sell you for the cost of shipping just PM me.
Heres what I did with my car. It is also a DD, so the filter has seen rain and snow, and I have not had one problem with it. As long as you don't drive through puddles that are 1 1/2' deep there is no risk of hydro locking your motor.
You will notice the difference in sound (especially at start up) and it will seem a little more lively.
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=23155
This picture shows the filters placement in the fender well.

If you're not sure about doing a FWI, I have a gutted air box I'll sell you for the cost of shipping just PM me.
Last edited by Bing on Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
- WhiteArrow3800
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Re: FWI vs. K&N
Ditto with above. Pretty much if water makes it to the filter, you shouldn't have been driving in it to begin with. I've got an Intense FWI on both the '93 and '01. Both cars are DD's and as pictured above, the filter is exposed and keeps relatively clean...and the '93 currently commutes out to northern West Virginia every week (6 hours from here) and it's seen a lot of rain, snow, salt and mud in the last few weeks.

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- willwren
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Re: FWI vs. K&N
Nobody here (at least hundreds running the FWI) has ever had a water issue. The 92-99 run it lower than the 2k it was designed for, and I've never had an issue, nor has anyone else. You have bigger problems if you're that deep. You'd have to be in 18" or more of water and moving very slow for it to happen, and the motor would likely stall for lack of air before it sucked any water in.

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Re: FWI vs. K&N
Physical damage is more of a concern than water damage.
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Re: FWI vs. K&N
Water isn't an issue unless you drive through 2' of open water, and submerge the filter.
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- nos4blood70
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Re: FWI vs. K&N
Even if this mod did nothing for performance, I'd do it just for the sound of the engine.
- SSEiMan01
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Re: FWI vs. K&N
nos4blood70 wrote:![]()
Even if this mod did nothing for performance, I'd do it just for the sound of the engine.
Will
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92 Bonneville SSE | L67/4T60E | 77K mi | Med Slate Grey w/ Two-Tone Grey Int. | Low Miles Time Capsule
92 Lumina Z34 | LQ1/4T60E | 177k mi | Torch Red w/Grey Int. | Rusty In Odd Spots
99 Tahoe LT | L31/4L65E | 276k mi | Spiral Grey Metallic w/Grey Int. | Truck for Truck Things and Portable Concert Hall
02 Bonneville SSEi | 171k mi | Black w/Neutral Int. | Backup and road trip car
03 Park Avenue Ultra | 212K mi | White Diamond Met. w/ Shale Int. | Southern Time Capsule
05 Acura RL | 165K mi | Carbon Grey Pearl w/Ebony Int. | The Super-Hooptie Daily
91 Riviera | S2 L67 Swap/4T60E | 127K mi | Antelope Met. w/ Tan Int. | Saved From Death By Crusher
92 Bonneville SSE | L67/4T60E | 77K mi | Med Slate Grey w/ Two-Tone Grey Int. | Low Miles Time Capsule
92 Lumina Z34 | LQ1/4T60E | 177k mi | Torch Red w/Grey Int. | Rusty In Odd Spots
99 Tahoe LT | L31/4L65E | 276k mi | Spiral Grey Metallic w/Grey Int. | Truck for Truck Things and Portable Concert Hall
02 Bonneville SSEi | 171k mi | Black w/Neutral Int. | Backup and road trip car
03 Park Avenue Ultra | 212K mi | White Diamond Met. w/ Shale Int. | Southern Time Capsule
05 Acura RL | 165K mi | Carbon Grey Pearl w/Ebony Int. | The Super-Hooptie Daily
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- nos4blood70
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Re: FWI vs. K&N
Not a fan of the vacuum cleaner sound..
But the way she roars past 3k RPM.
But the way she roars past 3k RPM.



