while doing a tune-up on the car yesterday I noticed the silencer trunk can be easily removed from underneath the bumper/fender cover. Once removed the air cleaner can draw unrestricted cold air from the fender. Has anyone done this and knows what gains can be expected? the car definitely seems to rev better, but that could be due to the tune-up also. thanks.

lots of people do this, i've done it a number of times to any subaru i drive.

 

very common practice. the tune up likely did more for your engine than this.

It'll give the car a more pleasing sound on acceleration and possibly gives a horsepower or two at high revs. It does improve throttle response quite nicely, especially if you mount an "intake trumpet"/"velocity stack" in the filter housing so it sucks 100% from the fender.

while doing a tune-up on the car yesterday I noticed the silencer trunk can be easily removed from underneath the bumper/fender cover. Once removed the air cleaner can draw unrestricted cold air from the fender. Has anyone done this and knows what gains can be expected? the car definitely seems to rev better, but that could be due to the tune-up also. thanks.

 

i've done it. makes it louder, didn't notice any major gains. never dyno'd though

I've wanted to do this, but been afraid of acciently sucking water into it somehow through splashup or whathaveyou. Is this unreasonable? I would never entertain using my car for any off-roading purposes (it wouldn't get far).

 

 

 

i've done it. makes it louder, didn't notice any major gains. never dyno'd though

Chef I think the chances would be pretty slim. The water has to get past the inner fender cover up a small section of tube(I think, memory a little hazy) then through the air filter. I'm guessing you would need a great deal of water to do this. I wouldn't worry too much. I didn't notice any signs of water in the resonator(might be the name?) and it is located lower down.

 

 

Beezer