Gen 2 owners with a K&N FIPK... Please step in!I

[B Feelgood]

I got my 98 Viper GTS three weeks ago and bought my first mod today I was originally going to just buy a set of smooth tubes & filters until my buddy told me he had a brand new FIPK he never used. He sold his GTS and bought an 06 couple back in the fall. I knew the fipk and tubes/filter would produce the same results performance wise but thought the open element filters & carbon fiber box would like nice. Upon opening the box, I was quite shocked at the quality of the carbon fiber heat shield. There is a light haze over most of the carbon fiber inlay. It looks very dull and is almost hard to tell that it is indeed carbon fiber. On the inside of the box where the filters sit, you can see the glue strips that look like they were put on at the last minute. It seems as if the box missed the last stage of production. I took some pictures and sent them to a K&N employee and I was told that the finish is completely normal. What do you guys think?

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

 

[ViperJohn]

The bottom looks like someone used it to go sleeding. Not an impressive looking piece to say the least.

 

[B Feelgood]

The bottom looks like someone used it to go sleeding. Not an impressive looking piece to say the least.

That pretty much sums it up

I found this pic of another members fipk/engine here on the forum. The back of this K&N box looks good?

You must be registered for see images

 

[GTSNRT10]

Yep that's what it looks like prior to clear coating it

I cleared mine and had a friend make me a decal. W O R L D S better

Better sound is to be had with this kit vs. smooth tubes & filters in box fwiw

I'm lookin 4 a pic

 

[B Feelgood]

Yep that's what it looks like prior to clear coating it

I cleared mine and had a friend make me a decal. W O R L D S better

Better sound is to be had with this kit vs. smooth tubes & filters in box fwiw

I'm lookin 4 a pic

On one hand im glad to hear I didn't get an unfinished box. On the other, im kind of ********** that the quality is that subpar. I bought a carbon fiber intake for my NSX that was made by GruppeM "subdivision of K&N." The fit and finish of that intake was outstanding. I figured it would have been the same composites/materials for the Viper kit since K&N had a hand in producing both of them. I attached a pic of the GruppeM/K&N intake for my NSX to show how nice the finish was.

I would love to see a pic of your box clear coated! How much did it cost you to have done? I only paid $200 for the brand new FIPK kit, so I guess I shouldn't complain to much

You must be registered for see images

 

[BDZ1984]

Not a great pic.. but I have the K&N on my GTS

You must be registered for see images

 

[FE 065]

I knew the fipk and tubes/filter would produce the same results performance wise but thought the open element filters & carbon fiber box would like nice....


I don't think they ever have produced the same results. Seems like I remember the K&N FIPK dying a premature death here on the forum soon after it was first released some years ago.


If adding bends along the intake tract was the way to go performance-wise, aftermarket smooth tubes, intake manifolds, Stryker heads etc would look a lot different..


Maybe your buddy will give you a refund

 

[B Feelgood]

I don't think they ever have produced the same results. Seems like I remember the K&N FIPK dying a premature death here on the forum soon after it was first released some years ago.

I didn't find to much information here on the forum about the FIPK. I thought it was just because it was overpriced for what you got. This before/after dyno done by K&N looks promising though. Has anyone ever proven their results to be false or something?

You must be registered for see images

 

[GTSnake]

Like FE65 said, there's too tight a bend in the intake tubes to be much better flowing. There have been many discussions on this topic in the past. You're better off going with a PBJ or just keep it stock. The stock airbox has shown to be very efficient.

Here's a pic of the PBJ airbox.

 

[FE 065]

The K&N dyno runs may have used the OE paper filters with the thick foam pre-filters still glued to them as their baseline set up.

- Along with the chance of some fudging, since the run with the K&N FIPK installed was almost 4 hours later

 

[ViperRed]

Mine are pretty much smooth and shiny!

 

[GTSNRT10]

Yep that's what it looks like prior to clear coating it

I cleared mine and had a friend make me a decal. W O R L D S better

Better sound is to be had with this kit vs. smooth tubes & filters in box fwiw

I'm lookin 4 a pic

On one hand im glad to hear I didn't get an unfinished box. On the other, im kind of ********** that the quality is that subpar. I bought a carbon fiber intake for my NSX that was made by GruppeM "subdivision of K&N." The fit and finish of that intake was outstanding. I figured it would have been the same composites/materials for the Viper kit since K&N had a hand in producing both of them. I attached a pic of the GruppeM/K&N intake for my NSX to show how nice the finish was.

I would love to see a pic of your box clear coated! How much did it cost you to have done? I only paid $200 for the brand new FIPK kit, so I guess I shouldn't complain to much


I couldn't find any so I took a few today for you
Nice NSX btw

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach