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Fast Cars, Alley Cats, Aligators… What the Heck?!!

(for the robots)
2006 Subaru Legacy GT modification
SPT Intake & Heat Shield

I installed It was the SPT (Official Subaru Performance Parts) cold-air intake and heat shield in my car on Saturday.
I did it, I used tools and everything!! I removed the whole air port, air box and put in the new intake in about an hour or so. It went well, it certainly improves the performance of the turbo. There’s virtually no lag now, and Nicole noted it throws you back in your seat harder as well. It feels lighter, but there’s a side effect of a weird noise.

The old airbox was an extension from the from of the hood back to the air box, then the airbox had a tube to the turbo intake. The airbox was double height, like 2 boxes stacked on top of eachother with a small opening between them. As I’m thinking about it now, it’s most likely because it needs lots of air to start and acts as a resevoir of available air.

So I removed this giant 2 foot section from my fender and there is now a large empty opening under the intake. The heat shield keeps the air from coming in from the engine area, pulling from below the filter which is just under the hood – a good 2 feet from the ground. The area under the front of my hood near the bumper is “enclosed” in that it has a plastic panel protecting the engine from water splashing up with a few screw sized holes here and there for water drainage.

When I’m shifting and it’s sucking air, it’s pulling air through said holes which results in a hollow plastic WHOOOOOOOSHLLLGHLLL in addition to the extra exhaust rumble. I’d much rather it just be rumble, but could go so far as to open up the plastic if I wasn’t worried about water – which I am.

I’m pleased, overall. I did it myself, it improved performance, and will probobly be the last modification I need to make to the car. For those that care, I’ll be following up with any differences I see to the fuel economy.