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This review was originally posted by Ralph Crum.
I feel somewhat scared as I pop the hood on my trusted 1995 3.4L Firebird. She’s been in the shop once or twice but this shade tree mechanic mostly refuses to let others do the work on his car. Just shy of 100,000 miles she hasn’t a scratch on the blue paint but I owe that to sheer driving ability and a healthy dose of luck. She just doesn’t have the pick up she once had and I decided I’d better look at some engine mods to turn back the hands of time. I decided a K&N FIPK would be a nice start. I mean heck…the faster and colder air gets into the engine the better the combustion, right?
I ordered my FIPK from AA Speed in Woodbridge, Virginia and their service, knowledge and price was superior. I unpacked the box and gazed at the pieces. They looked much different from the ones I was about to gut from my car. I was not looking forward to two-plus hours of this mod in the heat and humidity we have here in the nation’s capitol. The instructions on the K&N are somewhat under-technical and hard to understand at the same time but at least they come in English. I’d suggest you have a Haynes or Chilton’s manual with you just in case your brain cramps looking at the pictures of a 5.7L Camaro installation realizing your car is strikingly different. A few installation tips for the wise: do have your tools ready for this job ahead of time. You’ll need a 5 mm, 7 mm and 9 mm nut driver to take the bottom off your from bumper. This is a hard part because you must get mostly under the car to do this. Try to jack up the front driver’s side and save a few minutes. With the stock air box removed and the 90-degree elbow tube still attached to the throttle body, you’re now ready to install the FIPK.
First, the engine fuse panel can be removed and slid away quite easy making room for you to work. This is not mentioned in the directions. Follow the directions for everything else. I installed and screwed in the bracket to the metal engine bay trim as directed. I installed the new air collector and attached two separate hoses as per written. The hardest part was trying to put the actual K&N filter in place. You’ll need another pair of hands to push the air collector down while you try in vain to attach the tight-fitting filter. Again, having the car jacked up makes the job much easier. At finish I had done the whole job, taking my sweet time, in less than ninety minutes! I reattached the battery cable. Remember, you’ll need to do this as your computer needs to “re-learn” to use the new rush of air it is to receive. I closed the hood, turned the key and headed into the falling sun.
YES! Well, okay, realistically. Was it the seat of the pants rush I expected? No, let’s face it. 10-12 horsepower on a 3.4L is noticeable but still not an LS1! Overall, I am quite satisfied though. The car’s acceleration has never been smoother and the increase in horsepower is just enough to be exciting.
3 Pros:
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3 Cons:
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I feel somewhat scared as I pop the hood on my trusted 1995 3.4L Firebird. She’s been in the shop once or twice but this shade tree mechanic mostly refuses to let others do the work on his car. Just shy of 100,000 miles she hasn’t a scratch on the blue paint but I owe that to sheer driving ability and a healthy dose of luck. She just doesn’t have the pick up she once had and I decided I’d better look at some engine mods to turn back the hands of time. I decided a K&N FIPK would be a nice start. I mean heck…the faster and colder air gets into the engine the better the combustion, right?
I ordered my FIPK from AA Speed in Woodbridge, Virginia and their service, knowledge and price was superior. I unpacked the box and gazed at the pieces. They looked much different from the ones I was about to gut from my car. I was not looking forward to two-plus hours of this mod in the heat and humidity we have here in the nation’s capitol. The instructions on the K&N are somewhat under-technical and hard to understand at the same time but at least they come in English. I’d suggest you have a Haynes or Chilton’s manual with you just in case your brain cramps looking at the pictures of a 5.7L Camaro installation realizing your car is strikingly different. A few installation tips for the wise: do have your tools ready for this job ahead of time. You’ll need a 5 mm, 7 mm and 9 mm nut driver to take the bottom off your from bumper. This is a hard part because you must get mostly under the car to do this. Try to jack up the front driver’s side and save a few minutes. With the stock air box removed and the 90-degree elbow tube still attached to the throttle body, you’re now ready to install the FIPK.
First, the engine fuse panel can be removed and slid away quite easy making room for you to work. This is not mentioned in the directions. Follow the directions for everything else. I installed and screwed in the bracket to the metal engine bay trim as directed. I installed the new air collector and attached two separate hoses as per written. The hardest part was trying to put the actual K&N filter in place. You’ll need another pair of hands to push the air collector down while you try in vain to attach the tight-fitting filter. Again, having the car jacked up makes the job much easier. At finish I had done the whole job, taking my sweet time, in less than ninety minutes! I reattached the battery cable. Remember, you’ll need to do this as your computer needs to “re-learn” to use the new rush of air it is to receive. I closed the hood, turned the key and headed into the falling sun.
YES! Well, okay, realistically. Was it the seat of the pants rush I expected? No, let’s face it. 10-12 horsepower on a 3.4L is noticeable but still not an LS1! Overall, I am quite satisfied though. The car’s acceleration has never been smoother and the increase in horsepower is just enough to be exciting.
3 Pros:
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- Good horsepower gain for the money. A solid value at $220.00.</font>
- Smooth acceleration. Remarkably smooth!</font>
- Easy installation for a timid installer or first mod attempt.</font>
3 Cons:
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- Factory directions are rudimentary at best. Luckily, it’s an easy installation.</font>
- Re-oiling that K&N filter in 30,000 miles will mean taking the bottom of the car bumper off again. The skin from my knuckles will be replaced by scar tissue by then thankfully.</font>
- After my first mod, I’m addicted! What next? This is the same thing I ask the tattoo artist monthly. Maybe I’ll decorate my car from now on instead of myself. Won’t my wife love that!</font>
