This is the factory intake set-up. A plastic box that houses the paper filter element, and has many convoluted passageways for the air to help keep the sound quiet. ...but unfortunately a quiet engine isn't always a powerful one. The following pictures are of the factory set up: the two pipes you see below are both connected to the resonator box in the lower front corner of the car, and the overall set-up has been pieced back together on the garage floor for your viewing pleasure...
...and here's the finished product. No wasted space at all, and much lighter than the original set-up.
The K&N air filter mounts down in the area in front of the passenger side front tire, where it is protected from water and debris by the factory splash shields. K&N filters use a cotton gauze element than is sprayed with a light oil that traps dirt particles while still requiring much less energy than a paper air filter to get air to the engine. As the filter gets dirty you just clean and re-oil it, as compared to throwing out a paper filament. This is why K&N backs their filters up with a million-mile warranty.
Performance evaluation: Well, it really can be much louder than stock! At normal driving speeds it sounds just like stock. Get on it a little from 2500-4500 rpms and you'll get a deep throaty sound. Hit the VTEC switchover with an open throttle and it wails. NASCAR seems to come to mind. A little louder than expected, but not a bad thing. Low to mid rpm pull has been improved, the bog that used to be there when going around a low speed corner in 2nd or 3rd has diminished. I can't tell just how much the performance has improved, but the addition of some lower-end power and response is greatly appreciated!
