2.2L California Spec Air Filters??

[Lachrymologist]

Hey all,
So I went out and got a K&N air filter for my '99 30th Anniversary Ed. Legacy, unfortunately there's another air box with a filter before it. :smt013 The first air box is in the same position as most Legos right in front of the passenger side strut cover. The second air box is in between the firewall and the intake manifold. There's a sensor between the air boxes. Has anybody had any experience deleting the first part of the air intake system? IE Would it be possible to simply disconnect the sensor and take out the first air filter and call it good? Or would it be better to take out the first air box and replace it with some piping?
I apologize if this had already been discussed, I can't find a search function on the forum so if somebody could point that out that would be great help as well.

[anothernord]

Are you referring to the torque box? Or the actual filter assembly that sits where a top-mount intercooler would go?

[ouch1011]

I don't believe there is anything different between the Federal and California emissions Legacies for that year (mine says it meets both EPA and CARB emissions, and mine was sold in Oregon)

That being said, the "torque box" as it is known on here is just a resonator, there is no filter in there. It can be removed, but you have to replace it with something that has the correct fittings for the IAC and the PCV breather hoses. I used the intake tubing from a 1st gen Legacy, but you could also get it from a 2nd gen 2.2.

[Lachrymologist]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/my99cai-1.jpg
This is basically what I've got, I'm talking about removing the air box on the left and just keeping the one that feeds directly into the intake manifold. I'm not too sure what the torque box is you guys are talking about...mind pointing it out?

[jey]

The filter is in the box on the left. The one on the right is just a torque box, I have never seen a 2nd gen Legacy with filter in there - you can't even open it easily. The sensor in the middle is a MAF sensor, you won't be able to eliminate that easily. But everything in front of that MAF you can do stuff with - you can put a cone filter there and have a short ram intake, or pipe it into the fender and get cold air.

[Lachrymologist]

Weird. Mine had a filter in it when I bought the car and now of course I've got a nice K&N filter in there and a crappy fram filter in the first air box. :/
I thought the sensor between the apparent torque box and the intake manifold was the MAF.

[ouch1011]

Woah. That is strange. That is actually a 2 filter setup. The filter box on the pass side is the one that should be there, the one attached to the throttle body/intake manifold is from the phase 2 MAP sensor engines. The picture looks like it is showing a CAI setup from a Phase 2 Impreza, utilizing a stock air box that came with the car (the one mounted to the intake) and one from a Legacy or an older model Impreza (the pass side one)

This is how it would look with the stock intake and the torque box that should be there.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/05/dscn0658-1.jpg

I believe the 99 2.2s have the torque box stock. If not, replace the torque box with a piece of tubing from the MAF to the throttle and you'll get the picture.

[mike-tracy]

Just saw a 99 Forester in the junkyard today with the same double filter setup. wierd.

[Lachrymologist]

>< So it looks live I've got both MAP and MAF sensors and dual filters...If I get serious about this I will take out the first air box and run some tubing to a cone filter in the fender.

[Grafton]

reguardless of what way you go with your tinkering it's very important that you have a filter before the MAF*, and as long as you do then that's the only filter you need


*the picture you posted doesn't seem to have a MAF in it, the one that ouch1011 has a MAF (the square with wires coming out of it)

[Perdue]

What the?? Stupid California... :roll:

Anyways, I'd do like Grafton said and just run a filter in front of the MAF sensor. I'd just get a cheap filter and cut the actual filter part off of it, thereby leaving the outer gasket. That way you could still seal the second box.

[ouch1011]

Yeah, very important that you run a filter before the MAF, or it can get the hot wires in the MAF all dirty and cause the engine to run lean.