5 replies to this topic

[JonnyAlpha]

Quick question, if a HIF 38 or 44 is fitted to a 998 pr 1275 in a Mini will an Austin Metro Air Filter Box fit? And does it provide better air flow?

One of these:

https://www.google.c...sx0vDWvVqhlc3M:

[MikeRotherham]

That is the same air filter box that is fitted to my 94 Mini with HIF38 carburettor so I would say it should fit.

 

How it would compare with other boxes I couldn't say.

[AVV IT]

Likewise, that’s the air filter housing I had fitted to my 93’ 1275 as standard. If you’re using an aftermarket inlet, one issue you might have is having sufficient clearance under the scuttle panel for it, as some inlets raise the overall height of the carb. Mine has a minispares alloy inlet & this box now only just fits with a lot of jiggling about. It wouldn’t actually fit under the scuttle of another mini I owned at all, because that car had an MG metro inlet on it.

As for air flow, I can’t really see that you’d notice any discernible difference between any of the housings, on a road car setup. If you’re worried about air flow though, then drilling a series of 1/2” holes in the front wall of the housing is supposed to maximise air flow when using a high flow filter inside the box. I tried this on an old housing I picked up at an auto jumble stand once & it seemed to maximise noise, but not a lot else though!!

[panky]

I went from a K&N cone to a drilled airbox with a K&N element then back to the original one with the K&N. The only real differecce I found was the big reduction of noise.

[JonnyAlpha]

Thanks all, I have two spare and wondered if I should keep one if I fit a spare HIF38 to my Mini after fitting a stage 1 kit.

I'll put one up for sale.

 

Ref drilling holes - In a reply to a thread I started recently ref Engine Upgrades, that rather than going for a Cone or Pankake filter, on my SU HS4 carb that I should stick with the standard housing and drill holes (on the underside of the intake hose?

[panky]

There might be some gain if you thrash it but the standard air box, with a K&N element I found is fine.

I think it was Keith Calver who did an experiment with an 850 on a dyno comparing the K&N cone, a standard air box and a drilled one. The K&N came off worse then the standard box with the drilled one just ahead so it does work, I just preferred the reduction in noise to the extra couple of BHP.