Help A N00b - Intake Questions., Why didn't the pod filter work???

Just bought an Altezza - yay for me.
I discovered that people in the 'automotive industry' can be such f***** morons. But this may come as no surprise to you.

So I decided to come to the hub of all Altezza knowledge...

The fool from whom I purchased this car has absolutly butchered the airbox, but butchered is a mild description.
It was all duct taped back together and so I removed it, and installed a K&N pod to see if I could get some nice intake sounds from it.

3SGE didn't like the pod filter AT ALL!

I even tried resseting the ECU by disconnecting the battery for 24 Hours - don't laugh... I know thats supposed to be a load of bullsh1t, but I had nothing to loose.

My brothers Nissan Pulsar VZ-R which also has the dual VVT (SR16VE) ran SWEET with the pod filter straight away.

But the Altezza's airbox is obviously more spohisticated, with that little flap that opens to allow more air in for when it hits VVTi (have I got that right?)

So I had to go through the ordeal of duct taping the airbox back together (almost more duct tape then airbox) and reinstalled it, and it runs good again.

So, question time:
Can the 3SGE BEAMS run with a pod filter? I've seen Altezza's for sale online advertised as having a pod filter so why didn't mine work?
Is it just a tuning issue?

My local Toyota service centre said Altezzas dont work with pod filters, but I refer back to my previous comment about other Altezzas which apparantly DO have them.

Also - my air flow meter looks like it was at one point actually part of the airbox assembly itself - and not just a bolt on job like most I have seen. Is this normal for the 3SGE BEAMS?
I called a few wreckers to see if they have an airbox and flow meter but they tell me its a seperate, bolt on flow meter. Confused!

This flow meter of mine has definitly been hacksawed off the airbox.

Hopefully my questions are the kind that make you go "Typical f**** newbie" and you'll be able to answer them all like you've probably done a hundred times.
Bet you've never seen an airbox as violated as mine tho - hehehe.

Also - if you're feeling helpfull, can you please tell me what RPM the cam timing changes take effect?
Its a DUAL VVTi BEAMS so they are individual right? and they happen at seperate RPM? i.e. intake first then exhaust?

And: whats the difference between SXE10 and GXE10?

And: The fool (actually more like retard) that sold me this car was running it on 91 octane. My instincs tell me this is not recommended? Will it run better on 96? or even better on 98?

Thanks in advance.

Ok so I actually looked at some existing threads about intakes... that explained a lot. I'd like someone to elborate a little tho

SXE10 is RS200 3SGE engine, 210hp or 200(tiptronic)hp... run premium unleaded
GXE10 is AS200/IS200 1GFE, 160hp... run regular unleaded

hope it answers ur last 2 questions...

ur car's previous owner is either a stingy bast**d or an idiot... RS200 should use be running on 100octane fuel(that's wat they use in Japan), nearest is 98 here, i see many RS200 owners use 95 which seems running alright... dun use 91 anymore, u might get pinging and is bad for ur engine...

He was both!

But thanks for that anyway. I filled it up with 98 as soon as I got it, 'cos I know they run most decent cars on 99 or 100 octane in Japan.

so when u installed the new filter did u scrap the airflow meter?
coz if u did u need it for it to run right


when i bought my apexi kit off Matt (frylai) he told me to make sure the afm is installed the right way or it wont idle properly either

Can anwser that, about 4800rpm (roughly but its give or take a few hundred rpms).

Its gradual and not like a so called 'kick' like the VTECs or MIVECs, it comes in at various points of the rev-range but not to sure on the exacts of this either.

Send a PM to 'GOLDBERG', he once had a pod filter in his 3SGE, it ran shit so he gave it to 'JASE', and it ran sweet in JASE's car...

Its something to do with the Air/Fuel ratio but not to sure.

VVTI does not come in at any rpm, it's varied across the range from idle to redline and not only as a factor of rpm but also throttle position, air flow and engine temp.

The 4800 rpm that Nick speaks of is when you feel the all the engine harmonics come into line, it's not the VVTI specifically, but all the factors hitting their sweet spots.

... and look up "Cleaning the MAF sensor" thread to see if you have the right thing in the right place!

It is not in the air box!

But maybe it is facing the wrong way!

Been discussed on the forum .

Seems that 96 and 98 seem to run 'OK', however majority of members seem to prefer to run their cars on 98octane.

Detailed topic found HERE!!!

Enjoy more reading about how pod-filters seem to interfere with Air/Fuel ratios HERE.

Nick

Thanks dude!