Gtr Pod Filters - Hks Or Apexi - Whats Your Preference!?

[KR4-GTR]

hey all,

i've currently got HKS pod filters in my car (the mushroom green ones), i also have an apexi pod kit thats been sitting in my garage for a while.

whats your preference, HKS or Apexi? The Apexi ones look great, HKS mushroom pods in my opinion are very ugly but suck pretty hard and sound great. I know later on, the HKS ones will be cheaper to maintain (just change the foams) and the 'paper' filters are pretty expensive for the Apexi ones. How often / many thousand km should you change the elements anyway?

One of the apexi pods i have looks pretty worn out. When i installed them i noticed the car would actually loose power after 10 - 15 mins of running, which is really weird (and noticable - it would boost up quickly and have no balls? would be ok once you turned the car off and back on though). im 90% sure that this was a side effect of the dud filter, but can anyone reassure me that its not something else being non compatible? (i cant see what else it would be!?) as soon as i put the HKS filters back on, the car has been running sweet again.

I'm torn between two! and am trying to work out whether to keep the HKS ones, or buy apexi replacement filters and fit them

any info, ideas or recommendations would be appreciated!

cheers!

Edited June 4, 2009 by KR4-GTR

[2LV8ETR]

I've never used the Apexi filters, but I use, and have steered people towards the HKS items.

They only cost $40-50 to replace the foam filter but they are also washable. I use a one on, one off system and wash the alternate filter every 10,000 km - my preference. BTW: DO NOT oil them.

There's my 20c worth.

[N1GTR]

Or leave the pods off and get an ARC box

[Beer Baron]

the HKS ones are rubbish. they are the worst. I've used them. over time, with heat and fumes they disintegrate. if you like the high flowing mushroom type pod then the trust ones are much better and are a nice dual layer foam element so they actually filter something too. the apexi pods are great and are washable. if worn a new pod is about $80 but if you look after them they will last years. and yes I've used on my own GTRs, stock airbox, apexi panel filter, K+N panel filter, ARC airbox, K+N (Ms) pods (they are great), Apexi pods, trust mushies and HKS mushies.

the best are the Ms branded K+N pods or the Apexi pods. the worst were the HKS mushies. ARC airbox is ok, but it's bloody heavy. and is still sucking air from the same place pods do. so I go the pods as they have much greater surface area.

[Moodles2]

If I ever went pods, I would go Apexi

Nice little review of the different Jap pod filters: http://www.mkiv.com/techarticles/filters_test/2/

[SimonR32]

we usally refer to HKS fliters as rock catchers!!! because thats the only thing they filter out, everything else goes nom noms in the engine

apexi are very good filters, i would consider k&n even better...

[R31Nismoid]

The car not running right with different pods - i would think is probably due to loose AFM connection or something related to the installation.

Unless a pod is REALLY stuffed with crap you really shouldnt notice a difference, and if it is fully clogged you shouldnt use it anyway

[Mr GTR-32]

I run the Apexi pods they look awesome & dress the engine bay up. I have been using these for 3 years now and they are excellent as stated above they do filter very well and give good responce. As the baron said you can wash them and they dont deteriorate like the foam type filters and especially that oil spray they recommend, yeah great if you want to stuff you air flow sensor up and cause all sorts of problems. If your really serious run a custom cold air feed to the pods and i guarantee you will notice an incredible amount of responce and will have the peace of mind that all that rammed air is being filtered properly and not been sucked into your expensive engine.

Cheers,

Dave.

[KR4-GTR]

cheers for all of the replies and advice guys!

will shop around for a spare apexi pod tomorrow and fit them again

[KR4-GTR]

i digged the apexi pods out of the garage last night and cleaned them.

one came up like new, the other (the one i was questioning before) i cleaned but it still looks like a suss monkey.

^ should this thing still work!? seriously?

^ sexy clean pod! (came up well!)

im currently working out a deal with another SAU member for another set which i can use for spares, i wont be putting the suss pod back on!

Edited June 6, 2009 by KR4-GTR

[gotRICE?]

Theres nothing suss about it. Its just been sitting against something and the filter element has deformed. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it

[KR4-GTR]

Theres nothing suss about it. Its just been sitting against something and the filter element has deformed. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it

wana buy it and test it out?

[gotRICE?]

Lol. If i had a GTR.

Seriously, other than the aesthetics of it its fine. There isnt any visible holes or gaps in the filter element. But if your scared that the dents in it will cause problems, go buy new ones. I'd use a "used" Apexi over brand new HKS pods any day of the week.

Better get a new exhaust too, theres some soot on it.

[KR4-GTR]

One of the apexi pods i have looks pretty worn out. When i installed them i noticed the car would actually loose power after 10 - 15 mins of running, which is really weird (and noticable - it would boost up quickly and have no balls? would be ok once you turned the car off and back on though). im 90% sure that this was a side effect of a dud filter, reinstalled them twice) but can anyone reassure me that its not something else being non compatible? (i cant see what else it would be!?) as soon as i put the HKS filters back on, the car has been running sweet again.

[gotRICE?]

The car not running right with different pods - i would think is probably due to loose AFM connection or something related to the installation.

Unless a pod is REALLY stuffed with crap you really shouldnt notice a difference, and if it is fully clogged you shouldnt use it anyway

Im not picking a fight with you so you know

I have just seen filters 100 times worse than that. It just looks mistreated rather then worn and dud.

My Apexi pod on my GTS25t had a couple of bent ribs due to me leaning on it. Didnt change anything.

Edited June 7, 2009 by gotRICE?

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

i digged the apexi pods out of the garage last night and cleaned them.

one came up like new, the other (the one i was questioning before) i cleaned but it still looks like a suss monkey.

^ should this thing still work!? seriously?

^ sexy clean pod! (came up well!)

im currently working out a deal with another SAU member for another set which i can use for spares, i wont be putting the suss pod back on!

Looks great after the clean!

test have show that APexi filters were the best with air flow and filtration.

Ppl don't like HKS cuz it has the worst filtration but still very good air flow.

APexi pods give more of a "Dose" noise where as the HKS will give you more of a "Choo" noise.

Still I think HKS sounds better as the turbos are spooling. But that's not to any performance gain.

I have twin HKS pods as they came with the car and had if for about 4 years now and I clean them at every 5000km's service with the K&N Air Filter Cleaning kit. Or VHT air filter cleaner works well too.

As long as you keep cleaning them every service you will be fine.

Better yet you could just revert back to stock air box with a High flow panel filter and you will be fine, but the stock panel filters are good for over 300kW's anyway.

[KR4-GTR]

Im not picking a fight with you so you know

I have just seen filters 100 times worse than that. It just looks mistreated rather then worn and dud.

My Apexi pod on my GTS25t had a couple of bent ribs due to me leaning on it. Didnt change anything.

lol all good mate - no offence taken! appreciate your advice!

[Mr GTR-32]

Yeah sorry i agree with gotRICE? that shouldnt be a problem for your car ive had the same or worse in my R32 GTR and never had a problem running 350rwkw, so really unless you have the money to spend then yeah otherwise clean it and use it its fine.

[depalma-bcnr33]

yes beer baron your right, i had the hks on my gtr they were shithouse. were falling apart.

when i pulled them out to wash them because they were dirty the second they touched fluid they broke apart in my fingers. strongly dislike these, shit product from hks

i then got a second hand intake m's/k&n combo, much nicer sound and might just be a placebo effect bit felt a bit better all over when driving

i recommend something like k&n, theyre well known and proven and can be washed an re-used forever. i used petrol to wash mine and theyre good as new

stef

Edited June 8, 2009 by depalma-bcnr33

[gotRICE?]

I think the reason people prefer Apexi over the K&N is the fact that the K&N use an oil that has the potential to stick to the AFM causing issues.

Only happens if people go overboard with the oil though.

Personally the Apexi is perfect. No oil, all you need to do is blow them out with an air gun, and if they are really dirty, a wash as usual.