Besides having to clean the air filter more often and stop to plug it during deep water crossings, are there any noticeable differences, like improved MPG?

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No, it's been shown to give 7 horsepower at the wheels but you aren't going to feel that. Another alternative is to remove the elbow on the fender. That is proven to give the same increase without cutting a giant hole. IMO it's not worth it unless you are forced induction where the motor can take advantage of smoother airflow. When the motor is naturally aspirated the intake really works about as good as you can get.

I just recently did it.

It was cheap and easy, but worth it? I am not certain. I don't feel anything.

Well it's ~4% increase in HP for $10 and 30 minutes of your time. Why wouldn't you?

I did it to my Tacoma back in 2011....never really blown away by it. It made more noise, sounded throatier which was cool, but cleaning the air filter more was something I wasn't keeping up on, so I put the plug back in.

Agree with this. If you're SD'd or turbo'd, then the elbow of the intake can be pretty restrictive to the additional airflow. But under standard conditions, the difference is nominal.

Why does everybody think that moving the intake to the engine bay makes the filter dirtier faster?

The current air intake is in the FENDER WELL!!! Right above the tire! What happens there?!?! In the reverse - do you see dust, dirt, etc. build up between the airbox and headlight? Not so much. They are about equal with dirt on the filter. Just 'cause you can see the filter doesn't mean it will be getting dirtier faster.

And water crossings would have to be about even with the bottom of the headlight to get water in the airbox. So, for just about every situation but Aussie style river crossings, you have no worries.

I personally have done the mod and have it closed or not based on mood (daily driving, open... long trips, closed for less sound). It does get a bit loud on throttle with an ISR and the deck plate open.

-Charlie

I used mesh screen inside my deckplate mod to help catch bigger stuff...because to answer your question, the deckplate mod faces straight at whatever you are driving into, so while I agree that dust can get in through your fender, you are sending more in at 60 mph head on with the mod. I had so much debris caught in my mesh screen that without would have been in the filter...

I bought my deck plate... but haven't installed it... have the ISR...

For years I have heard apocryphal tales of horsepower gains from the "deckplate mod."

The story goes that a bigger hole on the airbox lets in more air. More air equals more hp, right?

First, the stock airy intake is more than large enough to supply all the air the 3.4 can consume.

Second, the air supply (no not the crappy band from the 80's) the air supply is regulated by the Throttle Body. You can cut a hole in the hood. You can install an airbox 10 times the size of the stock airbox; you can do ANYTHING you want anywhere along the air intake BUT and the entire air induction system is limited by the size of the Throttle Body and the Throttle Body alone.

The deckplate mod is bunk...nonsense...a myth in the minds of many.

Yes, I know I have committed heresy among the true believers.

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Will try and keep my comments concise, since I like to talk performance

I've learned the hard way the deckplate mod is not smog legal in CA. But seeing that I run a 99 box in a 98 with the smaller MAF and blah blah blah, I bought and extra unmodified 98 box and MAF to put in to pass smog, then take back out. If you are concerned about passing smog, remove the elbow in the fender instead.

For my overboosted S/C engine, it is a noticeable power loss when I switch boxes with no deckplate.

Well said. I personally have never covered up the deck plate. And if you are worried about water crossings, put the plate back in and it's back to stock.

He's the hard data showing the deckplate does increase power:

On a supercharged engine: Air Induction - The founder and owner of URD.

On a stock engine: Project SportRunner - Deck Plate Mod - A resident forum member and performance enthusiast.

Enjoy.

Just the sound is worth it. I can actually hear my motor when wheeling. Its nice to actually beable to hear and feel the revs instead of hearing nothing and needing to look at the tach.

Sounds cool for sure. I did it on my '96 and after I installed the s/c it would throw a lean code whenever I had it open. I've decided to leave the air box as is on the '00.

Im up to about 16.5mpg, which is a 1.5/10% improv3ment in fuel economy. At hihway speeds for long drives, In pushing 18mpg with a full trunk of luggage and passengers.

Best $30 ive spent so far.

Does the sound go back to normal when you put the plate back in?