Has anyone taken off the bendy part of the stock intake?

[detroiter]

Just wondering if anyone has taken that off? I think it's just a sound deadener/resonating tube...besides being a bit more "aggressive" sounding and bit louder, is their any benefit to it since it's a little less restrictive in letting air in? Is it safe? It seems water would have to travel sideways and upwards to even touch the filter, letalone get into the engine.

[ajae]

Mine is still there, but I cut a 4" hole in the air box below the filter on the driver's side to improve the air flow. I run a K&N filter.

[llewellyn]

I have an '04 echo hb, and I've done this - it sounds a lot meaner. The only thing about it is that it will be sucking in hotter engine bay air than it would with the 'snorkel' on.

[Yaris Hilton]

It also looks to me like the noise reducing resonant "snorkel" draws from a cooler area than the side of the air box it comes out from. Someone would have to place temperature sensors and drive around to confirm that.