I've wondered where the K&N is tubular all the way (from what I can tell) and the Airaid flattens and takes on something of an L shape (from what I can tell or maybe it jsut flattens out) if the K&N might have less restriction.

 

Okay, I emailed K&N and asked if they thought the Drycharger would be sufficient protection if I opened up the front end like I’ve been talking about. The tech asked that I not publish the response verbatim and I can understand and respect that. He said if anyone had any questions to please feel free to contact customer support through their website. He was very helpful and the response time was very good. To summarize, he didn’t know if there would be any air sensor issues from the added air direction but I could of course always try it and see if it helped. He said the Drycharger would be a big help, it is strong, lightweight, and won’t restrict airflow while adding protection for the filter. The waterproofing only lasts about a year so it would need to be replaced yearly. I think I’m gonna give it a shot but won’t be able to until spring.