I've been meaning to put a CAI on my car for months now, and I finally got around to putting it all together. My CAI is modeled after dDub's, but differs in a few ways. First off, the filter is from Apexi (not K&N FIPK). Secondly, I used some Thermo-Tec insulating tape on the exposed aluminum piping. Since the couplers are resistant to 350 degrees, it would be a waste (and make the install harder) to insulate the area under them. While people before me have ghetto rigged the slightly too-large Fernco coupler at the TB elbow, I discovered that the stock intake tubing is exactly 3" ID at that point, which lends itself wonderfully to becoming a coupler. By cutting the end off the intake accordion tube, I retained the hose that runs across the UIM to the other side of the engine.



The filter is located very close to the headlight motor and above the brake duct. To make room for the filter (and to further unclutter my engine bay) I removed the Air Relief Silencer and its associated rubber hose. Now, it's vented into the engine bay without a noticeable increase in noise.



Reaction:

I'm a skeptical person, so naturally, I'm very skeptical of the butt dyno. The car does indeed feel faster, but I don't know how much of that increased acceleration is psychologically attributed to the bad *** Apexi intake sucking sound. During my first test drive (at night with ambient temperatures at least 70 degrees), I noticed that my temperature gauge read a lot lower than it would have previously after hard driving.

I asked dDub if he had fabricated any bracket to insure the intake assembly didn't loosen and cause the entire thing to be supported by the filter resting on the brake duct, and he said he hadn't. After all of this time, his has not loosened or wobbled significantly. I'd rather be safe, so I will look into where and how I can support this further. Also, I'm going to investigate tying down the airpump hose (where the breather filter is) to reduce oscillation.

I do have one question: After a second (or was it third?) test drive, after pulling up to a stop light in neutral, instead of my idle dropping to its usually steady 650-750 rpms, it pulsed a few times up to maybe 1,000 or so and down to 500 (or less). No more than a few seconds later it idled like it should. My car has NEVER done anything like this in the past, so my assumption is that it is a result of the AFM being at more of an angle than it had been in the past. Any other ideas? Is this a bad sign?

 

Looks good

Glad you got it finished and all!

 

Thanks for your invaluable contributions and wisdom

 

Any time

 

Thats weird about the idle. Hard to say if its the angle, or if its that ducting not being vacuum tight. Anything PAST the afm must not have a leak and allow outside air to enter the system. My first thoughts were that engine vibrations at the light were causing your duct work to expose outside air.

point being, make sure that its nice and tight.

Honestly I think that the fact that the afm is facing down and not up from the opening may be an issue. With it down when you close the throttle, the afm door may flap completley shut due to gravity for a second causing the fuel pump to stop completley. With it facing up, I wouldn't be surprized if the engine ran alot richer becuase the door is open more than it would be when sitting level, allowing the ecu to think more air is in the system than it really is...
Hard to see the dark side is...

 

Hmmm. If there is a leak, I'm thinking the pulsing would be more consistent. I'll have to see if it happens more as a I drive the car. Thanks, though.

 

Wow I love it, so clean. Where did you get your piping?

 

So with my S4, there's no washer fluid reservoir there, it's just empty space...so it's easier? just make a hole and stick the filter and pipe down there?

also, the intake makes a suction sound?i love that sound, but i only have a cheap cone filter and don't get that sound, is it from the tubing or the filter?

 

Mine started doing it when I put the cone on but I'm sure not having those ridges like the stock tube does helps make it more noticble.

Please keep us posted on how you further secure the AFM if you still decide to do so. I'm getting read to do the same thing and have the hole cut out and most of the parts sitting in the garage so I'm ready to almost.

The biggest difference you'll probably notice from doing this is that it doesn't bog so bad after dirving around for extended periods. I know my GXL just dogs and feels soggy after the engine has reached temp. and the bay has started to heat up.

 

The intake piping is the standard issue cut up Honda Prelude intake kit off ebay. More specifically : http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=7988741708

The intake piping is then cut to remove the messy part at one end where **** sticks out, as well as removing all of the bends except the long bend at the end where the filter is.



(Image courtesy of dDub LLC)

 

In order to make sure it doesn't bog after the engine bay reaches regular operating temperature (somewhere in the neighborhood of 185 degrees), make the investment of the Thermo-Tec tape. Including shipping I snagged some off eBay for less than $15. It's a small price to pay for reducing heatsoak (or is it heatsink?) issues.

 

With that much tilt angle on the AFM, it could be affecting your idle.


-Ted

 

Thank you!

 

More "test" driving (went to see The Wedding Crashers), and no idle mishaps. Everything seems to be running nice and smoothly. Now all I need to do is put on my RB presilencer to replace my main cat and get the whole thing tuned with my uninstalled S-AFC II.

 

sweet.

 

he has his in a downward position do you think its the same if the afm is tilted up a lil because i did a cold air from the turbo and the only way it fit was in an angle

 

nice job i wanna do that to my car!!!