Homemade CAI
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 182
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From: Milwaukee, WI
Homemade CAI
After about 12hrs of fabricating not counting countless hours of engineering, I finished my homemade CAI. All I have to say is WOW! 
It definitely pulls harder at higher RPM's.
I ended up cutting a huge hole on the whole right side of the air box and mounting a large air inlet duct from Pegasus racing. I bought a Neoprene/Fiberglass 2.75" hose reinforced with copper. This tubing has a smooth inner bore to prevent turbulence. The tube runs down from the air box, on top of the radiator fan mount, then turns towards the front fascia. I cut a hole in the black plastic piece where my secondary oil cooler would be if I had one. It was all a very tight fit, but I think a better solution that running the CAI through were the foam was next to the radiator. I get cold air and lots of it right from the bumper. In fact, even at idle a piece of toilet paper would get sucked in. At high RPM's, I can feel the hair on my hand move.
No pictures, but I can answer questions if anyone is interested. I spent about $50 in parts and could have spent less now that I know what I am doing. I could almost guarantee this is a better solution than the wannabe CAI's for sale for hundreds more. Oh, by the way, I am using a K&N too.
It definitely pulls harder at higher RPM's.
I ended up cutting a huge hole on the whole right side of the air box and mounting a large air inlet duct from Pegasus racing. I bought a Neoprene/Fiberglass 2.75" hose reinforced with copper. This tubing has a smooth inner bore to prevent turbulence. The tube runs down from the air box, on top of the radiator fan mount, then turns towards the front fascia. I cut a hole in the black plastic piece where my secondary oil cooler would be if I had one. It was all a very tight fit, but I think a better solution that running the CAI through were the foam was next to the radiator. I get cold air and lots of it right from the bumper. In fact, even at idle a piece of toilet paper would get sucked in. At high RPM's, I can feel the hair on my hand move.
No pictures, but I can answer questions if anyone is interested. I spent about $50 in parts and could have spent less now that I know what I am doing. I could almost guarantee this is a better solution than the wannabe CAI's for sale for hundreds more. Oh, by the way, I am using a K&N too.
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Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
From: Milwaukee, WI
Sorry guys for no pics. For one thing, I don't have a digital camera nor a scanner. For another thing, the intake changed as I was building it so many times, pictures would just be confusing.
Let me clarify. The hole I cut takes out the entire panel in the bottom of the air box to the right (if looking towards the back of the car) of the mound created for the radiator hose underneath the air box. The hose connects to the duct I bought from Pegasus and runs over the fan mount and down to the front bumper on the passenger side.
I might be able to make a sketch of it sometime or borrow someone's camera if people are really that interested. If I were to get a bigger intercooler, I think I would just relocate the battery to make more room and not touch the stock airbox. The stock airbox really is a good design. It just needed a little more airflow going to it.
Let me put it this way... I drove a friends R1 last week with DP, his homemade intake, catback and performance clutch and I truly feel mine pulls harder with just the homemade intake and nothing else. NO BS!
Let me clarify. The hole I cut takes out the entire panel in the bottom of the air box to the right (if looking towards the back of the car) of the mound created for the radiator hose underneath the air box. The hose connects to the duct I bought from Pegasus and runs over the fan mount and down to the front bumper on the passenger side.
I might be able to make a sketch of it sometime or borrow someone's camera if people are really that interested. If I were to get a bigger intercooler, I think I would just relocate the battery to make more room and not touch the stock airbox. The stock airbox really is a good design. It just needed a little more airflow going to it.
Let me put it this way... I drove a friends R1 last week with DP, his homemade intake, catback and performance clutch and I truly feel mine pulls harder with just the homemade intake and nothing else. NO BS!
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