Cold Air Intake
an easy How-To
by Keil Miller
Cold air intakes create more horsepower because the draw in cooler
air away from the engine. Denser air means more power, not to mention
getting rid of the poorly designed air box. The CAI I made has a
bypass filter in case water reaches the filter. The change in pressure
will make the motor breathe from the bypass and prevent hydrolock.
The main filter ends up above the mudflap and under the battery
and radiator overflow to sheild from water and recieve air from
the front damp. The filter is places sideways to draw in more air.
The intake was made from muffeler piping that was crush bent at
a car shop near my house. I made it first out of PVC to get an idea
of how to bend and cut the metal. PVC piping would be irrational
to use seeing how there is now way to mount it and there is only
90 degree bends (hits hood). I told the guy what i was doing and
just had him bend the peices, tried it out (had car apart outside
his shop), had him bend it a little more, tried it out. He spent
maybe 30 minutes working for me.
I get tons of horsepower and noticed the difference as soon as
I rooled away from the shop. You can choose not to make it out of
PVC first, but it gives the guy at the shop an idea of what you
are talking about.
Shopping
PVC
2” diameter PVC piping
2 90° PVC elbow 2” in diameter (female/male)
1 90° PVC long turn elbow 2” in diameter (female/female)
Metal
1 flexible drain coupling (a.k.a. rubber plumbing nipple), 2”
to 2”
K&N Filter for bypass
Required for both
1 flexible drain coupling (a.k.a. rubber plumbing nipple), 2”
to 2”
K&N Filter
I will have filter numbers as soon as I find the boxes. I have
them somewhere. (next couple of days I will have them)
Taking the car apart
Pop the hood and take a good look. It's beautiful. Yea, yea, yea.
You will probably do this 10 times before you finish the intake
(dont forget you car do the PVC part at home, put it back together,
and part of the metal part at the shop, and the other part of the
metal part at home.
Battery and Radiator Overflow
These will be taken off constantly. First take disconnect the battery
and remove the bar that holds the battery in place as well at the
black box. Twist the box aside and take the box out. (Almost everything
on the car is a 10mm) Disconnect the hose and unscrew the radiator
overflow. Take it right out.
Airbox
The stock airbox comes off some simply any 6 year old could do it.
Ther clip comes off from the EFI by hand, 3 screws hold it down
to the car inside the airbox, and the ghetto fender intake part
falls out when the box is lifted out.
Making the PVC to get an idea
The intake is going to make a 90 degree turn from the EFI, down
towards the front of the car, 90 degree, down to the bottom of the
car, 90 degree facing the drivers side of the car. The intake actually
runs along the side of the battery, but the black box needs to be
twisted under the intake or to the side. The long 90 degree PVC
will be for the turn that leads downward. Cut the PVC with a hack
saw the sizes you need and try it. Its trial and error. Sanding
the edges quickly will be required to make them slide together easily.
Put the main filter on and make sure everything fits ok. The bypass
filter and rubber nipples will be left to when you make it out of
metal. For now, hold it up to the EFI.
Making it out of Metal
The intake will be made from 2.25 inch muffeler piping. A rubber
nipple will need the be cut in half the attach the intake to the
EFI Flush. The bypass filter will go anywhere above the batter facing
the right. To connect it, another rubber nipple with actually seperat
the intake into two peices. I drilled 4 tiny holes in the side of
it and a big one to attach the filter attachment (you'll easily
see when looking at the filter and attachment that came with it...I'll
get a photo up). Show the bodyshop the PVC you made and have them
bend and cut the first peice with the 90 degree. The ends will be
needed to be expanded a little to fit with the rubber nipples (they
know what to do...this was the first time anyone at the shop even
done anything like this). Than make the down peice- fowards a little,
long bend, down a little 90 degree bend to the drivers side. Looking
at the PVC makes this process so much easier at the body shop. Don't
forget that the ends will be needed to be expanded to fit.
Attatching it to something
I had the body shop weld a peice (a flat rod bent 90 degrees in
half hotdogt way) that went from the intake to under the plastic
the the battery went on. They drilled a hole in it and bolted it
right there (a bolt already goes there so its perfect!). I had to
take it out and do some grinding to that peice to make it flat at
the end so the battery can sit on it. Ill get a pic up soon.
The End
Enjoy your intake. It was fairly simple to make and was also fairly
cheap. It creates tons of power and makes the car not so restrictive
and sluggish. Its better than trying to buy one because it has a
bypass filter saving your enging from blowing. There is no cold
air intake made for this car.
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