$12 cold air intake [Archive] - Honda Element Owners Club Forum

: $12 cold air intake


Oak Lawn Element
04-05-2003, 05:48 PM
I want my E to source ambient temp air vs. the hot air under the hood. I studied the drawings of the intake system, and realized how easy this would be.

1). Take off the intake resonator. This involves removing the two 10mm bolts, clearly visible, that hold it to the driver's side inner fender. Also temporarily take off the negative chassis ground (goes from neg battery post to driver's inner fender, also 10mm). Take off battery hold down clamps and move battery forwards and parallel to the radiator.

2). Remove the 10mm bolt that holds the electrical box (directly above where the resonator sits) to the fender so you can just ease this up and out of the way.

3). Remove the rubber hose between the resonator and the air filter box. It just pops off. Lift out the resonator, working it out between the battery, fender and power box.

3). Reinstall battery clamps and ground strap. Reinstall the bolt for the power box.

I then went to AutoZone and got auto intake hose, 3" id, part # P319-325. It's about 2.5 - 3' long. It slips over the inlet to the air cleaner box, then can be routed over into the driver's side fender well through the large hole where the resonator used to sit. It has little snap clips on both ends, so you can secure it to the filter box. I will probably go back with some zip ties and secure the end of the hose in the fender.

Hose cost: $11.99 and labor time of about 15 minutes.

Result: You will hear a bit of intake moan, but I like that! Not gonna make any HP gain claims, but you can understand that just making air easier for the engine to obtain has got to help some, and with the monster hot temps in Dallas during the summer, every effort to get ambient outside air vs. under the hood hot-as-hell air is a plus!

If AEM ever offers one of their CAI's for this vehicle, will probably get it. But, for now, $12 well spent!!!

Ger Brassfield
04-06-2003, 11:48 PM
Groovy!

szacherau
04-07-2003, 02:43 PM
Do you do this to keep the engine cooler? Any concern of pulling in more moisture then norm? I would imagine that the cooling sys is enough for any area. How about a picture.

Thanks
Scott

medic4lee
04-07-2003, 03:22 PM
have you had any problems with water from rain or puddles entering the in take,, I ask because I made this same type of mod to my dodge ram and I sometimes get water in the intake if i go through a deep puddle to fast!

Oak Lawn Element
04-08-2003, 05:34 PM
[quote:0ab9152098="szacherau"]Do you do this to keep the engine cooler? Any concern of pulling in more moisture then norm? I would imagine that the cooling sys is enough for any area.[/quote:0ab9152098]

No, this is to let the engine access ambient temp air vs. the radiator heated air under the hood.

No concern with the humidity level of the air!

My experience with both the '99 Si and the 2k2 Si is that sitting in bumper to bumper traffic in Dallas, in the summer, with the a/c going, with the outside temp in excess of 100, while forcing the engine to source air from under the hood where the a/c & radiator have superheated it to 225+ degrees or more translates to sluggish off-the-line performance. In both cases, adding the ambient air set up eliminated the bogging off idle.

I put 41k miles on the '99 Si with this set up, 12k on the 2002 Si with this set up. No water issues, no any issues - just smoother performance. Caveat is that I was bright enough not to drive into deep standing water with either of those cars, due to the air filters being down below the grille. In the case of my rigged set up on the E, it's up high in the left fender, so not as much worry about deep water being a problem at all.

Oak Lawn Element
04-08-2003, 05:37 PM
[quote:d415eca464="medic4lee"]have you had any problems with water from rain or puddles entering the in take,, I ask because I made this same type of mod to my dodge ram and I sometimes get water in the intake if i go through a deep puddle to fast![/quote:d415eca464]

I've never had a vehicle that didn't get some water into the lower levels of the factory-stock intake at some point or another. My '89 Wranger 6-cylinder always had remnants of water/mud/gunk in the stock intake hosing - it got used like a PT boat!

bkw
04-09-2003, 08:42 PM
do you have any pics of your mod?

Oak Lawn Element
04-11-2003, 08:02 AM
[quote:63c9a3f712="bkw"]do you have any pics of your mod?[/quote:63c9a3f712]

Not yet, but pics of the engine are overdue. Will eventually get around to that!

brado
06-12-2003, 09:12 AM
I just removed my Intake Resonator following your instructions. Very easy to do. Not sure how much actual hp it actually adds, but it has to help some. I used a flex intake tube that I bought at Autozone for $9.00. I kept the stock rubber tube connected to the air cleaner housing (the one that was connected to the resonator) and inserted it into the intake tube I bought. I routed the tube back to where the stock plastic inlet was located. I don't think there's as much air flow inside the fender - too many obstuctions (headlights, etc). I also disconnected the negative on the battery itself before moving it around - don't want to take any chances.

Brado

reedpc
06-12-2003, 10:29 AM
I'm not up on current engine engineering. What's the resonator supposed to do?

HEK
06-13-2003, 09:11 AM
So tell me something......what about the connector for the air sensor??..how u manage that?...
http://images.cardomain.com/member_img_b/268000-268999/268139_4.jpg

brado
06-13-2003, 01:57 PM
HEK - Not sure what your talking about as far as the air sensor is concerned. Where is it located? If it's inside the resonator box, then it would have to be a mechanical device. I suspect any air sensor on this car would be electronically controlled. I certainly didn't remove anything that was wired up. All I removed was the plastic resonator box. I'll try and post some photos this weekend.

Brado

HEK
06-13-2003, 04:54 PM
[quote:416b3c0685="brado"]HEK - Not sure what your talking about as far as the air sensor is concerned. Where is it located? If it's inside the resonator box, then it would have to be a mechanical device. I suspect any air sensor on this car would be electronically controlled. I certainly didn't remove anything that was wired up. All I removed was the plastic resonator box. I'll try and post some photos this weekend.

Brado[/quote:416b3c0685]

Please do...I think we are talking here 2 different things.....like one guy says at work..." is the same but different".... :D :roll:

brado
06-16-2003, 03:14 PM
I took some photos of the modification I made. However, it appears I need a publicly accessible web server to post my photos to. I'll see if I can post them to my homepage, but this may be impossible at the moment with the Comcast takeover of ATT Broadband.

Brado

HEK
06-16-2003, 08:42 PM
[quote:3e4629bb3b="brado"]I took some photos of the modification I made. However, it appears I need a publicly accessible web server to post my photos to. I'll see if I can post them to my homepage, but this may be impossible at the moment with the Comcast takeover of ATT Broadband.

Brado[/quote:3e4629bb3b]...

I loaded some pics here...... www.imagestation.com and www.cardomain.com both host pictures for free

brado
06-17-2003, 11:20 AM
OK, I joined ImageStation and made a photo album. The link is: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289904187

I think you have to be a member of ImageStation to view the photos. If there's a way around this, let me know. On some of the photos, I but a blue arrow pointing to the area of interest.

Hopefully this will be of some help to other Element owners. If more photos are needed, let me know.

Brado

HEK
06-17-2003, 11:51 AM
[quote:a7f02f2a46="brado"]OK, I joined ImageStation and made a photo album. The link is: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289904187

I think you have to be a member of ImageStation to view the photos. If there's a way around this, let me know. On some of the photos, I but a blue arrow pointing to the area of interest.

Hopefully this will be of some help to other Element owners. If more photos are needed, let me know.

Brado[/quote:a7f02f2a46]

Brado, I see your work....so I'm linking the pics from another site to compare....http://www.hondavision.com/photopost/data/500/175_12_intake.jpg

and this one I understand...http://www.hondavision.com/photopost/data/500/175_12intake_hose.jpg

but how about a picture from the front looking into the engine compartment.....and about the ribs on the hose....uhmmm not sure if the air looses force...turbulence??...maybe???

brado
06-17-2003, 12:19 PM
First of all, how are you getting pictures into the forum?
Secondly, I show a picture from the front grill, where the blue arrow is pointing to the stock plastic air inlet. I cut an oval shaped hole in the vertical part of the plastic radiator cover and shoved the stock inlet into this, I connected the other end of the stock inlet to my overly ribbed intake tube.

I wanted to keep the stock air box, don't particularly like the look of the Injen, etc and don't want the noise.

I will remove the radiator cover and take some photos - will post here when photos are up.

Again, how are you getting photos on here?

Brado

brado
06-17-2003, 06:48 PM
I posted some more photos on http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289904187

On the elementradiatorcover photo, I used a dremel to cut the oval shape.
Elementintake8 is showing the stock plastic intake elbow.
Elementintake7 is showing the same elbow pulled back from the grille for a better photo.
Elementintake6 is an overhead view of the elbow in its normal position.

Hope this helps explain what I did.

Brado

HEK
06-17-2003, 07:11 PM
[quote:14ba99aa6c="brado"]I posted some more photos on http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289904187

On the elementradiatorcover photo, I used a dremel to cut the oval shape.
Elementintake8 is showing the stock plastic intake elbow.
Elementintake7 is showing the same elbow pulled back from the grille for a better photo.
Elementintake6 is an overhead view of the elbow in its normal position.

Hope this helps explain what I did.

Brado[/quote:14ba99aa6c]

Brado check your PM....You don't have a filter ???? or are you using the stock one...?

brado
06-17-2003, 09:05 PM
I'm still using the stock filter & airbox, all I removed was the resonator. The ribbed tube I installed goes from the stock plastic air inlet elbow up by the grille, around the battery, to the stock air box/filter.

Check my new post on exhausts, I'm looking for suggestions.

HEK - Thanks for the PM, I'll have to give that a try.

Brado

Farther
08-13-2006, 05:42 PM
Hey Brado:
Any new information on your mod?

kilgoja
08-13-2006, 08:54 PM
actually i think you'd be better off leaving it stock...the fans are pulling fresh ambient air through the radiator and blowing it straight into the stock resonator....so this mod is really not helping any....plus with this mod there's probably more of a chance of water getting into the intake when it rains...just my thoughts

grayij87
04-07-2007, 03:56 PM
actually i think you'd be better off leaving it stock...the fans are pulling fresh ambient air through the radiator and blowing it straight into the stock resonator....so this mod is really not helping any....plus with this mod there's probably more of a chance of water getting into the intake when it rains...just my thoughts

Goes with the motto "There's a reason they made it that way..."
But whatever, your car Brado!

alextreme76
04-08-2007, 05:36 AM
great bump for a 2003 post:confused:

but really, after messing with the drop in filter and now a modded airbox, i am just going to go ahead and get a real intake

wingdr
04-08-2007, 01:01 PM
Alextreme, go with the AEM Dryflow and you won't be disappointed, Tim

alextreme76
04-08-2007, 03:05 PM
with the fujita short ram group buy deal, i am going with that!

SavvyConcepts
10-19-2007, 09:46 PM
Brado,

From your posting...

Had my exhaust guy cut out the stock muffler and weld straight pipe in its place. Left the resonator in its place. When I pulled into the muffler shop after a 10 minute drive, and got the E on the lift, the right side of the muffler was glowing red, along with about 4" of the pipe going towards the resonator. That's way too restrictive for any vehicle.

Noise level is increased, I can actually hear my E now! At 70MPH in OD, it's barely noticeable that I've done anything. At idle it's noticeable, and at full acceleration it's definitely noticeable. Just driving around, accelerating "normally", it sounds like I think a 4 cylinder should sound like.

I'm going to leave it like this. I wasn't looking for noise, I was looking to increase the performance of the iVTEC. Plus, it still looks completely stock.

Cost = $22.00
____________

My questions...

So you have been driving without a muffler? Is there any drone? Fart can sound? Faster? What size straight pipe did you connect to the resonator? Have you looked into more free flowing resonators? Happy with your mod?

I have done the intake box removal but without the intake hose from Autozone. Its nice when you step on it, but other than that you dont hear it at all. I have only been "box-less" for a day now, have you noticed any downside to this mod?

Thanks in advance

bennyG19
10-27-2007, 03:04 PM
i did the diy cai by taking off the resonator and putting on the flexible tube today, but i routed it to the area where a fog light would go if i had one. it makes a sort of whining noise at idle, but other than that not a real big difference. i'll leave it for a few weeks and see if the mpg goes up, if not i'll probably put everything back.

GoodE
10-27-2007, 04:03 PM
Hey, I love my K&N Typhoon with my Magnaflow setup. Puuur-Fect. Here it
here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtBvWSv5pJo

It'll sound most accurate with your headphones.-GoodE
Wouldn't trade it FTW.

mookie
12-01-2008, 02:06 PM
I want my E to source ambient temp air vs. the hot air under the hood. I studied the drawings of the intake system, and realized how easy this would be.

1). Take off the intake resonator. This involves removing the two 10mm bolts, clearly visible, that hold it to the driver's side inner fender. Also temporarily take off the negative chassis ground (goes from neg battery post to driver's inner fender, also 10mm). Take off battery hold down clamps and move battery forwards and parallel to the radiator.

2). Remove the 10mm bolt that holds the electrical box (directly above where the resonator sits) to the fender so you can just ease this up and out of the way.

3). Remove the rubber hose between the resonator and the air filter box. It just pops off. Lift out the resonator, working it out between the battery, fender and power box.

3). Reinstall battery clamps and ground strap. Reinstall the bolt for the power box.

I then went to AutoZone and got auto intake hose, 3" id, part # P319-325. It's about 2.5 - 3' long. It slips over the inlet to the air cleaner box, then can be routed over into the driver's side fender well through the large hole where the resonator used to sit. It has little snap clips on both ends, so you can secure it to the filter box. I will probably go back with some zip ties and secure the end of the hose in the fender.

Hose cost: $11.99 and labor time of about 15 minutes.

Result: You will hear a bit of intake moan, but I like that! Not gonna make any HP gain claims, but you can understand that just making air easier for the engine to obtain has got to help some, and with the monster hot temps in Dallas during the summer, every effort to get ambient outside air vs. under the hood hot-as-hell air is a plus!

If AEM ever offers one of their CAI's for this vehicle, will probably get it. But, for now, $12 well spent!!!


called the local AZ and the part number you list was not a good number...

what is this, a flexible plastic tube similar to dryer hose???

ramblerdan
12-01-2008, 02:26 PM
Sounds like preheater hose, flexible aluminum hose (like the bendy part of a bendy straw) used to carry hot air from an exhaust manifold shroud to the air cleaner housing on older cars. Pretty similar to aluminum dryer duct, actually.

http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/jpg/small/0900823d8004aa52.jpg

I've also seen plastic ones that are round on one end and rectangular on the other.

mookie
12-01-2008, 07:58 PM
Sounds like preheater hose, flexible aluminum hose (like the bendy part of a bendy straw) used to carry hot air from an exhaust manifold shroud to the air cleaner housing on older cars. Pretty similar to aluminum dryer duct, actually.

http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/jpg/small/0900823d8004aa52.jpg

I've also seen plastic ones that are round on one end and rectangular on the other.

oh snap! that reminds me of a flexible gutter downspout extension.
it just might work...
which gets me to thinking about a free flowing foam filter element(sorry for the pun!!) Uni make filter foam sheets and i bet Lowes has something i can construct a frame/ support from.

tribalelement
12-01-2008, 08:59 PM
oh snap! that reminds me of a flexible gutter downspout extension.
it just might work...
which gets me to thinking about a free flowing foam filter element(sorry for the pun!!) Uni make filter foam sheets and i bet Lowes has something i can construct a frame/ support from.

I need to see pics of this :shock:

NighthawkBlackPearlEX-P
12-02-2008, 06:06 AM
This is what I used.
http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/660214.jpg
NapaItem#: BK 7355946, BK 7355943, BK 7355944, BK 7355945
http://www.napaonline.com/images/u_clear.gif
Price: $20.0
Attributes:
Product Features:For Any Air Intake Opening w/ 3.0" Dia.
Can Be used in Stock Applications or in Conjunction w/ Intake System to Bring Cold Air Into Engine
Retains Position w/ "Memory Flex"
Kit Includes 28" Ducting
Dimensions:3.0" x 28"
Material:Plastic
Clamp Required:Yes

Silver is $10 more.
http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/660211.jpg
http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/660212.jpg
http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/660213.jpg

No one ever says what if anything is accomplished with this mod. Monitoring ScanGageII, I actually believe my AIT increased. No change in sound, not sure about acceleration (HP).

vfxraven19
12-03-2008, 11:49 PM
This is what I used.
http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/660214.jpg
NapaItem#: BK 7355946, BK 7355943, BK 7355944, BK 7355945
http://www.napaonline.com/images/u_clear.gif
Price: $20.0
Attributes:
Product Features:For Any Air Intake Opening w/ 3.0" Dia.
Can Be used in Stock Applications or in Conjunction w/ Intake System to Bring Cold Air Into Engine
Retains Position w/ "Memory Flex"
Kit Includes 28" Ducting
Dimensions:3.0" x 28"
Material:Plastic
Clamp Required:Yes

Silver is $10 more.
http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/660211.jpg
http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/660212.jpg
http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/660213.jpg

No one ever says what if anything is accomplished with this mod. Monitoring ScanGageII, I actually believe my AIT increased. No change in sound, not sure about acceleration (HP).

I did this for a while before Injen released the 07+ CAI. So difference in sound either, there may have been a small oomph in perf.

mookie
12-12-2008, 03:26 PM
a thought...

remove the resonator. remove the stock air filter element.
use the above flex tube with an after market cold air intake style air filter.
viola. shorty cold air intake.

walk_n_wind
12-12-2008, 03:39 PM
That's sorta what I did, not that I would recommend anyone follow my lead :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/inajamaica/2341818834/

No complaints yet...

mookie
12-12-2008, 04:40 PM
how much was the filter?

mookie
12-13-2008, 03:16 PM
I need to see pics of this :shock:


took a paper element without the outside wire mesh you see on some of them. cut away the paper. cut a piece of UNI foam from a sheet i got at a motorcycle shop, cut to fit, sewed the seam together and used black weather strip rubber cement to seal it with, repeat with a piece of open cell foam from Uni(black).

it should last as long as any K&N and filter at least as good...

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa309/moebuster/DSCF0002-3.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa309/moebuster/DSCF0001-1.jpg

mookie
12-13-2008, 04:24 PM
going to Lowes after dinner this eve. the wife thinks were shopping for a ceiling fan... i'm looking at PVC and the possibility of either a shorty or CIA intake. it can't be too hard. if i can find the right diameter pipe...