[HersheyRedLine]

I had been getting impatient waiting for this AEM intake, so I made my own. Over the weekend I decided it'd be worth a shot to take out my stock airbox, possibly to realize some power gains. I already have the K&n drop in, but I need MORE POWER!

I wasn't too sure how good this would be since the tranny is directly behind the airbox, and creates a decent amount of heat. I went ahead with it anyway.

It took me roughly 3 hours, Alot of the time was getting the right tools and disconneting parts to have room to remove the airbox.

Once removed, we started her up and, very minimal difference in an idle rev. I could hear it sucking more, but hardly. I figure it had not helped much, untill I took her for a drive. At WOT the s/c will now whine(in any gear), to the point I can hear it with my radio at max volume. The sound is beyond incredible! The exhaust note has also increase slighty, but it tends to backfire more often. The car no longer sounds american, it has the winding sound of a porsche! No joke! People were doing the double and triple take last night! Holy S....WTF is that?!? is what I got! SRT-4 owners were praising the sound

However, the next big question. Power gains? I'm not really to certain as I don't have a dyno. I can definately feel a difference though. It seems to pull alot harder at higher rpms. I also did a run on this stretch of road that's about 1/3 mile or so, maybe less. Before the intake mod was done, 105mph. After 112mph. This doesn't prove much because the runs were done at different times and the air temp & pressue etc was similar, but can't verify it was exactly the same. Also, the car spins a good bit easier, It will light up just rolling in second gear now :-/

I am going to get my car dyno'd this week some time. 35 for 3 runs, no tuning. Not bad. I didn't get it dynoed in "stock" condition. I am curious to see it's output though.

If anyone is interested, I can do a detailed write up and list the tools needed (nothing complex). It should cut the time if half, knowing exactly how to go at it.

If you would like ur car to be twice as loud and be heard whining over a mile away (we tested, you can hear it, if there's not much other noise, I live at the bottom of a moutain though.) Or you would like it to scream in someone's face while passing them. This mod is for you. It costs nothing, just a few scatches on your hands if you don't wear gloves!

 

[clownhair]

I wouldn't mind knowing how you did it. Did you cut the box or just take it off?

 

[HersheyRedLine]

I took it off. It takes some manuvering but it can be done. It comes out from the top, so you will notice it's going to be tight. Here are some basic instructions.


1. Remove the breather line that connects from the valve cover to the side on the intake tubing.

2. Remove the 2 hose clamps on the intake tube that connects the Throttle body to the air box assembly, then take out the tubing.

3. Disconnect the MAF sensor. It should clip off.

4. Remove the 3 screws that hold the lid of the air box in place, then pull the lid out of the engine bay(make sure to pull the filter off before trying to remove lid, it will be easier).

5. Take filter out. I recommend replacing with K&N Filter. e-1009

6. disconnect the middle radiator hose. Push it completly out of the way of the air box. WARNING. You are going to lose a good deal of coolant. Make sure to wash & scrub the engine bay when done.

7. Removal of accessories. There are several things that need to be disconnected before gaining access. There is a sensor that rests behind your headlight, unclip it and move it out of the way. Disconnect the power wire running to your fusebox & the ground wire running to the top of the fender. Push the intercooler/radiator hose as far to the opposite side of the engine as possible.

8. Jack your car up up about 2 feet(enough for you to lay under).

9. Remove the dirt/water guard & air dam & first 2 panel poppers in the wheel well on the side of the filter to access the stock tubing. (about 8 panel poppers)

10. You will need to disconnect the tubing(undersiding of the car) from the air box. There are 2 different pieces of tubing that will come off, you want to put them back on afterwords to retain the stock system of airflow to where the box used to sit.

11. There are 3 nuts that hold the airbox in place. Two are visible from the engine bay. The third is on the underside. While still under the car from step 10, remove the bottom nut on the airbox.

12. Remove the two nuts that hold the airbox from the engine bay. There are tabs that hold in onto the tread of where the nut was, you'll have to pop them off.

13. Work air box out of engine. I had to flex the airbox a few different ways to get it out. Just took a few minutes and some geometrical thinking. HINT it's easier with 2 people.

14. Re-assemble eveything the way you took it apart. You will have 3 nuts & 3 screws from the airbox. Putting it back together should only take 15-20 min or less. Make sure to evaluate the situation and look what you have to do first. Your filter is going to hang in place, make sure to tighten the intake clamps extra tight. You can rest part of the airbox lid/ MAF on the tranny.

 

[xtremesc2]

well hopefully ill be doing this on saturday this week......hopefully some other people can do it beforehand to give their input on it as well.

thanks alot for the info man, this sounds pretty sweet

 

[BlackRedline04]

I just installed my K&N air filter about a week ago and noticed a difference.

You said you were worried about it heating up too much near the tranny. Have you had any problems so far? I'm just worried that, even though it has positives (louder, faster), there may be problems with it too.

Btw how hard was it to remove the radiator hose? It was a pain to work around it when installing the air filter, but seemed like an even bigger pain to remove it.

 

[HersheyRedLine]

I just installed my K&N air filter about a week ago and noticed a difference.

You said you were worried about it heating up too much near the tranny. Have you had any problems so far? I'm just worried that, even though it has positives (louder, faster), there may be problems with it too.

Btw how hard was it to remove the radiator hose? It was a pain to work around it when installing the air filter, but seemed like an even bigger pain to remove it.

I haven't had any problems with the tranny heat. I live In South Central PA, and it's been like low 40's here the past couple days. It may be a problem in the spring, but I won't know until then. This mod is pretty much what the AEM short ram is going to be. Just not mandrel bent intake piping.

It wasn't hard to remove the radiator hose at all. You just need a set of channel lock plyers, or any set the jaws can open about 3 inches. You just squeeze the clamp and pull it back... the take off the radiator hose... It's going to leak everywhere, you can cover it up, or let it run out.

 

[BlackRedline04]

I talked to a friend, he said its not safe to do this, as the air box has sensors.

 

[korax123]

I talked to a friend, he said its not safe to do this, as the air box has sensors.

The intake tube has a sensor. I never heard of a car having a sensor on the Air box + when the AEM and K+N intake come out you will prob have to remove the air box anyways. Im about 95% sure there aren't any sensors on the air box. I will prob do this mod when it gets warmer outside but just use my stock filter. I really want to hear my S/C whine though. When i took my uncle for a ride in my car he was surprised you couldn't hear the SC at all. (He owns a 04 Mach 1 w/4.10 gears, exhaust, and reprogrammed computer = no traction on stock tires his best time is like 13.7xx at 10x mph, stock he ran 14.3 at 96 or 98 because he doesn't know how to drive.)

 

[rlinbatonrouge]

The major problem that you will run into with that mod is water. We have seen a few locked up engines on sedans from running into water and sucking it back into the engine. Being that you just removed your shield to prevent that and the intake is much lower to the ground than a sedan, I can't say that it is a good idea. I would put it all back together and wait for the aftermarket stuff. I bet it does sound good though. That is the type of thing that you can do at the track when you know its not going to rain and your are going to make some runs, but for everydday driving you are setting yourself up for a locked engine.

 

[Vita]

as long as you don't go puddle splashing, or driving through water that is more a foot deep, you should be fine. i had a cai on my old tiburon, and the filter was lower than the RL's stock location, and ended up driving through some puddles i wouldn't have liked to, and i never hydrolocked, just drive responsibly, also it couldnt hurt to get one of k&n's water "socks" or whatever they're called

 

[goofyguy]

aem bypass valve

 

[JPK]

aem bypass valve

"AEM does not recommend the use of the bypass valve on engines equipped with forced induction (turbo or superchargers). "

http://www.aempower.com/faq.asp?fid=21&sid=3&tid=

 

[goofyguy]

you can use one but it has to be before the maf sensor. if after it wont get a corect reading and screw with the a/f ratio. Just attach it directly to the maf on the inlet side of it no big deal.

 

[Vita]

the problem with the bypass valve and forced induction is the fact that it may open under higher boost, at least that's what i've read in the past

 

[goofyguy]

may open? If you put it before the mas air flow sensor it wouldnt make any differnce. if you put it between the maf and throttle body it your own fault for using in incorrectly.

 

[Vita]

may open? If you put it before the mas air flow sensor it wouldnt make any differnce. if you put it between the maf and throttle body it your own fault for using in incorrectly.

the point is that it makes the cai useless since it will draw air in from the bypass valve. it's fine for n/a engines, but with f/i you might as well just slap a filter on the maf if you plan to run a bypass valve on your cai

 

[HersheyRedLine]

Update on power gains

I had tried to get my car in to get dyno'd but they couldnt fit me in this week. I did however test out the power gains of removing the stock air box by going out racing

I can now consistantly pull away from my friends 2000 mustang GT, before I could only hope to be able to stay on his tail. He can still take me off the line, but I catch up to him about 80-90 and we stay dead even till 140

For everyone's info. The redline can go faster than 144. I drove my friend's GT and he drove my car we were doing 147 and he was dead even with me We both let off. We are going to do top speed again this weekend, maybe.

 

[clownhair]

could I possibly get a couple of pics of how it looks now?

 

[redlin-er]

K&N doesn't make an air filter for the RL. How did you come up or xref the E-1009?

 

[shaneathan]

I'm pretty sure that K&N does make a filter for the redline.