WHen installing a CAI, Do you always have to cut the hole to make the piping fit? - Honda Prelude Forum

bolivianfuego · 02-13-2002, 05:08 PM

do you?

Cause im about to install CAI and i dont want to take out my stock intake to only find out that im gonna need a dremel tool? How long d oyou guys think it is gonna take to install it?

vooboo13 · 02-13-2002, 05:29 PM

I just bent the sides enough to make it fit... used a wrench.. took like 10 minutes to bend a hole big enough because of having to test fit and stuff.

97blacklude · 02-13-2002, 06:11 PM

I'd just bent it downwards too

Don;t bend it upwards or else u might scrape the CAI

C-Redrum · 02-13-2002, 06:18 PM

You bent what ?

What are you guys talking about, the AEM CAI?
I had to enlarge the hole with a dremel tool.

whitesiprelude · 02-13-2002, 06:34 PM

On my CAI I didn't have to cut the whole any bigger but I have a 4th gen. It took me about 5 hours to install mine but I had to do some weird things with my vac lines to get them to work correctly. Make sure you alow for alot of time when doing this.

And they said you need to bend the area around where the cai goes in. You need to push it down and bend it to make it fit.

Peace

C-Redrum · 02-13-2002, 06:38 PM

5 HOURS !!!!?

whitesiprelude · 02-13-2002, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by C-Redrum
5 HOURS !!!!?

Yeah I had to take off the whole front bumper cover. I was told that was the easiest why to get everything out in good condition. Just incase I ever need to replace everything to stock if I'm going to sell it. And I had an extra vac line with no nipple so I had to figure out where I needed to put it.

Peace

Dynamic EBP · 02-13-2002, 06:43 PM

whoa i took off the front bumper too...takes a few mins.

but hey, as long as it all works fine then whatever, its not like youd rather be doing anything else but working on your car!

Two-Five Boy · 02-13-2002, 08:39 PM

YES, it's a absolute MUST to enlarge the hole in some way shape or form in order to fit the filter!! ON THE 5th GEN!!!

I bent the metal UPWARDS by first cutting into it w/ a saw!

Then I bent it back as much as I can and taped the edges, be careful as they are sharp as hell!!!!!

The rest is cake!

Just make sure u print the instructions from www.ntpog.org before attempting to install!!!

ice1cube · 02-13-2002, 08:53 PM

damn that's ghetto, bending the ****......but heheheh......that's what i did as well, that damn metal is so damn thick

the intake is kind of leaning against the left side (when viewed from front of engine bay) but i lined it w/ extra coolant hose so it should be ok

(i tried dremel earlier,,,,, and the metal ate through 4 diamond tipped dremel tips)

xratedSH · 02-13-2002, 09:00 PM

I guess we're assuming AEM CAI? If so its a definate must despite what some people say(thanks a lot Eurosport), anyways I didn't have a dremel, but I had a little saw

that I used to enlarge the left side treated the raw metal, then covered up with some rubber tubing so the intake doesn't get all scratched up..

ludecrs01 · 02-13-2002, 09:04 PM

It took me 3 hours to install into my 5th gen. I just used some garden snippers, cut the hole in three places and bent downward. I couldnt believe the amount of $h!t that came out...filter, piping, etc.....

KeePiNitCLean · 02-13-2002, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Two-Five Boy
YES, it's a absolute MUST to enlarge the hole in some way shape or form in order to fit the filter!! ON THE 5th GEN!!!

I bent the metal UPWARDS by first cutting into it w/ a saw!

Then I bent it back as much as I can and taped the edges, be careful as they are sharp as hell!!!!!

The rest is cake!

Just make sure u print the instructions from www.ntpog.org before attempting to install!!!

NOT ON ALL CAIS!!!!!I didn't need to cut anything with my INJEN CAI.It was a perfect fit in the hole....

pinkdotts · 02-13-2002, 10:28 PM

Yea i used a dremmel with the right bit it takes like 1min a 30k rpm

dont cut the hole too big mine sits nice.

ice1cube · 02-13-2002, 11:50 PM

sits nice? when you're driving the vibration will cause the intake to vibrate against the sides no doubt yours does that....

also, injen has smaller piping diameter so that explains urs......you should really line the edge of the whole w/ vacuum or padding or something

Black97Lude · 02-14-2002, 01:07 AM

This sounds really ghetto, but I used a crowbar and a hammer and bent the $hit down. PEACE

KeePiNitCLean · 02-14-2002, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pinkdotts

Yea i used a dremmel with the right bit it takes like 1min a 30k rpm

dont cut the hole too big mine sits nice.

hey what did yall use to line the edges of the hole and where can i buy it at????

thanks

Mz3silver · 02-14-2002, 09:25 AM

Yes you need to bend if you have an AEM.

My advice : strat Bending the side closest to the front passanger and then go all around. You can do it with a plier. Try to bend as deep as possible and then to make it look good, you use excess vacum tube, slice it down the center and then line the inside of the area where you bent.

Then only do you install the CAI. Not doing so will result in a 'slit' cut into your AEM over time (like mine cos' the previous owner did not do a proper install

).

Once lined with the vacum lines, your AEM should slide snugly through it with no fear for scracting and will be snug enough to NOT vibrate. Therefore the first step is to bend as much as you can but evenly.

redlude2k1 · 02-14-2002, 11:08 AM

has anyone ever complained to AEM for not making the pipe fit our 5th gen ludes??

Gen Five · 02-14-2002, 12:11 PM

buy an iceman cai, no bending needed

the iceman also comes with that rubber wrap to go around the edges of the hole. iceman is a perfect fit into the 5th gen. same gains as aem as far as i'm concerned.