well the other day i decided to do a little project involving my intake. As you all know that supposedly CAI's rob from our cars low end power. There have have been many topics regarding the pros and cons over CAIs and short ram intakes.
Anyway a while ago when i first got my CAI i had a body shop cut a hole in my front bumper in front of where the CAI filter resides to get even cooler air and i guess more of a ram air effect. Since all these posts of saying that short rams are better for torque but lose HP in the high end because of the hot air they suck in from the engine bay made me want use this hole i cut out for a better effect. So i changed over to a short ram and what I basically did was use my brother's stock intake tubing from his 318ti(he didn't mind thank god because i tore it apart) as a passage for the cold air directly from outside to get in right under my filter in the engine bay.
I know, I know. It's not pretty.......yet. BUT OMG, what a difference. From 2k rpm to 4krpm is like a whole different ball game and it keeps pulling like as if i had a CAI on. In all seriousness though, this was one of the best things i ever did for my car. Power down low is better than ever even with all my mods that i've have. My tires are spining much easier due to the new found torque, it's wonderful. And the sound of my car has been transformed as well, very cool
Anyway, for all you aesthetic freaks, i'm going to eventually cover up that hole with some kind of wire mesh or something. Kinda like this:
But i kinda need ideas on what to use to make it look nice and covered up. The flash of the camera brings out every little detail as well so that doesn't help. It looks better in person to tell you the truth, but it still needs to be covered up. So lovers and haters and advice givers, rip it up!
Oh and the black plastic that is cut to the right of it is where my fog lights are going so that's going to be covered up. You'll see, my car is going to be hot as hell.....I hope. heh, nah it should be
Originally posted by gills Not at all. I drove around with my car in serious rain and snow storms with a CAI and that hole in my bumper. Guess what, nothing ever happened.
Yeah but now you have a tube that can fill up with water.
You better poke some holes in the bottom of that sucker. Have you washed your car yet with it installed?
{Edit: after looking at your picture again, your tube looks like it may slope toward the front..which mean it may not fill up with water like mine did}
I also had a tube from my front bumper to the fender hole. But I had my stock intake (top part only) with K&N drop-in and nothing below. The filter got extremely dirty, super fast. And when it started to rain, puddles of water would accumulate in the tube. So i took it off for the winter.
I seriously doubt you will get any "ram air" effect from this. Outside air definitely makes its way up the tube (put a fan in front of the bumper and test it). But its not flowing fast enough to have a ram air effect. I did a lot of back and forth "butt" dyno tests and really didn't see much difference...but i did not have an aftermarket intake like you.
I think the hole in your bumper looks pretty kool. ... and the tube install does not look ghetto.
Originally posted by Kool-Lude
Yeah but now you have a tube that can fill up with water.
You better poke some holes in the bottom of that sucker. Have you washed your car yet with it installed?
the tube might fill up with water but at least its not getting sucked up. I used to have a 99 Civic Si with INJEN CAI, I though I would be clever and cut out the faux vent cover to let more air flow through. come rainy season the intake ended up sucking in tiny amounts of water, not a lot but many droplets ended up getting sucked all the way up to the intake along the inner piping wall.
I know it can do this cause one time I was driving in the rain, I was merging onto a highway. I hit VTEC @ WOT but around 7000 RPM it bogged down big time. I let off the gas and drove it home slowly. once I got home I disconnected the intake from the TB, I could see in the inside small tracks of water in the piping closest to the TB. let me tell you that was some scurry sh!t.
Anyway, i've never had a problem with bogging down even in the huge rain storms and snow storms Long Island got last year. That's with the CAI and the hole cut out in the bumper with the filter residing in a very vulnerable spot.
As for the tube collecting water and having a mini puddle form, that's not going to happen. The tubing off the BMW 318ti is a foamy like material and is going to absorb all the water but still alow air to flow.
As for the dyno tests, of course you're not going to see a difference with the cold air ducting because you're not moving! It's the whole point of the thing. Think about it, what gear do you dyno in? 3rd? So what mph does 3rd gear start and end from? 62 to about 93mph, right? I'm sure you've stuck your hand out of your car at those speeds and felt the force of air pushing on your hand. Now think about all that flying up that tube and to right under your filter. Your engine is going to love you. Especially at this cold time of year. But you know what? I just realized you said "but dyno tests" so cancel everything i just said I understand also that i'm not going to be getting a Ram air effect. I would need tubing that's directly connected from the throttle body all the way to an open part of the front and as straight as possible and short as possible. But this is the best i can do for now.
Yea so, what do you guys think i should use to cover up the hole?
Mz3silver: I was just about to say...there was a picture shown recently with a home made mesh cover. Btw, it looks great...you did a real nice job. I'll have to check your post again to see if you described exactly what type of mesh u used and how you got the shape perfect..and attached it.
Gills: could you be feeling more gains because of your mods or even could be as simple as the filter design on your short ram which allows for maximum air flow..whereas i am all stock and using a flat panel K&N drop-in. Hmmm?? Maybe.
The mesh is Gutter-Cover and is in the gutter section at Home Depot. I will try to post a pic of the label. It is sold in small sheets, approx : 30in x 10 in.
To install - remove the turn signals and the fog light cover. Then cut a piece slightly wider than the gap. Height should be as tall as the fog cover.
Then trim to size.
I will try to post dimensions and a pic of the mesh uninstalled.
Originally posted by gills But i kinda need ideas on what to use to make it look nice and covered up. The flash of the camera brings out every little detail as well so that doesn't help.
First of all, just gotta say, excellent idea! I know what I'll be up to this winter break.
As for covering it up, I'd definitely look into the mesh idea, it looks very good on Mz3silver's Lude. Also, try painting (or somehow making) the front part of that scoop black, or the color of your car, so it doesn't stand out as much when you take pictures and whatnot.
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) as a passage for the cold air directly from outside to get in right under my filter in the engine bay.
... and the tube install does not look ghetto.
I understand also that i'm not going to be getting a Ram air effect. I would need tubing that's directly connected from the throttle body all the way to an open part of the front and as straight as possible and short as possible. But this is the best i can do for now.
I'm poor.. so everything has to wait until after x-mas.. maybe longer.
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