Modifying your Airaid air box

[icsparks]

No problem starting. Just had to do the window thing and reset clock. I did not notice diff sound at start up I have MRT 2.0

[SchwarzerDrache]

Originally Posted by icsparks

No problem starting. Just had to do the window thing and reset clock. I did not notice diff sound at start up I have MRT 2.0

Window thing?

[merlin803]

So, is the consensus that we should not drill any holes in the bottom (at least until it can be tested) and some holes on the fender side should be the way to go?

I am getting mine today and it just sounds like I may want to hold off on any holes in the bottom.

[icsparks]

The window thing is> Whenever a battery disconnect is done on the car the side windows tracking will need to be reset relearned.

[KMPrenger]

I went ahead with the holes right away! lol. Figure it can't hurt. Heck, all the other CAI's have completly open fronts and bottoms. (cept for Injen of course.)

[merlin803]

Got mine installed today, no one can turn a 1/2 hour project into a 3 hour one like me! LOL

Drilled about 50-55 holes on the fender side/front of the box. Took her out for a spirited ride, I am really liking the sound and while not a real technical test, the butt-o-meter liked the feel of the car.

It felt "snappier" to me, especially when shifting to 2nd and 3rd.

It is 84 degrees and after the drive which included a stop at 7-Eleven for a Slurpee a few stop lights and a couple small runs on the freeway, I got home and felt the intake tube and it was just warm.

if it keeps getting better as people have suggested, especially when the weather cools down, I'll be a thrilled

[KMPrenger]

Finally got to take mine out today after work but still not for the kind of test drive I want to do (just had to run to the store real quick and then had to head back home and get the truck lol)....but it was actually 99 degrees here today and nearly 110 with the heat index!!

Anyways...car sounds great and felt good but I wasn't noticing much on the way there (had it in D instead of M...woops). So on the way back I made it a point to try it out in M and also do some manual shifting/punching it. Even with this heat the car pulled well when punching it in 2nd and 3rd. Punching it in 2nd while going around 35 to 40 is one of the things I like to do, and the car lurched as hard as it ever did before, maybe harder but that I can't honestly say. I know it jerked my head real well lol.

I think with the exceptional heat today, that is good results! When I got home I popped the hood and felt the engine cover and the tube. Cover was really hot to the touch, while the tube was also hot, but not nearly like the cover.

I can't wait to get her out in cooler weather...unfortunently they calling for 90+ for the weekend and next week. Guess I'll have to hope for a nicer morning drive.

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by icsparks

I installed my Airaid today and still thinking of the cooling fan Idea. Does anybody know what CFM of air the engine pulls in from idle to full open?
The small fans don't cost very much and should be easy to install. Adding a heat shield directly to the sidewall of the box on the lower engine side would help. I felt down around the box and this is the area with the greatest heat buildup. The box felt hot.

May as well not have the box if going to let more heated engine air in by drilling more holes. This is also adding other ways for dirt and dust to reach the filter from the tire wells. I live on a dusty back road so I have to stick to the factory grill inlet duct and figure something out with it.

Dont know about the cfm. Heat shield works, I put one on but doesn't yet cover the very bottom but was noticable.
Do the holes in the front box panel as KGA and I did as from my testing seems to get the most air and wont let in dirt.I dont see dirt coming in from the tires as you do not actually put holes through the splash guard.If you want to read my other posts on the previous pages you can see my progression of things done and observations as best I could do.
Today I tested the 9 new holes and I was amazed that I could tell of the difference! In fact I'll add it and repost.

As for the hot air with no shield I noticed a difference but better with shield and more so with all the holes I put in.I thinkthis box needed not just cool air but maybe more important more volume of air, but just my views.

[Agent Atomic Orange]

I have thought about modifying the snorkle on my airbox in order to draw in more air.

Option 1- It seems that where the snorkle draws air,from behind the grill, is partially blocked by a peice of plastic. Maybe that peice of plastic can be trimmed up to allow air to come direct into the snorkle. I have seen pics of this being done, but cannot find them on the forum.

Option 2- Build a new snorkle that extends down to the fog light opening. I have an LS so I have a plastic cover in place of the fogs.

Any thoughts?

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by blackbee

Oh well, I guess I'm going out to make more holes.
But seriously it looks like they do work! I need just a few more in the front as I closed off the bottom hole, didn't like the warmer air in that area next to the engine. May be cool once you get moving. but maybe not(?)
Today in the a.m. was only 64 out and even at 64, with the blocked off hole,the extra ones in front and my shield she had even better response off the line then before in the same temp.
1. V1 bad and lost torque, no matter what airaid says.
2. stock better then v1
3. v2 better then stock
4. v2 initial holes better then v2
5. v2 more holes and shield better still
All above in regards to tip in response from a light
At 80 in the p.m. still had crisp throttle response, touch the gas and the nose starts to lift up(torque feeling) not like before in stock form where you had to push the gas to get it going.Was that way all weekend 82 out any temp condition weather water temp was 200 or 226. As water temp got hotter performance went down just a bit but I think timing also gets pulled here past a certain temp but not sure.My LS1 timing was pulled at 88 air temp and or 210 water temp, could be same here as all g.m. cars in those days did this.

Glad to see it did well in that hot Texas heat.I wondered what to expect here in ca as we do get into the 90's in Aug/Sept.

Well out to drill more holes, or maybe take off the whole front panel!! Nah, just some holes.It seems you have more out of your mods so far then I do and I have fewer frontal holes,seems to work!

Added nine new holes in front panel and noticed another improvement! I think this shows KGA'S quantity of open area is proving out the best as I can tell.Temp this a.m. was 67 and now cars response sounds closer now to KGA's scalded dog reaction.More holes in front panel get more air directed in from below then the lower side cutout or even the holes in the side wall maybe. If you guys have cool weather, about 65 or so, drive a half hour,with car running open the hood and put your hand in the air box at the holes in the front panel,you can feel the air being sucked in through the holes there. I didn't feel that from the side and lower side holes or the stock inlet!!
What I now sense in 65 or 80 degree air is the car has strength behind the gas pedal.It doesn't just push in with no resistance at low rpm's when leaving from a stop as when stock. I touch the gas and it goes with alot less effort and feels alot more torquey, dont have to goose it at all!!!
I dont know what this means h.p. wise but the fun and drivability facter is great which counts more then dyno numbers as far as I am concerned!!

[BaylorCamaro]

blackbee, are you running a heat sheild like KGA?

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by BaylorAirForce

blackbee, are you running a heat sheild like KGA?

Well sort of.I had some automotive plastic I had to cut and bolt on. Covers only from the front of the car back to the air tube and down to the stock inlet tube using the inlet tube as the lower part of the shield. It doesnt cover the area below the inlet tube though. I don't know how much heat prevention is needed as alot of cool air must be coming into the engine compartment from underneath and displacing the hotter air upwards and out of the way so to speak?

It seems to work but the holes I put in in increments showed more gain I think as each time i added some showed more response even after the shield. Or maybe because of it? Maybe time to call JRE and see what they think?

[BaylorCamaro]

Interesting, well I swiss cheesed the box yesterday and I'm going to look at making some sort of heat sheild. I just don't know how much it will actually work.

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by BaylorAirForce

Interesting, well I swiss cheesed the box yesterday and I'm going to look at making some sort of heat sheild. I just don't know how much it will actually work.

I guess we are in uncharted territory here but if the other cai's use the simple two pc box design to pull air where we are trying to do I guess it is about as good as it gets. All we are doing is trying to replicate those other units but we have a larger box area after the shield mod, filter and tube which I hope works better for more flow and cool things down.
Another thought I have and one for the experts as to what was most needed, cool air or extra volume of air we get, or both? And does some hotter air getting through really make a difference after the mods?