Modifying your Airaid air box

[kga10734]

I'm thinking about going to a sheet metal place and see if they can fabricate a air box/ shield like the other CAI have. I want to use the Airaid tube and filter, but have a new air box made. Something along the lines of the Cold Air Inductions or the short ram Injen. Something with a top on it that screws into place, insulated sides, and opens into the wheel well for cold air. I like the Airaid intake, but if the air box is keeping it from performing the best it can, I plan on changing the air box to help it do the best job it can and look good at the same time.

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by kga10734

I'm thinking about going to a sheet metal place and see if they can fabricate a air box/ shield like the other CAI have. I want to use the Airaid tube and filter, but have a new air box made. Something along the lines of the Cold Air Inductions or the short ram Injen. Something with a top on it that screws into place, insulated sides, and opens into the wheel well for cold air. I like the Airaid intake, but if the air box is keeping it from performing the best it can, I plan on changing the air box to help it do the best job it can and look good at the same time.

Did you see the Roto fab post about the air temps? I think they were refering to the "trumpet" as being the inlet tube? And this was maybe bringing in some warm air with the cool air.I wonder if we just took off that tube and just extended the home made wall to cover that whole area like the other cai's and just let it work as the others do maybe that would help.That way we have a bigger box, and Rotofab said bigger is better for the air flow to the filter I think, and not alot of extra cost for us. I know Scrmmg mentioned on a stock box that tube worked well but still 5-7 degrees hotter then ambient. I think I will try to find a sheet of the automotive black plastic like I use pcs of for my wall I have now.
Also if tube was gone we wouldn't have to contour the walll, just a flat part to be attached.

[kga10734]

Originally Posted by blackbee

Did you see the Roto fab post about the air temps? I think they were refering to the "trumpet" as being the inlet tube? And this was maybe bringing in some warm air with the cool air.I wonder if we just took off that tube and just extended the home made wall to cover that whole area like the other cai's and just let it work as the others do maybe that would help.That way we have a bigger box, and Rotofab said bigger is better for the air flow to the filter I think, and not alot of extra cost for us. I know Scrmmg mentioned on a stock box that tube worked well but still 5-7 degrees hotter then ambient. I think I will try to find a sheet of the automotive black plastic like I use pcs of for my wall I have now.
Also if tube was gone we wouldn't have to contour the walll, just a flat part to be attached.

They call it a trumpet, I was calling it a snorkel, what ever the stock inlet tube is called that brings the air from behind the head light to the air box, I have left it off since I installed the test heat shield as I highlighted in that posting. It's hard to tell from the photos, but I do have the test shield run almost all the way up to the frame work on the front of the car. More available air in the air box is always better. If you have to much it's just not sucked into the engine, but it is available if needed. If you have to small of a air supply, then the engine is starving for it and performance is hindered.

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by kga10734

They call it a trumpet, I was calling it a snorkel, what ever the stock inlet tube is called that brings the air from behind the head light to the air box, I have left it off since I installed the test heat shield as I highlighted in that posting. It's hard to tell from the photos, but I do have the test shield run almost all the way up to the frame work on the front of the car. More available air in the air box is always better. If you have to much it's just not sucked into the engine, but it is available if needed. If you have to small of a air supply, then the engine is starving for it and performance is hindered.

Do you think it helped leaving it off?

[merlin803]

I wonder just how much more there is to gain from further modifications? The Injen pretty much has access to as much air as it needs and the tests showed performance wise, it was only slightly ahead of the Airraid, right?

It would be interesting to get a dyno with the box having all of the additional holes to see how much performance has increased as well as how the temps have improved.

The quest to perfect this CAI has been cool though and I appreciate the efforts!

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by merlin803

I wonder just how much more there is to gain from further modifications? The Injen pretty much has access to as much air as it needs and the tests showed performance wise, it was only slightly ahead of the Airraid, right?

It would be interesting to get a dyno with the box having all of the additional holes to see how much performance has increased as well as how the temps have improved.

The quest to perfect this CAI has been cool though and I appreciate the efforts!

Your right I think. The numbers are close and if we got that couple extra hp down low and the 5 up high to match Ingen I think thats all we can expect,At least we have the proper amount of cool air getting to the filter and hopefully kepping the temps down. At least it reacts better.

[VR Baron]

Last night I staerted to make a new shield to replace the temporary one. I couldn't find any material to my liking other then metal and cant work with that till I went to Pep Boys. The only thing I could find, and don't laugh, is a set of 12x18 truck mud flaps! They are flat, made of durable auto abs plastic(I think), they are black and same shade as the outside of the box and you can cut them with a razer knife and cutters and they are plyable so they easily bend to the contours of the box area to be fastened to.
I took meassurements and cut out sections needed on both flaps as I am using both. bt using both you double the wall thickness to about a 1/4" for better insulation and rigidity.
Works pretty good as to fit, I just need to get the right size fasters I want to use as I had only what was in the garage. I also may have to make a lower extension from the extra pcs as the flaps don't extend to the frame rail except at the front of the box.I also left of the stock snorkel as this is always warmer and the air is always warmer going into it,besides with this new wall the angle of it when attaching it to the box doesn't let you use the snorkel anyway.

Went for a drive to see if worked but nothing different, temp was only 63 and I have noticed when that cool out any warm air getting through has so far not been noticable past what the initial hole mods and small shield I had have provided, nor has any more cool air added made a difference. I think in hot temps then yes as KGA has stated, will it be more of a benefit. AT least now all air is coming from the coolest source and the openings will be protected from the engine heat best possible.

[BaylorCamaro]

Originally Posted by blackbee

temp was only 63.

Oh how I envy you.. Even at night it's 85+ plus right now..

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by BaylorAirForce

Oh how I envy you.. Even at night it's 85+ plus right now..

Sorry about that but
My daughter is flying out today from Northern Virginia and it's been 90-100's and high humidity there for the past month!! Needless to say she's glad to be here!!

[kga10734]

Originally Posted by blackbee

Last night I staerted to make a new shield to replace the temporary one. I couldn't find any material to my liking other then metal and cant work with that till I went to Pep Boys. The only thing I could find, and don't laugh, is a set of 12x18 truck mud flaps! They are flat, made of durable auto abs plastic(I think), they are black and same shade as the outside of the box and you can cut them with a razer knife and cutters and they are plyable so they easily bend to the contours of the box area to be fastened to.
I took meassurements and cut out sections needed on both flaps as I am using both. bt using both you double the wall thickness to about a 1/4" for better insulation and rigidity.
Works pretty good as to fit, I just need to get the right size fasters I want to use as I had only what was in the garage. I also may have to make a lower extension from the extra pcs as the flaps don't extend to the frame rail except at the front of the box.I also left of the stock snorkel as this is always warmer and the air is always warmer going into it,besides with this new wall the angle of it when attaching it to the box doesn't let you use the snorkel anyway.

Went for a drive to see if worked but nothing different, temp was only 63 and I have noticed when that cool out any warm air getting through has so far not been noticable past what the initial hole mods and small shield I had have provided, nor has any more cool air added made a difference. I think in hot temps then yes as KGA has stated, will it be more of a benefit. AT least now all air is coming from the coolest source and the openings will be protected from the engine heat best possible.

I should have more then enough air getting to the filter now. I don't think putting more openings in the air box is going to improve anything else. Keeping the hot air out of the intake will, that is why I used a shield and what you are doing should help in that matter. I left the snorkel off because like you said, it heats up plus if it's off it can draw air from down below the washer bottle instead of getting air from behind the headlight. I'm going to drive it like this for a while and start working on my final fit or build a whole new air box all together. I may have to wait till it gets cooler outside, right now the heat is wicked and makes it hard to do anything outside.

Originally Posted by BaylorAirForce

Oh how I envy you.. Even at night it's 85+ plus right now..

I hear ya, these extra hot nights are killing me right now.

[BaylorCamaro]

Originally Posted by kga10734

I should have more then enough air getting to the filter now. I don't think putting more openings in the air box is going to improve anything else. Keeping the hot air out of the intake will, that is why I used a shield and what you are doing should help in that matter. I left the snorkel off because like you said, it heats up plus if it's off it can draw air from down below the washer bottle instead of getting air from behind the headlight. I'm going to drive it like this for a while and start working on my final fit or build a whole new air box all together. I may have to wait till it gets cooler outside, right now the heat is wicked and makes it hard to do anything outside..

Guess I should build a heat sheild now

Originally Posted by kga10734

I hear ya, these extra hot nights are killing me right now.

I didn't really match the vehicle to a screen name until you posted a pic of your car in this thread, I remember the licesne plate from the Hooters Mustang/Camaro show last month.

[kga10734]

Originally Posted by BaylorAirForce

I didn't really match the vehicle to a screen name until you posted a pic of your car in this thread, I remember the licesne plate from the Hooters Mustang/Camaro show last month.

It was hot outside that day but that was a very cool show and it was great to meet you. Hope to see you at more gatherings.



Still liking the results I have gotten from doing this to the air box.

If I have time this week or week end, I'm going to go to the stores to see if I can come up with something that can be bought off the shelf to make a shield or new box. That way If I do come up with something for my final solution, it won't be that hard for others to make one if they want.

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by kga10734

I should have more then enough air getting to the filter now. I don't think putting more openings in the air box is going to improve anything else. Keeping the hot air out of the intake will, that is why I used a shield and what you are doing should help in that matter. I left the snorkel off because like you said, it heats up plus if it's off it can draw air from down below the washer bottle instead of getting air from behind the headlight. I'm going to drive it like this for a while and start working on my final fit or build a whole new air box all together. I may have to wait till it gets cooler outside, right now the heat is wicked and makes it hard to do anything outside.



I hear ya, these extra hot nights are killing me right now.

Hi all,

Back from vacation. We went to Monterey, Ca and the weather there was the opposite in the extreme, Day temps were 59-62 degrees and cloudy!!!
While their summer is Aug/Sept this was not normal for them, way to cool.
Looks like crazy weather all over the country. My daughter is out from VA and it has been 90-100 with extreme humidity for over a month and a half.
It shouldn't be this cool in LA either and we will probably pay for it in Sept.

Glad the experiments are doing well and working out, I will go back to it this weekend on modding the shield I have to make it better.

[BaylorCamaro]

Alright so I was finally able to speak with one of our family friends who has been an engineer for 40ish years and has worked on all sorts of cars. I was showing him the intake and explaining the issue with Airaid, he agrees that adding a lot more holes was a good call but also told me that I should get some high temp spray on insulator on the box and tube. He said that it will keep it exponentially cooler. I'm looking into where I can get a small order of the insulator. I'll keep you guys posted.