Printable Version of Topic

Posted by: fsv87 Mar 25 2010, 09:37 PM

Hey guys,

I just installed a cold air intake, and wanted to let you know my thoughts and opinions. I will keep it updated with my latest reviews as I own it longer and longer.

I purchased a 2 piece 94-97 Accord CAI off of E-Bay for $38 (this includes shipping costs).

I do not recommend installation for a total amateur, but anyone above that level should be able to pull this off. Removed the old air intake system. I didn't jack the car up, I just turned the steering wheel all the way to the left, and I was able to reach in all that I needed to, although I'm sure it would have made installation a little easier. I left the battery in the whole time, just moved it around a bit. I only had to make some minor/easy modifications to get the new tubes to fit into the original air intake hole in the fender. No biggie. I unplugged the ECU fuse when I began so when I plugged it back in it could relearn the new system (I didn't feel like disconnecting the battery and having to reset my clock because sometimes it acts screwy, and I didn't want to lose my radio stations).

I took it out for a drive, and thought I was missing something because I was as quiet as the stock....this is until I got onto a main drag and gave it some gas. It sounded great. Not overbearing at all. I was fearful that it would be too loud for my liking (like one of those fart-can Civics). I didn't want something that would turn heads when I drove by. Just a nice little purr, and that's what I got. Once I hit about 2500 rpms there is a purr, and you get a real growl when pulling onto a highway. Cruising speeds on the highway were as quiet as stock. 

I drove it for about 30 miles after it was installed. Half highway and half city.

I can definitely feel a nice gain in power. I will keep you updated on the gas mileage. 

I'll keep you guys posted. Any questions please feel free to ask. 

Posted by: slowgls Mar 25 2010, 09:57 PM

glad to hear it.mine is going back on this weekend.Lets see some pics.

Posted by: fsv87 Mar 25 2010, 10:19 PM

Definitely. I was going to take some after I put it in, but it was too dark. I'll put some up this weekend. It has been really hard to fight the urge to go out for another drive and throttle up.

Posted by: slowgls Mar 25 2010, 10:30 PM

ohh yea i hear you there.

Posted by: fsv87 Mar 27 2010, 07:00 PM

Sorry for the quality in advance..they were taken with my Blackberry.










  

Posted by: elantragt Mar 27 2010, 09:43 PM

Really nice install. Thanks for the pics.

Posted by: fsv87 Mar 27 2010, 11:03 PM

Thanks a lot. My next project is going to be cleaning that filthy engine compartment. I haven't had a chance since I moved to Miami in August (I live in an apartment and park on the street so it's tough to do). Miami sure has taken its toll on my car. I live right up to the water.

I went through a car wash today with the CAI, and I was a bit nervous, but it wound up being totally fine.

I left the heat shield in there because I found after a few drives around the city that the radiator fan was blowing hot air right onto the intake pipe.

Posted by: slowgls Mar 27 2010, 11:28 PM

Great pics.Good job.Sticky?For noobs

Posted by: fsv87 Mar 28 2010, 07:41 PM

Haha..thanks, slow.

I am falling more and more in love with this intake the more I have it.

The only thing I'm upset about is not putting this on sooner.

Posted by: Alex2004GT Mar 28 2010, 08:18 PM

Nice install and great pics man! B)

Posted by: NY2002ElantraGT Mar 28 2010, 11:50 PM

nice intake for a great price... a couple suggestions.

1) pick yourself up a bypass valve to replace the cupling by the battery. where you filter is now you run the risk of sucking up water. been there done that! just check ebay for "intake bypass valve", they range from $10 - $50 but its worth it.

2) take off the plastic piece that is going around the batter. no need for it and will make the enginebay look a little nicer.

otherwise nice work and dont forget to always keep it shiny!

Posted by: mtlelantra Mar 29 2010, 11:57 AM

I'd leave the heat shield. Will keep the pipe from warming up as fast. I remember reading either on HMA service or another hyundai document that with the stock intake system, the heat shield really did make a difference in intake air temp... I don't remember the numbers, but significant enough that it was worth keeping.

Posted by: fsv87 Mar 29 2010, 07:03 PM

I originally took the heat shield out, but after a few drives around the city I noticed the intake was getting hot to the touch. I found that the radiator fan was blowing warm air right on it, and this seems to have fixed that problem. I attached the heat shield a lot neater after I took these pics. I wasn't totally done when I took them. I was in the process of making some minor adjustments when I remembered to take the pics.

As for a bypass, it's definitely going to be my next purchase. I have been paranoid since as soon as I put the intake on, it has been raining like crazy here in Miami. Is there much of a difference between the $10 and the $50 ones?

Posted by: mtlelantra Mar 29 2010, 07:26 PM

yes, if you get one, get the AEM one, which only opens when the main filter is blocked. The cheapie ones are just an inline filter, and you'll be sucking engine bay air from that all the time which sorta defeats the purpose of a CAI.

Posted by: fsv87 Mar 29 2010, 07:35 PM

Yeah, that's what I figured. The AEM one it is.

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 2 2010, 07:28 PM

So far I have put a little over 400 miles with the CAI, and have had no problems at all. This Wednesday I'll be making a 672 mile round trip, so I'll really get to see what kind of mileage I get. Past trips I have gotten rough calculations of about 32 mpg (@ 80 mph w/no a/c). I say rough because I'm usually just doing the math in my head at the pump.

Can't wait to see what I get with this.

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 7 2010, 01:55 PM

I've done close to 1,000 miles with the CAI, and have nothing but good things to say about it.

I made the drive from Miami to Gainesville (336 miles @ between 75 and 80 mph no CC), and I had a pretty significant improvement in gas mileage. I gained a solid 3 mpg which equals out to an extra 43.5 miles per tank of gas. I'm going to be close to 500 miles for this tank of gas. We'll see how it goes.

I'm loving this install.

Posted by: Vampyrate Apr 7 2010, 02:18 PM

the only thing that is keeping me from getting another CAI for any of my cars is when it comes time to change/clean the filter

it got to the point where i would leave the filter untouched for a year and a half and just buy a new filter and repeat... needless to say a real pita to keep up with. so from now on, ill just go with the "hot box" SRI for the throttle response and be done with it.

though i am starting to have buyer's remorse for the one I ordered for my mazda as I am still liking the ram air setup in it that came stock. it looks far less restrictive and more direct than the one that was on the pontiac

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 8 2010, 08:22 PM

Yeah, the way it's buried in there is going to make it a real pain to clean. I am going to have to take off the fender liner/unscrew a bunch of crap again to get to it. I'll just have to deal with it when it comes.

Posted by: slowgls Apr 8 2010, 09:43 PM

i just remove my headlight to get at my filter.But ya it can be a pain in the butt.

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 9 2010, 05:10 PM

That's a good idea. You can get down to it and remove the filter with the headlight out?

Posted by: slowgls Apr 9 2010, 05:50 PM

yea easier than laying on the ground.

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 14 2010, 06:54 PM

Alright, so I'm going in Wednesday to get a transmission flush and the recall work that I haven't had done yet (exhaust manifold, control arm, etc). Should I replace the CAI with the stock set-up before I go in?

Posted by: slowgls Apr 14 2010, 07:11 PM

no you should be fine.I had my cai and exhaust on when they replaced my lower control arms.They never said a thing about it.

Posted by: SNOOZEONE Apr 15 2010, 01:14 AM

you didnt re install your MAF sensor? is your check engine light on?

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 15 2010, 09:02 AM

The 2001 doesn't have a MAF sensor. All of the sensors are right on the manifold. It made the job that much easier.

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 17 2010, 04:50 PM

So I'm thinking about adding a pre-filter to my CAI. I have read threads and threads on the intakes and filters, but only once or twice have pre-filters been mentioned.

I'm not sure how much more it will do other than add some peace of mind. I plan on keeping the filter that came with the kit on there. I've read tha Bobzilla has kept that one on with no problems. They have ones that have been treated with a water repellent.

Thoughts/opinions?

Posted by: Vampyrate Apr 18 2010, 10:47 AM

true, you can go without one and be fine... but me personally with the conditions of the roads in VA i swear by the AEM bypass valve and have seen cars hydrolock to the point of needing new engines that didn't have them installed

Posted by: 02elantragt Apr 18 2010, 02:50 PM

I think the bypass valve to keep the water out of the engine, and a nice prefilter would work good to keep the dust out. Personnally I'd use both of them. I've always ran outerwears on my quads. I'd like to run one on my car, but i've never had a chance to find one.

Posted by: Vampyrate Apr 18 2010, 09:35 PM

AEM and Injen sell them for their filters... the AEM one would do great for the DriFlow filter (they tend to get destroyed when wet pretty quickly) < had one on a CAI and it was done in 3 months with wholes in it

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 18 2010, 10:31 PM

Yeah, I think I'm going to wind up doing both the prefilter and the bypass. I am going to do the prefilter to start off with, and I will be getting the bypass in the really near future.

I drove in a pretty torrential downpour tonight and was nervous as hell, but wound up being fine. I just don't want to push my luck too much.

Posted by: BNystrom Apr 19 2010, 07:59 AM

QUOTE (fsv87 @ Apr 18 2010, 11:31 PM)

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 20 2010, 10:33 AM

Yeah, I've also been thinking about doing some slight modifications to bring the filter up a little. I have some ideas, so we'll see how it goes.

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 26 2010, 11:27 PM

So I was doing some tinkering today, and need some input.

I disconnected the CAI tubing from the TB, and I wiped my finger on the inside right up to the butterfly valve, and got some black soot looking stuff on my finger. There wasn't a lot of it, and it wasn't noticeable inside the TB, but it was still there, and it's bothering me. I wiped my finger on the inside of the intake tubing, and it didn't have anything. All of the couplings are airtight, and the filter is on right. What is this/should I be nervous?

I have an AEM dryflow filter on its way, maybe that'll help?

Posted by: slowgls Apr 27 2010, 01:20 AM

its carbon.just clean it with tb cleaner

Posted by: fsv87 Apr 29 2010, 09:12 PM

Just threw on an AEM Dryflow, and Mitch's reviews are dead on. They do muffle it a bit, and I have no problem with that. They also take away some of the sucking noise that I got from a cold start.

Performance wise, neither better nor worse.

I got it off of e-bay brand new in the box for about $13 including shipping. I put one bid on it expecting to be outbid, but wound up winning (pretty sweet, huh?)

Posted by: Linyx May 15 2012, 07:03 AM

Hey everybody ..

I have 2006 Elantra 1.6l 77Kw...

I m looking suitable CAI for my beauty ... could you recommend which should i look ?
I looked 94 and 97 accord CAI kits and they cost about 150 - 200$ .... as i have been read is this a bit too pricy or not ?

I do not know much about CAI prices so that s why i m looking for you help a bit

Thank you in advance,

Posted by: silet May 15 2012, 09:25 AM

I take it you are not in the US I would say for that much money, it's not worth it. In the US we can get the Accord CAI for a lot less and that is for the 2.0 engine. I don't know how it would work with the 1.6.

Posted by: TheDrummer212 Oct 3 2014, 05:52 PM

I currently have an eBay SRI on my 2003, thinking about adding some piping to change to a CAI, but not sure if it will fit between the battery and fuse box. Does anyone know what size piping will fit?

Posted by: trololololo Oct 3 2014, 06:26 PM

2.5-2.75 should fit the fender opening. or you can grind out the opening.

if you want to spend the money($80-$100) an A'pexi power intake filter is the best out there IMHO.
DCsports makes a psuedo copycat $45.

if you do a true CAI in the fender please invest in bypass valve and prefilter (prefilter doesnt impede air flow )

an additinal option is to get a filter with inner cone filter and cold air kit which is a center peice which locks into center filter, a flex hose and a fender mount which you bolt to opening and attach flex hose to

Posted by: Spazz882 Dec 22 2014, 07:10 PM

Great write up on the CAI... Been thinking ordering a intake. Now I might have to.

Posted by: Plain Jane Dec 23 2014, 12:46 PM

They also sell hydroshields for CAI filters. It might be worth a little peace of mind and shouldn't impede airflow.

http://www.injen.com/docs/products/listing.asp?pcc=rp