How do you like your CAI?

[joely]

My Astina is still pretty much stock so i've been researching to find out what mods i should make. Seems everyone starts out like this.... :oops:

There is some great info in these forums especially on exhausts, suspension and CAI.

A lot of ppl here have done the DIY CAI with the ag pipe etc

So how do you like it?

Was it as easy to do as the forums make it out to be?

How significant are the differences compared to standard ie performance sound etc?

Was it worth the effort?

Any hints/tips for ppl b4 we start DIY CAI?

pls don't spare any details

btw what was involved in connecting ag pipe to filter box?

[ABC]

Hi Joely,

So how do you like it?
Car seems to run a bit smoother and a bit harder as well but its not a silver bullet mod that will give you enormous power increases.

Was it as easy to do as the forums make it out to be?
Yep. sure was. Hacking the front bar was a bit scary but just grit your teeth and go for it. Was a bit fidly getting the resonator out but with a 4CL you can do it without taking the front bar off if you need to.

How significant are the differences compared to standard ie performance sound etc?
See answer #1.

Was it worth the effort?
Was mucking about with the car and having fun, so yeah. :)

Any hints/tips for ppl b4 we start DIY CAI?
Make sure you already have the AG Pipe and some cable ties. Start early in the day so that you don't have to put everything back together in the dark. Keep bolts and plastic screws in groups relative to where they came out of. If you need to take off the front bar there is a lot of stuff you need to undoo and redoo up again.

btw what was involved in connecting ag pipe to filter box?
For the V6 the 100mm pipe fits nicely over the top of the existing hole though in the 4CL you'll need to either use smaller ag pipe or hack the bottom of the airbox like Jynx has done.

Hope this helps! :D

[joely]

without taking the front bar off :lol: thats what I wanted to hear, everytime I pull panels off my car I bust a clip or find a bolt laying around after I have put everything back together.
Start early... have to remember that one. Why do I always get motivated in the afternoon??
I have a 4cyl so i'm a bit worried about hacking the box but I shouldn't have too much of a problem with that.

Thanks

[JynX]

Hacking the air box is cool.

Otherwise I think its a 40mm ag line for a std box - not sure, just measure the diameter of the inlet.

[Pernod]

I have done mine over the past 2 weekends.

I also have the 4cyl so I had to make a nice big slice into my airbox...

Heres some shots of the air intake after it was finished...
http://www.homepages.paradise.net.nz/shaneh2/photos/1.jpg http://www.homepages.paradise.net.nz/shaneh2/photos/2.jpg

And a pick of how I cut the front bar to allow the 100m pipe to fit most of the way past
http://www.homepages.paradise.net.nz/shaneh2/photos/3.jpg

And the finished product
http://www.homepages.paradise.net.nz/shaneh2/photos/4.jpg


If you have the time, I would recommend taking the whole front bar off and doing it all in one go.

As i did it in the parts, it took me about an hour to get the resonator out...
http://www.homepages.paradise.net.nz/shaneh2/photos/5.jpg
This normally sits in front of the wheel arch, and although its possible to get out without taking the bumper off (i took it out throught the wheel arch) but its a bit fiddly and takes a while. You need to undo the screws under the wheel arch panel and peel this back so you can take the resonator out this way - but its a tight fit :-) )

The next day it took me about 1 1/2 hours to get the air intake out, cut it to fit the new air pipe, and re fit it all. You can see from the pics that I cut the box so that the pipe actually comes out of it on an angle out the front. This ment that I didn't have to alter the bar that its mounted on.

Then, this weekend I took the whole bumper off, cut the bar to let me squeeze enought of the pipe past, meshed the front bar and put it all back together. This took a couple of hours. You can see the air pipe in the corner of the mesh in one of the photos. Its actually not that easy to see, but this photo was taken from about the only angle you can see it at :-)

It shouldn't take anywhere near this time if you do it all at once.

All in all, it cost NZ$40 (inc Mesh) or there abouts, and it has made the car run a heap smoother, I wouldn't say there was a massive difference in power, but there was definantley enough for me to say its the best $40 I have spent on the car.

The meshing is ovboiusley optional, you could just run the pipe as far as thh edge of the front bar. However, as I dont have spots on mine, i thought I might as well run it right through to open air and put the mesh infront to protect it from sucking up foreign objects.

Hope this helps?

I'd have to say its definantley worth it.

[joely]

Thanks for the details guys and the pics (pernod) I just have to wait for my K&N to come in (had to be ordered) and it shouldn't be hard for me to get some ag pipe.
BTW The mesh looks really good

[JynX]

I dont have my dig cam handy to take a pic of my finished product.
Here are some pics of my handywork. I actually enlargened the intake to 100mm and fibreglassed a small bit of plastic to fit. The ag line sits very neatly into the plastic (its a joining peice supplied with the agline).

http://www.focus.net.au/images/astina/airbox/

[joely]

It all seems so easy.

:lol: Take me to stuff it all up :lol:

Should b right though

[jcywong]

what is the benefit of redoing the piping, can't we just use the existing piping, i mean just pull out the resonator, isn't that the same?

[Cosmo Dude]

When you redo the piping you remove more potential restriction. You can also place the inlet in the air-stream.
Is there a benifit? Yes cooler air is worth a fiew Kw.
You will also gain a nicer induction sound.

It's now up to you. :|

[Rupewrecht]

what is the benefit of redoing the piping, can't we just use the existing piping, i mean just pull out the resonator, isn't that the same?

But where does the existing piping go to? To the resonator.

and if you remove the resonator, the restrictive original piping just goes down to nowhere, so you dont gain any benefit from removing the resonator.

but if you run some piping (larger than factory, of course) to a place in the front bar where the opening is in the airstream, it will give a slight ram air effect, which will increase performance as you're getting more air into the engine

[jcywong]

where in sydney can i buy those ag pipe?

[sik astina]

You can get the ag pipe from any hardwear shop. bunnings has them.

[BigMal]

Make sure you get the pipe without the perforations along it
otherwise all your ducted air just goes out the holes.

Regards

Mal

[UNV-323]

Does any1 know how to set up CAI for the older pop up headlight 323?
Is it similar to above? Do i have to take off the front bar? if yes, is it easy and how do i do it? Thanks for ur help........

[jcywong]

what size of piping should i get for my BJ?

[Rupewrecht]

The bigger the better. But realistically, the biggest you can fit in the space you have.

Also, using a funnel-shape at the opening (where the pipe takes the air from) helps to force more air down the pipe, which cant be a bad thing

[KittyKatSmack]

OK, I was a nawty girl and just pulled out the resonator box and left some of the piping just hanging down from the bottom of the airbox, about 40 cms....

Doesn't go anywhere.....

And it made a difference to my BA 4cyl hatch.

I can't wait until I am well enough to get off my butt and get the rest finished.

I can't wait to get the mesh for my front bar and my driving lights either but that is another story!!!!

I know that it seems silly to remove the resonator box and not put in the rest of the piping but we just ran out of time on the day, and since then between stuff happening to me and moving house and excuse and excuse and excuse...... I haven't finished the job.

I really want to get my hands on Tony's box... *ahem* spare airbox, and dremel the entry port for the piping properly and do a good job.
So I haven't got off my butt and collected that either.

Lots of reasons later, I still don't have the AG pipe in place, but have removed the resonator box, and I notice a difference.

So if you don't know how to install the pipe, don't fear, even if you just pull that dratted resonator box, it's a start, and unlike me, it might be just what you need for being brave enough to drill your front bar etc and get the rest done.

Good luck and welcome to the mod addiction!!!!!!!

[JynX]

I drove around without any piping to the air box for about 3mnths...

[CRA23]

ive been driving around with just a pod filter, no box, no piping just a bit of aluminium as a heat shield, but i went to bunnings on sunday and bought some storm flex(ag-pipe without the little holes down the sides) and im installing to tomorrow then building a aluminium air box :D just the pod makes the V6 sound like it actully has some power!! :)

[jcywong]

how much are the ag pipes at bunnings or elsewhere in sydney, i ask a local shop and they told me around $50 for 10m, come on 1m is already more than enough, bunnings sell for 1m??

[Cosmo Dude]

Bunnings sell it at a 10 metre unit, try Purple Pig or Pirtec for your pipe. Depending on what you ask for 90mm pipe can cost from $20 to over $500 per metre.
Remember CAI is Cold Air Induction. To force air in you will need an increased air speed, maybe 100km/h upward :wink:

Rod

:!: If you drive at 100km/h into a 20km/h wind then you have an air speed of 120km/h.
:!: If you drive at 100km/h away from a 20km/h wind then you have an air speed of only 80km/h.

[Cosmo Dude]

If you have the patience you could make the CAI from 90mm conduit and bends. Nice smooth flow but rigid pipework.

[JynX]

how much are the ag pipes at bunnings or elsewhere in sydney, i ask a local shop and they told me around $50 for 10m, come on 1m is already more than enough, bunnings sell for 1m??

I have some Ag line under my house, 100mm diameter. Be willing to part with it for $10/mtr

[jcywong]

that's cool but is 100mm the right size for my BJ??

[JynX]

that's cool but is 100mm the right size for my BJ??

I doubt it, but the bigger the better :) Measure the intake pipe and come back and tell me..

[Dutchy]

Does any1 know how to set up CAI for the older pop up headlight 323?
Is it similar to above? Do i have to take off the front bar? if yes, is it easy and how do i do it? Thanks for ur help........


hey mate.

my asti is a BG also and i did a CAI not long ago i havent quite finished
yet its still taped on but ill try to get my mates digi camera and get some pics.

it wasnt that hard it prolly took me 2 1/2 hours. but mainly cos i stuffed up and had to basically do it all again. :x

so my first big tip is do it with the lights down
:roll:

[KittyKatSmack]

I doubt it, but the bigger the better :) ..


Hmmmmmm.... flashback!

::does the actions::
I must
I must
I must improve my bust
The bigger the better
The tighter the sweater
The boys depend on us!

:oops: :oops: :oops:











*back in box now!*

[jcywong]

i just remove the air box and find that it is only around 70mm diameter, how am i suppose to put in a 100mm piping??
any suggestion??
should i get something around 80mm? do they have that size??

[JynX]

you could use try and get a peice of pvc going from 60-70mm to 100mm or you could enlargen the intake.

[ABC]

HACK THE BOX!! HACK THE BOX!!! :lol: :lol:

[Cosmo Dude]

The pipe to the airfilter doesn't need to be bigger than the pipe from the airfilter.

Beg, borrow or 'er um' borrow a hole saw and just do the deed.

Rod

[UNV-323]

So umm dutchy my main problem is that i cant find anywhere 2 run the piping.....????? did u hav 2 cut a hole? Pics would be good weneva... Thanx

[Pernod]

If you check out the first page of this thread you can see some pics of where I ran mine, and the cutting of the front bar to get it there.

Basically it runs down and into the front section of the passengers wheel arch (Where the resonator used to be) and then backt arond the raditor to sit inside the front bar...

[JynX]

He has the BG model which has the air box in quite an interesting postion IIRC.

[Dogo]

question for those who like to squeeze every ounce of power out of their car :

if u angle the air pipe going into the airbox so that it points as much as possible towards the outlet pipe going to the engine, would that push the air into the engine better, rather than letting it swirl in the airbox ?

just a thought i had this morning ...


Dave