"cold air" intake

[aipri]

Hey everyone, so in order to get rid of the useless stove pipe intake I purchased the "cold air" intake from DMC. I really feel like I have to put cold air in quotes because coming from the import tuning world, I am used to a CAI generally being an aluminum tube extending down into the front bumper with a nice filter at the end to catch the coldest air. Obviously with a rear engine car things are a bit different. And I am sure the air will be much colder than the hot air coming in from the closed trap door in the stove pipe. Anyway, it is basically a large plastic extendable hose, no big deal as I also took the opportunity to replace the filter with a K&N which I've always used. So my question is, what have you guys done regarding the elbow and bracket right by the section coming in to the engine bay? The new intake is way too big for the bracket now unless I got a really long screw, but even then it doesn't seem that it would be very stable. Combine that with how touchy that elbow is connecting with the duct in the fender, and I feel like the first good bump I hit, it will all fall apart. Just wanted to see what everyone else had done. Pics attached of the area and bracket I am referring to. Thanks!2291022911

[rdarlington]

<snip> So my question is, what have you guys done regarding the elbow and bracket right by the section coming in to the engine bay? The new intake is way too big for the bracket now unless I got a really long screw, but even then it doesn't seem that it would be very stable. <snip>2291022911

I removed the elbow and bracket and jammed the CAI hose into the hole. Works like a champ.

-bob

[aipri]

lol, did you literally jam it in? Because the large rubber end on the hose looks too big. Any pics?

[David T]

lol, did you literally jam it in? Because the large rubber end on the hose looks too big. Any pics?

Don't expect to see any difference in gas mileage or performance. As bad as the OEM intake looks, it seems to work OK unless it is not in good working order. What I have seen is scoops made to fit on the grill to direct air into the intake. Looks like it could force some more air in at speed but again, do not expect any measurable improvement. Ditto for the K & N filter.

[aipri]

Yeah even true cold air intakes do not provide a huge advantage, I did not install it looking for that. Just wanted to do some housekeeping and eliminate the factory setup, and replace the filter.

[DMCMW Dave]

The new intake is way too big for the bracket now unless I got a really long screw,]

Yes, use a longer screw. 4mm. I think I usually make it work with the original screw and some effort.

[aipri]

I think I usually make it work with the original screw and some effort.

Trust me I gave it as much effort as I could! With the elbow and the rubber end of the intake over top of it, the bracket cannot get back to its original spot, and every time I would try to move it around or give it some elbow grease, the elbow part will pop out of the duct end just inside the rear fender. Fun stuff! I will just take the factor screw to the hardware store and see if I can get a longer version.

[Rad Dad]

In spite of all the naysayers, I pursued my desire for a "cold air intake" and am very pleased with the results. Do I have more HP? Don't know. Do I have better gas mileage? Don't know. In either case, if I do, it is probably not very measurable. BUT, I have a much cleaner engine compartment. I'd send a pic along with this, but it is waaay to late for that tonight, so I'll try to correct that tomorrow.

In essence, air enters the vehicle's engine compartment via the rear scoops (as it always has) but it travels further into the pontoon and is filtered by a huge K&N off-road filter in the pontoon. Then it has a straight shot to the butterfly intake, much higher above the exhaust than the original route. It is clean and my twin turbos love it. Hang on. I have never posted a pic here before, but I'll try to do all of this tomorrow.

If you like a clean engine compartment, wait until you see what I did with the ballast resistors. Sacrilege!!!!!

Dick Ryan, The Rad Dad
Vin 16867

[Bitsyncmaster]

I just removed the thermal valve in the stock pipe. Also pulled the "stove" metalwork.

[Tillsy]

I removed the elbow and coupled directly to the pipe inside the pontoon

[AirmanPika]

I did the same mod but never bothered with a new screw. I just leave the hose in the bracket without the screw. I can't imagine it going anywhere. Outside of DMCH the hose is really cheap so if it ever wears out (unlikely, I drive my DeLorean every few weeks at best these days) I'll just get a new one.

[rdarlington]

lol, did you literally jam it in? Because the large rubber end on the hose looks too big. Any pics?

22912

Mine came with a rubber end on the hose, and a rubber end disconnected. The end with the rubber goes to the air filter box, the other end goes in. The spare rubber ring goes in the box where I put the old bracket and elbow.

-Bob

[WelmoedJ]

Kept the elbow and used a clamp on the air box connection.

To contribute to the pics, here is mine.

22913

[Tillsy]

Since we're sharing pics, here's mine.

When I removed my elbow to connect directly to the pipe inside the pontoon, I found that pipe was not actually facing the correct direction - I had to reach in and rotate it a little to point directly out the side so that I could fit onto it. The former elbow was only protruding into the pontoon, it wasn't fitted completely onto the pipe itself. Here's the rubber fitting in place after I had corrected it, but before fitting the new pipe, so you can see inside it is directly fitted onto the internal pipe.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=22914&d=1383732499

[virtualchuck]

Since we're sharing pics, here's mine.

When I removed my elbow to connect directly to the pipe inside the pontoon, I found that pipe was not actually facing the correct direction - I had to reach in and rotate it a little to point directly out the side so that I could fit onto it. The former elbow was only protruding into the pontoon, it wasn't fitted completely onto the pipe itself. Here's the rubber fitting in place after I had corrected it, but before fitting the new pipe, so you can see inside it is directly fitted onto the internal pipe.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=22914&d=1383732499

Is there some trick to connecting the elbow to the pipe in the pontoon? I am doing exactly what you're doing and I am finding that there is too much play in that pipe to get them to connect. I was worried the SS panel would have to come off to make it happen.

Chuck

[krs09]

Is there some trick to connecting the elbow to the pipe in the pontoon? I am doing exactly what you're doing and I am finding that there is too much play in that pipe to get them to connect. I was worried the SS panel would have to come off to make it happen.

Chuck

I had the same type of issue. My elbow was flopping around when I tried to replace my hose. The only way I was able to get a good hand on it and adjust it was to remove the rear bumper and their is a access hole to get in there. I just happen to have it off to drill out some broken water pump bolts. If I fiddle with it I just know it will come right off. I wish there was a way to secure the elbow to the pontoon. That'd be nice

[WelmoedJ]

I had the same type of issue. My elbow was flopping around when I tried to replace my hose. The only way I was able to get a good hand on it and adjust it was to remove the rear bumper and their is a access hole to get in there. I just happen to have it off to drill out some broken water pump bolts. If I fiddle with it I just know it will come right off. I wish there was a way to secure the elbow to the pontoon. That'd be nice

It can be done much easier.
The bottom end of the air inlet inside the pontoon has a water drainpipe.
That drainpipe is sticking out at the bottom of the pontoon.

Use that sticking out piece to turn the inlet into the right position.
Then push either the original elbow or your hose onto the inlet.
Takes a couple of minutes to get the job done.

[aipri]

Thanks for all of the pics and info guys, it is really helpful! In regard to the elbow, I noticed in order to get it to "click"in place you have to twist it as you push it in and rotate to get the small dimples to line up, after doing that it will tighten up (wow this sounds really bad as I'm typing it). Once it is on there it will be pretty secure, but just a little bit of pull will make it pop off again, quite a headache so I may just bypass it like some of you guys did.

[jawn101]

I got a longer screw and it worked perfectly. Fits right onto the stock elbow, no problem at all.

[thirdmanj]

"It's cold! Air cold!"

[Tillsy]

"It's cold! Air cold!"

I always thought that was the line too, but Bob Gale insists the line is "Damn cold" - I haven't got around to checking the subtitles on the Blu-ray (and DVD just in case it was amended in recent years) yet.

[thirdmanj]

I always thought that was the line too, but Bob Gale insists the line is "Damn cold" - I haven't got around to checking the subtitles on the Blu-ray (and DVD just in case it was amended in recent years) yet.

:facepalm: I'd actually never heard people thought that until I got on this forum. I guess my VHS was better than your VHS. :p

[HollywoodF1]

Don't expect to see any difference in gas mileage or performance. As bad as the OEM intake looks, it seems to work OK unless it is not in good working order. What I have seen is scoops made to fit on the grill to direct air into the intake. Looks like it could force some more air in at speed but again, do not expect any measurable improvement. Ditto for the K & N filter.

Just to follow up on the scoop line of thinking for air intakes, just for fun, I ran the calc's on the intake air speed at RPM and found that the intake air speed exceeds the car's forward speed in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, it matches in 4th, and the car is faster than the intake air speed in 5th. As far as ram effect is concerned, apart from only functioning in 5th gear, the pressure differential to the engine is neglegible after the resistance of just a couple of elbows in the intake, and totally wiped out by the air filter. In other words-- there is no ram air benefit to be had from scoops. Scoops make sense for systems that are not associated with powered air, like brake ducts and intercoolers. But the engine is an sealed air pump, and it laughs at the 0.0000000001% benefit (conservatively) of adding an intake scoop. Imagine (if it were possible) halting the motion of your entire drivetrain by sealing your hand over the intake and you have a picture of the working pressure of the engine relative to what a scoop could improve.