not really a waste of time , you can defenitely make this into a moce project there are other diy dais out there for the tsx you just have to search a bit... as for a velocity stack jist buy one from ebay they have them for like 30$ shipped either way GL with your project keep up posted trust me your not the only one looking for CAI on a budget .
DIY attempt at homemade CAI
So I was rather bored the last few weeks, and was looking for a way to "improve" the current intake of the car for as cheap as possible. Preferably with things I already have in my garage. So I came up with an idea that I'll be trying next week when I have some free time.
Basically what I'll be doing is using the stock air box, with a K&N drop in filter (I know, I know, but I love the sound!), removing the resonator, and using some of the stock parts, to send a pipe from the air box to the inside of the wheel well for cool air, so as not to suck up the hot air it currently is.
So far what I've done is.
1. K&N Drop-in filter
2. Removed the little rubber elbow that connects air box to resonator
3. Started forming the contraption that will go into the wheel well, using the rubber elbow I removed.
Here's a picture of the monstrosity I've created so far.
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Its very crude right now. I did sand and plasti dip the pipe because it looks ugly, and it will be black and not really noticeable when you open the hood.
Unfortunately it feels really bulky, and I'm afraid that those clamps aren't enough, so I might cut down the pipe a little. Only thing I need to figure out is how to make a "velocity stack" to put on the inlet. I MIGHT dremel out the ribs inside the airbox, but I'll do more searching if they actually make a difference in sound/performance first.
So far the only costs have been the $50 for the filter which I already had, but its not needed so I'm not counting it for the actual cost of all this. The pipe I also had lying around from an ebay intake I had a very long time ago, which was like $30, but they can be had much cheaper if you look around.
I'll try and get things rolling before tues/weds, but I have to go to work so I probably won't get to it until those days.
Thoughts, comments, is it a waste of time haha?
Basically what I'll be doing is using the stock air box, with a K&N drop in filter (I know, I know, but I love the sound!), removing the resonator, and using some of the stock parts, to send a pipe from the air box to the inside of the wheel well for cool air, so as not to suck up the hot air it currently is.
So far what I've done is.
1. K&N Drop-in filter
2. Removed the little rubber elbow that connects air box to resonator
3. Started forming the contraption that will go into the wheel well, using the rubber elbow I removed.
Here's a picture of the monstrosity I've created so far.
Its very crude right now. I did sand and plasti dip the pipe because it looks ugly, and it will be black and not really noticeable when you open the hood.
Unfortunately it feels really bulky, and I'm afraid that those clamps aren't enough, so I might cut down the pipe a little. Only thing I need to figure out is how to make a "velocity stack" to put on the inlet. I MIGHT dremel out the ribs inside the airbox, but I'll do more searching if they actually make a difference in sound/performance first.
So far the only costs have been the $50 for the filter which I already had, but its not needed so I'm not counting it for the actual cost of all this. The pipe I also had lying around from an ebay intake I had a very long time ago, which was like $30, but they can be had much cheaper if you look around.
I'll try and get things rolling before tues/weds, but I have to go to work so I probably won't get to it until those days.
Thoughts, comments, is it a waste of time haha?
1 - 20 of 26 Posts
im trying to do the same,
I have this carbon box, but I have no clue how an intake works what so ever.
I have this carbon box, but I have no clue how an intake works what so ever.
Velocity stacks are made out of metal or plastic, depends which one you want, they definitely make some gains over not using one. There are some companies that make a velocity stack and filter combo as well, which work great!
I don't see the need in dropping $200 on an intake, I had an extra filter laying around from the turbo on my other car, perfect fit!
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I don't see the need in dropping $200 on an intake, I had an extra filter laying around from the turbo on my other car, perfect fit!
This is probably the set up that will give the most power gains. A short intake works best, better when a velocity stack is incorporated.Velocity stacks are made out of metal or plastic, depends which one you want, they definitely make some gains over not using one. There are some companies that make a velocity stack and filter combo as well, which work great!
I don't see the need in dropping $200 on an intake, I had an extra filter laying around from the turbo on my other car, perfect fit!
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The only problem is heat soak, which will rob you of the gains.
Some sort of cool air ducting to the filter, from either the grille area, under fender or a hood scoop would be the go.
Okay here's the finished result. The picture is what the intake looks like now (almost can't even tell). However more ideas sprung up while I was doing this yesterday!
Anyway, do I feel anything different? I want to say its more responsive, and the car doesn't feel like I'm "pushing" the car to actually accelerate, but its probably placebo, and its what my mind wants me to think.
First (pic of intake).
![]()
Pardon my dust. See can't even tell I did anything to it. Forgot the pictures inside the wheel well, but its just a pipe connected to that rubber elbow, not much to see. Probably more fun to see all the blood in there, from when I was fighting with the resonator.
Now for my idea, and this is where I'll need opinions from you guys, because unlike what I just did, this may actually be of some benefit.
![]()
Here's a professional draft of what I'm thinking of doing.
In other words, I'm thinking of making the airbox a "Chamber" and putting a cone filter on the pipe that is now in my wheel well. Obviously I would remove the drop in filter, I'm not gonna double up on filters here, and maybe I'll grind out the ribs inside the airbox. I think this will be of actual benefit as opposed to the placebo benefit I think I have after that. Best of all, it will still look stock.
Anyway, do I feel anything different? I want to say its more responsive, and the car doesn't feel like I'm "pushing" the car to actually accelerate, but its probably placebo, and its what my mind wants me to think.
First (pic of intake).
Pardon my dust. See can't even tell I did anything to it. Forgot the pictures inside the wheel well, but its just a pipe connected to that rubber elbow, not much to see. Probably more fun to see all the blood in there, from when I was fighting with the resonator.
Now for my idea, and this is where I'll need opinions from you guys, because unlike what I just did, this may actually be of some benefit.
Here's a professional draft of what I'm thinking of doing.
In other words, I'm thinking of making the airbox a "Chamber" and putting a cone filter on the pipe that is now in my wheel well. Obviously I would remove the drop in filter, I'm not gonna double up on filters here, and maybe I'll grind out the ribs inside the airbox. I think this will be of actual benefit as opposed to the placebo benefit I think I have after that. Best of all, it will still look stock.
2
It's an interesting idea to use the airbox as a chamber. I guess what you are doing is isolating the filter (which is always a bit restrictive) and hoping that the air is still enough in the box that the intake virtually starts where the intake tube enters the airbox. Kind of like a short ram air intake with pre ducting.Okay here's the finished result. The picture is what the intake looks like now (almost can't even tell). However more ideas sprung up while I was doing this yesterday!
Anyway, do I feel anything different? I want to say its more responsive, and the car doesn't feel like I'm "pushing" the car to actually accelerate, but its probably placebo, and its what my mind wants me to think.
First (pic of intake).
![]()
Pardon my dust. See can't even tell I did anything to it. Forgot the pictures inside the wheel well, but its just a pipe connected to that rubber elbow, not much to see. Probably more fun to see all the blood in there, from when I was fighting with the resonator.
Now for my idea, and this is where I'll need opinions from you guys, because unlike what I just did, this may actually be of some benefit.
![]()
Here's a professional draft of what I'm thinking of doing.
In other words, I'm thinking of making the airbox a "Chamber" and putting a cone filter on the pipe that is now in my wheel well. Obviously I would remove the drop in filter, I'm not gonna double up on filters here, and maybe I'll grind out the ribs inside the airbox. I think this will be of actual benefit as opposed to the placebo benefit I think I have after that. Best of all, it will still look stock.
What I'd be tempted to do is add a ram tube at this point, hopefully smoothing the airflow from the airbox to the TB and try to alleviate swirling at that point.
I've had a lot of experience dyno tuning motorcycles, and one thing that always stuck out was that using a large a volume of airbox (they are actually 'still air boxes'- to create a pool of air as free of swirling) as possible is always beneficial to driveability as far as power characteristcs are concerned. Take the airbox out and low to midrange always suffers at the expense of top end power, (which rarely gets used outside of drag racing).
So your idea may just work.
I'd be interested to hear the results for sure.
On another note I've decided to go the SRI route, as pictured here.
I like the stock rubber intake because of the increasing diameter, and also because it's rubber, which is a much worse conductor of heat than metal. I'll use a filter as pictured with a built in ram tube such as a Blox filter.
I'm inclined to leave the stock resonator and piping in place in the hope that it provides some cool air and perhaps play with some heat shielding.
A question.
I haven't pulled the intake tube off yet to measure it to get a filter set up , but the diameter where it fits onto the airbox looks to be at least 3 1/2 inches.
I notice Matt said he fitted a filter with a 3 inch inlet, but this looks too small for my inlet. I'd be inclined to go for a 3 1/2 inch filter ram tube combo.
Has anyone done this?
What do you mean exactly by ram tube? Velocity stack in front of the filter or something?It's an interesting idea to use the airbox as a chamber. I guess what you are doing is isolating the filter (which is always a bit restrictive) and hoping that the air is still enough in the box that the intake virtually starts where the intake tube enters the airbox. Kind of like a short ram air intake with pre ducting.
What I'd be tempted to do is add a ram tube at this point, hopefully smoothing the airflow from the airbox to the TB and try to alleviate swirling at that point.
I've had a lot of experience dyno tuning motorcycles, and one thing that always stuck out was that using a large a volume of airbox (they are actually 'still air boxes'- to create a pool of air as free of swirling) as possible is always beneficial to driveability as far as power characteristcs are concerned. Take the airbox out and low to midrange always suffers at the expense of top end power, (which rarely gets used outside of drag racing).
So your idea may just work.
I'd be interested to hear the results for sure.
On another note I've decided to go the SRI route, as pictured here.
![]()
I like the stock rubber intake because of the increasing diameter, and also because it's rubber, which is a much worse conductor of heat than metal. I'll use a filter as pictured with a built in ram tube such as a Blox filter.
I'm inclined to leave the stock resonator and piping in place in the hope that it provides some cool air and perhaps play with some heat shielding.
A question.
I haven't pulled the intake tube off yet to measure it to get a filter set up , but the diameter where it fits onto the airbox looks to be at least 3 1/2 inches.
I notice Matt said he fitted a filter with a 3 inch inlet, but this looks too small for my inlet. I'd be inclined to go for a 3 1/2 inch filter ram tube combo.
Has anyone done this?
I actually looked into doing the SRI with the stock tube. I believe you'd need a 3 1/2 inch, as per the link I will provide below.
Do It Yourself DIY Acura TSX Short Ram Intake Cold Air Induction
That guy does it a slightly different way, but same idea. If my current project fails or has nothing going for it, I will also be going this route, especially because I love the sound....oooooo the sound!
The stupid thing is, if I don't like my airbox chamber results...then I'm stuck with a 2.5-2.75 inch useless cone. Maybe I'll buy a cheap-o one from vatozone, and use it for testing.
I first tried using small section of 3.5' piping and a K&N filter I had laying around as described here Do It Yourself DIY Acura TSX Short Ram Intake Cold Air Induction but I lost that low end "off the line" torque that was really important to me when I jump out into traffic and need to pick up speed quickly. (I have an automatic and this just ruined the driveability of the car.)
Then I saw a post (here) on creating a DIY Comptech intake with some cheap parts from pep boys. With the resonator removed and the pep boys pipe and velocity stack, I did not loose any of the low end power and gained some mid to high rpm output. It also sounds really nice too without being obnoxious. I cut 2 mall vents in the bumper to feed it cold air as shown below. This is the best compromise IMHO and I am really happy with the results.
CT intake lower section
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Homemade Lower section (Pep Boys)
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Then I saw a post (here) on creating a DIY Comptech intake with some cheap parts from pep boys. With the resonator removed and the pep boys pipe and velocity stack, I did not loose any of the low end power and gained some mid to high rpm output. It also sounds really nice too without being obnoxious. I cut 2 mall vents in the bumper to feed it cold air as shown below. This is the best compromise IMHO and I am really happy with the results.
CT intake lower section
Homemade Lower section (Pep Boys)
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1 - 20 of 26 Posts
