Well, it's sort of a howto... I won't claim to be an expert and I really just guessed at some of this. However, I didn't find any sort of guide here so I thought I'd contribute. Pictures are links to 2272x1704 images.
So... I decided to get a short ram intake last week. I'd heard the pros and cons, but there are so many conflicting posts and threads that I decided to just see for myself. Besides, it was only like $120 at prostreetonline and I had some birthday money to spend.
I ended up getting the Dragon intake, even though I think the filter thing is sort of hokey looking. Any of you Gen4 peeps... get the version listed for the 4cyl Solara. It's the same engine. Instructions are minimal and poorly planned so read through them before getting started -- I found some of the steps in the wrong order and they don't even mention the resonator or one of the emissions pieces.
So, this is my pristine engine bay, prior to installation. Witness the beauty
Upon reading instructions and investigating the parts, I realized that I had some potential problems.
The first is some sort of vaccuum sensor thing that attaches to the stock airbox. I was unable to determine what the part number represents, so I don't really know what it does. As well, in the upper left you can see the hole for the Intake Air Temperature sensor, a cone-shaped thing that just pulls out of the airbox.
The second image is the available ports on the side of the intake. The fat one is just a tad too wide for the IAT sensor... the instructions tell you to use a part that was not actually included for me. Alas! At this point I've removed the top of the airbox and the filter, as well as unscrewing and unplugging that vacuum sensor thing. I decide to use the supplied hoses as sort of adapters to connect the sensors. You'll see what I mean later.
The third image depicts a tube on the right and a plug on the left -- they connect to some kind of a sensor located on the resonator. Fortunately this doesn't actually run into the resonator, however it is bolted to it. This is problematic because it's gonna just dangle once the resonator is removed.
No more stock airbox. For perspective, the battery is on the left. That first picture makes me kind of sad for some reason. Anyway... that second sensor on the resonator just unscrews.
Next order is installing the 2.5"-3" at the throttle. I used the stock clamp from the old box because it was sized appropriately. Now is a good time to clean up with some carb cleaner in and around the butterfly valve. Protip: engines enjoy a good douche up in there, every now and then.
And then the actual pipe. Try to make sure your shit is seated.
Notice the two grey hoses coming off the right side? The right one is to hook up that airbox vacuum line I told you about before. The left one is for the temperature sensor... Yeah I know it's a little ghetto- I'm gonna fix that in a bit.
Next...
This is the best load-bearing structure I have ever seen. They give you this really shitty brace to keep it from wiggling around. Kind of in shadow here... for reference, there's a rubber thing with a screw sticking out that's a sort of bushing... then to the left of it and vertical in front of the grey hose is something like from an erector set. This is really flimsy metal and seems really cheap to me.
This is what I did with the sensors:
The left is the temp and the right is that thing with I think a vacuum line for emissions. My plan is to get some larger O-rings for the temp sensor and just put it in the pipe... however I'm concerned that it will just get super hot. I may end up leaving it like this. Not sure.
Next, install the actual filter. I guess you could do this before trying to hook it up at the throttle, but really it's easier to wield if there's not a big heavy thing on one end bumping into stuff.
Make sure to trim your hoses... it does make an actual difference.
Finally, it's installed. Only other thing to do is unplug the battery to reset the ECU. Took about 2 hours including a 30 minute break to talk with my bro and have a smoke
Observations: The instructions sucked ass. Also, a little leary about the ghetto sensor rig.
As for power... eh, it's really hard to say. On one hand I do find that it's redlining before I think it should be, I have to adjust my shift patterns, and the revs
seem to climb faster.
On the other hand, it doesn't feel any faster. In fact, it sort of feels slower. One thing that confuses the issue is that my power curve has changed. I used to get a sort of peak at around 3k, entering the power band. Then around 4 there was another little peak. Now that's smoothed out. After resetting the ECU this afternoon I regained the 4k peak, but not the 3k. HOWEVER, with people in the car I don't notice as much lag as I used to from weight.
But again, it just doesn't
feel as zippy. I dunno... it may just because there's not the abrupt change any more. Also, my car is frickin' LOUD now... so I may be expecting a certain performance based on the sound. Who knows.
Anyway, that's about all. Questions and coments welcome.
.
Linear Mode
