Installed my CAI this weekend

[Chris Corolla S]

I installed an E.L.Prototypes Cold Air Intake in my 2001 Corolla S this past Saturday. (Like top pick with K&N filter and blue vaccum hose. Website claims a dyno-proven 5 HP/6 lb-ft increase to the wheels on a stock 00-02 Corolla) It went fairly smoothly.

I was surprised at what was involved in the stock air intake system, it was like a huge pile of plasic crap when I got it all out. :Lol: There is this fucked up resonator box thing which I didn't even know was there. It was inside the wheel well connected to the bottom of the air box. I suppose it helped cut down on noise at certain RPMs.

The fit was very tight, the fuse box had to be pushed down on top of it to get the bolt in and the battery is now about 4 centimeters to the left of where it was. The MAF fit really nicely but the new screws provided to hold it down were some wack size hex. I tried mine hex set but one was to big and the next was to small. So I figured I had an SAE set. I bought a metric set but the damm thing is in between 3 and 4mm. So now I am on the lookout for a 3.5mm hex wrench I got them 95% of the way in using various other tools like vice grips.

My car sounds a lot different now. When you start it with the door open you can actually hear the air being sucked in, very different. The sound around town or on the highway is barely noticeable, but when you hit WOT, damm it gets very throaty. Especially at WOT from 4,000-4,500 RPMs it hits this resonance frequency and sounds like a Civic with a full exhaust

Bsides that I have noticed a ticking at idle after warm up and a slight vibration noise druing lower RPM acceleration. I think the latter MIGHT be the fliter vibrating against the engine gaurd/wheel well because it seemed a little low.
Anyway those noises don't seem serious so I'm just gonna run it and see how it goes.

Now my massive mod list includes wider tires, a strut tower bar, and a CAI. Instead of using my birthday money for a short shifter I decided to spread it out more and will probably get some rubber weather proof floor/truck matts and/or a cargo net for the trunk instead.

Well that's the news, peace guys

Chris

[TRDragoon]

hey, i just drove 2 of them at work last week, 5spd, i love the interior i might coder buying these when it turns 10yrs old

BTW, good job on the install
and when you say its sound like civic......you mean fart canny?

[5Sfte]

Congrats on the install! What are you going to do when it rains?

[Flashmn]

When you start it with the door open you can actually hear the air being sucked in, very different. The sound around town or on the highway is barely noticeable, but when you hit WOT, damm it gets very throaty. Especially at WOT from 4,000-4,500 RPMs it hits this resonance frequency and sounds like a Civic with a full exhaust

YES I know what you mean, you should hear my quad-keihins ;D holy shit, they'll make a ricer wet his pants!

[Chris Corolla S]

Originally posted by TRDragoon

BTW, good job on the install
and when you say its sound like civic......you mean fart canny?

No, not really, it's just a louder, deeper version of how it sounded before.

[Chris Corolla S]

Originally posted by 5Sfte
Congrats on the install! What are you going to do when it rains?

Nothing. I have been through the car wash already.
The filter element is completely protected from the elements because it is inside the fender. Any stray water particles that happen to get to the filter will be absorbed just like they were with my stock airbox. As for big-ass puddles, if I see any during the rainy season, I'll head the other way!

[Chris Corolla S]

Originally posted by Flashmn


YES I know what you mean, you should hear my quad-keihins ;D holy shit, they'll make a ricer wet his pants!

I'm sure your shit sounds crazy Flashmn

[Deep]

Your gas mileage will plunge, not because the CAI affects it, but because you'll be shifting a lot later, most likely at 4.5k or so to hear the intake howl.

[Flashmn]

Hehe, it does when you open up the throttle... it really rumbles ;D louder than my exhaust infact... and on startup it sounds like a F16 igniting ;D

[Chris Corolla S]

Originally posted by Deep
Your gas mileage will plunge, not because the CAI affects it, but because you'll be shifting a lot later, most likely at 4.5k or so to hear the intake howl.

Nah I get on it enough already. My in-town mileage varies from 30mpg to 35mpg depending on how I drive

[Flashmn]

With the keihins I can cruise at about 1000rpm and the engine idles along smoothly

[urbandork]

how large (deep) of a puddle r we talking about because i recently have been thinking of putting an ELP CAI in as well but am fearful of rain water and raining weather what exactly would i have to worry about

is it posible to put a bypass valve on it

[urbandork]

reading one of your post on another topic u said that a puddle about 1.5 feet would do u in

is that like a "splash" factor or is that pure depth as i doubt ill hit n e puddles even a foot deep but splashes are a diffrent story

[urbandork]

???

[Chris Corolla S]

The filter element touches the bottom of the fender well splash gaurd, which is about 1 ft or so off the ground. The filter itself is also about 8 inches long. There is a nice big opening in the splash gaurd right next to the filter where the air is sucked in. The filter would have to be wholly or mostly submerged to risk hydro lock, and I would guess that would take a puddle at least 1 foot deep. Splashing isn't a problem. I have driven for hours in the pouring rain on the freeway and the car runs great in those conditions. As for installing a bypass valve, the ELP CAI is one piece of stainless steel so you would have to cut a couple of inches out of it where you wanted to install the valve.

I hope that answers your questions.

I also learned of a fix for the rattle/vibration at low RPMs using some fuel line to insulate the hole where the CAI passes through the engine compartment. I haven't done it yet, but it should improve things.
Here is a pic of my engine bay: