Accord Intakes

[saturn]

as long as everything is sealed correctly, that noise you're hearing is the air flowing through the tubing. it'll sound like a scuba diver taking a gasp if you tap the gas... the rest of the time it sounds like darth vader breathing.

without that huge resonator box in there things tend to be noisy.

[Mikey]

Here's the finished product (Yes, I'm aware the engine needs a bit of cleanup:eek: ):
http://mysite.verizon.net/miklaing/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/CAI1.JPG

The headlight removal was very helpful in getting that filter on to the assembly.

More pics:
http://mysite.verizon.net/miklaing/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/CAI2.JPG

Thankfully the K&N sticker that came with the filter has white letters, so it shows up well on the black tubing.

http://mysite.verizon.net/miklaing/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/CAI3.JPG

Had to dremel appox 1/4" off the fender hole, and shave a bit off the battery tray

http://mysite.verizon.net/miklaing/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/CAI4.JPG

All ready to roll. It is very secure (so far) without any additional brackets needed. If I can do this, anybody can:D

http://mysite.verizon.net/miklaing/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/CAI5.JPG

[saturn]

NICE job. I like the K&N sticker - I did the same thing with it. only difference between our setups is your pipe is bigger and painted black.

[playboyz28]

I used a 92-95 Honda Civic SRI and it works nice, cept i had to use a reducer coupler at the throttle body.

Anyone else used the Civic intake?

[Pete03GLS]

can anybody give me a yes or no? if i shud go ahead and buy this accord cai...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/94-97-HONDA-ACCORD-4CYC-COLD-AIR-INTAKE-DX-LX-EX-95-96_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ38634QQihZ003QQitemZ 130138116952QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW#ebayphotohosti ng

thank you.

oh and duh... for a 2003 elantra gls, automatic.

[h34d]

figured i'd put up my post-install pic here - ended up getting the 2"x2" flexible plumbing couplers from lowes for the maf filter, since the intake has 2.75" diameter(the plumbing couplers are ~2.6" id so a lil stretching got 'em on nicely).
thoughts? :D
http://www.geocities.com/fightforsurvival/cai1.jpg

[saturn]

pete: do some searching. this is covered everywhere on the forums at least 10 times. any 94-97 accord CAI will fit the elantra with some slight modifications depending on if you have a MAP or MAF setup (search for this info, your 2003 should be no need for the sensor to be moved around since you don't have it! straight pipe like me) and depending on the couplers they give you (see above post - you can get plumbing couplers!)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1036/530677620_f41e5760b4_o.jpg

2003 elantra GT (5-speed)

[Pete03GLS]

thank you, thats all i needed to know.

[h34d]

a general question - does the intake once put in need to be fastened to other parts of the car? i noticed some people mentioning attaching brackets, and others not using anything. the intake i got off ebay did not have any brackets attached, and once i installed it(making sure all the couplers were extra tight), i found that it rested pretty snugly against the side of the opening going down to the fenderwell, and within the fenderwell itself. i guess i've been wondering if i need to get some zip ties for it at the least or what... :confused:

[saturn]

you don't have to. it may vibrate a little or move when the engine shifts and bump into the power steering (I think?) which has metal tubing... you may have to adjust the position so it doesn't wear into the soft aluminum intake tubing.

some people use brackets that came with their kits.

[kylemorg]

h34d -- it's probably a good idea to strap the piping to handy bolt locations inside the engine compartment. The engine moves independantly form the engine bay on it's engine mounts, so if you don't support the CAI, it might rub back and forth on the engine bay or engine and either rub the paint off or rub a hole through something.

[Pete03GLS]

my SRI would heat up n start sagging, so i custom made a lil metal piece for it, n then screwed it down into one of the old airbox holes, now i have full support for my intake from underneath.

[BobMs_wht2k2]

It is a good idea to strap t down, even though I still haven't. After 5 years, no holes and no problems. But then again this car has been nothing bt good to me for the last 64 months and 78k miles.

[FirePenguinz]

I am still a tiny bit confused at this. I can just get a cold air intake that fits any 1994-1997 HONDA Accord and it will fit my 2003 Elantra GLS?

do places even sell intakes for accords that are that old. and could i get one off of a car in a junkyard even?

edit: whoa people. i know i can use ebay, i was just looking for an alternative way of buying it. some people arent extremely comfortable using ebay....like me...

[saturn]

e b a y

[BColeman]

DUH ! !! !:mad:

If people would read the whole thread, they would realize this ! ! !:eek:

[saturn]

so uhh do i get 1 off uf a junkyrd accord? lulz

seriously... who would leave a CAI on a junkyard car for more than 5 minutes, regardless of the car? and would you really want to put it on your elantra?

1. Search
2. Read the ENTIRE thread!!!

oh man now I know why you guys hate it so much haha.

[FirePenguinz]

Ok guys, I have looked through this thread for the answer and couldnt find it. So Im going to ask now, Does my late-ish-model 03 gls (bought in june) have a MAF and where is it?

I want to but a CAI that will not require me to cut too much to make it work. Having to cut even more for the MAF senson is not something that sounds fun at the time

thanks for your help.

[mtlelantra]

Ok guys, I have looked through this thread for the answer and couldnt find it. So Im going to ask now, Does my late-ish-model 03 gls (bought in june) have a MAF and where is it?

Didn't look too hard? I just looked one page back and found the answer. Take a look at post 256 vs 257. 256 has that black sensor in-line with the intake that 257 doesn't have. If you don't have that extra black sensor as part of your stock intake system, then you don't have a MAF.

[PSUsouthpaw]

If you have a MAF all you need to do is get some couplers and a hacksaw and its no big deal.

[FirePenguinz]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fse arch.dll%3Fsofocus%3Dbs%26sbrftog%3D1%26catref%3DC 6%26from%3DR10%26mppfqy%3Daccord%2B1994%2B1997%2Bc old%2Bair%2Bintake%26mppfqy%3Daccord%2B1994%2B1997 %2Bcold%2Bair%2Bintake%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3 D200139257449%26sacat%3D-1%2526catref%253DC6%26fmmk%3D%26fmmd%3D%26fylo%3D% 26fyhi%3D%26mppfqy%3Daccord%2B1997%2Bcold%2Bair%2B intake%26sargn%3D-1%2526saslc%253D2%26sadis%3D200%26fpos%3D44023%26s abfmts%3D1%26saobfmts%3Dinsif%26ftrt%3D1%26ftrv%3D 1%26saprclo%3D%26saprchi%3D%26fsop%3D1%2526fsoo%25 3D1%26coaction%3Dcompare%26copagenum%3D1%26coentry page%3Dsearch%26fvi%3D1&item=200139257449

not sure if that link will work, but anyway. Thats the one i think im going to buy. I talked to the seller and he says its a 2.75 inch diameter pipe. I shouldnt have any problems with that, right?

[DAILLESTWUN]

That looks about right. But you might want to get a 2.5" diameter tubing. When I had my Elantra i had a 3" but the consensus is that 2.5" is the best. remember, too much air is not good. It could hurt performance.

[FirePenguinz]

yeah i am hoping to find a 2.5 inch intake.

its dumb, ebay has like no stats on the pipe diameter given, so i have to ask the sellers each indvidually. lol.

[BColeman]

No bigger than 2.75 is good. Most of the ones on ebay are either the 2.5 or the 2.75, unless explicitly stated. I wish I could remember the seller I got mine from many moons ago, I would let you go through them. The one I had got was 2.5, while the one PSUsouthpaw got was 2.75. And I do feel a difference between mine and his.

BTW, aren't you glad you are posting in the right area now:) You answers come quicker, cause I don't have to b i t c h too much.:D

[FirePenguinz]

yeah. Its nice to have quick responses that arent angry ones haha

[PSUsouthpaw]

No bigger than 2.75 is good. Most of the ones on ebay are either the 2.5 or the 2.75, unless explicitly stated. I wish I could remember the seller I got mine from many moons ago, I would let you go through them. The one I had got was 2.5, while the one PSUsouthpaw got was 2.75. And I do feel a difference between mine and his.

BTW, aren't you glad you are posting in the right area now:) You answers come quicker, cause I don't have to b i t c h too much.:D

Bryan here has had a lifelong aspiration to be an E-thug, so don't mind him too much:tongue:

I actually have a 3" accord intake. When I got it I was in the process of migrating to Florida for the winter, and ended up leaving a pieace of it at home. When I got to Florida, Bryan helped me out and got me some extra pipe, thus creating an intake that ran 3 inch tubing out to the MAF sensor, 2.75 from the MAF to near the battery, and 3 inch tubing from by the battery to the filter.

Going one size for the whole enchilada is a much better way to go about things. Only recently did I swap the pipes out to full 3 inch all the way.

[moonlite5hadow]

for those of you that went through ebay, and had their intakes shipped from Los Angeles, how long did delivery take? mine hasn't taken long at all (ordered on thursday, the 2nd, and i got an email saying it shipped yesterday the 6th) im just impatient and anxious as all hell to get this in my XD. Im in San Diego, so im half-expecting it to show up tomorrow, cause it shipped today as i just noted, but im too anxious to see it and get it in!!! also, how luck am i that my girlfriend offered to help out! she's actually part gear-head at heart. makes me happy!:D :D :D :D

[Munky]

how luck am i that my girlfriend offered to help out! she's actually part gear-head at heart. makes me happy!:D :D :D :D

She's a keeper. Post pics of the install after you're done!

[moonlite5hadow]

will do, sir! I'd try and get her to pose with it, but she's a shy little gal. I have a thread in the members profiles area, so my pics will be posted there, by friday at the latest (assuming the cai gets delivered tomorrow). i'll post an announcement here though. (i know i probably seem really overly excited about this, but its my first real mod, i.e. actually affecting the performance of my engine. im about to pop my proverbial modification cherry! :rolleyes: )

short story about the girlfriend: driving on the way to the Beach the day i ordered the CAI:

Me: Im kinda happy.... I ordered my intake today.
Her: cool, cold air or short ram?
Me: What the F*&K?! You know the difference? (yeah, stereotypical, i know)
Her: no s&*t! im not stupid!
Me: haha, outstanding. its cold air. i hope to have it installed by drill weekend (the 11th-12th)
Her: awesome. do you need help putting it in?


yeah, she's a keeper! :thumbsup: :luvlove:


oh yeah, and when i get my 350Z, she's gonna help me mod that too, along with her 300ZX

[Pete03GLS]

wow. lucky u man. she sounds awesome.

lol and i popped my proverbial modification cherry when i found this site. it got the ball rolling, but my first official mod... i supose, would be removing the door chime... which isnt really a mod, its just a unplugging of a wire. if thats not it, then its gotta be my SRI!!!! WOOOOOOOT!

[moonlite5hadow]

so the intake was delivered yesterday, and lo-and-behold im sick as a dog today. i'll still install it, but it'll probably take longer than the 30-60 minute install time estimate i've read about. =(

[h34d]

i put mine in a few weeks ago, 98 degrees out and a billion percent humidity. took my sweet time to make sure i was doing everything ok and it took me almost four hours :D

course if i had to do it again i could do it in under an hour. great learning experience!

[moonlite5hadow]

i put mine in a few weeks ago, 98 degrees out and a billion percent humidity. took my sweet time to make sure i was doing everything ok and it took me almost four hours :D

course if i had to do it again i could do it in under an hour. great learning experience!

it wasnt quite that hot for me. probably 90 or so, but the humidity was pushin 80%, so it was muggy as heck, even in the garage. Although i was sick, i still got it in. took me about 3 hours, and it was one heck of a learning experience for me too! so much so i almost forgot to tighten the lugs on my left drive wheel (took it off to get the resonator box out/install the filter).

and like you said, if i had to do it again, i'd do it much quicker now that i know whats going on. It sounds great (esp at WOT) and it feels nice too. except my car guzzled gas while re-learning the fuel curve.

Pics up tomorrow in the members profile area, but i have a question. Anyone else get a slight vibrating in the brake pedal while idling? or has it always been there and im just overly critical?

[saturn]

there will be vibration depending on how hard your foot is against the pedal. especially now that the CAI is on - the air won't be "muffled" so it'll vibrate a lot more.

tip for next time: remove the headlight. easier than removing the other stuff.

[BColeman]

Actually guys, there is not supposed to be any vibration.

The reason you have this vibration is because your piping is not supported and is resting on the brake hard lines coming from the proportioning valve. Take a look under the hood and you'll see the pipe is either resting on it, or very close. Remember, the engine moves too, so does the piping.

You either need to spend some extra time twisting and repositioning the pipe, or add in a support bracket, tying it into the strut tower bolt or the fuse box bolt. You DO NOT want it to stay resting on the brake hard lines.

[Cypher]

4 hours wow. for my first mod we got it done in 40 minutes. Thats because i didn't bother taking the bolts out of the air box, i just took a knife to it lol.

I need to stop being lazy and change my air filter, its been 2 years! :eek:

[saturn]

oh.. THAT kind of vibration is bad, I thought he meant just general car vibration which you can sometimes feel in the pedals.

[moonlite5hadow]

ok, i'll check into that then. its only the brake pedal when im idling (red lights and such) or in lower RPMs, like ~2250 or lower. should i move the intake tubing away completely, or put some sort of cushion between the two, like a couple layers of electrical tape?

[Cypher]

MOVE IT

you want to avoid having things touch/rubbing your brake lines

[moonlite5hadow]

Actually guys, there is not supposed to be any vibration.

The reason you have this vibration is because your piping is not supported and is resting on the brake hard lines coming from the proportioning valve. Take a look under the hood and you'll see the pipe is either resting on it, or very close. Remember, the engine moves too, so does the piping.

You either need to spend some extra time twisting and repositioning the pipe, or add in a support bracket, tying it into the strut tower bolt or the fuse box bolt. You DO NOT want it to stay resting on the brake hard lines.

i checked it today when i got home from work, and its actually a good half inch off the brake line you mentioned. i know the engines "rocks" a little as the RPMs rise, but does it rock forward or back? if it rocked back i could understand the vibrating pedal, but if it rocks forward then i dont know where the vibration is coming from.

[Whipper]

I finally got everything I needed to install my CAI today, i.e couplers, the right ones, but anyways, it took me about 3 hours, but 2 of it was trying to get the hole big enough for it to go down to the wheel well. I just got back from the test drive, its awesome. The deep roar is amazing, and I definately feel the extra oomph. I probably will have a hard time keeping my windows up and sound system off for a couple days. I am so happy with it. I will take some pics soon. Thanks to everyone for the advice.

[moonlite5hadow]

congrats. personally, i like the little gasp of air it grabs when you tap on the gas at a red light, low speed etc. ppl next to me (esp ricers) think my engines about to explode.

[Beto0707]

I got my $35 ebay CAI today... Problem is the seller (acekogyo) told me it would be 2.5" and it is 3".

From my understanding of reading this thread, 2.5" is preferred for two reasons: 1. Easier to install due to not having to cut or bend parts of the engine bay.
2. Better performance because you can have too much air (this point seems in dispute).

Should I bother going through the hassle of mailing this thing back to a guy who seems to be shady? Or just try to make the 3" CAI work?

Thoughts?

I will of course leave appropriate feedback on ebay.

[Pete03GLS]

just buy a 3 to 2.5 coupler and install it.

[PSUsouthpaw]

No worries. Install it as best you can. you will need to move the battery over slightly and you will need to bend the fenderwell a little bit to fit the tube through. Get the appropriate couplers and the install shouldn't take more than an hour or so.

You will see more top end power with it than with a 2.5, but low end may suffer a little bit.

[BColeman]

^ agree!

[FirePenguinz]

**** that acekoygo guy was wrong about what you got?

thats who i ordered mine from. he said it was a 2.75, so hopefully he is right, but even if its a 2.5 or 3, its only .25 inches either way; so it wont be the end of the world.

still, im going to be pissed if i get something that i didnt pay for. EXD should declare war on this guy if he screws two of our orders lol

[Beto0707]

The seller is replying to my emails. He's not very clear but I think he is going to make good on this and just made a mistake. Hopefully I will be shipping the 3" back and getting a 2.5" by the weekend.

I'm positive so far.

Thanks for the replies, I was really hoping to not have to bend or warp the fenderwell for this install.

[moonlite5hadow]

anyone else's battery getting hot (not extremely hot... "normal" hot) after driving? i know this is from the heat shield going away, but is it bad for the battery at all? shortened life span, reduced voltage, etc??

[saturn]

batteries will not perform as well when they're hot but there aren't high enough temperatures in the engine bay to "ruin" a battery or anything like that.

you can wrap the intake and the battery in some metallic heat wrap - the same kind that comes stock on Jeep batteries - some members have done that. it'll not only protect your battery and softer aluminum intake tubing, but it'll keep the air cool as it passes through what would normally be a very hot tube.

NOTE: don't cover the top of the battery; just the sides. covering the top will trap hydrogen gas which could cause safety issues.

[moonlite5hadow]

batteries will not perform as well when they're hot but there aren't high enough temperatures in the engine bay to "ruin" a battery or anything like that.

you can wrap the intake and the battery in some metallic heat wrap - the same kind that comes stock on Jeep batteries - some members have done that. it'll not only protect your battery and softer aluminum intake tubing, but it'll keep the air cool as it passes through what would normally be a very hot tube.

NOTE: don't cover the top of the battery; just the sides. covering the top will trap hydrogen gas which could cause safety issues.

im thinking about wrapping the intake tubing, but if normal operating temps wont ruin the battery im not too worried about that. can i get the heat wrap at a typical auto parts store or is that more of a specialty item?

[saturn]

im thinking about wrapping the intake tubing, but if normal operating temps wont ruin the battery im not too worried about that. can i get the heat wrap at a typical auto parts store or is that more of a specialty item?

it's the same thing as header wrap. pretty much any heat-insulating stuff will work...

I did a quick google search for "cold air intake heat wrap" and this site came up:

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com

NO idea who they are but they have the stuff I'm talking about. you may be able to hook up the OEM heat shield (that curvy piece of plastic) depending on the shape of your CAI, which will also help too.

[moonlite5hadow]

. you may be able to hook up the OEM heat shield (that curvy piece of plastic) depending on the shape of your CAI, which will also help too.

that was also going to be my first option. back in the days of my stock intake i remember the batter and airbox being super cool compared to the motor. i'll check out that link if i cant get the heat shield in or if it doesnt work.

[BColeman]

All you need is a reflective surface to lower the temps.

Take a quick trip to Circuit City or some other Audio place and pic up a couple of 10x10 sheets of Dynomat, the one with the shiny surface used for keeping heat away. Stick it to the battery. You'll be good from there.

As far as other Heat Shield products, DEI FTW! ! ! That's the only brand of heat shield products I trust.

[FirePenguinz]

Just got my CAI in the mail this evening. 7 days from cali to ohio, not bad.

Im going to put it in tomorrow. anyone know how much grinding i have to do to make a 2.75 inch one fit through the hole in the fenderwall?

[moonlite5hadow]

Just got my CAI in the mail this evening. 7 days from cali to ohio, not bad.

Im going to put it in tomorrow. anyone know how much grinding i have to do to make a 2.75 inch one fit through the hole in the fenderwall?

not much at all. i just bent mine open with a piece of wood. and damn, 7 days from CA to ohio? mine took 6 days from los angeles to san diego (a two hour drive)!!

[FirePenguinz]

yep, i was impressed by the quick shipping too.

anyway, i put it in today, took about 3 hours, but a lot of that was just cause i had to rearrange all of my electronics that i had that used to be drilled and screwed onto the plastic heat shield and what not.

i made the hole using a solder to cut the batt tray and then drilled a bunch of tiny holes and then hit the fender wall with a hammer to get through.

my kit didnt come with enough clamps though. i had to recycle one of the ones from the old system to connect the coupler to the TB. its not really on well, the OEM piece needs to stretch to fit over the TB+Coupler and as we all should know, metal doesnt stretch too much lol. Im probably going to get a new one at auto zone tomorrow.

The sound it makes, like you all said, especially at a stoplight when you tap the gas, is amazing. I really do feel that extra bit of power throughout the powerband, and especially in the higher RPMs.

the only bad thing about it was it makes me hate having an auto tranny even more...

[saturn]

I wouldn't do any "grinding" unless you really want to actually CUT the area out.

I was able to bend the metal back with some strong pliers. you only need about another inch to make it fit quite well. cover it up with some primer and/or something soft like tape or rubber weatherstripping (so the CAI doesn't rattle and scratch itself up on the fender wall)

you may also need to cut the battery tray depending on the shape of the pipe.


as for clamps, auto parts stores are a ripoff. go to a hardware store and get hose clamps. OR invest in some t-clamps (look online) -- they will give you a tighter seal.

[FirePenguinz]

yeah i cut that piece out

it was like almost how you get paper that is perforated to make it easy to rip

i just made it like swiss cheese and it ripped right on out

[saturn]

make sure to put something over it or you're going to have a rust problem, as well as a lots of dents and chips/cuts in your soft aluminum CAI problem

[moonlite5hadow]

i dunno about you, but mine makes a near orgasmic roar at 5k rpm. i usually only get it going up hill, and at the end of my first gear. i really dont like revving it that high, esp since its got over 75k miles on that motor.

the added hiss i get when idling has caused me to get revved by cars a bit bigger than civics now. im getting revved by g35's and 350z's here and there. if only they knew i look down on illegal street racing, after losing 3 friends in 3 seperate incidents.

[FirePenguinz]

yeah im gonna jack some weatherstripping from my buddys house tomorrow and wrap up the hole real nice.

i was wondering, and this may or may not be a stupid question, so youve been warned: I chopped about 6 inches off of the end of my CAI, so the filter is sitting just about as high as it can, the top of it about 2 inches below the fenderwall. What, if any, effect does this change have on where the biggest gains on my powerband will occur?

Oh and will the shorter pipe mean any extra power?, i assume not but wouldnt mind being surprised.

[Munky]

im getting revved by g35's and 350z's here and there. if only they knew i look down on illegal street racing, after losing 3 friends in 3 seperate incidents.

Glad to see you're smarter than most.

[saturn]

depends what you mean...

if the filter is choked up on extra piping, it'll have a disrupted air flow. you want to have the filter mounted on the end of the pipe. you should cut it to size (and get rid of the metal filings so you don't suck those into the engine).

a longer pipe = more distance for air to travel = engine has to work harder for air = most power will be at higher RPMs

shorter pipe / ram air = instant air = different performance

[FirePenguinz]

yeah, my air filter isnt over the whole pipe, that wouldbe darn near retarded.

but since its a tiny bit shorter i should feel the power at a few lower RPMs (probably only 2--3 hundred) thanif i had a longer setup. i guess that makes sense, my car roars the loudest (that is, the air intake makes the most noise) at around 4700.

[mtlelantra]

but since its a tiny bit shorter i should feel the power at a few lower RPMs (probably only 2--3 hundred) thanif i had a longer setup.

A few inches in tubing length won't affect your powerband.


a longer pipe = more distance for air to travel = engine has to work harder for air = most power will be at higher RPMs


Not necessarily. Longer pipe = greater intake velocity = more torque.

[hyundaiLKsunday]

Considering how many questions there are regarding air intakes on the forum, someone should really sticky this thread. This covers just about everything you need to know...

[Cypher]

We had too many stickes in the N/A so to clean them up I put them all into one thread with links. If you had bothered to look:

http://www.elantraxd.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24195

Its linked in that thread.

[hyundaiLKsunday]

I guess I missed that one. My bad :(
~slinks off to read the thread...~