homemade CAI

[dgwoodworks]

I made this cold air intake for about $40, I got the filter at auto part store for $29 and some PVC pipe, a saw and glue and drill a couple of holes and you got a CAI for alot cheaper than store bought

 

[TexasNomad]

NIce Job man.

 

[Skandocious]

You see any performance gains from the mod? The previous owner of my truck had a K&N Fuel Injection Performance Kit on there-- very similar setup to yours, just an open element filter and a tube basically. I was worried about it sucking up the hot air in the engine compartment so Larry sent me a stock intake setup that pulls the air from outside with a duct-- performance was improved going back to stock

 

[TexasNomad]

E fan baby E Fan.

 

[dgwoodworks]

I could tell a little difference in power and MPG........
the end of the filter has the tube that goes through the fender for cool air

 

[Skandocious]

the end of the filter has the tube that goes through the fender for cool air

I'm confused by this... How is that possible? The air would go directly into the end of the filter and bypass all of the filtration media? Please explain

 

[dgwoodworks]

I'm confused by this... How is that possible? The air would go directly into the end of the filter and bypass all of the filtration media? Please explain

its made kinda like this one, filtered through the end

 

[Skandocious]

Hm very interesting.

 

[RangerPilot]

It'll still be getting more hot air than cold air through the filter, since the "hot side" has a lot more surface area than the "cold side" of the filter.

I'd suggest wrapping the external part of the filter (forcing induction through the center), or building a baffle around it (should be cheap enough).

 

[dgwoodworks]

It'll still be getting more hot air than cold air through the filter, since the "hot side" has a lot more surface area than the "cold side" of the filter.

I'd suggest wrapping the external part of the filter (forcing induction through the center), or building a baffle around it (should be cheap enough).[/QUOTE


I will be building a baffle next

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Ram air would be the best.

 

[dgwoodworks]

Ram air would be the best.

do you have any pics ??

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

No but I was thinkin somethin along the lines of what the old mustangs used to use.

 

[blackhat620]

It'll still be getting more hot air than cold air through the filter, since the "hot side" has a lot more surface area than the "cold side" of the filter.

I'd suggest wrapping the external part of the filter (forcing induction through the center), or building a baffle around it (should be cheap enough).

As Chris & Zach stated, you created a Hot Air Intake. I am also skeptical of the flow characteristics of the ABS pipe. An engine can only use a certain amount of air, and will only use what it needs, excess air is not drawn in. Changing the intake effects the flow characteristics of the engine and unfortunately usually not for the better. An engine needs a proper supply of clean air, the cooler the better.
I am not trying to rain on your parade, and i give you an A+ for ingenuity. Just playing the devils advocate as i have rarely seen the gauze filter society prove successful for performance increases on the track. Flow characteristics on a normally aspirated engine are extremely specific and tricky, hence the reason performance engine builders match and test there intake and exhaust flow using a flow bench. You want to increase performance by using more air, you need to use forced induction. There is a reason race cars use, ram air, turbochargers or blowers. But once you go to forced induction now you have to be able to supply increased fuel. More air without more fuel will result in perfromance problems and potential catastrophic engine failure.

 

[RangerPilot]

An engine can only use a certain amount of air, and will only use what it needs, excess air is not drawn in. Changing the intake effects the flow characteristics of the engine and unfortunately usually not for the better. An engine needs a proper supply of clean air, the cooler the better.

And that being said...a larger intake pipe size being placed on the same engine will lower the velocity of the airflow (since there's more area and a given pressure).

That air will then have a longer time spent in the pipe, which will give it more time to heat up (since the pipe is obviously in the rather hot engine compartment).

In theory, the "perfect" naturally aspirated intake will be a ram-effect inflow through the filter, through a pipe that is just large enough to not restrict flow (of course, smooth on the inside), through the shortest distance possible into the throttle body of the engine.

An example (though through a turbocharger as well):

 

[dgwoodworks]

The pipe size and lenth is same as the volant

 

[RangerPilot]

The pipe size and lenth is same as the volant

And I'm not criticizing that, you made an excellent intake for a rock-bottom price. I'm just pointing out several problems with "cold air intakes" as well as any intake system we see on modern cars and trucks.

 

[TexasNomad]

What you need is some thing like this..
http://www.jegs.com/p/Spectre/Spectre-Low-Profile-Ram-Air-Kit/1203412/10002/-1
So you can get air from the OUT side of the bay

 

[LEB Ben]

What you need is some thing like this..
http://www.jegs.com/p/Spectre/Spectre-Low-Profile-Ram-Air-Kit/1203412/10002/-1
So you can get air from the OUT side of the bay

That is good...I've actually seen some guys do something like that with their dentsides...no too difficult since they already have provisions for a single. However, I think the OP was looking to do it on the cheap, or stick it to the corporate man, if not he probably would have bought a kit.

 

[TexasNomad]

That is good...I've actually seen some guys do something like that with their dentsides...no too difficult since they already have provisions for a single. However, I think the OP was looking to do it on the cheap, or stick it to the corporate man, if not he probably would have bought a kit.

Absolutely lug nut!!! I was just showing a pic of some thing i'm far to dumb to describe

I'm sure he can find every thing at home depot or local hardware to make some liek it...