Air box mod and warranty

[jmazda]

Hi guys

I was looking to do this air box mod on my 05 m3sGT b/c i can't afford a CAI right now

http://www.amity.org/~data/m6airboxmod/index.html

and maybe pull out the resonator

and i was wondering if this would void my warranty

any opinions would be great

 

[thebeansoldier]

the mz3 doesn't have that flapper/valve deal. we have a more straight-forward airbox with a tiny chamber that makes the intake sound really nice when you take out the resonator.

that is all. and no, removing the resonator won't void your warranty, but the intake air on a hot summer day will be HOT (around 124F on a 96F day).

 

[bbrich57]

'Don't know if this would be a warranty issue or not, but what I did was a "Jeep" air box MOD w/a K&N panel filter.
What's a Jeep Air Box MOD you ask?
1. Unclip the top cover. I'd already removed the stupid triangular plastic thingy w/the "Fisher-Price" hardware that is supposed to hold the bat box snorkel in place. It's not needed, believe me, and makes access to headlamps, etc. much easier.
2. Undo the hoses, elec. connections and screws to completely remove the top cover.
3. Yank (yes, I said "YANK") the bottom part of the air box upward and remove it.
4. Install a 1 1/4" hole saw in your favorite drill and using it, drill a minimum of four holes in the FRONT part of it. Six are possible, IMO. Be careful not to compromise the plastic reinforcements of the box. Also remember to drill them low enough so as not to compromise the bottom lip of the filter itself.
5. Install a 7/8" hole saw in said drill and drill three more holes on the outside edge of the bottom box.. Again, avoid the plastic reinforcements.
6. Using a file and sandpaper, clean up all the holes you've just made and reinstall the bottom portion of the box w/a hard push down.
7. Install your new K&N panel filter and reinstall the rest of the box in reverse order of removal.

I didn't notice a whole lot of improvement w/this MOD until I installed the new exhaust, but now believe it to be every bit as good as spending $75-$200 on an SRI... and it sounds kinda' cool too!

 

[ZoomVT]

jmazda; just removing the resonator wont do anything to your warranty, however i heard that it does make a difference on the butt dyno and sound. It defintely sounds a lot nicer. Some people have said that it is stupid to remove the resonator and that enginners wouldnt just throw it in there if it wasnt needed. However most people thing that the positives outweight the negs. The nges being maybe a slight loss of torque on the bottom end; but i have not felt that personally.
I say try it and tell us what you think; you can always put it back on.

Rich, i sort of understand what you are saying but not completely.
What the hell are the holes for? just to incrase the amount of airflow coming into the box? and then all you did was change the filter?
Why do you call it a "jeep" air box mod?

 

[bbrich57]

Rich, i sort of understand what you are saying but not completely.
What the hell are the holes for? just to incrase the amount of airflow coming into the box? and then all you did was change the filter?
Why do you call it a "jeep" air box mod?

More air and a freer flowing filter, not unlike a short ram.
A coworker of mine is into Jeeps. If you've ever seen the airbox on a 4.0L, 6 cylinder Jeep, it's huge. (I used to work for a Jeep dealer when this engine first came out in the mid-late '80's.) This coworker told me of Jeep owners modding this massive piece o' plastic in this way.
After thinking about it, not being happy that I could not hear the engine very well w/a stock intake and exhaust, and being curious about it I pulled out my airbox one evening. Since I own a whole bunch of hole saws (left over from another job I once had) and before I knew it I had done the mod. I already had the K&N filter on order and it arrived that very day.
Then I had to distiguish it from the resonator mod, so I called the "Jeep" airbox mod. That's the story.

 

[tsunami]

i would have to say that removing the resonator probably has a neg affect on power but the noise can be to peoples liking and the "butt dyno" kick is a result of the noise not any power... we spend hundreds of dollars on intakes but with out any supporting mods your lucky to get a 2hp gain. see thebeansoldier's write up about intakes in the N/A stage 1-3 reports...

 

[bbrich57]

I agree, though I also think even a 2hp gain w/just an intake is an overstatment
I didn't really notice any improvement, not even the "butt dyno" detected any until I also relieved the exhaust pressure. I believe that both are necessary in order to gain anything.
My butt dyno now tells me that I may have gained 4 to 5hp with both. No noticable loss in torque, but a gain near the top end, which in my case is usually around 5G's, not 6.5.

 

[tsunami]

5k... what the hell man wind that thing up!!! lol

and yeah with out doing the exhaust the intake is a waste of $$ (though i have a header and an intake and gained 7hp over just the intake)

 

[jmazda]

I think i might try removing the resonator this weekend..however i was just wondering for the ppl who have removed it does water ever get sucked into the air box while driving during normal rain or heavy rain?? also when driving on wet roads behind other cars???

As for turning ur stock air box into a SRI like u did bbrich57, that was a pretty cool mod but i thought that with an SRI u can get a lot of heat soak..is this not true for the 3s??

 

[bbrich57]

I think i might try removing the resonator this weekend..however i was just wondering for the ppl who have removed it does water ever get sucked into the air box while driving during normal rain or heavy rain?? also when driving on wet roads behind other cars???

As for turning ur stock air box into a SRI like u did bbrich57, that was a pretty cool mod but i thought that with an SRI u can get a lot of heat soak..is this not true for the 3s??

As for your second question first, no it's probably not the best option for an intake, but the price was right. I kept the additional holes in the front and left side of the box (fender side) away from the direct heat being generated by the engine. A small improvement maybe, but I didn't do this w/o some forethought to the concern you mention. It's really hard to tell if I am experiencing any heat soak or not.
When the weather is hot (100*+) as it often is in the summer here, everything on the road slows down. Plus the factors of humidity, A/C on, fuel mileage and accelerator pedal position are relative ones and hard to calculate (seat-of-the-pants) in those terms. A hood scoop would probably not be a bad idea in either case, but....?
As for your first concern, it too was one of mine. Though I haven't heard of anyone experiencing this w/the resonator mod, there are several people (on this forum alone) that have had their engine hydrolock w/a CAI. That's an experience I did not want, nor did I want to have to pay for the repairs after. A CAI will definitely void your warranty in a case such as that.

 

[jmazda]

Thanks for replying back...yah hydrolocking is my biggest concern .....and i'm glad to hear that nobody with the resonator mod has had this but i think i have red before that the bottom of somebody's air box was wet...but now i'm not to sure....however i'm sure it would be alright in heavy rain or on wet/salted roads...

I was also wondering if i made a custom pipe that connects to the bottom of the air box (3") and have the end of it located where the resonator gets its fresh air from if that would increase colder air coming into the intake system and still be better then having the resonator. any thoughts???

 

[BKK Jack]

I understand the fear of voiding the warranty on such an expensive purchase, but since Mazdaspeed offers a CAI, I don't see that as being an issue. As long as your CAI is basically the same in form and function as the one offered by the MS and was installed properly, I don't see them having grounds to void your warranty.

I will probably be getting a CAI. If I do, I will definitely get the AEM Air-Bypass Valve as an added measure of protection.

 

[NOmz3]

I live in new orleans, where is rains almost every day of the week. I've also got an injen cai, and have only experienced slight problems with a a few drops sneaking passed the MAF and giving me a CEL. I would have to shut the car off, let it chill for a minute, and then crank it back up and it would be gone. To prevent this, I bought an Injen Hydrasheild and have yet to have it happen again. As far as everyone downing intakes as expensive pieces of crap, i'd strongly disagree. They have made a significant difference in my car combined with the custom exhaust I have set up. I've noticed a huge difference in mid-range power and top-end, even a slight change in low-end but nothing extreme. Also, the sound is amazing. People around me who hear the car when she hits 4k are baffled, and I love it. IMO it was money well spent. It may not make a ton of HP in the beginning, but in the long rong, coupled with other bolt-ons and modifications, you'll see a huge difference.

 

[bbrich57]

I live in new orleans, where is rains almost every day of the week. I've also got an injen cai, and have only experienced slight problems with a a few drops sneaking passed the MAF and giving me a CEL. I would have to shut the car off, let it chill for a minute, and then crank it back up and it would be gone. To prevent this, I bought an Injen Hydrasheild and have yet to have it happen again. As far as everyone downing intakes as expensive pieces of crap, i'd strongly disagree. They have made a significant difference in my car combined with the custom exhaust I have set up. I've noticed a huge difference in mid-range power and top-end, even a slight change in low-end but nothing extreme. Also, the sound is amazing. People around me who hear the car when she hits 4k are baffled, and I love it. IMO it was money well spent. It may not make a ton of HP in the beginning, but in the long rong, coupled with other bolt-ons and modifications, you'll see a huge difference.

I think you may have misunderstood. I don't think anybody has been putting cai's down here. At least that's not the way I read it, but as you yourself state, there is a cause for concern. Just the fact that a hydro-shield is not included in the first place with these kits is a big question in my mind.
Do they work? Hell, yes! I'm sure they do. But remember that even you state that it is the combination of intake and exhaust that does the work. I too know this from first hand experience also.
Are they expensive, considering what they are. Hell yes again! At least the namebrands are. To me, that's a lot of money for some mandral bent tubing and an air filter. Short of where to make the bends in the tubing, I doubt that a huge amount of R&D are done since they are all basically (and please don't read too much into that statement) the same.
I quote you directly here:

It may not make a ton of HP in the beginning, but in the long rong, coupled with other bolt-ons and modifications, you'll see a huge difference.

 

[ZoomVT]

I agree; i think the value from the CAI si well worth it at least for me since i got my Simota for around $70.
I have gotten a couple of CELs when it rained and i was driving highway. This happen when i had just installed it and it would happen when i sped up or try to pass someone as i would get really high in the RPMs and therefore creating a lot of vaccuum. To the point where it was just sucking air (and water) out of the wheel well. After the first 3 weeks i learned how to drive when it is extremely wet out and not downshift exptremely or creation a lot of suction to avoid water getting in. Havent had problems since.
And even after the CELs i have no damage; or at least i havent experienced any damage.

 

[bbrich57]

That's a good price for a CAI. Some eBay sellers have them for cheap too, but who knows what you're getting??
Most I've seen/priced are $150(Injen/some F5's)-$265 (Red K&N Typhoon!!) Now that's a lot... like I'd said.
I'm not saying they don't offer advantages, but if you have to be careful when, where and especially HOW you drive I think there's a problem w/the overall idea. Unless a hydro-shield is included. A simple idea. A simple solution. So why don't these companies include one? A hint here: More $$$$$

 

[ZoomVT]

I got mine in a group buy from Protephile (he is an authorized vendor here) and i think he has a few left in stock.
Very nice quality and easy to install.
Check his for sale thread.