Ebay intake stability issues

Mick

Member
:
2002 Mazda Protege 5
Got this exact kit from ebay yesterday. Put it on this morning, and im having some minor issues.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Bomz...tegoryZ38634QQihZ003QQitemZ130059011755QQrdZ1

Now, its rubbing against the master cylinder, but I know all I have to do is cut a bit off the first pipe to make room. No big deal. Ill get to that this afternoon.

But the whole intake is just flopping around in the engine bay. Its not tied to anything and its not secured to anything. Its literaly just hanging off the throttle body. ANd when i start the engine with the hood up, i can see the intake flop around all over the place (slight exageration haha! but its not good). What kind of solutions have you guys come up with for securing the intake? The kit came with 2 little straps of aluminum I assume is for securing the intake, but I cant see any way to actualy use them. Did anyone find a use for them? Or did you just throw them out?

After looking around the engine and the intake, I have a couple different solutions to the problem. I found a couple ways to brace the intake to the engine with a quick trip to home depot, but I'd like to hear what you guys did. Whats the best way?
 
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May not be the fix you're looking for, but this is what I did.

In the pic on ebay, I used only the pipe attached to the filter. I used one silicone coupler and connected that pipe on the end of the MAF. I left the stock flex hose going to the TB. You have to move the coolant resevoir out of the way, but it's not too hard. After that, the filter will sit right behind the headlight and pull "some" cold air from the gaping hole underneath. It's better than sticking your air intake directly inline with your radiator fan. HOT

You're actually making less horse power now, sucking that hot air, than you were with the stock intake
 

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Mick said:
Got this exact kit from ebay yesterday. Put it on this morning, and im having some minor issues.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Bomz...tegoryZ38634QQihZ003QQitemZ130059011755QQrdZ1

Now, its rubbing against the master cylinder, but I know all I have to do is cut a bit off the first pipe to make room. No big deal. Ill get to that this afternoon.

But the whole intake is just flopping around in the engine bay. Its not tied to anything and its not secured to anything. Its literaly just hanging off the throttle body. ANd when i start the engine with the hood up, i can see the intake flop around all over the place (slight exageration haha! but its not good). What kind of solutions have you guys come up with for securing the intake? The kit came with 2 little straps of aluminum I assume is for securing the intake, but I cant see any way to actualy use them. Did anyone find a use for them? Or did you just throw them out?

After looking around the engine and the intake, I have a couple different solutions to the problem. I found a couple ways to brace the intake to the engine with a quick trip to home depot, but I'd like to hear what you guys did. Whats the best way?



pretty much all the p5 intakes that dont come with an almost 90degree elbow from the Throttle body will rub the master cylinder. I had three different intakes on my p5 and only the last one (Ebay cold air) had the 90degree elbow. It had no rubbing issues at all but it was still really close.

You will have to cut some lengths off the end near the throttle body to get it to clear. THats what I had to do on my two short rams.

as for the support.. it should have come with a little bracket thing. ive seen people support it from the battery tray.. engine hoist loop, etc. you just need to find a place that will work for you.
 
Nutari said:
pretty much all the p5 intakes that dont come with an almost 90degree elbow from the Throttle body will rub the master cylinder. I had three different intakes on my p5 and only the last one (Ebay cold air) had the 90degree elbow. It had no rubbing issues at all but it was still really close.

You will have to cut some lengths off the end near the throttle body to get it to clear. THats what I had to do on my two short rams.

as for the support.. it should have come with a little bracket thing. ive seen people support it from the battery tray.. engine hoist loop, etc. you just need to find a place that will work for you.

Yea, I just cut some off the first pipe and it clears the master cylinder now. Barely though hahaha!!

I guess im heading down to home depot to make up a support strap of some kind. Damn, i was hoping for a quick install hahah!! oh well.
 
mgs_freak said:
May not be the fix you're looking for, but this is what I did.

In the pic on ebay, I used only the pipe attached to the filter. I used one silicone coupler and connected that pipe on the end of the MAF. I left the stock flex hose going to the TB. You have to move the coolant resevoir out of the way, but it's not too hard. After that, the filter will sit right behind the headlight and pull "some" cold air from the gaping hole underneath. It's better than sticking your air intake directly inline with your radiator fan. HOT

You're actually making less horse power now, sucking that hot air, than you were with the stock intake

You arent looking at the whole picture.

You're logic is: "oh, the air is a little warmer in the new set up, so he's making less HP than stock"

You're completely avoiding the fact that a higher flow air filter is being used, there is MUCH MUCH less between the intake and the throttle body (i.e. less twists and turns), and the diameter of the tubing allows for more air to flow. Hell, even your idea of the air being warmer is debatable. Yes, the air entered right under the hood on the stock set up, but then it did all those twists and turns RIGHT next to the radiator. So in my opinion, the ebay intake is bringing in close to the same temperature, but its a much more open system that allows a higher volume of air to gather.

Ideal? No.
Better than stock? Hell yea.
 
I got creative with some of the flat brackets they sent me with my ebay intake. I bent and twisted one and connected it to the battery tray and the MAF sensor. It's pretty soft metal, so it doesn't support it really well, but it does OK.

And ditch the filter they sent you with a better quality one like K&N or Apexi.
 
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