Intake Air Box
- Thread starter r534
- Start date
well that box directs the cool air from the outside, so without it i would believe thatd suck in the hot air from the engine hindering performance. not exactly sure though since i cant remember where the inlet hole that the box connects to is located. should just take out both boxes, that one and the filter box, and get a k&n filter and slap it on the end..
richashley
Member
Removing snorkle
If you look around, either on this site or on Mazda Forums there is a good discussion about modifying the stock air intake to actually get cold air (the stock inlet is in an area that doesn't get any fresh air). It should help and it is an alternative to just doing the SRI or CAI thing...which some people think negatively impacts low end torque.
If you look around, either on this site or on Mazda Forums there is a good discussion about modifying the stock air intake to actually get cold air (the stock inlet is in an area that doesn't get any fresh air). It should help and it is an alternative to just doing the SRI or CAI thing...which some people think negatively impacts low end torque.
Im pretty sure this is the one richashley is referring to....
http://www.clubprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1977
If not, its worth reading anyway....IMO.
http://www.clubprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1977
If not, its worth reading anyway....IMO.
WetsuitxNinja
Member
- :
- Mz3
I read up on this yesterday, and did the mod today, instead of just leaving the cut plastic empty, I fiberglassed a little ramp towards the airbox, I left the top open, due to it getting dark soon. I rev'd the engine, and it now makes a puff sound, just like my friends who has a CAI on it. I put a piece of reciept paper to the front of the grill, and when I had my friend rev it, it sucked the reciept paper to it with a bit of force. I havent driven with it yet, and I have the stock filter on it, maybe a K&N would help out even more. Just thought I could throw in my 2cents. I can post pictures if anyone wants.
WesuitNinja - please post pics.
I took a closer look at that area under the hood. I think I can modify the tray that sits between the inlet and grill to allow car-speed air to directly enter the inlet.
Also, has anyone blocked-off or removed the other boxy elements that hang off the main snorkle. I'm concerned that this might hurt low-end toque in the same way some say an SRI does.
I took a closer look at that area under the hood. I think I can modify the tray that sits between the inlet and grill to allow car-speed air to directly enter the inlet.
Also, has anyone blocked-off or removed the other boxy elements that hang off the main snorkle. I'm concerned that this might hurt low-end toque in the same way some say an SRI does.
WetsuitxNinja
Member
- :
- Mz3
This is where you can see where I cut the plastic off, I just used an razor, and beat the hell out of my hands cutting away for a half hour...
I did not take any pictures of the fiberglassing part, but basically just tape everything off, and make a thin layer of resin, lay out some cloth over the resin, add alittle more resin (till the fiberglass cloth is clear) and you have the ramp.
Test fitting after taking all the tape etc off and trimming it up alittle
what it looks like right now, Im trying to decide on how to keep it in there, but for now its ghetto chrom'd and taped...
even being silver, (only color spray paint i had and didnt feel like buying anymore yet) you cant see it through the grill.
I did not take any pictures of the fiberglassing part, but basically just tape everything off, and make a thin layer of resin, lay out some cloth over the resin, add alittle more resin (till the fiberglass cloth is clear) and you have the ramp.
Test fitting after taking all the tape etc off and trimming it up alittle
what it looks like right now, Im trying to decide on how to keep it in there, but for now its ghetto chrom'd and taped...
even being silver, (only color spray paint i had and didnt feel like buying anymore yet) you cant see it through the grill.
I thought of using the snorkel as well, but two things stopped me from doing it. First of all, the snorkel is quite long and is quite restrictive. The other reason is that the snorkel lies on top of the radiator and so it's constantly being heated up, so it's like flowing air thru a heated pipe.
What I did was remove the snorkel up to the stock airbox, then added a flexible hose to airbox opening. Let the hose hang down near the transmission (below the radiator fan) so it can take in some cool air.
Also added a K&N panel filter in the stock airbox.
What I did was remove the snorkel up to the stock airbox, then added a flexible hose to airbox opening. Let the hose hang down near the transmission (below the radiator fan) so it can take in some cool air.
Also added a K&N panel filter in the stock airbox.
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WetsuitxNinja
Member
- :
- Mz3
Nice, im thinkin about doing something like that too (douggie), I just didnt have the hose and I had all the other stuff from building boxes for car audio etc, so I just threw it in. working for now, ill tinker when I get some time...
Douggie said:
dude is that a clothes dryer vent!...hmmm never would have guessed it...pretty inventive..............but i have heard of guys drilling holes into the bottom of their airbox to allow for more air,, but who knows, ....i got an injen cai pretty cheap, sooo its all good.
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). Not as flimsy as clothes dryer hose, and fits the airbox inlet perfectly. Didn't even need a hose clamp.richashley
Member
Intake air box
The snorkle does have a number of restrictions in it that are probably intended as silencers. The snorkle can be opened up, it splits in half lengthwise (you have to force it some) and the restrictions can then be cleaned up and taped over. The tall vertical "box" attached to the snorkle just before the filter box is a Helmhotz (I think that's the correct spelling) resonator and is designed to improve low end torque. What I don't know is how much of a loss in low end there is using an SRI or CAI or how it compares to the gain in top end. I've chosen to open the grill, clean up the snorkle and retain the Helmhotz. I don't know if that is the best solution and it was influenced by the fact that I had already purchased a K&N drop in filter.
The snorkle does have a number of restrictions in it that are probably intended as silencers. The snorkle can be opened up, it splits in half lengthwise (you have to force it some) and the restrictions can then be cleaned up and taped over. The tall vertical "box" attached to the snorkle just before the filter box is a Helmhotz (I think that's the correct spelling) resonator and is designed to improve low end torque. What I don't know is how much of a loss in low end there is using an SRI or CAI or how it compares to the gain in top end. I've chosen to open the grill, clean up the snorkle and retain the Helmhotz. I don't know if that is the best solution and it was influenced by the fact that I had already purchased a K&N drop in filter.
The snorkle seems pretty free-flowing. There is a large main channel for intake air to flow along the radiator and down into the airbox. I believe the other spaces off the main channel are for sound deadening and as such do not result in increased pumping losses.
I could be wrong, as properly tuning an intake for power can result in an increase in power. Therefore, tuning an intake for sound deadening may result in a decrease in power.
I needed some proof one way or the other so I removed the snorkle, leaving the last 90* elbow with Helmhotz resonator attached and went for a drive. I could have noticed a reduction in low-end pull, but I wasn't shure because that is where the intake noise increases the most. I think I may have fell victum to "its louder so its gotta be stronger" syndrom. Because I didn't feel any real difference in acceleration my mind told me i must be dropping low-end power without the snorkle.
End result: i put the damn thing back on and made no mod to the system. Maybe I'll try cutting in front of the snorkle opening this weekend...
I could be wrong, as properly tuning an intake for power can result in an increase in power. Therefore, tuning an intake for sound deadening may result in a decrease in power.
I needed some proof one way or the other so I removed the snorkle, leaving the last 90* elbow with Helmhotz resonator attached and went for a drive. I could have noticed a reduction in low-end pull, but I wasn't shure because that is where the intake noise increases the most. I think I may have fell victum to "its louder so its gotta be stronger" syndrom. Because I didn't feel any real difference in acceleration my mind told me i must be dropping low-end power without the snorkle.
End result: i put the damn thing back on and made no mod to the system. Maybe I'll try cutting in front of the snorkle opening this weekend...
