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Engine Anybody thought of a DIY CAI?

Discussion in 'Powertrain' started by Ninety Four, Feb 16, 2006.

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    Ninety Four New Member

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    Anybody thought of a DIY CAI?

    I'm really tired of the gutlessness of my Rolla, so until I can afford some better mods, I'm going to resort to the cheap stuff. I have some aluminum and PVC pipe that I'm going to make a CAI out of. I know I may have to relocate the battery, but I would like to get away with not doing that. I may also have to enlarge the hole in the fenderwell used by the stock intake so it can fit some larger diameter piping.

    Anyone else tried this? I'm curious what the results were and if the gains are worth it.

    On another note, why are the 4A motors not as responsive to breathing mods as the Honda engines?
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    rolla02 Corollalcholic

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    I am talking to guy about making a CAI for my 02.
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    e_andree E

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    People have been making DIY CAIs since I was on the yahoo boards....its not a hard project. Relocating the battery will make things super easier for ya. Remove all of the existing air duct work.

    I used something similar to this:
    [IMG] It wasnt as flimsy as that....and there are pieces that have three bendable joints built in.

    I didnt notice any gains.
    Pic of Steves car, pre-turbo....not homemade, but ya get the idea:
    [IMG]

    Pic of my homemade short ram, before I extended it:
    [IMG]
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    MikeBR New Member

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    ctam1986 Chicken

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    hey i will help u out man!
    i have a nice custom CAI with 3" diameter w/o movint the battery. I spent only around $70(included the K&N filter). I'm trying to post some pics. so wait for me
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    ghoztrider New Member

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    i need a cold air, and EL prototype one is impossible to find, if i can only figure out how far to put that sensor i can make one.....
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    DeebsTundra Big Tires :)

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    Neat...looks more like a Ram Air set-up to me though.
    There's a system real similar for the Tundra...it's just a piece of hard piping that runs down into the bumper. Works well from what I've heard, except for an increase in bugs and dirt.

    On topic...A DIY Cold Air Intake wouldn't be hard...the basic idea of a cold air intake is just to draw colder air from a place that's not inside the engine bay. The conical filter tends to draw in more air too, which is why you get that wooshing sound. So you just need some pipe, some clamps and a filter. :D
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    sddynamix Taybo Masta

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    It is? All I had to do was email them and I got one shipped to me in less than a week?
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    ctam1986 Chicken

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    trdracing2005 New Member

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    I have a good Idea if nobody wants to spend the money on a cold air intake or short ram intake. If you have a 1998 non vvt-i corolla Like i do im sure this will work with vvt-i ones too, just havent dont this to my car yet or figured out how. I was thinking keep the stock airbox, Drop in a k&n Performance replacement filter, Replace all the tubeing for it (even the crappy tube that connects the engine to the air box) with Nice smooth bend piping or turbo pipeing and use that to replace the plastic crap and route it to the grill with the least amout of tubing possible and get rid of the air resonator box or is that what vamp did with his thing? what is a resonator ne ways lol? but thats my idea of the day. I ordered me a 90 degree bend and am going to do what vamp did but im going to replace the tube from the engine to the filter box too! =) what do yall guys think? is it worth it? i dont care if its hardly noticable I just want a sri sound plus some kinda performance increase even the tiny little bit possible
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    rainbow_star New Member

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    ^Thats what Vamp did long time ago. :)
    You can go check out his DIY site. How has his URL?

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