Intake Research and Results
March-31st-2003, 03:11 PM
#1
Protege Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 125
Intake Research and Results
All:
I thought it would be appropriate to start a new thread amongst the various stories and thoughts on intakes, systems and functionality for our P5.
The following captures my history and theories on my research and testing:
1 - New car, intake is quiet, responsive, but wanted more.
2 - Removed top-radiator mount plastic, intake was louder and appeared more responsive.
3 - Removed bottom of airbox silencer, and again, the intake was louder, a little more throat, but no real change in responsiveness.
4 - Removed airbox assembly and installed a cone-type filter with custom bracket. The intake was definitely louder, felt much more responsive but also more jerky and didn't seem like I had the immediate punch needed in all situations (sportshift). Running this setup for quite some time.
5 - Last night I decided to "play". I removed the cone-type filter and custom bracket. I installed the stock air box but capped the bottom of it (duct tape, electrical tape, then molded black hot glue into it = looks nice) where the lower silencer was with the stock paper filter. I then cut half of the front of the radiator-mount intake to open it up to allow more air and in addition to remove the inner-box type cavities to remove the air-swirling, silence-deading issues. In addition, where the flying "m" emblem sits on the front grill, the top was drilled appropriately to allow two smaller circles on the left of the latch and two larger ones on the right of the latch. The theory is that air is forced into the grill, now air, can make it's way up, hit the underside of the hood and go into the radiator-mount intake. I have been driving around all day. I have to honestly say, even with the paper-filter (need to get a K&N), the intake is louder than it was stock, a tad quieter than the cone, a bit more throaty than the cone, I do feel a bit more responsiveness then the cone filter, no jerkiness and at almost any RPM I have the punch that I wanted.
Take a look at the work:
NO flames please...
- Brian
I thought it would be appropriate to start a new thread amongst the various stories and thoughts on intakes, systems and functionality for our P5.
The following captures my history and theories on my research and testing:
1 - New car, intake is quiet, responsive, but wanted more.
2 - Removed top-radiator mount plastic, intake was louder and appeared more responsive.
3 - Removed bottom of airbox silencer, and again, the intake was louder, a little more throat, but no real change in responsiveness.
4 - Removed airbox assembly and installed a cone-type filter with custom bracket. The intake was definitely louder, felt much more responsive but also more jerky and didn't seem like I had the immediate punch needed in all situations (sportshift). Running this setup for quite some time.
5 - Last night I decided to "play". I removed the cone-type filter and custom bracket. I installed the stock air box but capped the bottom of it (duct tape, electrical tape, then molded black hot glue into it = looks nice) where the lower silencer was with the stock paper filter. I then cut half of the front of the radiator-mount intake to open it up to allow more air and in addition to remove the inner-box type cavities to remove the air-swirling, silence-deading issues. In addition, where the flying "m" emblem sits on the front grill, the top was drilled appropriately to allow two smaller circles on the left of the latch and two larger ones on the right of the latch. The theory is that air is forced into the grill, now air, can make it's way up, hit the underside of the hood and go into the radiator-mount intake. I have been driving around all day. I have to honestly say, even with the paper-filter (need to get a K&N), the intake is louder than it was stock, a tad quieter than the cone, a bit more throaty than the cone, I do feel a bit more responsiveness then the cone filter, no jerkiness and at almost any RPM I have the punch that I wanted.
Take a look at the work:
NO flames please...
- Brian
March-31st-2003, 04:16 PM
#2
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Columbia, MD
Posts: 53
yea i have done the same thing to my 02 ES. i removed the black plastic air "thingy" on top, then i installed a cone air filter to replace the original stock one. overall it is louder and everyone asks me if i have intake, that is when i just sit back and laugh
March-31st-2003, 08:03 PM
#3
Show Layne some respect
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Long Island,NY
Posts: 2,458
Just my own very informal research on intakes - from experience:
I installed a short-ram style intake with about 35,000 miles on my P5. I loved the sound - very growly and cool. Initially, I noticed a LARGE increase in highway mileage.
However, I over time I noted a dramatic decrease in overall mileage. My belief is that the intake tube was too large (diameter), causing turbulent, uneven airflow at low RPMs. In fact, I could feel the un-responsive nature of the engine when just barely gassing the car from a light - occasionally, it was dramatic enough that the car seemed to be "missing", then once the RPMs reached a high enough point that the airflow smoothed out, the engine seemed to smooth out and "kick in" also.
My mileage suffered greatly - I have no concrete numbers, unfortunately, but when you drive an average of about 75 miles per day, you get a good sense of these things.
I am now back to a 100% stock intake setup. I actually like the quieted engine sound again. And my mileage seems back to normal, which is a good thing.
I can say that I do notice a slight decrease in upper-RPM power, which is to be expected. When I initially installed the intake, I was unsure if the power increase was real or only imagined due to the new throaty engine sound. But now being back to the stock box, I can certainly notice a slight drop in power. Not much, but I notice it.
Interestingly, I think the transmission was actually shifting differently with the short-ram (I have a straight auto trans). Again, due to the fact that I am back to stock, I think the tranny was shifting at higher RPM points with the tube intake.
Overall, I'm happy I slapped the intake on, but I'm also much happier in stock form. And I am done messing with intakes. I realize that the power gains are minimal, are not worth the mileage penalties, and the growl gets tired after a while.
My opinions on intakes are just that - opinion. I can understand why many people like 'em and run 'em.
~HH
I installed a short-ram style intake with about 35,000 miles on my P5. I loved the sound - very growly and cool. Initially, I noticed a LARGE increase in highway mileage.
However, I over time I noted a dramatic decrease in overall mileage. My belief is that the intake tube was too large (diameter), causing turbulent, uneven airflow at low RPMs. In fact, I could feel the un-responsive nature of the engine when just barely gassing the car from a light - occasionally, it was dramatic enough that the car seemed to be "missing", then once the RPMs reached a high enough point that the airflow smoothed out, the engine seemed to smooth out and "kick in" also.
My mileage suffered greatly - I have no concrete numbers, unfortunately, but when you drive an average of about 75 miles per day, you get a good sense of these things.
I am now back to a 100% stock intake setup. I actually like the quieted engine sound again. And my mileage seems back to normal, which is a good thing.
I can say that I do notice a slight decrease in upper-RPM power, which is to be expected. When I initially installed the intake, I was unsure if the power increase was real or only imagined due to the new throaty engine sound. But now being back to the stock box, I can certainly notice a slight drop in power. Not much, but I notice it.
Interestingly, I think the transmission was actually shifting differently with the short-ram (I have a straight auto trans). Again, due to the fact that I am back to stock, I think the tranny was shifting at higher RPM points with the tube intake.
Overall, I'm happy I slapped the intake on, but I'm also much happier in stock form. And I am done messing with intakes. I realize that the power gains are minimal, are not worth the mileage penalties, and the growl gets tired after a while.
My opinions on intakes are just that - opinion. I can understand why many people like 'em and run 'em.
~HH
April-1st-2003, 08:36 AM
#5
MazdaTeam
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Catch me if you can
Posts: 501
He's so good at new mods!!! always have and will be
I'm saving up my money right now to get HID($400~500) first and Injen intake($200) later.
I have noticed myself that I'm not a racer guy, instead I'm more into looks
you all know, even with CAI you don't gain a lot of hp, but it looks really really nice.
just my 2 cents
I'm saving up my money right now to get HID($400~500) first and Injen intake($200) later.
I have noticed myself that I'm not a racer guy, instead I'm more into looks
you all know, even with CAI you don't gain a lot of hp, but it looks really really nice.
just my 2 cents
April-1st-2003, 10:26 AM
#6
Protege Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 125
All:
I wanted to iterate that I had furthered my research and experimentation last night by removing all baffles and pocket type structures within the silencer/resonator that sits atop of the radiator support. Also I was able to utilize some cut-out plastic pieces formed, shaped and glued to smooth out the airflow coming into this piece of plastic and forcing it down into the airbox. In addition, I painted and clearcoated the unit metallic black/clearcoat to enhance the look. While driving around this morning, I had noticed a very much improved idle and response than my original post, a little louder "growl" along with when I shut the car off the nice cone-style "hiss" is about 3/4 as loud as the cone in modified-stock form. Now the proven performance is more of a punch at stand still, free-er reving RPM range from 0-5000RPM and when rolling at speeds from 20-50MPh, I have practically instanatious oomph/punch even over yesterday while maintaining smoothe operation. Heck, I even noticed that the fans on the radiator don't kick in as much (yesterday) and today over the cone-style intake I had. I can definitely say, at least, on my car, the car has much better shift points then it did with the cone-style filter and harldy a delay whereas there was a much pronounced delay on shifting with the cone-style. Okay, nuff' talk, here are some pictures, just wish someone could produce an open wide-mouth plastic like I had formed, much more factory-verus hacked as I feel it would be a great seller.
- Brian
I wanted to iterate that I had furthered my research and experimentation last night by removing all baffles and pocket type structures within the silencer/resonator that sits atop of the radiator support. Also I was able to utilize some cut-out plastic pieces formed, shaped and glued to smooth out the airflow coming into this piece of plastic and forcing it down into the airbox. In addition, I painted and clearcoated the unit metallic black/clearcoat to enhance the look. While driving around this morning, I had noticed a very much improved idle and response than my original post, a little louder "growl" along with when I shut the car off the nice cone-style "hiss" is about 3/4 as loud as the cone in modified-stock form. Now the proven performance is more of a punch at stand still, free-er reving RPM range from 0-5000RPM and when rolling at speeds from 20-50MPh, I have practically instanatious oomph/punch even over yesterday while maintaining smoothe operation. Heck, I even noticed that the fans on the radiator don't kick in as much (yesterday) and today over the cone-style intake I had. I can definitely say, at least, on my car, the car has much better shift points then it did with the cone-style filter and harldy a delay whereas there was a much pronounced delay on shifting with the cone-style. Okay, nuff' talk, here are some pictures, just wish someone could produce an open wide-mouth plastic like I had formed, much more factory-verus hacked as I feel it would be a great seller.
- Brian
April-1st-2003, 09:18 PM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Jersey shore
Posts: 67
regarding the CAI, i have a question for you gearheads. I am somewhat mechanically inclined and therefore would like to undertake the task of installing the CAI. Do you guys know of any sites that provide step by step instructions?
April-1st-2003, 10:26 PM
#8
Bruce Leroy
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Calgary, AB, Canada
Posts: 788
April-1st-2003, 10:50 PM
#9
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Posts: 264
About the jerking when pushing the gas momentarilym from idle.
Can you guys believe that Ive heard a lot of times, some detonations when doing that. The engine jerks a bit and BANG!, sounds just like if you ignite a firecracker inside the intake.
YFYI I have an Injen Intake
Can you guys believe that Ive heard a lot of times, some detonations when doing that. The engine jerks a bit and BANG!, sounds just like if you ignite a firecracker inside the intake.
YFYI I have an Injen Intake
April-2nd-2003, 12:58 AM
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
i have a 5-speed P5 and gas milage didn't change for me when i went from stock intake, to just a cone filter, to cheap ebay warm air intake, to custom cold air intake. i driver about 100 miles aday and i get 30 mpg. i deliever pizza so its alot of stop and go, and alot of hwy driving. it doesn't matter if i treat the car nice, rag it to hell, do nothing to stop and go or just straight line constant speed driving, it never changes 
April-2nd-2003, 04:39 PM
#12
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: louisiana
Posts: 39
I did the mod where you cut holes in the plastic between the radiator and the bumper. But I made my holes alot larger. Made a little more noise and was a little more responsive. Although what i've done looks like it could be stock(just need to smooth the edges). Anything that'll improve performance for free is worth looking into.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
midnightblue97
Off-Topic
4
July-3rd-2003 03:46 PM
Mark_02DX
Off-Topic
1
June-23rd-2003 10:16 PM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)