3rd Gen Protege/MazdaSpeed/P5/MP3 General/Maintenance Discussion for 1999-2003.5 Models Only (BJ Chassis)

Vibrant StreetFlow Intakes

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Old May-28th-2002, 10:51 AM
  #16  
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I would be interested in the polished version of this intake. Anymore info you can provide would be wonderful. But for 130 bones sounds like a good deal to me.

Please keep me informed to when you will be ordering them.

Nick
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Old March-12th-2003, 12:01 PM
  #17  
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Ok, so this thread is super old, but I've recently begun thinking about getting an intake again (must be the thought of Spring approaching combined with the sweet smell of a tax refund).

I looked at a website for a local company and they are selling the Vibrant tube for $87.00 or the "Street Flow Intake Kit" for $130.00. These are CDN prices! Oh...and I just phoned another store and they have the kit for $121.98 CDN!!

Does anybody have any experience w/ these intakes? I'm really, really considering one now!!
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Old March-12th-2003, 01:25 PM
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Wow this is old!

After months of dealing with backorders and empty promises from several wholesalers, I gave up on ever getting any of these Vibrant kits - sorry to all who were interested.

Intakes are basically all the same, IMHO - a tube and a filter. What else is there?

I bought one of those cheapo eBay intakes a few months ago, and quite frankly I'm going to be removing it soon. I'm a little sick of the sound of it (though it IS nice and throaty), and it seems to constantly need re-adjustment to keep from contacting the brake master cylinder.

I'm going back to quiet, stealth mode.

My gas mileage has definitely suffered as well - a LOT. On pure highway driving, it seems to improve nicely, but driving slower than 55 MPH, I am eating the gas for sure. IMO, all of these intake tubes are too damn big, and this causes lots of air turbulence at lower RPMs. I can feel it, and I can hear it, and I don't like it. And my gas mileage tells the story. If someone made a kit that was the same size (or close) as the throttle body opening, I'd consider it. But all these big-tube kits are not great for daily driving, unless that driving is 90% done at highway speeds (higher RPM operation). Again, just my opinion - the only facts I have are my gas mileage, and the sluggish (more sluggish than stock, if you can imagine that) low RPM response.

~HH
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Old March-12th-2003, 01:54 PM
  #19  
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Well, I wasn't able to find out much info, but from the few people that have installed in in Toronto, they say that it is shaped a little bit differently than the Ractive and Ebay ones such that it doesn't rub on the brake master cylinder. I think I'm gonna go with this one

Edit: Interesting info on the sluggishness though...I'll have to see what others around here have been noticing too. Thanks!
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Old March-12th-2003, 02:04 PM
  #20  
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is there one for us 1.6 liters
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Old March-12th-2003, 02:26 PM
  #21  
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Sorry..not from Vibrant....unless the 2.0L intake could somehow fit on the 1.6L

www.vibrantperformance.com
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Old March-12th-2003, 02:50 PM
  #22  
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Originally posted by hihoslva
Wow this is old!

After months of dealing with backorders and empty promises from several wholesalers, I gave up on ever getting any of these Vibrant kits - sorry to all who were interested.

Intakes are basically all the same, IMHO - a tube and a filter. What else is there?

I bought one of those cheapo eBay intakes a few months ago, and quite frankly I'm going to be removing it soon. I'm a little sick of the sound of it (though it IS nice and throaty), and it seems to constantly need re-adjustment to keep from contacting the brake master cylinder.

I'm going back to quiet, stealth mode.

My gas mileage has definitely suffered as well - a LOT. On pure highway driving, it seems to improve nicely, but driving slower than 55 MPH, I am eating the gas for sure. IMO, all of these intake tubes are too damn big, and this causes lots of air turbulence at lower RPMs. I can feel it, and I can hear it, and I don't like it. And my gas mileage tells the story. If someone made a kit that was the same size (or close) as the throttle body opening, I'd consider it. But all these big-tube kits are not great for daily driving, unless that driving is 90% done at highway speeds (higher RPM operation). Again, just my opinion - the only facts I have are my gas mileage, and the sluggish (more sluggish than stock, if you can imagine that) low RPM response.

~HH
Funny, I don't have any of those problems with my Injen. I guess you get what you pay for. Perhaps all intakes are NOT created equal, eh?
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Old March-12th-2003, 05:07 PM
  #23  
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Heh....Or sometimes you overpay for a name.
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Old March-12th-2003, 07:11 PM
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I really believe that the size of the tube is the most important factor. Perhaps the Injen uses a smaller diameter tube, which results in less turbulent and speedier airflow at low RPM. This would solve the gas mileage issue.

But I have definitely heard reports of other (probably ALL) intake brands hitting the master cylinder. The solutions have ranged from re-positioning the tubing, to cutting a hair off the end that mounts to the throttle body. With tolerances so tight, some people will have the problem, and others won't, I suppose.

I dunno - I just don't care enough to fix it - I'm just ready to take it out completely. The quiter engine is what I think I like - so out with the new, in with the old.

~HH
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Old March-12th-2003, 09:19 PM
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Hey Hiho,

I had my name on the Vibrant list over at MP5online. I'm interested in your comments on the intakes. It seems to me that you're probably spot-on. The Injen looks too long, maybe good for top end, not for bottom end. Have you looked at the HKS. It seems to use only one tube to mount to the maf, and the way they show mounting it leaves the stock snorkel to feed it some cool air. It doesn't look great, but performance is more important to me.I'm also concerned about short rams because of Racing Beat's experience on the MP3 with underhood heat. I'm still going to have to be convinced there's something better than stock with a K&N.
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Old March-12th-2003, 11:44 PM
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Originally posted by hihoslva
I really believe that the size of the tube is the most important factor. Perhaps the Injen uses a smaller diameter tube, which results in less turbulent and speedier airflow at low RPM. This would solve the gas mileage issue.

But I have definitely heard reports of other (probably ALL) intake brands hitting the master cylinder. The solutions have ranged from re-positioning the tubing, to cutting a hair off the end that mounts to the throttle body. With tolerances so tight, some people will have the problem, and others won't, I suppose.

I dunno - I just don't care enough to fix it - I'm just ready to take it out completely. The quiter engine is what I think I like - so out with the new, in with the old.

~HH
The Injen does not hit the master cylinder. It was well designed, unlike all the cheap crap intakes out there.
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Old March-12th-2003, 11:46 PM
  #27  
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Originally posted by Pro_fan
Heh....Or sometimes you overpay for a name.
$200 is hardly overpaying for a quality piece. Lots of guys on this board pay $100 for cheap crap short rams that heat soak in the first 10 minutes and don't do much except make noise. The Injen is dyno proven to make 4-5 whp. Find me one other cold air intake for the 2.0L for less $$ that is worth a ****.
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Old March-13th-2003, 01:56 AM
  #28  
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Originally posted by Scarmiglio


$200 is hardly overpaying for a quality piece. Lots of guys on this board pay $100 for cheap crap short rams that heat soak in the first 10 minutes and don't do much except make noise. The Injen is dyno proven to make 4-5 whp. Find me one other cold air intake for the 2.0L for less $$ that is worth a ****.
I haven't seen one, that's for sure. And $200 US is far more than I'm willing to pay for any intake.

I believe the AEM Short-Ram intake has been shown to post similar gains. TheMAN has a post on the differences (or lack thereof) b/n the styles of intakes.
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Old March-13th-2003, 04:56 AM
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Originally posted by thewrench
I'm still going to have to be convinced there's something better than stock with a K&N.
I know a guy who did just this, but he also removed one of the baffles (resonator? not sure which one) from the stock intake piping (there's a LOT of crap to our stock airbox - more than you can see at a quick glance) and he claims he recently got about 32 MPG on a long drive. Sounds good to me!

I'll find out some more info when I can.

~HH
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Old March-13th-2003, 08:19 PM
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Originally posted by Pro_fan


I haven't seen one, that's for sure. And $200 US is far more than I'm willing to pay for any intake.

I believe the AEM Short-Ram intake has been shown to post similar gains. TheMAN has a post on the differences (or lack thereof) b/n the styles of intakes.
I paid $32USD + shipping for my cheapie eBay intake and am very happy with it. With the money I saved, I was able to buy Kartboy shifter bushings and electroluminescent door sills (search for posts by "pr5owner"). And no, my tube doesn't hit the master cylinder. And it doesn't hit the upper rad hose either. It's all in the install. I took my time (1.5 hrs) to make sure everything was where I wanted it before tightening the hose clamps.

Those cheap eBay intakes do have a wider tube and this will affect low-end torque. Some people will complain their gas mileage has suffered. Mine did...at first. All it takes is a change in driving style. My car is a lot happier cruising at 3000-3500RPM. I've raised my shift point in each gear so the engine doesn't lug in the next higher gear.
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