mp3wannabe

I recently installed a new CAI in my car, and in doing so found out somethings that I thought others should know. The intake came with instructions, but they werent very detailed. This is intended as a supplement to the manufactures instructions. here are the steps that I went through in installing this, these can be done in a slightly different order, and in a slightly different way, but I still think this will help anybody who is installing a CAI.

first off, I have a 2001 ES 5-speed sedan.





Step One: Remove old intake system.
1) Remove two bolts from either end of the stock intake. These bolts are at the ends of the long black box across the front of the car. There were also a couple clips at the back. Pull this assembly out by lifting it.
2) Remove one clamp from back side of MAF, pull the hose out of the MAF. Remove all wiring from the MAF at this time.
3) Pop the air box open by releasing the two clips on the right side and then pulling it up and right. remove the MAF by removing two bolts from the side. you will (obviously) need the MAF later. Disconnect the wiring feeding into the MAF.
4) The bottom part comes out by removing a screw at the back, and lift it off the post, then pulling towards the front of the car. Once it is off remove two screws holding the last piece of the air box support in place.

5) Remove the Purge Control Valve (currently on top of the intake hose) by taking out one screw. Remount to the top of the actual throttle body, see image for location.
6) Remove clamp at throttle body, and remove stock hose. Viola your crappy intake is gone!





Step 2: Relocate the Coolant tank.
1) Remove the jug by lifting it off the metal post (it pulls straight up)
2) Use one of the brackets and attach to the pre-existing holes on the tank. There really is no need to drill it.
3) Attach the other end to where a screw was for the original intake (removed in Step 1, 1) I used left over screws to do this.
4) Remove the metal bracket where the jug was originally, only two bolts there.




Step 3: Install the new Intake
Injen supplies decent instructions for this, but here is my .02
1) In order to get the filter in you will need access to inside the hole. The easiest way to do this is to remove about 3 screws from the skirt (black plastic) under your car. The other way to do this is to remove the bumper. You just need enough room for the filter and a screw driver (to tighten on the clamp)
2) Install the 90 degree red rubber elbow directly to the throttle body, tighten a clamp on to this, make sure it WILL NOT come off.
3) Install the other two pieces of red hose to the MAF, one on each end. This will take 4 clamps, one on each end of the MAF and the other two for attaching this to the intake piping. tighten the MAF clamps down good. Reattach the wiring to the MAF.
4) Place the primary piece (the one WITHOUT the bracket on it) directly into the 90 degree elbow. Clamp down, leave a little loose for now. Attach the other end to the MAF, make sure the MAF is flowing in the correct direction, the screws should be to the back the car. Tighten down tight.
5) Remove the rubber grommet from the bottom of the stock airbox and place into the hole on the secondary pipe. the wider end should be outside of the tube. Plug one of the things that came out of the MAF in here, it looks like a 1/4 headphone plug (Im not key on the teminology), make sure the grommet stays tight.
6) Screw the vibration damping bolt into the hole. Align the secondary tube with the hole and bolt and place it down into the hole. Attach to the MAF and once again, leave a little loose for now.
7) Attach the cone to the end of the secondary pipe, clamp with the larger clamp, TIGHTEN REALLY TIGHT! this is key, make sure the filter WILL NOT come off. if it does, your SOL!
8) Remove the black hose coming off the engine and replace it with the new red one. the other end of this goes into the nub on the secondary intake (see pictures for location of black hose).
9) Tighten all clamps as tight as they will go. For this I recommend using a nut driver/ratchet, as you can get more torque than a screwdriver. Reattach your bumper/skirt.
10) Start her up! Enjoy! any question feel free to ask!

tonkabui

thanks a lot, Jon, for putting that up. your write up fills in the holes from the directions from other sources online. so, what's your verdict on this intake? how's the sound, the responsiveness of the throttle, and most importantly, what's your butt dyno telling you? thanks a lot again for everything!

mp3wannabe

the sound is INCREDIBLE! at first when i was sitting in my garage last night, i thought "hey this isnt that much better " then today on my way to work, holy crap! i drive 25 miles each way to work every day, mostly freeway, so when i got on the ramp it was like RRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR it was GREAT!!! basically if you are just cruising the sound is comparable to stock, but as soon as you open that baby up, WOW! the gains nice, it seems to give a nice "whole powerband" jump on the hp, but i was too focused on the sound today to really notice a HUGE jump, the one thing i did notice though is the added hp in the higher gears, like i floored it in 5th to get around a slow-*** on my way home, and it seemed to speed up a lot quicker, all in all, i give the Injen an A+

Vicocola

so how do u remove the filter to clean it?? sorry i am such a newbie at cars... do u take the whole intake back out or grab the filter from under the car or sth??

mp3wannabe

you have to get at it somehow, i recommend taking that black skirt thing off, and pulling the filter out to clean it. this is probably the easiest way to do it. you want to make sure that the entire filter is clean and dry before you run your engine again, so leaving it on could be harder than just taking it off.

tonkabui

i think it is important to have two filters. one to put in while the other is being cleaned. i'm looking into getting a k&n filter for the intake. and then i will have a third filter, one for driving through flash floods up to my fogs that will go right after the MAF.

mp3wannabe

covering ALL your bases i see!