Kenta's Password:JDM intake install
04-13-2009, 06:42 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Kenta's Password:JDM intake install
While a majority of folks were eating easter dinners and co-mingling with family I was down at Erick's house installing my Password:JDM intake.
Erick and I spent about 5-6 hours getting this thing in due to a number of fitment issues. So let's start with the obligatory before picture:
I'm glad Erick was there for a number of reasons, one being that he's installed a few intakes and we made short work of the stock airbox and hoses.
We'd actually gotten the new parts installed quickly. I'd purchased the kit used and it appears that the person who sold it to me did not include at least one of the longer vacuum hoses. Luckily Erick had a long vacuum hose leftover from his greddy kit (it's the blue one). Re-running the hoses, remounting the aircontrol solenoid and shifting the horn bracket and vtec sensor wiring were cake.
After getting everything bolted in, but not torqued down we started to adjust the snorkel per the instructions. After getting it as low as it could go when test fitting the hood closure there was just no way the hood was going to latch shut and close. We ended up pulling almost everything back out and started to test fit the "power chamber" (part the filter sits in) by itself. After much head scratching and many test fit attempts it was clear that in order to get the scoop section lined up in a slight recess in the frame it required that the box be shifted towards the middle of the engine bay by about 1/4" from it's original position. It would also require a shifting of the air scoop as well. Even after the shift it was a tight squeeze and the hood wouldn't latch.
After a S2ki search the suggestion of adjusting the hood latch was found which gave the last bit of clearance necessary to make this fit:
In order to mount the box both brackets were spaced out using washers and the one towards the front was lightly bent to get a little more room:
The chamber was also pushing against this wiring which was clipped to the radiator fan shroud so it had to be unclipped.
After getting the "power chamber" mounted in a spot that would allow the hood to actually latch we were then faced with the issue that using the supplied brackets for the scoop, it would be impossible to reach both bolt locations. To get the angle we needed without scratching up the scoop we added washers again to the spot where they attach to the scoop. The passenger side bracket had to be tossed and Erick fab'd a new one out of an old light switch plate. It was laying around, metal, and about the right size. The new resultant bracket was about 1/2" longer than the original. Using this we were able to get the scoop secured.
It would probably look better if we'd taken off the sticker from the back of the plate. What's interesting in this pic is that you can see that the scoop connecting to the "power chamber" doesn't seem to fit up snug.
It's actually at an angle because the scoop is pressing up against the hard metal AC lines in the front area of the car. The scoop can't go any further down because the High side AC line is running right behind the scoop.
Regardless of the gap, plenty of cold air should get to the filter because the the scoop itself is gianormous. I just hope that the fact that it's wedged in firmly between the AC line and the front bumper that it wont cause any issues with that line over time or with scuffing or wear to the back of the scoop.
Here's the end result:
So the good
:
- "Dry" carbon fiber is super light and significantly lighter than the stock airbox components we removed.
- The part itself is sexy even if it does look like a giant whale penis with a hoodie.
- The manufacturer states respectable HP gains.
- Slight change in roar at WOT once you hit VTEC. I can't really tell any difference otherwise over the sound of my aftermarket exhaust.
The bad
:
- I'm concerned that there will rubbing and will have to likely put in some foam or padding on the hood.
- Hood doesn't fit as flush as it used to.
- One screw in the airbox top just wont fit. I noticed a few other people mention this as well. On mine I left the left most (passenger side) screw out. Lame.
- Scoop is really pushed again the AC high "H" line.
- Overall fitment, IMHO, is poor. I know that all cars are a little different but for a 1,000 dollar intake system the fitment ought to be spot on and it's not. Unless Password:JDM "fixes" this kit I would suggest that anyone getting it simply cut their hood to make it fit and be prepared for possible fitment issues.
- Some strut tower bars wont clear this intake (Password's own will). I had to lose the Spoon bar, it's now hanging in Erick's garage with RSVR's name on it
- Can't use the OEM hood prop. It's in my trunk now and I have to break it out when needed until I purchase hood dampers.
I've only had it on the car a day. I'll post a follow-up review later on.
Erick and I spent about 5-6 hours getting this thing in due to a number of fitment issues. So let's start with the obligatory before picture:
I'm glad Erick was there for a number of reasons, one being that he's installed a few intakes and we made short work of the stock airbox and hoses.
We'd actually gotten the new parts installed quickly. I'd purchased the kit used and it appears that the person who sold it to me did not include at least one of the longer vacuum hoses. Luckily Erick had a long vacuum hose leftover from his greddy kit (it's the blue one). Re-running the hoses, remounting the aircontrol solenoid and shifting the horn bracket and vtec sensor wiring were cake.
After getting everything bolted in, but not torqued down we started to adjust the snorkel per the instructions. After getting it as low as it could go when test fitting the hood closure there was just no way the hood was going to latch shut and close. We ended up pulling almost everything back out and started to test fit the "power chamber" (part the filter sits in) by itself. After much head scratching and many test fit attempts it was clear that in order to get the scoop section lined up in a slight recess in the frame it required that the box be shifted towards the middle of the engine bay by about 1/4" from it's original position. It would also require a shifting of the air scoop as well. Even after the shift it was a tight squeeze and the hood wouldn't latch.
After a S2ki search the suggestion of adjusting the hood latch was found which gave the last bit of clearance necessary to make this fit:
In order to mount the box both brackets were spaced out using washers and the one towards the front was lightly bent to get a little more room:
The chamber was also pushing against this wiring which was clipped to the radiator fan shroud so it had to be unclipped.
After getting the "power chamber" mounted in a spot that would allow the hood to actually latch we were then faced with the issue that using the supplied brackets for the scoop, it would be impossible to reach both bolt locations. To get the angle we needed without scratching up the scoop we added washers again to the spot where they attach to the scoop. The passenger side bracket had to be tossed and Erick fab'd a new one out of an old light switch plate. It was laying around, metal, and about the right size. The new resultant bracket was about 1/2" longer than the original. Using this we were able to get the scoop secured.
It would probably look better if we'd taken off the sticker from the back of the plate. What's interesting in this pic is that you can see that the scoop connecting to the "power chamber" doesn't seem to fit up snug.
It's actually at an angle because the scoop is pressing up against the hard metal AC lines in the front area of the car. The scoop can't go any further down because the High side AC line is running right behind the scoop.
Regardless of the gap, plenty of cold air should get to the filter because the the scoop itself is gianormous. I just hope that the fact that it's wedged in firmly between the AC line and the front bumper that it wont cause any issues with that line over time or with scuffing or wear to the back of the scoop.
Here's the end result:
So the good
:- "Dry" carbon fiber is super light and significantly lighter than the stock airbox components we removed.
- The part itself is sexy even if it does look like a giant whale penis with a hoodie.
- The manufacturer states respectable HP gains.
- Slight change in roar at WOT once you hit VTEC. I can't really tell any difference otherwise over the sound of my aftermarket exhaust.
The bad
:- I'm concerned that there will rubbing and will have to likely put in some foam or padding on the hood.
- Hood doesn't fit as flush as it used to.
- One screw in the airbox top just wont fit. I noticed a few other people mention this as well. On mine I left the left most (passenger side) screw out. Lame.
- Scoop is really pushed again the AC high "H" line.
- Overall fitment, IMHO, is poor. I know that all cars are a little different but for a 1,000 dollar intake system the fitment ought to be spot on and it's not. Unless Password:JDM "fixes" this kit I would suggest that anyone getting it simply cut their hood to make it fit and be prepared for possible fitment issues.
- Some strut tower bars wont clear this intake (Password's own will). I had to lose the Spoon bar, it's now hanging in Erick's garage with RSVR's name on it
- Can't use the OEM hood prop. It's in my trunk now and I have to break it out when needed until I purchase hood dampers.
I've only had it on the car a day. I'll post a follow-up review later on.
04-14-2009, 03:26 AM
#7
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Manchvegas, NH
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for Erick .. He helped me out at the shop the other day . Installed a customers ARC intake and intercooler . Took alot of unwanted stress off my shoulders that day
