AEM CAI install report
08-08-2002, 08:00 AM
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AEM CAI install report
Well, I did the install with printouts of threads from here and the crappy AEM instructions laying all over the garage floor. Set aside about 3 hours to do it. From what everyone said the biggest headache was tube routing. I didn't have any trouble with that - I'm thinking because I didn't follow AEM's instructions to remove the metal tube routing gizmo and let all the tubes just hang there until it was time to replace them. I left the metal thing in there and only took one tube off at a time and then immediately replaced it. As I've heard reported they also screwed up and sent a 3/8" breather hose instead of 1/2". Oddly when I called AEM about this and two other missing parts they hadn't heard of it. I told the guy to do a search here - everyone I've seen post about the install has had the wrong breather. Anyway, the OEM air box and all piping came out no problem, that part was easy, the underside was another matter.
I jacked the car up but did NOT take the bumper off. No need to from what I can see. Those plastic pins are a HUGE ass pain though. And cutting - well, what a joke. Although it was easy to cut the plastic I spent about 45 mins going in and out from under the car to get things lined up right. Also, the two other parts AEM forgot to include were the second set of nylock nut and washer. Makes it hard to secure the intake to the rubber bumper that way...
However, after all was said and done and back together (with only one of those plastic pins left over from the underside) I took it for a test drive. Was the 2+ hours worth it? HELL YES!
That sound is just awesome - at WOT it sounds oh so sweet! As for power - it feels more powerful and smoother and over the last few days I've been doing a test near my house on about a 1/3 mile chunk of road. Air box cover off and on yeilded almost the same speed at the end of the 1/3 mile - with the AEM I was 5MPH faster. I don't know what that translates to time wise but between the sound, no more bogging and the slight power increase this thing is a keeper!
I jacked the car up but did NOT take the bumper off. No need to from what I can see. Those plastic pins are a HUGE ass pain though. And cutting - well, what a joke. Although it was easy to cut the plastic I spent about 45 mins going in and out from under the car to get things lined up right. Also, the two other parts AEM forgot to include were the second set of nylock nut and washer. Makes it hard to secure the intake to the rubber bumper that way...
However, after all was said and done and back together (with only one of those plastic pins left over from the underside) I took it for a test drive. Was the 2+ hours worth it? HELL YES!
That sound is just awesome - at WOT it sounds oh so sweet! As for power - it feels more powerful and smoother and over the last few days I've been doing a test near my house on about a 1/3 mile chunk of road. Air box cover off and on yeilded almost the same speed at the end of the 1/3 mile - with the AEM I was 5MPH faster. I don't know what that translates to time wise but between the sound, no more bogging and the slight power increase this thing is a keeper!
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