Custom Cold Air Intake
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Custom Cold Air Intake
I've got a KN Cold Air Intake on my 93 Camaro. It was put on by the previous owner and I have issues with it's design. It's the kit where a large cone shaped filter is down in the drivers side of the front bumper, there is even some kind of scoop type thing to funnel air up to the filter. If you are unfamiliar with this kit please just type "LT1 Camaro KN Filter Kit" into Google and you'll see what I'm referring to.
Here are my issues:
1: The filter itself is so big that I have to snake my hand up under the nose of the car between several plastic structures and forcibly pull the filter out, it's also too big to come out the top, the hole in the radiator support will not allow it.
2: When the plastic tubing makes that first bend and heads across the front of the car the tubing balloons up to some goofy geometric shape. I don't know if that's to allow more air into the motor or if it's to provide more clearance, but it seems unnecessarily large.
I feel like I could use some 2" tubing with 2 90 bends in it and gain more clearance than this kit provides. In fact I think the knock off kits on ebay use a similar setup to what I'm describing. I also feel a smaller filter could make install and removal easier without sacrificing any performance.
Any comments or suggestions would be welcome.
Here are my issues:
1: The filter itself is so big that I have to snake my hand up under the nose of the car between several plastic structures and forcibly pull the filter out, it's also too big to come out the top, the hole in the radiator support will not allow it.
2: When the plastic tubing makes that first bend and heads across the front of the car the tubing balloons up to some goofy geometric shape. I don't know if that's to allow more air into the motor or if it's to provide more clearance, but it seems unnecessarily large.
I feel like I could use some 2" tubing with 2 90 bends in it and gain more clearance than this kit provides. In fact I think the knock off kits on ebay use a similar setup to what I'm describing. I also feel a smaller filter could make install and removal easier without sacrificing any performance.
Any comments or suggestions would be welcome.
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x2 if those are truly issues.
I don't believe there is any name brand kit out there that lets you pull the tube with filter attached out of the top. When I took apart my moroso CAI it was a pain but having swivel sockets and 1/4'' ratchet makes it easier.
The "balloon" you speak of is to allow more volume of air instead of keeping it small in size. If you can swing it get some before and after numbers, curious to see if the custom kit is as efficient.
The Lid swap will yield better results and eliminate the problems but is not for everyone.
I don't believe there is any name brand kit out there that lets you pull the tube with filter attached out of the top. When I took apart my moroso CAI it was a pain but having swivel sockets and 1/4'' ratchet makes it easier.
The "balloon" you speak of is to allow more volume of air instead of keeping it small in size. If you can swing it get some before and after numbers, curious to see if the custom kit is as efficient.
The Lid swap will yield better results and eliminate the problems but is not for everyone.
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I've got a KN Cold Air Intake on my 93 Camaro. It was put on by the previous owner and I have issues with it's design. It's the kit where a large cone shaped filter is down in the drivers side of the front bumper, there is even some kind of scoop type thing to funnel air up to the filter. If you are unfamiliar with this kit please just type "LT1 Camaro KN Filter Kit" into Google and you'll see what I'm referring to.
Here are my issues:
1: The filter itself is so big that I have to snake my hand up under the nose of the car between several plastic structures and forcibly pull the filter out, it's also too big to come out the top, the hole in the radiator support will not allow it.
2: When the plastic tubing makes that first bend and heads across the front of the car the tubing balloons up to some goofy geometric shape. I don't know if that's to allow more air into the motor or if it's to provide more clearance, but it seems unnecessarily large.
I feel like I could use some 2" tubing with 2 90 bends in it and gain more clearance than this kit provides. In fact I think the knock off kits on ebay use a similar setup to what I'm describing. I also feel a smaller filter could make install and removal easier without sacrificing any performance.
Any comments or suggestions would be welcome.
Here are my issues:
1: The filter itself is so big that I have to snake my hand up under the nose of the car between several plastic structures and forcibly pull the filter out, it's also too big to come out the top, the hole in the radiator support will not allow it.
2: When the plastic tubing makes that first bend and heads across the front of the car the tubing balloons up to some goofy geometric shape. I don't know if that's to allow more air into the motor or if it's to provide more clearance, but it seems unnecessarily large.
I feel like I could use some 2" tubing with 2 90 bends in it and gain more clearance than this kit provides. In fact I think the knock off kits on ebay use a similar setup to what I'm describing. I also feel a smaller filter could make install and removal easier without sacrificing any performance.
Any comments or suggestions would be welcome.
the reason its so far down in the fender area is to draw cool air. the engine bay area in 4th gen fbodys are heat soaked. thats why the oil leaks happen.
and if the position of the filter hurts your hands, i would own an fbody, bc everything on these cars are tight and a bitch to work on. the filter is something that rarely comes off, why worry about it.
with k&n theres some R&D that goes into creatin a CAI. with your setup how much will be involved? will you loose hp? or are you goin to dyno test until it works just as well?
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I wouldn't put that much stock into the R&D thing. The amount of time companies spend on actual design these days is nothing more then how to make it cheap and sell it for a nice fat profit. V's the stock one almost anything flows more air and the K&N and All the rest that put the filter down in the lower fender. None of them are the best design but like you said the engine bay is heat soaked and space is at a premium so for the most part it works better then stock.
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The tubing size was a typo, I meant 3". Getting my hand to the filter isn't that big of an issue, I was just thinking if I could utilize a filter that was small enough to be removed from the top yet large enough to flow enough air than it would be a big plus. The hole in the core support is pretty small so it's probably not realistic.
I understand the goofy shape of the KN doesn't block access to anything, and the shape is like that so that the tube is closer to the radiator to maximize space. I guess it's more of a visual issue, I'm kinda particular about that stuff.
On to the power issue, do you really think the KN setup will yield a noticeable difference in anyway compared to something done using straight tubing with it's own KN filter down in the fenderwell? I doubt you would see anything except on a dyno, and even then it would be minimal at best. If dyno time wasn't so expensive I'd be happy to do a before and after test. With the heat soaking issue I would imagine metal tubing with a ceramic coating of some sort would work best. The LS1 lid swap also sounds interesting, I'll look into that as well.
Thanks
I understand the goofy shape of the KN doesn't block access to anything, and the shape is like that so that the tube is closer to the radiator to maximize space. I guess it's more of a visual issue, I'm kinda particular about that stuff.
On to the power issue, do you really think the KN setup will yield a noticeable difference in anyway compared to something done using straight tubing with it's own KN filter down in the fenderwell? I doubt you would see anything except on a dyno, and even then it would be minimal at best. If dyno time wasn't so expensive I'd be happy to do a before and after test. With the heat soaking issue I would imagine metal tubing with a ceramic coating of some sort would work best. The LS1 lid swap also sounds interesting, I'll look into that as well.
Thanks
#11
My car was bone stock with just an ebay short ram intake and you could noticeably feel the power loss as the car got up to temp or if you were in traffic. Even though it is less restrictive then the stock POS setup, once the car warms up its pulling in crazy hot under hood air from right next to the radiator. The K&N CAI provides much cooler IATs at temp then an ebay short ram, plus is nearly zero restriction even on a H/C 350.
I pulled my K&N intake off on a dyno while chasing a dip in the graph and gained less then 2 rwhp with my H/C build. Its plenty of flow for a 350.
Not sure where you want clearance at since its not really in the way of anything, but you just have to unscrew a couple fasteners to pull the splash guard and remove the filter easily.
I pulled my K&N intake off on a dyno while chasing a dip in the graph and gained less then 2 rwhp with my H/C build. Its plenty of flow for a 350.
Not sure where you want clearance at since its not really in the way of anything, but you just have to unscrew a couple fasteners to pull the splash guard and remove the filter easily.
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Points taken, I guess I was looking at the ebay ad wrong, I was under the impression the filter would still be down in the splash guard area, I had no idea is would just be sitting out in the open under the hood. It seems to be the KN kit is the way to go, and the only other choice would be an LS1 lid conversion.
The more I look at it the more I feel I'm just looking to change something. Thank you for all the replys.
The more I look at it the more I feel I'm just looking to change something. Thank you for all the replys.
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I needed to make room to mount my ignition box so I used the mounting plate and filter from my Moroso CAI and made up the parts between the MAF and the plate. I used 3.5" aluminum tube and put silicone sleeves over it.
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