Making your own CAI

[Shinobi]

Question: how effective and easy is it to make your own CAI. On the car that I have,(04 Sonata w/V6 - uncle bens rice included), it does not have a CAI that I can find aftermarket. I thought about trying to do a test fit with a Tib one, but I don't know of any shops that have spare CAI's laying around.

 

I heard that you could make them out of PVC pipe, and that you can take like a Honda pipe from Advance, take some measurements, and make one that way.

 

Any ideas? Would it be better to just do a drop in filter instead of trying to make a custom CAI?

 

- Shinobi

[Total Sign]

Go to a muffler shop, give them the measurements, then go buy a K&N filter. If you want, I can powdercoat it for a good price.

[Alex1647545498]

You could just measure the diameter and find one that's on the market that would fit. Or you can go to home depot.

[Shinobi]

I am thinking that the Tib ones would bolt on, just I am worried about routing.

 

High - can I give them the measurements including bends?

[MrMeanGreen]

Originally posted by Ricochet:

Got any pics of your engine bay?

I'll get some and get them on here. Depends on our scheduling at work.

[Buckeye1647545503]

If it is possable to use pvc is better than even the premade metal ones becouse pvc does not hold heat and the cool air might still be cool when it get to the throttle body.

[Total Sign]

Originally posted by Shinobi:

High - can I give them the measurements including bends?

I havent done it, but Im sure if you tell them what your doing, tell them you need x length, then a 45* bend, then another x length, they should do it for pretty cheap.

 

Buckeye, how much of a difference do you think it would make?

[BloodRed]

Plastic or PVC is always much better than metal when talking about a CAI. I doubt the Tibby one will work because of routing.

 

I think making a true CAI may be kind of hard to get a nice cold area, but a WAI (warm air-close to engine) is possible as long as you can get in a place so that it doesn't hit your hood. I know the most effective place for a CAI in an Elantra (my wifes car) is to put it in the wheel well between the engine bay and then platic protection plate. That is were on the Elantra the air comes into the resenator from the outside. So you may want to check there to place the filter.

[Guest visualpoet]

I'd recommend black ABS instead of PVC. There's some debate as to the harmful effects of the fumes given off by the PVC when it warms up. Not to mention I think the black would look better if you go that route.

[Buckeye1647545503]

Oh and if you know a ac guy, My buddy gets this stuff that is a 3inch id foam tube that insulates like a mofo.

[BlackC50]

you might be able to use a Tib one and format it to what you need. The routing would have to be similar to where it comes of the intake, you could chop it down so it is able to route on your motor, just my .02

[Dave1647545494]

I made the one for my truck out of plastic pipe I had less than 50 bucks in it including a humonous K&N filter all the pipe and fittings and brand new bottles of pvc cement and primer to put it together

[Shinobi]

Interesting stuff. Another thing that I found on a Sonata board was a guy making a SRI. He told me that an SRI delivers more low-end torque, which is really what I would like to have. Either way, SRI, CAI, i want to do a custom one and do custom exhaust.

 

Thanks for the info so far!

 

- Shinobi

[Stallion Motorsports1647545491]

Rumor has it that PVC is known to break down chemically when heated up over a long period of time. IMO metal (powdercoated, or hard chromed) always looks better in a engine bay.

 

Tom

[Buckeye1647545503]

Originally posted by Shinobi:

Interesting stuff. Another thing that I found on a Sonata board was a guy making a SRI. He told me that an SRI delivers more low-end torque, which is really what I would like to have. Either way, SRI, CAI, i want to do a custom one and do custom exhaust.

 

Thanks for the info so far!

 

- Shinobi

maybe a brain fart but for the life of me not thinking of what SRI means

[Total Sign]

Short Ram intake

 

Question on the PVC vs Aluminum.... How much differece will it make? I would guess hardly any?

[Buckeye1647545503]

graemlins/doh.gif oh ya ! I thought longer runners made torque. I am ether wrong or your board is

[Dave1647545494]

longer manifold runners make more tourque your better off feeding the coolest air possible into the motor short rams tend to deliver warmer air.

[El Karacho1647545492]

i think someone once told me about mendrel bent piping at home depot or lowes for that sort of thing...wasn't paying much attention though

[GonneVille]

Aluminum is your best bet. PVC gives off unfriendly shit when it gets hot, and ABS fries pretty quick. Besides plastic sounds like crap, and the joints induce a lot of turbulence.

[Shinobi]

Check this out ... well I guess the Sonata has a "Unique" engine bay with no access to the fendor. So I would have to do some cutting for good placement. Not so sure about that one.

 

I check and the SRI or CAI for the 04 Tib will not fit, due to the engine bay. I think I am just going to drop in a damn K&N filter and be done with it. I should have bought a Supra