$10 CAI that draws cold air (with pix)

[magnuman]

Just installed a $10 CAI and a K & N filter, and utilized the stock air box. It draws air from behind the top of the grill on the driver's side. Air is routed via a 3 inch aluminum flex duct through the plastic "do nothing" panel behind the grill through the opening next to the headlight and into the front side of the air box. The coupling going into the air box is sealed with one inch soft foam stick-on weatherstripping. Haven't noticed any increase in noise level, which is OK with me. I'll have to drive it a little to see if mileage and/or performance increases. Can't hurt since it is now getting maybe twice the amount of air into the box than before. I also checked the fit of the coupling on the bottom intake where the ear drum is located. I am pretty sure one could completely remove the ear drum and a coupling can be mounted below with flex ducting running, unrestricted, to a good cool air souce. Sorry for the dirty car in the pictures. It's been raining off and on here for the last week. :rck:

[ScojoDak]

way cool!

[MAGGY]

Nice

[Silverbuell]

Magnuman;

I like it. Clean and functional. Thanks for posting the pics. I am interested!

With the duct/intake open inside the front grill, do you have any concerns about rain and road spray getting into the air box, and into the intake system?

Tim in VA with 2400 miles
Magnesium Pearl, NAV, Boston FX3 Front Dash & rear deck Pro 6.2’s Speakers, Dual Climate Control, Side Air Bags, AirAid Filter, Borla Exhaust, Park Assist Sensor, Remote Start, Lit Door Entry Guards, Rear Bumper Scratch Pad, Slush Style Floor Mats, Splash Guards, & Tons of Fun!

[BlanchMan]

Wow, good job MagnumMan. You trying to start a business here???

That looks as good to me as any of the aftermarket ones I've seen !!

[magnuman]

Silverbuell,
No, I am not really concerned about a little water/moisture getting into the air box. You'd have to put a garden hose in the intake duct behind the grill to get enough water in to hurt anything. There's a small drain hole in the bottom of the air box to keep the water level from getting too high. The water would run out of the stock air intake also. Years ago we use to run water-alcohol injection in cars and aircraft. It helped stop detonation under load and improved performance. So, I guess I would welcome a little moisture getting in. I took it to the no touch car wash today and it sprayed high pressure water all around, including directly in the area of the intake several times. When I left the car wash I pulled over and opened the air box and there wasn't a drop in it. I guess moist ram air at speed would also allow some to enter. I also just filled up today, so this will be the first full tank with the intake and K & N. Hope it makes a positive difference. I've included a couple more pix---one so you can see where air enters the air box and one with everything buttoned up. Thanks for your interest.

[She-Ra]

magnuman,

How big is the original intake hole, compared to your 3" aluminum hose?

Also, did you plug the original air intake hole? Seems like if your aluminum intake is at least as big as the stock one, it would be a good idea to plug the stock one. That way, you would ensure air is being shoved through the air filter and not being allowed to leak out at speed, IMHO.

Have you had it on a dyno to compare performance? I bet you'll gain 10-15 horsepower. Keep us posted!

[magnuman]

She-Ra,
The stock air intake where it enters the air box is about 3 1/4 inches which is about the same size as the throttle body butterfly. The duct that I added is 3 inches and draws air from directly behind the grill. The stock setup draws from in front of the left wheel well through the so called ear drum, or silencer. My object was to provide additional airflow with a little "ram" effect at speed when the engine needs it. I did not block the stock one, as it also draws relatively cool unrestricted air, but with no "ram" effect. The more unrestricted air available, the merrier, especially when I put a better exhaust on it. Improving the intake and exhaust systems generally improves the overall volumetric efficiency of the engine, although Dodge has really done a pretty good job in the stock form. Normal, stock street cars have a volumetric efficency in the neighborhood of 70-75%. An improved (more air volume in and less restriction out) intake and exhaust will add maybe 5-10% with the RT probably on the lower end of that scale. To get much more improvement in VE would require major engine work---cam, head work, bigger valves, etc. I'll probably just do headers now and maybe mufflers later, but I am pretty happy with it the way it is.
I haven't had it dyno'ed, but I feel a little improvement and it appears the mileage has also improved, maybe 1 mpg. I've only run two tanks through it so far, so until I drive it a little more, I won't know for sure.

[She-Ra]

Thanks for the details - unfortunately I don't have mine yet to look at. I understand that your object was mainly to open up the airflow in general. I'm still a newbie at this, but at a higher speed, do you think leaving the stock intake open might reduce the forced ramming by allowing a pressure outlet? Maybe improving the overall breathing ability is better than considering this, however. What do you think?

It sounds like the stock setup isn't too bad, though. That's good to know that they took some care with that for my future Magnum. But I'll still change it all around when I get mine. ;)

[magnuman]

She-Ra,
Perhaps the ram effect will be reduced a little, but I am really more interested in total air volume incoming than in ram effect. The ram effect would only come into play at higher speeds anyway, i.e. interstate driving, drag racing, etc. Just want more available when needed, and want it as cool as possible.

[hemihotrod]

where did you get your K&N for the RT?

[magnuman]

My dealer had it in stock. Cost $38.00. K & N part no. 33-2295.

[gsjoe]

Where did you get the flex hose to get from air box to the grille?
I used a rubber hose 3" diameter into the 3" hole in the air box but that only gets me to the pannel hole. The flex tube will complete the job if I knew where to find some.

[magnuman]

Home Depot has the 3 inch aluminum flex duct. It cost about $6.00 for a couple feet of it and looks much better than the 3 inch automotive flex ducting. You'll only need about 8-10 inches though. If you want to get more creative and make a new insulated intake tube to the air box,
(http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41782)
you can get most of the stuff I used for mine from Air Flow Systems at www.airflo.com. My true intake air temp. now runs at ambient on the highway and within 5-10 degrees of ambient in town, depending on the amount of stop and go driving. Cool down recovery after a 15 minute stop at the store is much quicker also---about 30 degrees temp. decrease within 2 miles. I've also insulated the air box. I am currently looking for a little better insulation and will probably redo it, since the stuff I put on first was just an experiment to see how much difference it made. If you need any further info. or my 2 cents worth, let me know. Hope this helps.

[gsjoe]

Thank you for the reply. I will be on the site and paying attention.
Your help is appreciated. I saw a infinity G35 today on the innerbelt. Every time I slowly pulled up toward him he stomped down on it. He wouldn't let me closer than 3 lengths of him. I would stay back and he would slow up bus as I slowly approached he would do it again. I just wanted a half way fair start.

[GN driver]

Neat job, Magnumman,
I traded an '04 GTP CompG in for my RT and the SC people were doing all sorts of things like this. Speaking of noise, while waiting to get my upgraded stereo system, dealer promise, installed, I said what the hey and had them install the Mopar CAI while there. Twenty miles later, at home, I removed it and put the stock back on. I have never in my life seen anything that made so much noise except in the days when you might drop a muffler completely off the car. You really would have to hear it to believe what I mean. The Mopar system is just an aluminum tube and a cone filter sitting in the open space where the stock airbox normally is. On your drawing I can't see where the actually intake begins.

[magnuman]

I think what you're asking is, where is the opening (beginning) for the added 3 in. intake tube. You can't see it on Post 6 above, but it is about 8 in. long and begins just behind the grill. It has a slight "S" shape to get through the opening by the headlight and into the front of the airbox. Hope this is what you were looking for. If not, we'll try again.

[GN driver]

You got it friend. Thanks.

[bobf]

I tried this as well. As soon as I got a good deal on the Volant, I jumped on it.

I can't tell you what a diiference I noticed making the switch. It was like night and day. I don't think the rest of the stock system and flat filter are efficient enough to make a real difference.

[GN driver]

I tried this as well. As soon as I got a good deal on the Volant, I jumped on it.

I can't tell you what a diiference I noticed making the switch. It was like night and day. I don't think the rest of the stock system and flat filter are efficient enough to make a real difference.

What sort of noise increase did you notice, if any?

[gsjoe]

I did mine just like magnum man shortly after I got it last november of 2004 This mod works very well for me also. magnum man has some pretty good ideas.