you wanted a CAI? you got it

[rc_snowboarder]

I was goint through all the intake threads and didnt really find anything helpful, so I started my own project last weekend, and it was very successful. The best part was it didnt cost me a dime! I have a 1998 318Ti M.
I started by removing everything down to the MAF sensor. The stock airbox, and all the piping over the rad fan and down to the bumper, all of it gone. Once you have all of that gone, you`ll be suprised how much space you have. Next I removed the horn, and relocated it to a little higher, just behind the drivers headlight, and tucked right into the corner.
I had a piece of 2.5" inside diamater pipe laying around (actually, it was electrical conduit, but muffler pipe should work the same. I cut a piece 7" long, and using rubber connectors and worm clamps (pipe clamps) I connected it to the MAF sensor. Then I connected an old cone filter I had to the end of the tubing, so it left the cone tucked tightly under the headlight.
On the very end of the stock tubing, there was a mouth that went from the 2" tubing to an oval shaped mouth. I cut the round part about 2" back, and rotated it about 180 degrees then taped it back together. I put this in the far drivers side opening in the bumper, so it diverted air right at the filter, and was placed right where the horn was previously.
Then to keep all the hot air out, I created a box around the sides and bottom, but kept a small part open in the bottom for the diverted cold air to come through. Now the box I created is only temporary, and dont laugh but I made it out of cardboard. Only the cardboard is surrouned by a high grade duct insulation. I work in construction so this kind of stuff is easy to come by.
Although it is kind of makeshift, it looks alright, the box needs some work, but despite what you think cardboard makes a great insulator due to the way its corrugated. As long as its the right type.
So if your looking for a CHEAP but effective intake, this one DOES add power, although its not that much, I would guess around 30hp, but it hasnt been dynoed so dont quote me. And the sound quality improves a lot, but obviiously depends a lot on the cone filter you use.
Let me know what you think, and if you want, I`ll put up a detailed DIY with pictures. The whole project didnt take me long at all. Hope this helps, and be nice, its my first real Mod

[Xenocide]

30hp eh?

I bet it didn't add 3hp.

Welcome to Honda Tech, will you stay a while?

[acevedo12]

you're just so frickin nice xenocide

[roadrash]

Dude, you should never have to ask if anyone wants pictures. OF COURSE we want pictures!!! LOL So, get busy! heh heh

[tiFreak]

you're just so frickin nice xenocide

he's rude but he's right, on any NA car, just adding an intake doesn't add any power, definitely not 30hp

that being said, it does look cooler when you open the hood and gives the engine a little more sporty sound, so if you're willing to go through all that work for that there's nothing wrong with that

[Xenocide]

Well it DOES add power on some cars, like mustangs and hondas and crap like that, but bmw engineers their cars SO well, unless you have some other stuff done to your car it only shifts your torque curve.

[rc_snowboarder]

I'll take that bet, and I'm going to have to argue with you on that, because the stock intake has about 5 feet of pipe to navigate through, by shortening the intake, it takes less work to bring the air through. As well, the stock plastic pipe retains a lot of heat along the length of it, so you have 5 feet of hot tubing the air needs to travel through. However with mine, the air inside the box stays cool not only because of the high grade insulation, but because the air diversion brings cool air in rapidly, and blows it right at the cone. And as eveyone building a cai should know, the colder the air the denser it becomes, allowing better fuel combustion. Which in turn increases the hp. Maybe not by 30 hp, but the end result should be close

[minicoop900]

hahaha im going to have to agree with xeno on this one, your not going to see much of a gain, might feel like it on the "butt dyno" since its something you did but on the older bmws in the 70s, usually when you changed the intake at all, it would make less hp.
bmw designs their intakes very well, they dont just throw a box with a filter on it and call it an intake, they do it to get the maximum balance between hp and comfort and noise and all the other stuff the crazy germans can think of haha

[Xenocide]

I'll take that bet, and I'm going to have to argue with you on that

If you can prove to me that you get 30hp out of a naturally aspirated air intake, you can have my 6cyl ti, free.


I think that is a pretty good bet.

[Bluebimma]

LOL, i agree with Pesticide. Youll have two m50 engines if you pull 30hp out of your bum on this one. You do realize the stock intake system is already a cold air induced system, right? Also, most you can do is smooth out the airflow pre-MAF but even then, youre making it harder for air to get to the MAF since youve extended where the air is drawn from. Also, without a larger MAF sensor and/or tuning, you wont increase airflow and the DME will calculate the air coming in just as it did in stock form, no gain.

[rc_snowboarder]

Really? I always thought you got a decent gain. But I am new to BMW's. Although I'd really like to see what gain or loss it may have made

[Bluebimma]

Yes really. Why do you think so many threads and posts, since forever ago, say there is little to no gain from intakes on these engines? Theyre not lying, its the truth. Honestly, its not even worth the dyno time.

[mgbman69]

Well it DOES add power on some cars, like mustangs and hondas and crap like that, but bmw engineers their cars SO well, unless you have some other stuff done to your car it only shifts your torque curve.

Now that's an ignorant statement. I know nothing about Mustangs so I wont comment on them; however, look into the Civic Si's, Integra Type R's, S2000s etc. All of the previous mentioned cars almost always loose HP from a CAI. Most hondas (and crap like that) will benefit slightly from a K&N style drop in filter element but when you have a well engineered NA engine you will NOT under any circumstances make 30HP from a homemade CAI.

I too will offer up my Ti for free if you can give a dyno sheet showing your 30HP gain from this CAI

[mgbman69]

Yes really. Why do you think so many threads and posts, since forever ago, say there is little to no gain from intakes on these engines? Theyre not lying, its the truth. Honestly, its not even worth the dyno time.

Some people seem to have a hard time with the search function on most forums! lol

[rc_snowboarder]

I had no problem searching, but I found nothing helpful. So for anyone who wants to build a CAI that will make your car sound a lot more powerful, and add a sharp look, and a lot more room to your engine bay. Heres how to do it. And if anyones interested in trying it let me know and I`ll take pictures and give a more detailed explanation. But whether it decreased HP or not it wasnt enough to tell. If anything I`m sure there was a gain in torque?

[mgbman69]

By all means. Please post some pictures!

[Xenocide]

Now that's an ignorant statement. I know nothing about Mustangs so I wont comment on them; however, look into the Civic Si's, Integra Type R's, S2000s etc. All of the previous mentioned cars almost always loose HP from a CAI. Most hondas (and crap like that) will benefit slightly from a K&N style drop in filter element but when you have a well engineered NA engine you will NOT under any circumstances make 30HP from a homemade CAI.

I too will offer up my Ti for free if you can give a dyno sheet showing your 30HP gain from this CAI

Those cars (used to be) very poorly engineered, you would see dyno numbers all over the place, simple bolt ons like exhaust and intake DO provide power on them. Letting them breathe properly gives lots of power.

[pnosker]

Just to help the OP out a little bit, when Shawn Fogg was experimenting with his airflow data and the FOGG airbox mod, he did see around a 3-5% increase in airflow into the engine, thus implying 3-5% more fuel was being burnt and roughly 3-5% more power.

On a dyno, you see maybe 1-3 hp with this type of mod as long as it's sealed off from the engine bay. It's enough to help out the high end though, and while the HP might not be gained at the peak HP, it's definitely a boost in other places.

Link: http://www.mz3.net/articles/images/149-m44_airflow.gif

Fogg saw up to a 9% increase in airflow. That means there's definitely more air going into the engine and thus more fuel (ECU doesn't want a high AFR).

[Shellback]

I had to double check to make sure I was not on bf.c

[mgbman69]

I had to double check to make sure I was not on bf.c

:biggrin: bhahaha nice

[318ti_pt]

yeah post some pics i like to see your work of art..!! i kinda fogged mine too days ago..!!! see spice up my intake..:biggrin:

[Mad-Machine]

While I too am HIGH skeptical of a 30hp gain.. I can believe a modest 3 to 5 hp. It has been my opinion for a while that BMW choked the M44 just as it did the m42. To keep it from competing with the 150hp 2litre Six cylinder cars in Europe.

I know you can rechip the M42 and add an exhaust and be knocking on 323 power territory

[Dusty_Hale]

Ok, I'm new, but I have to put in my two cents worth.

1.) A CAI system does NOT give you more than maybe 5 HP gain, and that's if you're lucky, and your kit is actually taking in cold air.

2.) OP used metal piping, yeah? Guess what man, you still have a really nice looking HOT air intake. The metal pipe absorbs heat from the engine, and heats up the air inside it. You're actually losing power, man. Hot air is less dense, therefore the air fuel mixture is going to be running rich, and your car will not like that. You have to shield your charge pipe some how. I would recommend using a high heat range exhaust wrap to keep the heat from getting to the charge pipe.

3.) Once you are actually getting cold air, you may see a gain in torque, but not really in HP. Either way, your torque and HP will always cross at 5252, but that's beside the point.

4.) I'm with Xenocide, prove to me that your non professional, not dyno proven hot air intake system actually produces a 30+HP gain. I wanna see legit dyno sheets.

And, don't try to BS a dyno sheet either, I can quickly tell when one is fake.

Lastly, if it was that easy to make 30+HP, then why didn't the BMW engineers do it in the first place?

Yes, I have studied the science behind induction and exhaust systems. The numbers you're talking, OP, do not add up.

[rc_snowboarder]

first off... whos OP? and second off, we already established that you wont see a 30hp increase. I`m fairly new to BMW`s. and yes, the metal tubing is wrapped, and there is also a large box surrounding it that is sealed off from the bay and well insulated. and there is an air diversion from the bumper up to the box. So I already know the temperature inside the box is colder than that of the rest of the bay. I`m not saying that I`m seeing a gain in HP, but I`m saying if a cold air intake is what you wanted, for whatever reason, looks or sound or whatever, this is a good way to do it.

[Dusty_Hale]

Yes, but it is easier for you than it is for anyone with a 318 that is 95 or older. We have the VAF meters, and not the MAF sensors. We need a special adapter plate, which I built one myself, and I also had pipes that were mandrel bent to my specs. Total cost, about $85.00. Looks and sounds nice, however, here in California, as of the first of the year, all cold air induction systems must have a CARB EO#, otherwise, they're not legal for use.

Basic point here is: If you're in California, you're screwed.

now, with the system I built, there was an increase in low end torque, but I actually lost about 5 HP on the top end. It was just as well, had to go back to stock because of the new emissions law.

[pnosker]

I bet you could fogg it without the CARB guys even knowing.

[Dusty_Hale]

I bet you could fogg it without the CARB guys even knowing.

Probably not. Here is the problem, all emissions shops, be them test only centers or test and repair facilities, have to do a thorough inspection on any emissions related component, including air induction systems. If they are not factory, or aftermarket with a CARB EO#, you will fail the visual portion of the test. New state regulations set fourth by the California Air Resources Board, and the Bureau of Automotive Repair require any shop or test center that finds non-legal parts on a vehicle to report the vehicle, and your registration can be suspended until such time that you repair the vehicle to comply with the state emissions laws. Any shop or test center that is found to overlook non CARB approved devices is hit with some pretty hefty fines, the technician responsible loses his state emissions license, and can do jail time, on top of paying a minimum fine of $10,000.

That being said, more and more technicians are starting to adopt the idea of CYA (Cover Your Ass) and are not letting things slip by as often as they used to. There are still shops that will pass you, but only after you pay a little extra fee (usually over $250 kickback).

Here is how I see it. I do not hold state emissions licenses, and I do not work at a test only center or a test and repair facility. As far as I am concerned, it's your car, do what you want with it. Just don't get caught. If you do, the state will fine you 10,000 dollars, and potentially a minimum jail sentence of 6 months. The reason being is that you tampered with emissions controls on an emissions controlled vehicle. I don't personally view air intake modifications as tampering with emissions controls, but the state does. That's why I have 2 K&N stickers on my car. One in the front window, and one on the rear window. A police officer sees that, and they generally don't ask questions. As for smog stations, I put my stock stuff back in a day prior to the test so the computer can re-learn it's stock settings and blow clean.

[roadrash]

first off... whos OP?
"OP" - "Original Poster"

[mgbman69]

Still waiting on pictures.

[tiFreak]

Probably not. Here is the problem, all emissions shops, be them test only centers or test and repair facilities, have to do a thorough inspection on any emissions related component, including air induction systems. If they are not factory, or aftermarket with a CARB EO#, you will fail the visual portion of the test....

actually, if a fogg is done well it will look factory to someone who's not familiar with the car, here's a write-up, for the sake of keeping everything stock looking I wouldn't use the ventilation ducting :wink:

http://www.mz3.net/articles/185.html

[Dusty_Hale]

Hmmm...interesting concept. I think K&N makes a kit that works the same way. If it is the same, then you don't have to worry. K&N products usually come with CARB EO#s anyway.

[(408)-OUTLAWti]

Really? I always thought you got a decent gain. But I am new to BMW's.

I can see that.
:rolleyes:

[pdxmotorhead]

95 318's have CAI stock. :icon_poke
The duct in front of the radiator on the drivers side, I've put a small probe in the air-box and my air-box temp is about 2 degrees cooler than the Onboard computer shows which makes sense as the OBC sensor is near the ground.

Dave