Cold-air intake installation issues
 

To start off with, I'm not very car savvy. Just bought this car all of about 3 months ago.

So, I decided to do a bit of an upgrade to my '97 318ti by replacing my stock intake with a K&N cold-air intake. I ordered the K&N suggested product, received it and tried installing it yesterday. Funny thing, my layout is a little different than the photos the installation instructions show.

This is the filter: http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...x?Prod=57-0276
These are the instructions: http://www.knfilters.com/instructions/57-0276_inst.pdf

Give Photo A on the instructions a little look-see.

My engine 1: http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Forum...r/100_1360.jpg
My engine 2: http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Forum...r/100_1361.jpg

That is my set-up. Though there are several differences, the important one being the extra something-or-other taking in filtered air that is NOT shown on the instructions. I have no idea what it is, but it's a Pierburg PA6-GF30 (possibly a secondary air pump according to a search). I have no confidence in installing the new intake while just leaving this thing un-filtered. It's there for a reason and takes in filtered air.

Am I just SOL on this cold-air intake idea or what? Any help would be very appreciated. If you can tell me what it is, what it does, etc., that'd be useful too. Yeah. Pretty much anything.

Thanks in advance!

that is the Secondary Air Pump, you can buy a little breather filter for it at any autoparts chain store

having that little scoop there though, you're just begging to hydrolock your engine :eek:

Installing this on your car is like putting a straw in your engines mouth. You'll be replacing a motor soon.
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...s76/stupid.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...6/stupider.jpg

If its a short ram like what you have pictured then there won't be any real hydrolocking problems. There is no way that little scoop will get enough water in it and shoot it out at the filter with enough force to hydrolock the motor. The only way that is even somewhat possible is if you are driving fast through deep water (like flood water deep). It looks pretty horrible anyways though, I wouldn't install it. Even with the scoop your intake will still be sucking in hot air from the engine compartment. This will happen even with a heatshield although I would suggest fabricating one because it wont help a ton but it definitely wont hurt.

As far as the install problem for the intake Im not sure where your problem is here. It looks to me like you only take off the stock airbox and replace it with a filter directly to the MAS, which looks the same to me in both shots, and then attach the temp sensor to it.

So I'm taking it the general consensus is: Buy a filter for my secondary and don't install the scoop.

The instructions don't say anything about removing the old intake hose. The one covered by that large plastic piece in the center near the radiator. Is that also something I can rid my car of?

Thanks for the quick replies thus far!

Yeah, the scoop is definitely something you dont want. I don't know if you need a new filter though. Will the one you have not fit where the stock air box came off? It looks to me like that is the mounting point for it and that its the same for both pictures (instructions and yours). I might be missing something but thats how it looks to me.

Bro to be honest this says DISASTER all over it! Just do a short Ram intake an a heat shield, its simple and safe and i am in the process of doing it as well.

http://www.e36-tech.com/forum/diy-cu...ield-2317.html

Happy modding bud

I think what he has is a short ram. From the pictures it appears that it is just a filter that attaches to the mount the stock air box was at. The kit just includes this odd looking scoop that isn't really useful and looks awful but will not hydrolock the car. Once again there is no way to get enough water to come out that tube with enough force to hydrolock the car, unless you're trying of course.

That DIY for the heatshield is great OP, I would get started on that as soon as you get the intake on. Thinking about it though if there were some way to get that scoop behind the grills it might be a worthwhile project. I havn't had my ti for a while but if there is a way it definitely wouldn't hurt having it there.

hmm never thought about that but imma try an do a line for the duct to the new filter system

Thanks for your assistance! I have the short ram installed and wil be buying a filter for the secondary air pump tomorrow morning. Damn the scoop. It is rather hideous.

I'll do the heatshield soon as well if everything goes accordingly.

One last thing, if you look in the second photo you'll notice some duct tape on the accordion tube right behind the air mass meter. I have some rot to several parts under the hood seeing as nothing has ever been replaced. Anybody know where I can get that particular part? I have been searching but cannot seem to find it. Been thinking about going to BMW to ask them what it is.

You're all awesome for your useful knowledge. Just sayin'. I'll post photos of stuff when it's a might cleaner.

The idea is similar to RPi's ram air scoops that they have for newer model BMWs. I doubt it does anything that they claim but it definitely wouldn't hurt. It hooks scoops up to the existing intake system to get more air to the stock airbox. Ive been thinking of making something similar to get more/cooler air to my CAI on my E46.

http://www.modbargains.com/_e/RPi/pr...ake_Scoops.htm

This site is like your BMW bible- http://www.realoem.com/bmw/. Once you find the part number you can order it through your local dealership and enjoy the surprised looks on the techs faces when you know the exact part number.

#10 Rubber boot
Part Number # 13711433979

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...18&hg=13&fg=15

pelicanparts.com
getbmwparts.com

Thanks for the specified link. It's very useful and I'll be ordering one of those boots in the next few days.

yea i actually have the same filter youve got. 57-0276, its a short ram that comes with that tube. i personally wouldnt use the scoop unless it was summer season. but as for now, during winter.. cold air flows into the filter easily imo. has a nice "bRRoMPh" sound to it. haha and good throttle response as well.