I have a '97 Cavalier with a 2.2l motor. I was wondering if anyone out there has made their own intake for such a car, and if so, how they did it. I'm sure it's simple, but I don't have the imagination for it....

Yeah, I meant DIY.

Nah, out of the 10 million Cavaliers out there... no one's ever made their own yet. You could be the first!

/end sarcasm

There are plenty of examples.. you don't even need to limit yourself to a Cavalier... the basic principle of an intake works pretty much the same on all EFI cars... some tubing, a piece of flexible tubing/hose to connect to the throttle body, and a filter on the end.

That said, however... there are some dang cheap intakes on Ebay.. $35 gets you a pretty nice looking one.

^^^^listen to this man. it's going to cost you close to the same amount to build your own as it will to buy an ebay intake. and they work fine.

then just go ahead and buy yourself a k+n filter.

^I agree with elmo Honestly though, I doubt the K+N filter would make much of a difference anyway. You could just use the ebay one until it needed a good cleaning/replacing and then put on a k+n.

i bought a fender well cold air intake (which is one of the best you can get) for about $50 on ebay.....check out my recent thread to see it.

Dustin Ouellette wrote:i bought a fender well cold air intake (which is one of the best you can get) for about $50 on ebay.....check out my recent thread to see it.

there is no best one you can get. i'm so tired of hearing that. for our cars it doesn't matter. i know misnblu is going to come in here and chew my ass out for saying this, but right in the performance stickies at the top of this page (which i'm sure you bothered to read), it shows testing that's been done with a difference of like 4 degrees between the two intakes. it does not matter people. not for us.



Now, The reason I am leaving them to long or short rather than Warm or Cold, is that from measuring with a temp sender and gauge. There was a difference between the two of 4 degrees. Also another bit of note, it wa ian lacey or matt teske, one of the two dynoed a WAI at 9 hp, aem just dynoed one of their CAI’s at 8.6 hp. So does that mean WAI;s are better? No. they have just as many downsides as a CAI. Some people think the heat is extremely bad under the car, which is a myth, cause when the car is in motion air circulates under the hood. So basically you get the same air temp as a CAI.


this is directly quoted from funky bottoms (event) sticky in the performance forum.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edited Saturday, October 02, 2010 6:50 AM

well every little bit helps. and i have it stuck in my head (and always will) that it goes from worst to best: factory, warm air intake, cool air intake, and then fenderwell intake.

Dustin Ouellette wrote:well every little bit helps. and i have it stuck in my head (and always will) that it goes from worst to best: factory, warm air intake, cool air intake, and then fenderwell intake.

Just wondering, what is the difference between a cool air intake and a fender well intake?

blucavvy wrote:

Dustin Ouellette wrote:i bought a fender well cold air intake (which is one of the best you can get) for about $50 on ebay.....check out my recent thread to see it.

there is no best one you can get. i'm so tired of hearing that. for our cars it doesn't matter. i know misnblu is going to come in here and chew my ass out for saying this, but right in the performance stickies at the top of this page (which i'm sure you bothered to read), it shows testing that's been done with a difference of like 4 degrees between the two intakes. it does not matter people. not for us.



Now, The reason I am leaving them to long or short rather than Warm or Cold, is that from measuring with a temp sender and gauge. There was a difference between the two of 4 degrees. Also another bit of note, it wa ian lacey or matt teske, one of the two dynoed a WAI at 9 hp, aem just dynoed one of their CAI’s at 8.6 hp. So does that mean WAI;s are better? No. they have just as many downsides as a CAI. Some people think the heat is extremely bad under the car, which is a myth, cause when the car is in motion air circulates under the hood. So basically you get the same air temp as a CAI.


this is directly quoted from funky bottoms (event) sticky in the performance forum.

Three months testing in my car shows there to be anywhere from 20-40 degree difference between a cai and wai while at rest.
Out on the road there's as much as 15 degree difference but I digress as it's a pointless argument in terms of testing.
If anyone wants to read the testing I did, it's here.
You'll have to excuse the page as it was one of my first technical how to's ever done and I was quite new with this. It's all fact based and wouldn't lie about the findings I posted.


Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

i never claimed you were lying about your testing results james, but like event said in his sticky the dyno's don't lie either.

I agree and that wasn't my point.
The dyno never lies but temperatures tell the story as I found out.
So sorry if you took that the wrong way, it wasn't meant to be that.
But I was so frustrated with all the talk about cai and wai and at that time there being little difference once the car starts moving that I had to prove this to myself.
It was eye opening to say the least.

I will say this much that with a car that's built and not a stock car, I'm sure that the dyno would reveal more hp gains over the wai. There's also factors on how the car reacts to tubing length, diameter, and other factors which in our reality won't mean much in the terms of how much gain we see with our cars.




Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

Misnblu wrote:

blucavvy wrote:

Dustin Ouellette wrote:i bought a fender well cold air intake (which is one of the best you can get) for about $50 on ebay.....check out my recent thread to see it.

there is no best one you can get. i'm so tired of hearing that. for our cars it doesn't matter. i know misnblu is going to come in here and chew my ass out for saying this, but right in the performance stickies at the top of this page (which i'm sure you bothered to read), it shows testing that's been done with a difference of like 4 degrees between the two intakes. it does not matter people. not for us.



Now, The reason I am leaving them to long or short rather than Warm or Cold, is that from measuring with a temp sender and gauge. There was a difference between the two of 4 degrees. Also another bit of note, it wa ian lacey or matt teske, one of the two dynoed a WAI at 9 hp, aem just dynoed one of their CAI’s at 8.6 hp. So does that mean WAI;s are better? No. they have just as many downsides as a CAI. Some people think the heat is extremely bad under the car, which is a myth, cause when the car is in motion air circulates under the hood. So basically you get the same air temp as a CAI.


this is directly quoted from funky bottoms (event) sticky in the performance forum.

Three months testing in my car shows there to be anywhere from 20-40 degree difference between a cai and wai while at rest.
Out on the road there's as much as 15 degree difference but I digress as it's a pointless argument in terms of testing.
If anyone wants to read the testing I did, it's here.
You'll have to excuse the page as it was one of my first technical how to's ever done and I was quite new with this. It's all fact based and wouldn't lie about the findings I posted.

Nice work.... When you gonna do one for FAI's (FTW!!!), huh?


Go beyond the "bolt-on".

Lol, no.
I think I've run out of how to's to do for awhile.


Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

As for me, I am actually putting one together with Spectre Performance intake parts. They have various Modular Intake parts availible ranging from 2.5" to 5" and also have various brackets, couplers, filters, adapters, etc. They are availible from AutoZone and PepBoys either on the shelf or by special order. Granted you can get a intake for less cash, but this gives you the satisfaction of making it yourself.

Good luck with it all.

Edit:
Part descriptions availible here: http://www.spectreperformance.com/#CATALOG

Edit #2:
Retailers are, Spectre themself, AutoZone, PepBoys, O'Rielly's, Summit Racing plus others online.




Edited 2 time(s). Last edited Monday, October 04, 2010 8:35 PM

"United by Individuality"
"If life is a joke, why aren't we laughing?"
"Normality depends on one's perception of reality."
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3820803

that's @!#$'s garbage.

blucavvy wrote:that's @!#$'s garbage.

if your calling spectre garbage...you are wrong sir

Dustin Ouellette wrote:

blucavvy wrote:that's @!#$'s garbage.

if your calling spectre garbage...you are wrong sir

Everyone knows the good @!#$ comes from autozone.

Blu, from what I took from your blog on the intakes, aside from the heat of the WAI, the set-up from update four seem to be the favorite of the WAIs. A simple test to try would be to isolate the wai's filter from the engine heat. I started a set-up like this for my intake system, seen below. I can rotate the couplers to have the filter sit slightly lower and then box the filter off from the rest of the engine compartment. I started a cardboard template of this previously, but never got around to finishing it. I was going to duct the air in from the hole beneath/behind the battery, the same as the CAI routes into the engine compartment. I would be enlarging that hole to fit the largest tubing I could fit in there, to reduce any restrictions. I'll try to find my template and take it to the corrugated box factory where I work and have them make a single piece assembly to test for my self. The problem is, I don't have any way to get the intake air temperature readings.

Would you be up for another test? If so you need to have a way to turn your filter as to set in the squared position as mine, I could have an extra air box made for you to test. I'll have them not cut the filter opening , so you can cut it to fit your intake system. I'll also have them not cut the fresh air duct, so you can cut your own.


MadJack's WAI set-up, currently in use. I know, it's due to be cleaned!


Misnblu's WAI test set-up. See his link caiwaipage.

This should give you the cooler temps of the CAI, but the response of the WAI. Of course the cardboard box would only be temporary, but if my theory is correct, it could be used as a template for a more permanent box.

MadJack, that actually sounds like a good idea but my engine bay has changed so much that it may not work to try to redo..
Here's my engine bay now.





So basically I've got the length of the wai with the true cai like I've always wanted.
I would've run a straight shot from the tb to the wheel well but had to use what I had to make it like this until I get some more aluminum to get the straightest path to the wheel well. I've withheld doing this since I've got an M45 waiting to be installed and why bother with it as it works great as it is.
Filter readings are within a couple of degrees of iat temps so it's a true cai according all my temp readings and throttle response is most excellent..




The reason I did my intake like this and not squared was to keep the bends to a minimum.
With your setup it's also a perfect example to keep the bends to a minimum and staying away from anything in the 90 degree or more range.
You've got an excellent idea with boxing in the filter in that location to get the best of both worlds.
I'd say go for it and let the seat of your pants be the deciding factor of how well the mod works.




Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

Dustin Ouellette wrote:

blucavvy wrote:that's @!#$'s garbage.

if your calling spectre garbage...you are wrong sir

i'm not wrong, that @!#$ is garbage. it's all plastic.

the stuff im talking about is aluminum.

Misnblu wrote:MadJack, that actually sounds like a good idea but my engine bay has changed so much that it may not work to try to redo..
Here's my engine bay now.





So basically I've got the length of the wai with the true cai like I've always wanted.
I would've run a straight shot from the tb to the wheel well but had to use what I had to make it like this until I get some more aluminum to get the straightest path to the wheel well. I've withheld doing this since I've got an M45 waiting to be installed and why bother with it as it works great as it is.
Filter readings are within a couple of degrees of iat temps so it's a true cai according all my temp readings and throttle response is most excellent..




The reason I did my intake like this and not squared was to keep the bends to a minimum.
With your setup it's also a perfect example to keep the bends to a minimum and staying away from anything in the 90 degree or more range.
You've got an excellent idea with boxing in the filter in that location to get the best of both worlds.
I'd say go for it and let the seat of your pants be the deciding factor of how well the mod works.

Not bad... Where exactly is the opening, through which air feeds into where the filter is boxed-in, located per-say? Facing forward, like I've always argued, or what?


Go beyond the "bolt-on".

The opening is in the headlight housing or around the housing which leads into the well of where the air filter is placed.
It's a perfect location for fresh air especially while the car is moving and even when it isn't, it's nowhere near the heat of the engine so it's always cool.
This is where the air filter is located and it's approximate position.
It's a bit higher up and more forward than shown since I shortened the tubing and enlarged the hole forward of where the washer fluid would normally go so it should be about 4 inches higher up in the well and more forward.



That split loomed wire going into the air filter base is the needle probe for the air temperature gauge (thermistor based) I used for the testing. I still use it and compare my iat's with what the probe is reading as a comparison. They're pretty close.
So really as I see it air comes in from around the headlight assembly, is forced down around the filter, and then goes out into and under the engine as you can see the engine in the picture.
The filter gets dirty fast and I've got to clean it constantly but it's well worth the effort to have fresh air coming into the intake.

I'm still surprised to see those with superchargers not relocating their batteries to have a true cold air intake and a direct pipe going into the well..
There's so many pluses for doing this that it surprises me it's not that popular.





Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

It looks to me more like you've just simple put the filter into the airstream, as opposed to containing it in a "box" with an sizable opening that faced forward to collect air. Somehow I doubt that it's really seeing all the air it could. But still, much like the factory system that was on my '85 S-truck (What I built my first FAI on) it does see headwind... but not that much total flow. If the amount of air that were allowed to flow into the filter containment area were increased substantially, the air measured would not only be cooler but much denser. (A given, I know...) And that would definitely help increase total power produced & mileage. But then... You already knew that, huh?

And, you are right: The simplest & most effective of mods that can be done sadly are easily overlooked by those that just seek big power-gains. And on that note, I think this mod definitely falls into the category of being a "Subtle mod"... Much like how a "Little black dress" is subtle, yet can have such an effect when seen worn by a beautiful woman of class & taste. (Think Jennifer Love Hewitt in that bio-pic about Audry Hepburn)


Go beyond the "bolt-on".