Some pics of my new intake setup.

one more.

neat idea :) my concern comes from the fact that the intake pipe "appears" to have a downwards slope (the filter is higher up than the TB/intake). I don't know that this would happen, but if driving in rain, the rain will be forced in through the headlight opening and saturate the filter with water. Now I know the filter will not let ALL the water into the intake pipe, but some will and due to the force of the air rushing into the filter as well as the downward slope of the intake pipe, the water will travel into the TB/intake and into the engine = POP!

Then again I could be off in my assessment... regardless, nice setup :)

neat idea :) my concern comes from the fact that the intake pipe "appears" to have a downwards slope (the filter is higher up than the TB/intake). I don't know that this would happen, but if driving in rain, the rain will be forced in through the headlight opening and saturate the filter with water. Now I know the filter will not let ALL the water into the intake pipe, but some will and due to the force of the air rushing into the filter as well as the downward slope of the intake pipe, the water will travel into the TB/intake and into the engine = POP!

Then again I could be off in my assessment... regardless, nice setup :)


It is hard to tell from the pictures but the intake pipe isn't sloped downward toward the throttle body... it is pretty much perfectly flat. Also, the headlight is a couple of inches lower than the inake itself and a little offset so I don't really think the filter is going to get a TON of water. It will get hit by a little but I don't really foresee a problem. Coincidentally the first day I drove with it I got caught in a pretty serious downpour on the way home from an autocross and had no problems. Fingers crossed. Knock on wood.

Nice idea!

What does it feel like when driving, a big change? A different sound?

I know you are going to get it to the track soon to test it, would love to hear your thoughts after.

I am still not sold on the CAI yet, would love to hear someone say that it made that much of a difference, someone that I would trust to hear it from.

Nice idea!

What does it feel like when driving, a big change? A different sound?

I know you are going to get it to the track soon to test it, would love to hear your thoughts after.

I am still not sold on the CAI yet, would love to hear someone say that it made that much of a difference, someone that I would trust to hear it from.


There is a little bit different sound than the previous CAI setup I had. I also feel like I have a little bit crisper throttle response with the short, straight intake tract.

As far as power the car felt pretty good at this last autocross I went to... I was getting alot of "what the hell kind of motor does that thing have" (my car is debagded). The car is for sure getting cooler air which = more horsepower. The insulation on the aluminum "box" heat shield is doing a great job... the inside of the box never gets hot to the touch... it actually felt cool after my 3 runs so that's a good sign. The car will eventually get back on the dyno so I can see what (if any) power I picked up with the recent exhaust/intake work.

There is a little bit different sound than the previous CAI setup I had. I also feel like I have a little bit crisper throttle response with the short, straight intake tract.

As far as power the car felt pretty good at this last autocross I went to... I was getting alot of "what the hell kind of motor does that thing have" (my car is debagded). The car is for sure getting cooler air which = more horsepower. The insulation on the aluminum "box" heat shield is doing a great job... the inside of the box never gets hot to the touch... it actually felt cool after my 3 runs so that's a good sign. The car will eventually get back on the dyno so I can see what (if any) power I picked up with the recent exhaust/intake work.

So this a completely custom setup, or is it manafuctured, or part of both?

This is a custom set-up... also somethint that you might not be able to tell from the pictures is that the top of the "box" is lined with the type of seals that are on car doors... so the box seals with the hood not letting any of that pesky hot air in. We wanted to bring it all the way to the edge of the engine bay but the hood arms got in the way...

I am still not sold on the CAI yet, would love to hear someone say that it made that much of a difference, someone that I would trust to hear it from.

That's more of a Short Ram Intake. A CAI is longer and should reach the back of the front bumper. At least on Hondas it is like that. I doubt anyone will tell you it made much of a difference though on my Accord when I switched from the Short Ram to the CAI, it "felt" a bit peppier but could have all been in my head. :dunno

I just didn't like the fact that on the stock intake the inlet to the airbox was right next to the radiator. Any time you allow your engine to get cooler air it will make horsepower... cooler air = denser o2 = more horsepower.

On a side note I am also going to be porting the throttle body.

nice job!

save the ported TB til u get a better intake manifold...imho
extrude hone it first

In speaking to the guy that does the work on my car he seemed to think that doing anything to my intake manifold would be worthless.

Great idea.I though about it (headlight delete)also in my quest for more power.But I thought aluminium retained heat.

what about some PVC piping from the front of the car where the light used to be - going to the front of the pod-style air filter or even covering (encasing) the filter. Would a large air filter help? there seems to be space from the pics.

did you have 540i brake ducts before?

In speaking to the guy that does the work on my car he seemed to think that doing anything to my intake manifold would be worthless.

I have heard the same from my car guy, but I think I need a new car guy.

did you have 540i brake ducts before?


for a couple months... never really liked them that much. let someone borrow my car he scraped one up pretty bad so i canned them. Put that splitter on quickly for fitting purposes... going to run more effective brake cooling ducts from where the foglights used to be and clean everything up so it looks nice.

Great idea.I though about it (headlight delete)also in my quest for more power.But I thought aluminium retained heat.

Went with aluminum because it is light. The insulation we have on the engine/radiator side of the box works extremely well. I think I mentioned before that after an hour drive the inside of the box was still cool to the touch. And this was in Florida heat.

what about some PVC piping from the front of the car where the light used to be - going to the front of the pod-style air filter or even covering (encasing) the filter. Would a large air filter help? there seems to be space from the pics.


the end of the box that goes down to where the light used to be is slightly angled to bring some air into the box... I think it is pretty efficient as it is and I don't think there are really any gains to be had by going with a larger filter. Maybe I should get a tray to put in the bottom to hold some dry ice, though. :stickoutt

ic ic. just had to make sure my memory was correct. hahaha.

Then sign me up. :buttrock ...I was also told by "my car guy" the same thing.Let's get a group buy on a good "car guy". :)

Then sign me up. :buttrock ...I was also told by "my car guy" the same thing.Let's get a group buy on a good "car guy". :)


I am trying to talk my guy into custom fabbing headers as well as a bolt-in cage. It would take a while for him to do it, though, because he is a little swamped with some race stuff right now.

Did your car guy tell you the same thing about the intake manifold? Is that what you were talking about?

Yes sir.

ic ic. just had to make sure my memory was correct. hahaha.


indeed it was... good man. :D

I am trying to talk my guy into custom fabbing headers as well as a bolt-in cage. It would take a while for him to do it, though, because he is a little swamped with some race stuff right now.

Did your car guy tell you the same thing about the intake manifold? Is that what you were talking about?

The custom header route seems pricey, and from the calls I made today, doesn't seem like it will be legal here in CA.

That doesn't stop me, because I can always make a change when I need to get smogged, but it does make finding a Cali connection a bit harder(I called about 25 places today).

So, I am in if you find a place. Unless the price is over 3k like the place I found.

Erik at Edge Motorworks had a set made custom.He is supposed to know a good fabricator.I don't know how $$$ though.

The custom header route seems pricey, and from the calls I made today, doesn't seem like it will be legal here in CA.

That doesn't stop me, because I can always make a change when I need to get smogged, but it does make finding a Cali connection a bit harder(I called about 25 places today).

So, I am in if you find a place. Unless the price is over 3k like the place I found.


I'm going to talk to him about it more on Monday. Couldn't really get into it too much with him today as he was running around trying to get a few cars ready for Sebring this weekend... I figured you would be in and Jimmy would be in if the price was considerably less than the 3500...

I'm going to talk to him about it more on Monday. Couldn't really get into it too much with him today as he was running around trying to get a few cars ready for Sebring this weekend... I figured you would be in and Jimmy would be in if the price was considerably less than the 3500...

I just can't beleive no one makes these as a standard build. WTF!

Whatever happened to the RD Headers?

I just can't beleive no one makes these as a standard build. WTF!

Whatever happened to the RD Headers?

Just got off the phone with my guy... he is going to make some phone calls on Monday... he seems to think that he should be able to get some made in the $2k range but we'll see... If we could get them for that price how many people would be interested? This is all speculation at this point...

Erik at Edge Motorworks had a set made custom.He is supposed to know a good fabricator.I don't know how $$$ though.


I have seen the pics of those and they look very nice. You chase that down and see what kind of prices he is looking at... I'll chase it down over here on the East Coast.

I have seen the pics of those and they look very nice. You chase that down and see what kind of prices he is looking at... I'll chase it down over here on the East Coast.

Where should we meet...St.Louis? :)

Where should we meet...St.Louis? :)


see you there on sunday. :stickoutt

coming together very nicely! super clean fab job!

Ive got the Bavauto CAI and its definately louder in the car. Not too loud , just louder. Ive had friends ask if the exhaust was stock after the CAI install. And you can hear it breathing at idle. Sounds goood. HP gain....:dunno prolly not.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/bekraig/CAIpic.jpg