Thread: $62.00 Autozone semi-cold air intake (Pic)

I don't know about you guys, but there's no way I'm spending $250+ for a cold air intake - so I have been doing some fairly in-depth experimentation with.... gulp, intake parts from Autozone.

Yes, Autozone. Backstory: When I first started modifying SR20's, back in the late 90's when I was a teenager, you could only get things like this thru special companies (Place Racing, Hotshot). At general auto parts stores like Autozone there were absolutely NO intake parts available that you could put together yourself (but they always seemed to have intakes for Ford & Chevy of course).

Now in the year 2012, these parts are available everywhere. I have found their parts to be of decent quality and priced reasonably. So I put together the little photo below for those of you guys on a budget. The only thing this does not address is replacing the OEM intake pipe that leads from the MAF to the throttle body - that would require drilling and or some type of fabrication with a similar pipe.

These "Spectre" intake pipes come in varying angles. 90, 65, 45, 22, and 0 degrees (straight). In this particular setup I used:

-(1) 22 degree elbow, part # 8728 - $12.99 (comes with 1 connector clamp)
-(1) 45 degree elbow, part # 8738 - $12.99 (comes with 1 connector clamp)
-(1) coupler (comes with 2 clamps) part # 8771 - $7.99
-As for the air filter itself, you can buy the cheaper one which is a bit smaller at $19.99 or the slightly larger one that is $24.99 (which I have). Both come with 1 hose clamp and inserts for 3", 3.5" and 4" pipes. With this system you use the 3".
-(1) MAF adapter (not pictured) part # 8148 - $4.99 - this will allow you to attach the rubber coupler at the top left in the photo below to the stock MAF sensor.



This setup works well in my '91 SE-R right now. I previously had one of those enormous K&N cone filters hooked up directly to the MAF but we know that cold air is better (7-8HP in places over the short ram intake in dyno charts).

This setup puts the air filter right near the left front fender, and I plan on getting another extension pipe, probably another 22 degree elbow to extend the air filter further into the fender well for more cold air. So it would then be a $75 true cold air intake.

Hope this helps anyone who is on a budget and frequents Autozone

EDIT: I added a 60 degree elbow to the project, part # 86680 - this goes between the filter itself and the 45 degree part and extends the air filter into the fenderwell, making it a full cold air intake, but also bumps the price to around $74.00 total

UPDATE ON PAGE 3, but for those of you who don't feel like going there, here's the post:

Driving impressions:

LOUD. Much louder. I had experimented just the standard short-ram warm air intake, running that with a few extra pipes down with the filter sitting to the side of the battery, running just a pipe with no air filter down near the hole created for the filter (just for a few miles to test it) and now with the air filter fully "submerged" behind the bumper in the inner fender well. I have to say that this setup seems to be the best, it sounds great (but only when you "get on it" - and although I have not run official dyno tests, it def feels to have more power especially midrange, between 5000 and 6500 RPMS. I have the JDM 10:1 SR20DE, but with stock cams, Hotshot header, and custom exhaust (although a somewhat restrictive muffler, though it sounds good) and I think the engine in it's current state begins to run out of breath past 6600RPMS. I believe the JWT S4 cams and JWT ECU would make a world of difference. I also believe the ignition timing is set only around 12 degrees which I haven't gotten around to advancing.

wha 8hp? I got an AEM cai and it feels the same lol

you also need a breather for the oil catch can if you're going from stock to this,
and a 3 inch drill bit thing to get the pipe into the fender, mine didn't have it
lol sorry don't mean to be a dick

The oil catch can in mine is not effected, it's still there. But I have a JDM SR20. ?

I was checking out some of the dyno charts and saw where the CAI made 7 to 8 HP over the short ram.

Back in the day we didn't have those elbows in autozone for sure. That's a nice little setup there but actually no we don't know that.

This one has been dug up and put to bed a few times in the years you were sans SE-R. A lot of dynos and timeslips argued over and there's still people in both camps for sure and as far as intakes go there's a few strategies.

We didn't used to think stock intake manifolds were a restriction either but there weren't a lot of 9000+rpm SRs either.

Back when I first joined the forum I tried to do the same, I got shunned by forum members and took it back. Boy where they pissed at autozone

The only thing I would change is the filter, get a flow stack, BPi, Blox, and 6" filter and it should be very good

well the only difference if I've seen is just about 1-5whp difference
and it was on our all motor dyne sheet thread

Cool-air Intake

Comments by Mike Kojima

I have extensively tested the CAI and the POP on the dyno and have found that CAI produces more power than the POP alone from 3500 rpm to the fuel cut. The gains were 8 hp@5500 rpm and 3 hp at the power peak.

Yes, thank you