Air Intake Options
Discussion
I have a Chimaera 500, mine for a few weeks now. The air intake system needs some attention.
The current system is as follows;
72mm plenum (76mm outer diameter).
blue elbow silicone hose is actually a narrower diameter than the plenum inlet and steps down from 76mm as it leaves the plenum before the curve,
No AFM
The black carbon looking cone has 102mm inlet and outlet and houses a K&N cone filter which is in good condition, although gets very hot due to its location.
The black air feed pipe to the filter is very poor condition, and is only just long enough to just reach through the bulkhead next to the radiator.
The hole in the bulkhead has been enlarged and the 102mm air pipe just goes through it, although it deforms to more of a square. I think the hole could be reshaped to make it more round and suited to a 102mm pipe but it will be a tight fit next to the radiator.
There is an air temp sensor mounted in the black inlet pipe but it gets hot and gives duff readings due to its location.
I want to relocate the air temp sensor and filter to avoid heat soak. I also want to change the elbow as it seems daft for it to narrow so close to the plenum.
I have looked at a few options.
1. Replace the entire system with an ACT Performance intake with new filter. Fit the air temp sensor in the pipe near to the air filter which moves it to a cooler place in the nose of the car. Cost will be about £240
2. Replace the elbow with a 76 to 102mm silicone reducer elbow. Run a 102mm flexible, smooth internal wall, pipe from the elbow through the bulkhead to the existing K&N filter re-located in the nose of the car, perhaps behind the nearside indicator. Optionally run a air intake pipe from the filter to near to the main front grill. Fit the air temp sensor in the pipe near the air filter. Cost will be £100 using
http://www.autosiliconehoses.com/silicone-polyeste...
http://www.autosiliconehoses.com/silicone-2-ply-ai...
http://www.autosiliconehoses.com/custom-alloy-stra...
optional extra to bring in cold air through the grill
http://www.autosiliconehoses.com/silicone-hose-sho...
3. similar to number 2, but use a normal 76mm elbow, with a 76mm pipe. Use a 76 to 102mm reducer pipe in the nose of the car to attach the existing K&N filer. This solution would be easier to route through the bulkhead than the 102mm pipe. Cost will be about £100
I could always put a new filter with option 2 or 3.
While I am happy to do the work, I am not sure which system would be best. The ACT one seems appealing but the cost puts me off a little bit. If anyone has any suggestions or comments, I would appreciate some help.
The current system is as follows;
72mm plenum (76mm outer diameter).
blue elbow silicone hose is actually a narrower diameter than the plenum inlet and steps down from 76mm as it leaves the plenum before the curve,
No AFM
The black carbon looking cone has 102mm inlet and outlet and houses a K&N cone filter which is in good condition, although gets very hot due to its location.
The black air feed pipe to the filter is very poor condition, and is only just long enough to just reach through the bulkhead next to the radiator.
The hole in the bulkhead has been enlarged and the 102mm air pipe just goes through it, although it deforms to more of a square. I think the hole could be reshaped to make it more round and suited to a 102mm pipe but it will be a tight fit next to the radiator.
There is an air temp sensor mounted in the black inlet pipe but it gets hot and gives duff readings due to its location.
I want to relocate the air temp sensor and filter to avoid heat soak. I also want to change the elbow as it seems daft for it to narrow so close to the plenum.
I have looked at a few options.
1. Replace the entire system with an ACT Performance intake with new filter. Fit the air temp sensor in the pipe near to the air filter which moves it to a cooler place in the nose of the car. Cost will be about £240
2. Replace the elbow with a 76 to 102mm silicone reducer elbow. Run a 102mm flexible, smooth internal wall, pipe from the elbow through the bulkhead to the existing K&N filter re-located in the nose of the car, perhaps behind the nearside indicator. Optionally run a air intake pipe from the filter to near to the main front grill. Fit the air temp sensor in the pipe near the air filter. Cost will be £100 using
http://www.autosiliconehoses.com/silicone-polyeste...
http://www.autosiliconehoses.com/silicone-2-ply-ai...
http://www.autosiliconehoses.com/custom-alloy-stra...
optional extra to bring in cold air through the grill
http://www.autosiliconehoses.com/silicone-hose-sho...
3. similar to number 2, but use a normal 76mm elbow, with a 76mm pipe. Use a 76 to 102mm reducer pipe in the nose of the car to attach the existing K&N filer. This solution would be easier to route through the bulkhead than the 102mm pipe. Cost will be about £100
I could always put a new filter with option 2 or 3.
While I am happy to do the work, I am not sure which system would be best. The ACT one seems appealing but the cost puts me off a little bit. If anyone has any suggestions or comments, I would appreciate some help.
Edited by Smokey Boyer on Friday 15th May 09:48
Bit of an eyesore that!
Personally id probably go for the ACT kit as it should fit and match near perfectly. The problem with ordering your own parts is that your never quite sure if they are going to fit properly and you could end up wasting money.
If your confident those bits will fit then go for it, if its successful then post back as it does help others who may want to do the same job. Id personally ditch that awful looking 2 ply intake hose though for a smooth outer too, but that would probably mean using another elbow and joiner at the bottom.
Personally id probably go for the ACT kit as it should fit and match near perfectly. The problem with ordering your own parts is that your never quite sure if they are going to fit properly and you could end up wasting money.
If your confident those bits will fit then go for it, if its successful then post back as it does help others who may want to do the same job. Id personally ditch that awful looking 2 ply intake hose though for a smooth outer too, but that would probably mean using another elbow and joiner at the bottom.
Edited by ch427 on Friday 15th May 07:12
I've just ripped out the ACT smooth bore hose on my supercharged 450 as I believe I found a restriction in the 135 degree bend which runs from the bulkhead to the air filter connector. The hose at the tightest part of the bend was partly squashed and was quite soft compared to the rest of the hose, this led me to believe it may have been partially collapsing under load.
To remove this restriction I changed all silicon bends etc. to solid alloy pipework from Auto Silicone Hoses as follows:
Standard type Pipercross/K&N/Ramair air filter -76mm to 90mm 45 degree silicon joiner (cut down to suit) - 90mm 135 degree alloy bend (cut down to suit) just through bulkhead - 90mm silicon joiner - 90mm 45 degree solid alloy bend (cut down to suit) - 90mm silicon joiner - larger airflow meter - 90mm to 76mm silicon joiner - 76mm solid alloy straight - 76mm silicon joiner - supercharger plenum.
I only dropped to a 76mm straight to run past the supercharger as space between it and the inner wing is restricted.
I hope this makes sense. I'll put some pics up as soon as I can.
To remove this restriction I changed all silicon bends etc. to solid alloy pipework from Auto Silicone Hoses as follows:
Standard type Pipercross/K&N/Ramair air filter -76mm to 90mm 45 degree silicon joiner (cut down to suit) - 90mm 135 degree alloy bend (cut down to suit) just through bulkhead - 90mm silicon joiner - 90mm 45 degree solid alloy bend (cut down to suit) - 90mm silicon joiner - larger airflow meter - 90mm to 76mm silicon joiner - 76mm solid alloy straight - 76mm silicon joiner - supercharger plenum.
I only dropped to a 76mm straight to run past the supercharger as space between it and the inner wing is restricted.
I hope this makes sense. I'll put some pics up as soon as I can.
Edited by Richard 858 on Friday 15th May 08:09
Edited by Richard 858 on Friday 15th May 10:18
Edited by Richard 858 on Friday 15th May 20:05
This might help..
Original CF air box was designed to mate with the AFM, but had (not particularly attractive) airbox fabricated with 80mm ID at inlet point... hose is 80mm ID motorsport stuff, air temp sensor is screwed into the hose just before it goes through the bulkhead (to the side of the rad), and filter is just inside the doggy bite, so it gets a bit of 'ram air' effect..
Original CF air box was designed to mate with the AFM, but had (not particularly attractive) airbox fabricated with 80mm ID at inlet point... hose is 80mm ID motorsport stuff, air temp sensor is screwed into the hose just before it goes through the bulkhead (to the side of the rad), and filter is just inside the doggy bite, so it gets a bit of 'ram air' effect..
As has been said ^^^^ 
and that filter where it is looks as though it will act like a heat exchanger, not what you want. [who thought that was a good idea?]
The cost?
depends if you want it right or not, seems a small price to me.
and that filter where it is looks as though it will act like a heat exchanger, not what you want. [who thought that was a good idea?] The cost?
depends if you want it right or not, seems a small price to me.Edited by macdeb on Friday 15th May 20:22
Edited by macdeb on Friday 15th May 20:22
i can`t believe that clock work 14cux controls that lot !
I can now see why the large carbon cone filter is where it is. Very tight for space in the nose of the car. I thought it would fit in fine until tried it. It does fit but I think I would end up squashing the air hose if I position it to avoid blocking the air flow to the radiator, which sort of defeats the point of having a 102mm diameter pipe.
I also think the default ACT kit is not going to the suitable as the reservoir and pipes for the power steering pump are going to be in the way.
I also think the default ACT kit is not going to the suitable as the reservoir and pipes for the power steering pump are going to be in the way.
Smokey Boyer said:
I think going for a pipercross or K&N standard cylinder type filter is going to be my only sensible option now. Where would the filter be mounted normally? How it the filter normally held in place?
On mine its attached to a bracket that bolts through the nose cone underside, sits in front of the rad.[quote=ch427]
On mine its attached to a bracket that bolts through the nose cone underside, sits in front of the rad.
[/quote
I have the ACT induction kit ,it was tested on the dyno connected then using a straight piece of smooth bore pipe with no air filter .
The bhp and Torque was exactly the same so the ACT induction kit is doing its job .
Maybe this helps
On mine its attached to a bracket that bolts through the nose cone underside, sits in front of the rad.
[/quote
I have the ACT induction kit ,it was tested on the dyno connected then using a straight piece of smooth bore pipe with no air filter .
The bhp and Torque was exactly the same so the ACT induction kit is doing its job .
Maybe this helps
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