Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Modified intake systems such as Cold Air and Short Ram improve vehicle performance and reduce fuel consumption. If you drive quietly, then the new intake system can pay off in fuel savings. This article describes in general terms how to replace an intake system, but since there are many vehicles on the market and there are several tuning intake systems for each of them, the manual for a specific product will be much more helpful.

Steps

1. 1 Find out the specifications of your vehicle. If you are the owner of a common model such as a Honda Civic or Volkswagen Jetta, you only need to know the model year, model and engine type. If you own a rarer model, it will be more difficult to find suitable parts. Owners of rare models should read the warnings section.
2. 2 Find out which intake systems are available on the market for your vehicle and choose the one that best suits you in terms of price and performance. The complete set with the new intake should include instructions that describe the characteristics and installation procedure for your car.
3. 3 If you have not chosen a cold intake system, then you can skip the next step. As you can see in the picture, if you have chosen a cold air intake system, you will not be able to install it from the top. To install such a system, the front of the vehicle must be lifted. You will need help and a good lift.
4. 4 Wait until the engine has completely cooled down. Disconnect the battery by first removing the minus, usually the black or transparent wire, and then the plus, usually the red wire.
5. 5 Remove the factory intake system. To do this, you need to remove the air filter itself, then the air filter housing, and then the plastic pipe that goes to the intake manifold. Usually these parts are held together with latches and metal clamps, which are tightened with a screwdriver. You will have to remove one or more sensors that provide information to the engine control unit. The sensors must be handled with great care.
6. 6 Do not discard the original intake system. If it turns out that something is wrong with the new intake system, you can install the old one. Keep the original system until you are sure the new one works well.
7. 7 Assemble the new intake system and secure with cable ties. If you bought a cold intake system, then most likely you will have to crawl under the car to complete the installation. Install all sensors from the original intake system to the new one. Once you have assembled the entire air line, install a new air filter.
8. 8 Check that all parts are well fixed. If the air line is loose, tighten the mounting bolts further. Reconnect the wires to the battery in reverse order.
9. 9 Try the new thing!

Tips

• Like any other filter, tuning filters need to be changed and cleaned periodically. Read the instructions for the filter to see if there are any recommendations for cleaning it.
• Although replacing the intake system is a fairly straightforward procedure, if you've never done it before, ask a more experienced friend to see if you're doing it right.
• There are several globally recognized firms making modified parts for a variety of models such as Advanced Engine Management (AEM), Injen, and K&N.

Warnings

• If you are installing cold air intake systems, the air will not be drawn from the engine compartment. The air intake in such systems is located either near the radiator grill or near the bumper. When driving through a deep puddle, remember that the air intake is now lower than usual and can suck in water. This can cause water hammer and severe engine damage. With such a system, you should be very careful when moving through puddles. Installing a safety valve will help solve the problem, but it will cost more.
• Always disconnect the battery before starting work.
• The modified intake system is not just a set of large diameter pipes. Every bend and cross-section is carefully calculated to ensure the greatest possible air flow. Using homemade intake systems can negatively affect engine performance and in some cases is dangerous.

What do you need

• New intake system
• Suitable air filter
• Screwdriver with bit set
• Clamps
• Flashlight to better see in hard-to-reach places