Easy Cheap Intake Mod Simple Enough for Idiots

[scottyb]

The following is a very simple and easy Mod to increase air flow through the stock airbox. It is basically a tutorial for a Mod that Stan did quite some time ago. According to Stan, Randy, and others the best intake has been this modification to the air box. There are pros and cons to this mod as well:

Cons:
Louder Exhaust Note
Pros:
Louder Exhaust Note
Slightly better Hp results according to both Stan & Randy's Analysis
No CELs

This mod can be performed in 20 minutes.

Tools required:
Torque Wrench
Philips Screw Driver
Flat Screw Driver
Jack
Wheel Wedge

[scottyb]

First get a jack and also place a wedge behind the passenger rear wheel and jack the Elise up using a proper jacking point.

[scottyb]

Next remove the drivers side rear wheel. I realize there are quite a few members who may be hesitant to do this, trust me it's easy to do.

Then remove the Wheel Liner. All you need to do this is a Philips screwdriver. You loosen the plastic retaining screws in the liner. I think there are 5. The liner then comes out nice and easy. You now have a nice easy access area to work from.

[scottyb]

The last picture shows the cardboard/felt lined intake snorkel. This is held on by a single black plastic clip on the top of the air box. Place a regular screwdriver in between the retaining clips metal and the top of the air box and you can pop this clip out in no time. Then you simply slide off the snorkel from inside the wheel well.

[scottyb]

Here is a picture of a velocity funnel I picked up at Auto Zone along with the rubber coupler. I think the parts were under $20. Sorry about the crappy pictures. The part number on the Velocity Funnel is 8788.

[scottyb]

You will notice that there is a restriction on the amount of overlap in one corner of the stock air box which makes fitting the coupler a little tricky. I simply cut a section of the rubber coupler so it would fit better and could be secured properly.

[scottyb]

I then slid the Velocity Funnel on the other end. It just fit without having to alter the funnel. I did flex the coupler a little though. I then tightened the clamp for the funnel. After that I checked the whole setup by wiggling it the air box to make sure everything was secure. After that I replaced the wheel Liner and then the Wheel. I do recommend that anyone who removes their wheel, have a good torque wrench available for putting the wheel back on to spec.

[Boosted2.0]

Originally Posted by scottyb

Pros:
Slightly better Hp results according to both Stan & Randy's Analysis

Careful with those claims - unless you have before and after dynos on the same day at the same dyno on a stand in a lab the folks here will not believe that it actually makes power


Great writeup - well done!

[choi0706]

does the vstack touch the upper clam? the clearance seems pretty close, enough for a bump to crack it..

[Ian]

Very nice writeup; Thanks! I removed my snorkel a month or so ago, but now I'm thinking of adding the funnel as well.

Ian

[zvezdah1]

Exc. writeup scotty! Question for everyone, what's the purpose of the rubber snorkel anyway, my duc 996 had them took em out early on.

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by choi0706

does the vstack touch the upper clam? the clearance seems pretty close, enough for a bump to crack it..

The funnel is plastic and it is wedged against the clam pretty tight. If I find that it is making noise I will put a cushion between the two.

[scottyb]

Originally Posted by zvezdah1

Exc. writeup scotty! Question for everyone, what's the purpose of the rubber snorkel anyway, my duc 996 had them took em out early on.

Snorkel is simply to reduce engine noise.

[zvezdah1]

thanks scotty!

[CountTracula]

Nice write up. Thanks.

[R'elise Me]

I'm wondering if removing the snorkel hurts the fuel/air density since the intake air temp would presumably increase. Do you think the air tem in the body cavity is higher than the end of the snorkel air temp?

I wouldn't mind a more interesting motor sound, but I certainly don't want to hurt the HP output.

Randy - can you back this claim up?

[Randy Chase]

I can. I did not use that funnel thingie, but we dynoed the intake without the snorkel. Keep in mind that the intake is a Toyota designed part, not one designed by Lotus.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

I can.

So what are you confirming exactly, that snorkel delete helped or hurt?

[Randy Chase]

We concluded that removing the snorkel helped hp. If a very small amount. In a dyno setting.

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

We concluded that removing the snorkel helped hp. If a very small amount. In a dyno setting.

Well, since the car was not moving this might not be a conclusive test. Since the snorkel is partially in open air when the car is moving, it might decrease intake temps slightly.