My new DIY cold air box/intake heat shield.
05-15-2009, 06:41 PM
#1
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My new DIY cold air box/intake heat shield.
The weather is warming up and so are my intake temps. Its time to lose the filter on the compressor laziness and do something better about this. First I just cut a piece of my extra IC piping to move the filter up and behind the headlight. This is my first ever sheet metal project.
Next I started making the box out of cardboard:
Got my basic shape and stuck some wooden skewers in the cardboard like so:
If you notice, its got the contour of the hood. I stuck those skewers in there and closed the hood on them to get the shape. Learned this from some DSM forum a while back.
Next I took out the cardboard, traced it onto the aluminum sheet I got and busted out the dremel and went to town.
Its not DIY without JBW!
And finally
So for a few dollars, many dremel cutoff wheels and not too much blood (sheet metal is sharp) and you can make one too! Is it pretty? No. Does it work? Probably. I wanted a complete box like the BEGi one, but my filter is too tall and the hood barely closes as it is.
Next up is a heatshield between the mani and the compressor/inlet pipe.
Next I started making the box out of cardboard:
Got my basic shape and stuck some wooden skewers in the cardboard like so:
If you notice, its got the contour of the hood. I stuck those skewers in there and closed the hood on them to get the shape. Learned this from some DSM forum a while back.
Next I took out the cardboard, traced it onto the aluminum sheet I got and busted out the dremel and went to town.
Its not DIY without JBW!
And finally
So for a few dollars, many dremel cutoff wheels and not too much blood (sheet metal is sharp) and you can make one too! Is it pretty? No. Does it work? Probably. I wanted a complete box like the BEGi one, but my filter is too tall and the hood barely closes as it is.
Next up is a heatshield between the mani and the compressor/inlet pipe.
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05-15-2009, 11:38 PM
#10
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I wouldn't paint it. The aluminum obviously won't rust, and the paint will just flake and chip over time. That's why I love aluminum, it looks pretty bare and won't rust. I'm a big supporter of unpainted valve covers too.
I need to get a smaller filter and do something similar, my filter's right behind the radiator, I hear the air's not very cold there.
I need to get a smaller filter and do something similar, my filter's right behind the radiator, I hear the air's not very cold there.
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05-16-2009, 02:47 AM
#13
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thanks for the kind words guys.
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05-16-2009, 05:34 PM
#18
I used to have that problem. Then I invested in a diamond cutting wheel. Had it for a couple of years now and it's as sharp and strong as day one. I highly recommend this - saves you $$ on standard cutoff wheels and saves lots of hassle!
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Attachme...l.aspx?pid=545
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Attachme...l.aspx?pid=545
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05-16-2009, 07:50 PM
#19
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I used to have that problem. Then I invested in a diamond cutting wheel. Had it for a couple of years now and it's as sharp and strong as day one. I highly recommend this - saves you $$ on standard cutoff wheels and saves lots of hassle!
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Attachme...l.aspx?pid=545
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Attachme...l.aspx?pid=545
A word of advice to those doing the skewer trick: my hood isn't closing quite right because I didn't factor in the additional height of the rubber hose. Keep that in mind if/when you build yours. I'm going to have to cut it down a bit, I know exactly where it's too high.
I cant wait to get started on my exhaust heat shielding. I'm still planning it out but I wanna double up the aluminum and put something in the middle.
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05-16-2009, 08:50 PM
#20
awesome! looks good. i wish my piping was routed differently so i could do that too. fyi, i cut lots of alum. sheet for all the little projects on my cars. i tried 6 different methods and nothing worked as good as my buddy's band saw at his work. well, i can't always use that so i had to get something for my garage, but didn't want to spend the $$$ on a band saw. my last hope before spending 399.99 on a band saw was a regular old jigsaw from sears. i was able to find 1 pack of alum. cutting blades and took it home to try it. that jigsaw cut through the aluminum sheet like the proverbial ''hot knife through butter'' total cost - $45.00.
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