Hey Billapex, Some guy Did.....

[BobF's 6POINT1]

....exaclty what we were talking about yesterday.

http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35585

[Cucamonga Red RT]

Any chance you can get us the pictures? It asks for log on

[BobF's 6POINT1]

The guy's post:

"Just installed a $10 CAI and a K & N filter, and utilized the stock air box. It draws air FROM behind the top of the grill on the driver's side. Air is routed via a 3 inch aluminum flex duct through the plastic "do nothing" panel behind the grill through the opening next to the headlight and INTO the front side of the air box. The coupling going INTO the air box is sealed with one inch soft foam stick-on weatherstripping. Haven't noticed any increase in noise level, which is OK with me. I'll have to drive it a little to see if mileage and/or performance increases. Can't hurt since it is now getting maybe twice the amount of air INTO the box than before. I also checked the fit of the coupling on the bottom intake where the ear drum is located. I am pretty sure one could completely remove the ear drum and a coupling can be mounted below with flex ducting running, unrestricted, to a good cool air souce. Sorry for the dirty car in the pictures. It's been raining off and on here for the last week"

Pics at the bottom of page
http://members.cox.net/instybob2/

[Cucamonga Red RT]

Thanks.

[zonian]

This is exactly what I was thinking....
additional air INTO the box FROM in front of the radiator + K&N drop-in filter = better

a few questions:

What was used as the coupling?
Is the new hole in the box 3" dia also?

Paul

[billapex]

Excellent! Seems like everyone's on the same track here! I'll see if I can get over to Home Depot in the next couple days to buy the materials and do it as well...

[BobF's 6POINT1]

I've got some 4" on hand. I have more than enough for both of us - if we can drill a hole that big in the front of the box. We just need to get something to mount it to the box. I was gonna cut some sleeve material and just make 1/2" wide rings and maybe epoxy it to the tube.

[magnuman]

I found the couplings at Home Depot in the plumbing dept. They were with the deck and patio drain stuff. They were two way couplings (to put two pipes together) and cost $1.98 each. UPC is 093552080439, Int coupling. Note: They can be cut and shaped real easy with a pair of tin snips or the like. They don't saw worth a crap. I had to go to a plumbing supply to find the 3 inch aluminum ducting as Home Depot didn't have it. You might also try Lowe's. That would have been my next stop. (It came in about a two foot length, but you only need about 8 inches.) On the air box I used a 3 1/2 inch hole saw (line hole up with opening next to headlight) and used 1 inch weather stripping wrapped around the coupling to seal it to the box. It's just a slip fit with nothing but the tension of the flex tubing holding it in place. I think you'll find that 4 inch ducting is too big, as it is a very tight fit working in there. If you can get it to work, you'll probably have to flatten it where it passes the headlight. To make it easier, but not as clean an installation, you could forget the couplings, just drill the holes, put weather stripping around the holes (overlapping INTO the hole), and just slide the flex through the weather strip seal at either end. I drilled a 3 inch hole in the plastic "do nothing" panel behind the grill because I wanted a tight fit there. Again, a 3 1/2 inch hole might work better because you have a little "wiggle room" in that tight space. I drilled the hole in the "do nothing" panel by using a 12 inch bit extender with the hole saw attached. I fed it in backwards FROM the inside of the grill out between the bars and drilled back toward the engine compartment. Worked slick as there is about 4 inches between the grill and the "do nothing" panel. I must say the panel is good for supporting the duct though. The whole job took me about 2 1/2 hours, including a trip to the tool place to get the bit extender. Hope this helps. Have fun.

[billapex]

I think you'll find that 4 inch ducting is too big, as it is a very tight fit working in there.

That was my thought as well. I'll probably try 3" or 3.5"...

[Rev.Hammer]

hehehehe... how about TWIN 3"-ers Y'ed down? or make the hose slightly oval the ends?

[shiltz]

i've been thinking about doing that exact same thing for a while now, only issue is the baffle that's in the way didn't look like it could be removed without taking off the nose of the car.

[magnuman]

Shiltz,
That baffle is what I called the plastic "do nothing" panel. You are right about removing it. There is one fastener on top and about 2 or 3 on the bottom. You can remove the bottom cover (under the nose to get to them if you want to remove it. I found that just drilling through it and using it to support the air duct worked just fine. See my post on the previous page about how I drilled through it. Works great. Hope this helps.

[C4me]

H-foot and I were discussing a very similar idea over a cool beverage the other day. His idea cuts out the airbox and uses .......... I better not tell his secrets, he does get pi$$ed so easily. But when he's sober, he's a fairly regular guy. BTW, he doesn't look like that photo he uses. He WISHES he looked like that!

:lol:

[billapex]

But when he's sober, he's a fairly regular guy.

Yeah, but if he can only come up with good ideas after he's a bit "hammered," better keep him liquored up!