Cold air Intake? - Not a Joke or Noob question

agreed, the last thing I want is the ridgid pipe to smack into a hard A/C line. The top flexable 90-degree 1.5" coupler that connects to the airbox allowes for engine movement, I checked the clearances for the 2" pipe, and the pictures make it look like it's resting on the thin A/C line, but actually there is room for movement without hitting the line. I just picked up the final 3" segment and 3" 90-degree flexable coupler. I'll probably have it installed tonight, and a list of parts and pictures up tomorrow. But radiator hose is a good idea and easier to fit into that small space and weave it around the A/C lines.

 

What most people on priuschat think of when you say the words "Cold Air Intake"


What I think of when I say "Cold Air Intake"

 

Ford probe... with lots of money spent to look like that... Someone somewhere is really proud of it, at least the body-kit isn't installed with drywall screws, or cracked in a thousand places from slamming into curbs!

Okay so here are some photo's of the second design with the K&N cone filter:



I felt that the cone of the filter was shoved up too closely to the bumper cover, so I tried moving it around, and the metal support brackets got all mangled up, so I decided just to install it hanging straight down.

Here is the final install:



I'll include a parts list tomorrow or in the near future if anyone else would like to make one.
The ICE isn't louder, and it's not Ricer... The car accelerates smoothly, More so that the stock intake. To be clear - I'm not WOT. I'm just barely touching the gas pedal, the car will move forward with less pressure on the pedal. You don't have to believe me - But it's true, and it's not my fault that most of you are just sheep following the heard. Don't be a coward - try something new.

 

Warning: California residents only: (as if no one else but Californians will die or be harmed from this) please note per Proposition 65, this product may contain one or more chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and/or other reproductive harm. (aka: PVC can kill you – so don’t eat it.) Wash hands after handling or using this product, and contact the manufacturer(s) for information regarding the chemicals that may be contained in these products.

This project may require the use of PVC products. This plastic is known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and other bodily harm. Do not eat it, burn and inhale the smoke, or liquefy it and add it to your baked potato, it is not butter or sour cream. - Please do not attempt to ingest PVC in any way. Clean up the shavings and left over pieces and dispose of them in accordance with your local laws. Contact your local representative to inquire about the safe and proper handling of PVC products.

This project is performed at your own risk, it is assumed that by attempting this or any other DIY (Do It Yourself) project (hereby referred to as “DIY project”) you acknowledge that you are competent enough to handle sharp objects, and are intelligent enough to know that cutting off your arm or slitting your wrist may kill you. Pricking your finger may not kill you immediately , but left unattended the wound may become infected and the infection may kill you. If you look at the sun directly, you may go blind or cause significant eye damage. – Please don’t look at the sun. Please don’t play with knives or shoot yourself or others with projectile devices, firearms, nail guns etc. As this may result in your death and death of those around you. Treat all firearms as if they were loaded, regardless if they are actually loaded or unloaded. Do not play with fire, you can and will most likely get burned. Do not attempt to breathe fire, let street performers, and circus personnel perform those types of actions. Wear gloves, safety goggles/glasses, and other OSHA required attire for this DIY project.

This DIY project may require the use of spray paint, only use spray paint for it’s intended purpose and follow the manufactures instructions. Please contact the manufacture for a MSDS data sheet. Do not add spray paint to your food, it is not salt, ingesting spray paint may cause permanent damage to your central nervous system, which may result in death. Do not spray the paint at yourself or others as this may result in choking and death. Do not spray in eyes, this may cause blindness and other damage to your body. Do not use as bug spray, spray paint is not bug repellant, or an insecticide. Do not attempt to breath spray paint, this can cause damage to your internal organs, destroy brain cells, and damage your central nervous system which may result in death. Contact your local paint dealer or manufacturer for further questions.

The author of this post does not make any claims or warrantees for your work during this DIY project nor does the author provide ANY implied warranties, warranties of merchantability, or warranties of fitness-for-a-particular-purpose of this DIY project. This DIY project is done solely at your own risk and own volition. If you are having doubts about your capability of completing this project – don’t attempt this project. If you are unsure about how to safely and properly handle PVC products – Don’t attempt this project. If you are unsure of who you are, and you seem to have forgotten your first and last name – Don’t attempt this project. If you don’t know what year it is, and unsure about who the current president is – don’t attempt this project. If your eyesight is so bad that you have a guide-dog – PLEASE! Don’t attempt this project (you probably shouldn’t be driving either). By reading the instructions below, you acknowledge that you have read and understand the disclaimer above, and completely indemnify and absolve the author of any potential law-suit, pre or post the DIY project.

 

Prior to any work being performed you must read and agree to the above disclamer.


Tools required:

1. Miter box and Fine-tooth Hacksaw (or PVC pipe cutter)
2. PVC Purple Primer and PVC Glue
3. Measuring tape
4. Clamp (or have friend help in holding the pipe while cutting)
5. Heat gun (or hair-dryer)
6. Sharpie marker (or pencil)
7. 320 Grit sand paper and alcohol wipe (if painting is desired)
8. 1 Can of High temperature spray paint (if desired)
9. ¼ inch drive socket set
10. Scissors (or knife)

Supplies required: (all can be sourced from Lowes or local hardware store except the K&N cone filter, go to www.Kandn.com or other supplier to order)

1. 1 ½ inch 90-Degree wide sweep flexible elbow ( black rubber)
2. 1 ½ inch 60-Degree elbow
3. 1 ½ to 2 inch adapter
4. 2 inch 60-Degree elbow
5. 2 to 3 inch expanding adapter
6. Short section of 1 ½ inch PVC pipe
7. Short section of 2 inch PVC pipe
8. Short section of 3 inch PVC pipe
9. 3 inch PVC pipe hanger
10. K&N cone filter part number: RU-4410
11. Black rubber door edge guard (about 4 inches)


Action to be taken:

1. Remove passenger (US-Right) headlight using 10mm socket.
See youtube video for instruction on how to remove the headlight assembly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zG2BPEK0dQ

2. Remove Upper and lower sections of the OEM air intake, remove large resonator (three 10mm bolts).

3. Use heat gun (hair dryer) to heat the rubber door edge guard (just warm it up, doesn’t need to be hot!) and work the edge trim into a circle. Apply the door edge guard to the precut hole where the OEM Resonator and OEM intake pipe use to be. This will prevent any vibration noise from the PVC pipe against the metal frame of the car. Trim away any excess with scissors or knife.

4. Use heat gun (hair dryer) to heat one end of the 1½ inch 90-Degree wide sweep flexible rubber elbow, the heat will make the rubber pliable, begin to stretch the opening to make the opening slightly larger than 1½ . Once you have made the opening wider attach this end of the rubber coupler to the OEM air-box. (this may take a few applications of heat, and stretching – be gentle otherwise you may tear the rubber opening.) The 90-degree elbow should point at about a 45-Degree angle facing toward the front of the engine bay.

5. Place the 1½ inch 60-Degree elbow next to the opening of the 90-degree rubber elbow, use the measuring tape to determine how long of a section you will need to connect the two pieces. (remember with the glue the parts will fit tighter than when fitted dry – without glue so add a bit to allow for shrinkage)
Use the miter box and hack-saw (or PVC pipe cutter) to cut the desired length of 1½ pipe. Attach (DRY NO GLUE YET) attach the short piece of PVC pipe to the rubber coupler, and 60-degree elbow.

6. Place the 1 ½ to 2 inch adapter next to the 60-Degree elbow, measure how much PVC pipe will be needed to join the two pieces. (as before add a bit to allow for shrinkage) Cut the length to join the 1 ½ to 2 inch adapter to the 60-degree elbow. This will be the upper section of the CAI.

7. Place the 2 inch 60-degree elbow next to the 2 to 3 inch adapter measure how much 2 inch pipe will be needed to join the two pieces. Assemble the pieces (DRY). This will be the lower section of the CAI.

8. Place the lower section of the CAI through the precut OEM hole, adjust the upper section of the CAI so that the openings face each other and can connect in a straight line. Be careful around the thin metal A/C line, make sure that the pipes have plenty of room and do not rest against the metal A/C line. (Adjust the dry fitted pieces as necessary) When everything lines up and the openings are away from the metal A/C line measure the distance between the two openings. (measure from the inside of the PVC fitting, not just the outside edge of the opening) Add a bit to adjust for shrinkage and cut the section of 2 inch PVC pipe to length. This is the CAI mid-section

9. Dry fit the 2 inch pipe to join the upper and lower sections of the CAI with the mid-section. Adjust pieces as necessary to have them fit properly and leave room around the metal A/C line.

10. Once pieces are aligned, mark with a pencil or sharpie marker, draw lines across the joints. That way when you apply the primer and glue you get all your angles correct. Mark all joints.

11. Remove all CAI components from the car and disassemble the CAI. Some where away from the car, in a location with proper ventilation and preferably wearing gloves apply the primer, and then PVC glue to both parts of the upper CAI (don’t need to glue to the rubber 90-degree as it has clamps)

When you insert the pieces together I recommend twisting the parts together, aligning the marks that you had made earlier (You have about 3 seconds until the glue is solid, so you have to be fast and not waste time aligning your marks.)

12. Once you have the upper, mid, and lower sections assembled, Let the CAI tube sit for about 5 minutes. The fully cure times may vary depending on what type of PVC glue you use but generally after 5 minutes you can handle the pvc without having to worry about pulling the joints apart.

13. Gently Sand the CAI with 320 grit sand paper, once sanded wipe off with the alcohol wipe

14. Apply masking tape to the section of PVC that will connect with the rubber 90-degree elbow (the spray paint – even if it’s dry will gel and create a mess when it comes in contact with the rubber parts – so don’t paint this area!)

15. In an approved open location with plenty of ventilation use the high-temp spray paint to paint the CAI. (3 light coats applied over time are better than 1 heavy coat!) use about 45 seconds flash time in-between coats. Once the CAI is painted wait and let the paint dry. (usually about 15 minutes)

16. Insert the CAI into the engine bay, by feeding the upper section through the OEM pre cut hole. You may have to twist the CAI to feed the entire upper section through.

17. Once feeded through the hole, attach it to the 90-Degree rubber elbow.

18. Take the 3 inch pipe hanger and K&N cone filter and measure how long of a section of 3 inch PVC pipe you will need to go from the 2 to 3 adapter and have space for the pipe hanger, and Cone filter. Cut to desired length. Do not assemble yet.

19. Attach the pipe hanger using the OEM mounting point for the Resonator box (see picture) you will have to cut and bend the hanger to fit properly. Be careful not damage the threads of the OEM mounting point while moving the pipe hanger around. Once you think you have the bracket bent where it will support the CAI remove the CAI and pipe hanger from car.

20. DRY Assemble the 3 inch pipe to the lower section of the CAI make sure that you have enough, and not too much pipe to accommodate the hanger, and filter. (if you have too much pipe you can push the filter on too far. This will not allow efficient air flow. The result is really bad gas mileage because the engine is being starved of air, and has to work hard to accelerate. Which is why you want to trim this section so that there is only enough exposed pipe to attach the cone filter.) Dry fit the 3 inch PVC pipe to the 2 to 3 inch adapter, then slide the pipe hanger onto the 3 inch PVC pipe section, then measure how much pipe (if any) needs to be trimmed off for the cone filter to fit. Once you have the length properly measured, remove the filter and hanger. Primer and glue this last section of Pipe onto the lower section of the CAI. (do not paint)

21. After the glue is fully cured install the CAI feeding the upper section of the CAI through the bottom of the precut OEM hole. Attach it to the 90-degree elbow, tighten with hose clamp.

22. Slide pipe hanger over the bottom section of the CAI and attach to the OEM mounting point reusing the bolts from the OEM resonator.

23. Attach the Cone filter to the bottom section of the CAI

24. Reinstall headlight.

25. Go drive your car - Enjoy!

 

I totally agree, but I've never seen a car that has such a small opening for the airbox! I guess the way around that is to use a hole saw and cut out a larger hole, then glue in a larger coupler / adapter? or redesign the entire airbox, MAF etc... I was just trying to do something simple, that could be easily converted back to stock if needed or if I ever chose to trade-in or sell etc... (if I traded my car in, it would only be on another Prius! - Unless Porsche releases a hybrid 911 turbo... )

 

I forgot that 10 baby seals and 2 humpbacked whales were saved today by people reading this post!

 

I thought of the same thing. The way I have it now, it's easy to use a pipe hanger to hold everything in place, without that pipe hanger everything will flop around with engine movement, and the intake pipe will be close to the metal A/C line, I really don't want to damage that!

Why don't you try and fab it up and show pictures of how your design works?

 

Did you ever get your's installed ? take some pictures once you have it in, I'd like to see what it looks like.

 

An interesting video, it's for the 2010 but has some great points that can be used on any year prius:

 

2012 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid Review - Review | Hybrid Cars
Toyota you've got some competition coming...now I need to start saving...hope I can have one by the time I turn 60... By then all the cars will be hydrogen or something else...v-blue energy or something.