[1mz-fe]

ok, so i taking a good hard look at the intake system this morning, trying to figure out just how to replace the stock accordian tubing with metal tubing. i noticed that, unlike the 2nd gen engines, there is that long plastic part that sticks off the throttle bodies and negotiates itself around to the airbox side of the bay, leaving at an akward angle. this cuts down the possibilities because the stock airbox outlet is at a similar angle but shifted over a few inches to the side. it would take a mandrel bend to make tubing feasible.

so what i'm asking some of you engine geniuses, is what can we do to that long plastic tube that leads into the throttle body T split? would it be dangerous to cut this plastic piece before the curve so we could get a "custom" fit with a rubber elbow that would then align with the airbox outlet? i guess if we cut it there'd be no lip to attach it to but we could always goose-neck it over the top and clamp it down real tight, right? i guess if it really comes down to it i could get a cone filter and remove the airbox and that would alleviate my problem but i laid down $50 for the filter and i don't really want to eat that. thanks if you can help me, guys.

 

[Starscream]

I am wondering the same thing. I would like to put in a chrome air tube also. Here is some pics of my "jimmy-rigged" air set up now. Yes, thats packaging tape to secure the steel air filter lol. Works good so far

Thanks

 

[79lilred]

I'm just thinking off top of my head, but what about flexible aluminum clothes dryer duct? It's not perfectly smooth like a piece of hard tube, but it's a lot smoother than the plastic acordian hose that's there now. Run it full length or use short pieces to mate a piece of hard tube to the air box and the T-pipe. Just a thought ......
-steve

 

[1mz-fe]

check out buschman's website, he's done exactly that to his car. but i was planning on using titanium tubing for this application. it is expensive but i can get it for nothing. the advantages are two-fold: 1, titanium has an outrageously LOW weight-to-strength ratio. i don't know the numbers, but trust me (i work for an exotic metal wholesaler, hence the free or cheap tubing). for an example, the particular alloy, OD, and wall-thickness of the tubing on my dad's titanium bicycle gives the tubing a tensile strength of over 150,000 lbs. the complete frame, including weld-wire, weighs in at something like 6 pounds. anyway, the second advantage to this material is that it is inherintly resistant to EXTREME high temperatures. titanium alloy is used almost exclusively in high-temp apps in aerospace such as fan blades in jet engines, just to name one of many. it's also used heavily in weight-reduction programs for products of a wide variety.

so, if i use titanium tubing it's already light (the weight of the tubing wouldn't make a LOT of difference in this case, but read on) and resistant to heat, which means i wouldn't have to insulate it. this would save lots of weight. plus, it would look VERY cool. i would also save weight by not having to paint the material with heat-insulation paint. this saves money as well.

still wish someone could give me a definate answer on whether or not it's ok to cut off that dumb plastic thing that the accordian tube attaches to.

 

[LymanSS]

lilred,
I've done that. A while back when I was fooling around with my intrepid, I went up to Home depot in the middle of the night (they're open 24/7 ) and got some of that dryer hose. I completly removed the plastic part, and ran the dryer hose directly off of the throttle bodies. I joined the two hoses together about halfway out. They ran into one larger piece of dryer hose. The results...nothing amazing. It sure was louder. But I can't say it was a ton faster. But I never did test it. One of these days I'll do it again, but in a more serious manner, and take the car to the track.

As for Titanium, its great, but good luck finding someone to fabricate stuff for you. Its also a bit expensive. Its a lot easier to get mandrel bent aluminum. Since you are only looking at an intake, the strength of Titanium isn't really needed. And the hassle wouldn't be worth it. It would almost be easier to hand cast the pieces out of fiberglass...or if you wanted to spend the extra money, out of carbon fiber.

Scott

 

[1mz-fe]

is there a lip or something where that plastic thing attaches to the throttle bodies? i guess i should take that dumb thing off and look at it more closely. also, what diameter is the inlet to the TBs? by eyeballing that plastic thing is smaller at the TB end then at the intake tube end.

glad you've done this mod, thanks for the help.

 

[LymanSS]

hehe...there is a little bit of a lip, but that didn't help me much. The dryer hose didn't want to be crimped on to the throttle bodies so I had to use (ghasp) duct tape. It worked ok, but it was a bit of a pain getting it sealed.

Scott

 

[1mz-fe]

i had a good chat with corey, who is the guy with the 94 es with the soon-to-be cold air kit and with the MSD ignition. pretty much we shut down my idea and agreed that the easiest way to do this mod is to go to an exhaust shop and get them to bend an aluminum tube that stretches from the airbox to that plastic thing. after that, spray the tube with heat-resistant paint. so much for my bright idea...

 

[kilrfx]

Here is what you need to do to get it to work on a 1st gen 3.5L. Go to home depot and get a rubber adapter that goes from 3" to 4". Then go to a muffler shop and get a 18" long piece of 4" diameter exhaust pipe. Attach the rubber adapter to the throttle body end and then put the exhaust pipe into the exposed end. Put whatever cone you want on the end and you have a nice custom air intake. I also added a brakcet that screwed into my fender so the intake didn't move around. I will try to take pictures tonight and post them so you guys see what I did.

 

[babyalex27]

what you guys need to do is to find somebody that knows people in the aftermarket industry. I was able to get a tube and filter off of some member for $66.00

 

[silver ghost]

A while bac I was tooling around with PVC piping to get rid of the plastic contraption the t-bodies feed off of. I started at he driver side body with a 90 degree elbow, ran a short section of straight pipe to a "T" connector, then to a 45 degree elbow where I was gonna put or make an adapter to run a straight pipe up to the cone filter. It all looked good in my head, I don't know why I stopped in the middle of it....come think of it, I'll be back in a little while (maybe it has merit, got renewed interest in that now)

What do you think?

 

[1mz-fe]

that plastic T thing is actually a well-designed part. there's not very much restriction in it. the accordian tube ****s up airflow much more than the rest of the intake.

 

[babyalex27]

THAT MADE UP INTAKE LOOKS LIKE IF IT CAME OFF A CLOTHES DRYIER!

 

[1mz-fe]

that's because they made it with dryer hose. it's a cheap and easy improvement.

 

[silver ghost]

You'd be surprised how well cheap **** works sometimes.

The plastic factory 'T' looks like it necks down in a few areas, that's why I was gonna replace it. I figured any flow improvement will benefit this engines' output. I stopped because I thought that the driver side t-body may starve for air from the right one sucking in all it can.

 

[1mz-fe]

i doubt that you'll see a very big amount of gain, if any. it's not likely to be worth the trouble.

 

[Wutang15m]

I have a very good suggestions on this guys. I recently had the customer factory tube connected to the kNN and the knn filter would get really really hot. Since it was next to the engine bay, because you guys know the factory tubing, does not extend all the way, from where the air comes in.

So what I did was I went to where I got my dual exhaust done and I told him to create a 3 inch tubing for me and he agreed. So he put it on and the only problem was the clamp. so I went down to home depot and got a rubber tubing clamp that is 3 inches on the top and then becomes 2 1/2 inches. So after I put it on. It kept on coming of so I shoved it in really good.

And what I did was bought this product called JD Welding. Its a high industrial glue that turns into metal. so I applied some of that to the rubber and whale it worked really good.

And yes I did realize a little more power since it gets better and colder air now. I will be taking PICS today or tomorrow of the whole car and stuff so you guys can see. I hope this helps.

 

[1mz-fe]

that's what i'm planning on doing as soon as i have the cash to back it up.

 

[gise1]

couldn't you get some like pvc pipe cut it to legth w/ elbows and like wrap it in some exhaust wrap or something to keep heat out?

 

[1mz-fe]

you probably could, but how much fun is that?