For those with CAIs [Archive] - Bimmerforums

Gene V

01-22-2003, 01:08 AM

Anyone install a duct, or drill holes, in their driver's side bumper above the brake duct/fog light & below the black plastic strip to enhance airflow to the CAI?

///Mr. Three

01-22-2003, 02:16 AM

Hey Gene,

I have the Dinan intake and I took it off the other day to realize that the hole is not drilled. I wonder if anyone could shed some light on how much such a hole makes a difference. I know that it would help the temp but consider all of the dirt and water................Some thoughts from everyone would be apprecitaed.

-alex

r6e36

01-22-2003, 01:45 PM

There is already a ducting behind the passenger side kidney grill. All you have to do is cut out the splash sheld to get maximum cold air flow.

Gene V

01-22-2003, 03:26 PM

Into the compartment created by the CAI enclosure?

Dinan330ic

01-22-2003, 03:59 PM

Originally posted by ///Mr. Three
Hey Gene,

I have the Dinan intake and I took it off the other day to realize that the hole is not drilled. I wonder if anyone could shed some light on how much such a hole makes a difference. I know that it would help the temp but consider all of the dirt and water................Some thoughts from everyone would be apprecitaed.

-alex

Yeah, I don't have this hole either even though Dinan installed iit.

robepa

01-22-2003, 05:27 PM

I have a Dinan with the cut out in the front bumper. I don't have a pic but it is square with rounded corners and about 2 by 6 in. My car is black and I have the black plastic "mesh" that covers the center section of the bumper covering the opening. It is not obvious on a black car.
I can't really say how much of a differance it makes, I had a friend tape over it and remove it while I sat in the car so I did not know if it was open or not. I could not tell a differance.
Part of this is I imagine it makes more of a differance the faster the car goes, but the acceleration slows the faster so...
I cover the opening most of the winter because of dirt and water where I am going to school (Walla^2 Wa)
Cheers
Paul

Gene V

01-22-2003, 05:31 PM

Robepa:

Did you do it yourself or have it done professionally? Did you do anything to sheild the horns & wiring in that area from moisture?

robepa

01-22-2003, 06:45 PM

I had a friend who has more experance with these things do it. Also My car is a 94 315 IS or now a 332IS. I did the cut out when I put oon the M3 bumper so it was just primered. I did nothing to protect the horns/wiring. It has been on for about 2 years now. Personally I like it. Custom but low profile and stock looking!
Paul

Dinan330ic

01-22-2003, 07:03 PM

Interesting....there's a hole in the bumper itself????

Gene V

01-22-2003, 07:15 PM

That's what I was asking: Has anyone installed a duct or drilled holes in the bumper...sounds like a neat mod...

Dinan330ic

01-22-2003, 07:59 PM

OH oh oh, I thought the hole was supposed to be on the top portion of the brake duct itself. That may be a good idea too.

robepa

01-22-2003, 08:08 PM

Yea in the front bumper above the fog light, abouth the same width. If it is placed in the right location you only have to cut threw the plastic. But there is a down side of more direct acess to the air filter for road grim. I being anal and a gear head am happy to upkeep the filter!
Paul

Casebrius

01-22-2003, 09:58 PM

pics Mr.3???

///Mr. Three

01-22-2003, 10:32 PM

Pics of what?

Drifto

01-22-2003, 11:54 PM

I cut a hole in trim piece under the head light and through the bumper as well. Made a duct to direct air onto the filter and it works great. How do I know? I went to the dyno Mon. and just for fun we hooked up a leaf blower and I put the nozzle right on the duct and turned it on when the dyno guy punched it~2,400rpms. It made 3-4hp and 4-5 ftlb throughout the entire range.

Drifto

01-22-2003, 11:59 PM

like this

Dinan330ic

01-23-2003, 12:09 AM

That's pretty cool!!!!

Croak

01-23-2003, 02:09 AM

Really not much point in cutting a hole in the brake duct for a Dinan CAI, the end of the filter is covered, so it's still breathing from the sides only, thermal issues are not really a problem with that CAI setup as it is.

Drifto's mod looks interesting though. And cool too. ;)

Drifto

01-23-2003, 08:55 AM

Can anyone guess what I made it out of? It looks an awful lot like the stock airbox baffle;) That's what too much free time in the basement will get you.

Casebrius

01-23-2003, 10:09 AM

So I can hook up a 10hp leaf blower to my CAI front end and gain a few HP - outstanding idea! I'll have to come up with a linkage from my throttle to leaf blower throttle though! Cheapest Super Charger I've ever heard of! Speaking of that, has anyone heard of those electric blower Super Chargers and do they work?

BrazeauRacing

01-23-2003, 10:54 AM

Originally posted by Gene V
Anyone install a duct, or drill holes, in their driver's side bumper above the brake duct/fog light & below the black plastic strip to enhance airflow to the CAI?
You can modifiy the driver's side brake duct by cutting a flap into it to redirect air up into the area that your filter is in. It may not directly feed air into the filter itself, but it will at least supply the area with cooler outside air.
http://www.brazeauracing.com/photos/airbox08.jpg

ASCH MAN

01-23-2003, 11:18 AM

Nice work on the brake duct. But shouldn't some of it be left open to actually cool the brake too? Also, what is the bump in the duct, looks like a factory cutout could be there?

BrazeauRacing

01-23-2003, 11:45 AM

Originally posted by AudioMan
Nice work on the brake duct. But shouldn't some of it be left open to actually cool the brake too? Also, what is the bump in the duct, looks like a factory cutout could be there?
Actually, that flap (and they angle that it's at) only blocks half of the original duct, so it's still functional as a brake duct. There's two bumps/indentations. I used the most rearward one for the flap (i could see it better from inside the engine bay, which would be a more direct air flow). I believe that one of the indentations is to mark where the euro snorkle installs.

Drifto

01-23-2003, 12:51 PM

Actually, the leaf blower was supposed to simulate air being forced in while driving, but I guess strapping an LB on thr front would work as well.

sacm3guy

01-23-2003, 12:56 PM

Check this one out at the AA website, maybe you could do something like this.
http://www.activeautowerke.com/cars/madmax/pages/MVC-006S_JPG.asp

Gene V

01-23-2003, 02:08 PM

And of course we have Ben Liaw's ram air...

http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/diy_ram_air.htm

arkie6

01-23-2003, 04:55 PM

After installing my Conforti intake, I relocated the horn to the ground stud on the fender and cut a small flap into the brake duct to direct some air up into the filter area. Later on, I was in Lowes hardware and came upon a 2" 90 degree bend black ABS drain/waste/vent fitting. I thought this would make a better funnel to get air from the brake duct up into the filter area and also provide a little ram air effect. Plus, it only cost 88 cents. I cut one of the bell ends off the fitting and then using a rounded file smoothed the edges on the cut end of the elbow. I then used the bell end that I cut off and used it as a template on the top of the brake duct - I just had to make sure that I was far enough forward so that the elbow wouldn't hit the air temp sensor in the duct. I used my fine tipped soldering iron to "cut" the hole out of the plastic, staying just inside the lines that I marked from the bell end so that the bell end remaining on the fitting wouldn't drop through the hole. I then dropped in the elbow and it fit like a champ. I then pulled it out and applied a little construction adhesive I had laying around (F26) to the exterior shoulder on the elbow bell fitting and slipped it back in the hole. It turned out pretty good. It looks almost factory except for that brownish F26, but that is only visible from the filter area. This only blocks about 1/2 of the brake duct area so the brakes still get some airflow.

AvusMPower

08-27-2003, 11:19 AM

Hey fellas I did a $20 ram-air also. Got an 8ft length of 2.5" shop-vac hose from lowes for $20, used a dremel tool to cut a round hole in the drivers side brake duct and ran the hose through it. The end of the hose takes up about 3/4 of the brake duct, so its not blocking all the air to my brakes, but directing a lot of it to my intake. I wrapped the other end in electrical tape so it fit snug in the end of my cone intake. I dont think water even makes it to the intake because the hose is ribbed and angled upward. Either way, I definantly noticed better pulling power as my speed increased. Its really noticeable running about 30mph and up. Just my $.02 for this discussion.

AvusMPower

08-27-2003, 11:19 AM

///Mr. Three

08-27-2003, 02:48 PM

Cool! Man this is an old ass thread.......lol

-Alex