poor man's intake

zslaton · Aug 11, 2004

I don't know how many of you cruise over to the SVT board, but someone pointed out this ingenious way to get a cheap intake. Do you know if it will work on a non-SVT vehicle? I too would like to get away with a $40 intake, although I would probably put a heat shield on the side of the cone filter closest to the engine.

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21865

[?]

S2 · Aug 11, 2004

Alot of people on here are doing this already. You actually get very similar gains too. As for the heatshield, unless it completely blocks off the filter from the engine bay area (where the heat is) it's not worth it. Honestly I would just not bother with a heat shield. Most short ram intakes, damn near all actually, don't come with a heat shield.

jpickles · Aug 11, 2004

That's sounds like a good idea. I may have to try that. If it works, then lot's of money in my pocket.

zslaton · Aug 11, 2004

S2 said:
Alot of people on here are doing this already. You actually get very similar gains too.

That is sweet. Most name brand systems go for $100 or more. The key has to be getting the bracket to hook to the end of the filter. The moment arm set up by dangling theat thing off the TB would be too much without the retention at the end.

So is it really as easy as getting that specific K&N filter and then chopping the stock air box in half?

S2 · Aug 11, 2004

Just remove the entire airbox and get the proper size K&N cone filter for the end of the MAF. You might have to fabricate a bracket to hold up the MAF and the new filter, not sure, that or use the bottom half of the intake box. The 'snorkle' near the front where the hood closes will still feed in cooler outside air to the hole in the bottom of the airbox so make sure to leave that installed. It can be left installed even if you remove the entire airbox.

S2 · Aug 11, 2004

The cone filter size you need at the inlet is 3" (76mm). It will be a tight fit but you should be able to squeeze it on. Heat it up a bit with a blowdryer (the rubber end) and that should give it enough play to fit it on to the end of the MAF. Also, use a ringclamp to tighten it down to the MAF to make sure if doesn't pop off.

EuroZX3 · Aug 11, 2004

u dont need anything besides the filter. 76mm or 3 " opening. u need to get a breather filter too though. ill post a pic of mine in a minute. S2's directions sound about right. u can let the filter kick it in the sun and it should be pliable enough. big hose clamp is a must.

mofocus · Aug 11, 2004

if by similar you mean less, you are correct

jpickles · Aug 11, 2004

Here's a stupid question...what's a breather filter and where does it go?

zslaton · Aug 11, 2004

EuroZX3 said:
u need to get a breather filter too though.

That was going to be my next question since the PCV tube mounts on the ambient air side of the filter in the stock configuration. Thanks for thinking ahead. [thumb]

zslaton · Aug 11, 2004

jpickles said:
Here's a stupid question...what's a breather filter and where does it go?

There is black rubber hose coming out of the "backside" of the engine on the cam cover. You will see that it routes to the bottom of the clean air box. This recycles gases from the crankcase that blow by the cylinders so that you don't build up pressure on the "backside" of the engine and make it more dificult for the piston to move through expansion strokes.

Those blowby gases used to vented to the atmosphere. But with the invention of pollution regulation they were one of the first sources to go. So now the gasoline fumes are reciruclated into the intake and the oil is seperated at the PCV nipple and returned to the engine.

Instead of keeping the hose on the cam cover, you would replace it with a breather filter, thus venting to the atmosphere. The name brand shorty intake systems solve this problem by rerouting the end of the hose that is on the stock air box to somewhere on the shorty intake.

mofocus · Aug 11, 2004

it goes on the hose coming off of the valve cover. its a little round filter usually

jpickles · Aug 11, 2004

Ok, so why would I need one of these if I haven't done anything but replace the filter on the air intake.

Just trying to understand, sorry for the stupidity.

mofocus · Aug 11, 2004

because b4 you replaced it it used the filter in the box

EuroZX3 · Aug 11, 2004

it needs filtered air. if you dont have it plugged into the air box (since its removed) you wont be getting filtered air. they are relatively cheap though u can get them at any auto parts store.

jpickles · Aug 11, 2004

Oh, I see. Good reason. Thanks for the info.

zslaton · Aug 12, 2004

I just went to Murray's and AutoZone, and neither one of them had breathers that would work on the focus. Murray's had APC breather caps, but the filter had such a large diameter that it contacted the fuel rail and stopped it from being fully engaged on the nipple. Any suggestions on a specific brand of breather filter and where I can find one? Thanks.

mofocus · Aug 12, 2004

i put mine on the end of the breather hose

EuroZX3 · Aug 12, 2004

mofocus said:
i put mine on the end of the breather hose

word ^^^ get a tiny hose clamp

whiteboyslo · Aug 12, 2004

they should have a breather filter with a rubber grommet-like setup on it. grab that and then walk over to wherever they have hose splices (usually in the Dorman HELP! section). find a hose splice that will fit in the hole in the "grommet," and then ram the other end of the splice into the stock breather hose. voila! if needed, i can post some pics of mine when i get home.

btw, as far as "mounting" the filter (the big one on the end of the MAFS) goes, all i did was ram one on and then just let it rest on top of the tranny mount. didn't hurt anything, but every once in a while i got an annoying rattle from it hitting up against the battery box.

Mike

poor man's intake

zslaton

S2

jpickles

zslaton

S2

S2

EuroZX3

mofocus

jpickles

zslaton

zslaton

mofocus

jpickles

mofocus

EuroZX3

jpickles

zslaton

mofocus

EuroZX3

whiteboyslo

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