# Do It Yourself CAI ??



## Christrit (Jun 23, 2012)

Has anyone tried to make their own custom CAI intake rather than buying the brand name kits?

It looks fairly simple to make if you have the right equipment... 

Would be nice to see some work if anyone has....


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## smoove87 (Jul 9, 2012)

I'm working on a build tomorrow. Just got my mass air adapter in the mail today. I will post some pics when its finished.

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## Christrit (Jun 23, 2012)

Where did you order the MAF adapter. ?


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## smoove87 (Jul 9, 2012)

Found one on eBay for $6 brand new. Autozone has them but will probably need to be sent from the warehouse. I plan on getting the rest of the pieces at Autozone in the morning because they are always in stock.

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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

I'm no rocket scientist but I'm going to go with, NO.


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## smoove87 (Jul 9, 2012)

Mick said:


> I'm no rocket scientist but I'm going to go with, NO.


Why do you think this won't work?

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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

smoove87 said:


> Why do you think this won't work?
> 
> Sent from my PC36100 using AutoGuide.Com Free App


Unlike many older. Cars where the MAF sensor was inside the throttle body behind a specialized honeycomb screen, the Cruze MAF sensor is inside the intake piping. Did you notice the hair dryer looking thing at the end of the stock airbox? That's there for a purpose. Did you notice the little pipe inside the tubing of the Injen intake? 

You need to find a way to reduce turbulence in the incoming air charge as it has to through a significant bend right before going to the MAF sensor. 

My recommendation is to run out to a junkyard and grab a few of those MAF screens off of GM V6 throttle bodies and glue it inside your intake tube right before the MAF so the air is smoothed out and you get an accurate reading. Do a google search for MAF screen to get a better idea of what I'm talking about. It's not just as simple as attaching a few bent aluminum tubes. 

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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Good luck getting those MAF screens out without buggering it up. 

I'd like to hear more results of the DIY CAI, if for nothing else than proving whether it's doable and makes any difference. My bet is that any difference will be in sound only, as the stock airbox is pretty good once the resonators are removed.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

sciphi said:


> Good luck getting those MAF screens out without buggering it up.
> 
> I'd like to hear more results of the DIY CAI, if for nothing else than proving whether it's doable and makes any difference. My bet is that any difference will be in sound only, as the stock airbox is pretty good once the resonators are removed.


If you have snap ring pliers, it's very easy to get them off of 3800 engines, and there are lots of those in junkyards.


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## smoove87 (Jul 9, 2012)

The DIY cai is working great. No codes thrown and there is definatly a sound difference.

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## smoove87 (Jul 9, 2012)

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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

And, how does it run?


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## smoove87 (Jul 9, 2012)

Runs great. Now its time for datalogging to make sure I'm getting the most out of my tune.

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## JAFO (Jun 27, 2012)

Looks good to me.... What did you use to make it? Maybe a video so we can hear it?!?!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

smoove87 said:


> The DIY cai is working great. No codes thrown and there is definatly a sound difference.
> 
> Sent from my PC36100 using AutoGuide.Com Free App


To be clear, that's not a CAI. CAI is an acronym for cold air intake. That's a warm/hot air intake, otherwise known as a short ram intake. It sucks in air from the highest and hottest area in the engine bay. A cold air intake is separated from the engine bay, typically lower down in the engine bay like the Injen or completely sealed off from the engine bay like in other vehicles to allow it to truly pull in cold air. 

Are those plastic elbows, or chrome covered, mandrel bent aluminum?


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## Toyotech (Aug 17, 2012)

They look like spectre so plastic.

I'll be tackling a cold air intake hopefully next week after my wife has our baby 

I have an old gm adapter for this maf and have 2 seperate air diffusers including honeycomb along with a ton of aluminum tubing/welder/fittings.


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## kjbcruz12 (Sep 23, 2012)

Looks good man! Props


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

smoove87 said:


> The DIY cai is working great. No codes thrown and there is definatly a sound difference.
> 
> Sent from my PC36100 using AutoGuide.Com Free App


Why isn't the air filter centered on the flange and what is holding that end in place?


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## smoove87 (Jul 9, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> To be clear, that's not a CAI. CAI is an acronym for cold air intake. That's a warm/hot air intake, otherwise known as a short ram intake. It sucks in air from the highest and hottest area in the engine bay. A cold air intake is separated from the engine bay, typically lower down in the engine bay like the Injen or completely sealed off from the engine bay like in other vehicles to allow it to truly pull in cold air.
> 
> Are those plastic elbows, or chrome covered, mandrel bent aluminum?


XR, true this is a SRI. The elbows are chrome covered plastic. i could have used mandrel bent aluminum but would have doubled the cost. 



> Why isn't the air filter centered on the flange and what is holding that end in place?


The filter is now centered. The picture was taken while i was waiting for my paint to dry on the support I made out of some extra aluminum I had laying around.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

smoove87 said:


> XR, true this is a SRI. The elbows are chrome covered plastic. i could have used mandrel bent aluminum but would have doubled the cost.
> 
> 
> 
> The filter is now centered. The picture was taken while i was waiting for my paint to dry on the support I made out of some extra aluminum I had laying around.


Nothing wrong with plastic really, as long as it seals well where it needs to. What did your total cost end up being?

One area of concern is the inner pipe diameter where the MAF sensor sits. What is the diameter of the stock pipe, and what is the diameter of the new one? Any variation there will need to be tuned for as the engine will otherwise run lean. Just something to throw out there for others who are considering doing something like this in lieu of purchasing a retail alternative.


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## smoove87 (Jul 9, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Nothing wrong with plastic really, as long as it seals well where it needs to. What did your total cost end up being?
> 
> One area of concern is the inner pipe diameter where the MAF sensor sits. What is the diameter of the stock pipe, and what is the diameter of the new one? Any variation there will need to be tuned for as the engine will otherwise run lean. Just something to throw out there for others who are considering doing something like this in lieu of purchasing a retail alternative.


The cost ended up at $62. I used a 2.75" velocity tube inside the MAF adapter.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

smoove87 said:


> The cost ended up at $62. I used a 2.75" velocity tube inside the MAF adapter.


What exactly is a velocity tube?

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## nickys68chevy (Jun 2, 2011)

heres an example of a injen/diy CAI
i covered the injen cai with aluminized fiberglass, and then went over that with aluminum foil tape. 
when the cruze is in motion the intake temp stays within 3-5 degrees of ambient.


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## Toyotech (Aug 17, 2012)

Its just a diffuser to change air velocity due to most of newer vehicles with aftermarket maf issues.


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## Hatje (Jun 23, 2011)

Looks great what parts did you use and where did you get them?


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## smoove87 (Jul 9, 2012)

Hatje said:


> Looks great what parts did you use and where did you get them?


I got the mas adapter on eBay and the rest of the spectre parts from Autozone. 

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