So I am attempting to follow BMW's lead and installed a CRZ stock airbox. Need to find a good drop in but for now here are my observations:

1) ST fuel trims are all over the place from -6 to +20 but stays around 8 to 14 and my long term trims are around there.

2) Giving it a few days to see but it seems to have lost some pep on the low end and has some more pep in the higher end. I find the RPM's going up smoothly to 4k

3) Need to give it a few more days of driving but the MPG's are a touch lower but I think the Idle-Learn procedure was the culprit there....and me driving harder than usual to test it out.

SO NOW to the topic of the thread....and the pics show it best:

Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet


So as the pics show I need to an extension for the bracket on the left and am using zip ties during this test period. There is one under it as well but am fine leaving it as it since the box is resting on it.

The snorkel needs some help though....I have used zips to get it into a position where I feel it is getting some air but would like to create a better bracket for it to rest on and catch some more air. A cleaner look would be nice also....

Any ideas? anyone have a hook up in Northern Georgia?

 

Here are the pics again....

 

So I've been driving with the crz airbox and stock filter for about 200 miles and it's growing on me. Thought the fuel trims are a bit wacky, they aren't indicative off a vacuum or air leak and my MPG have adjusted very quickly over the past 3 days : went from 27 day one to 31 and back to about 30 with my usual day of 6-10 stops a day (field rep for a fintech comp).

Here is where it falls from the various intakes and mods I've tried (1-quiet, 6- louder)

1) Stock airbox/Filter
2) Stock airbox/filter with resonator chamber cover removed
3) Stock airbox/KN drop in
4) Crz Airbox/Filter
5) Stock airbox/Kn drop in with resonator chamber cover removed
6) PRM intake


So the next step is to find a cheap but safe drop in though but so far I'm liking the sound balance....I'm also really liking how quickly the air temps drop when driving....about 20-30 degrees warmer than ambient. I need to get a little handy and crafty though since there are a few issues with the setup:

1) The snorkel blocks the ATF dipstick so in my case I will have to cut zip ties each time to get to it or if I'm lucky and get a bracket, will need to unhook the snorkel from the bracket to move it out of the way

2) Said snorkel sits right next to radiator return hose (which gets really hot) with it's opening right above the radiator....not really digging that setup

So after pouring through the old threads here on DIY intakes from the legendary Sid, Lyon, and others I'm thinking the next course of action is to route the snorkel, or snorkel replacement to the spot in front of the battery and just after the headlight. Apparently that is where the cool air hides in here.

What do you all think?

 

quite a few view, no replies, sad face

guess I should be talking about some JDM parts from a few years ago to get some.

Anyway, after almost a week of driving with the stock CRZ Airboz/Filter and a ratchet-ass inlet setup, I am just about sold on making this work. The cars feels more responsive and powerful and I think the cold air in the front is making all the difference. While my trims bounce around, they haven't it over +25 (went up to 22 for a split second while approaching a light) but my Mpg have gone up to a record high 31.2 mpg. Sure some posters here get more than that but here is my history:

NYC (6 years) - 25mpg-28mpg
GA (8 months) - 28

I think I'm getting the best of both "worlds" with this setup, warm air when fuel efficiency is needed, power on the highway when needed.

Only things I need now are brackets and a drop in AFE or K&N filter for the CRZ. I sourced the bracket for the engine side and a mounting bracket for the inlet and hope they are the ones BMW Alpina are using on his setup.

I know I'll have to remove this and move the snorkel every time I want to check or refill the ATF, but it's worth it. Keeping my stock box in the back just in case but so far so good.

Switching back and forth from stock intake to modded or hacked up ones has shown the types of engine sounds this little hamster can make, and I love them all...now to make this setup "just right"

 

As far as brackets go...I've had great luck in the past with salvage yards where you can walk around and pull your own. I've modified a few that I found at them that are close to what I needed. Good luck!

 

That's interesting. A bit challenging to make work. I'm thinking you'll have to ditch the rubber inlet and then decide what to plumb directly to the airbox. Off hand I might consider just hooking up a short 45 or 90 degree elbow right into a velocity stack, allowing the air to draw right in front of the battery. It's hard to say without actually seeing the room you have. Then put a bit of work into ghetto fabbing a bunch of heat shielding and sealing up the area in a way that forces the air to draw from anywhere other than the rest of the engine bay.

 

Alternatively, you can probably just rotate that whole F#@*er up. If you bend some metal and make a decent mount you could use that to hold the whole air box rotated up another 20-30 degrees, get more room under the airbox and rubber to establish some room for heat shielding and also introduce the possibility of adding a short straight extension right off the box to get that inlet ahead of radiator another few inches, Ideally just behind the vent that feeds into the stock hood rubber cowl thing. Unscrew your rubber hood stops, without them falling out, all the way to get as much room as you can.

 

Just get some drive cleats/clips used for hvac if you have no other scrap metal to use. Home depot sells it cheap in the hvac section. Speedi-Products 60 in. x 26-Gauge Drive Cleat Duct Connector-AC-DRC 60 - The Home Depot Cut it with tin snips, or hell a side cutter, bend it, and drill holes. It's not super strong but it will probably get the job done. Otherwise there is probably some thin bar stock you can pick up. http://www.homedepot.com/b/Tools-Har...s/N-5yc1vZc2gt

 

your replies/posts are posted on the wrong threads. i can tell by your post lists.