anyone have one? care to comment on how it is? mostly about the noise please. plan on getting one even tho i really dont want to add an intake, but im gonna get the hondata so it might be better off if i do. thanks in advance for any replies.

 

tinkySD got one maybe?

 

I've fitted one. Pleasantly surprised. Looks stock, Sounds slightly louder than stock but there is definately a lift in power. Uses the bottom half of the stock box but replaces entire resonator intake.

I'd say it works and I'm happy with it.

 

any pics?

 

http://solar.innercite.com/comptech/330135.html

looks exactly like that, exactly like stock.

In fact, I wanted to refit my K&N filter instead of the Comptech foam filter, found that it won't exactly accommodate the K&N as it is too thin at the edges where the foam filter is uniformly thick throughout to the edge which gets clamped for air seal.

Then looked at stock filter box and figured that it would fit right back on with my K&N filter. ie perfectly stock looking.

Also made me realize anyone wanting to get cold air with the stock filter box in place only has to get the bottom half of the Comptech icebox kit.(not that they will sell it as such)

Food for thought eh?

 

Anyone try this?

 

Sounds like al8818 may have already done it with his own set up.

I'm thinking about doing this myself as I really don't like foam air filters. This was the only thing holding me back from buying the Comptech Icebox. Of course, now I'm wondering if it's worth it to spend $150 and just end up using a little plastic pipe and some clamps and still have to buy a K&N filter element.

 

Here was my install a awhile back...

Icebox thread

 

its a great mod. if you want an intake and dont want something too loud like injin or other CAI, its great. you wont really hear it untill like 4k+ rpm. when i put it in, i did feel some gains, i think i did.
but i got it for $50 so it was really worth it for me.

 

Thanks for the link. Nice mod.

 

You just have to remove the resonator and replace the airfilter with the k&n airfilter...and there you have it...modify icebox...i feel some gain power too.

 

just installed mine today with a k&n filter instead of the foam ...man it still sounds good and could feel a little gain

 

Did the K&N filter fit well? Do you mean you can feel the difference between the foam and the K&N filter with the Icebox or that you can feel the difference before and after the Icebox install?

 

Details on K & N filter, fitment issues with Icebox, part number, etc? I'm planning on going Icebox, but want to swap out to K&N rather than the foam filter.

Pics?

 

Read al8818's message #5 for details. As for K&N part#, it would be the one for the stock TSX airbox.

 

If you get the icebox, I can bring over a K&N replacement filter for you. I'll sell it cheap. I was going to use it but I just bought an Injen CAI.

 

Cool, I just want to know if it fits right in the Icebox or what ways there are to make it seal correctly. Is the one you have a drop in for the stock airbox?

 

100% does not seal correclty all stock. but i'm sure you could adjust the icebox lid by taking out the little metal pegs on the fasteners so that it would close correctly.

 

Huh, so you CAN use the K&N with the Icebox without modifying the filter? Is that what you did Tinky?

 

Yup,

The straight drop in replacement filter.

 

anyone did dyno with icebox? maybe 8hp gain?

lot people selling cuz they want injen instead right .....lucky for me

 

i dont want the injen even though it looks nice ,,its just too loud for me .. i like the way the icebox sounds

 

good fit and finish, reasonably priced and not too loud. Gains aren't as much as the Injen CAI but I prefer less noise

 

sigmachi96

you compare the OEM stock lid w/ the icebox, and mention all the restrictive parts in the OEM box.

is it possible to simply shave off the restrictive areas in the OEM box and use a K&N filter, in order to obtain similiar HP gains? or, is the icebox volume that much bigger w/ less restrictions...

 

well i really didnt have too much trouble putting the icebox lid on with the k&n filter..i just started all the screws and tightend them at the same time ..i dont have any problems and my lid is on nice and secure and i didnt have any leaks also

 

Can you guys please tell me whats wrong with a foam filter?

 

Foam filter....just think of how your sink sponge falls apart over time. Over continued use, foam tends to fall apart. Its porous, whereas K&N and those similar have a woven paper filter element sandwiched between metal which will be more durable. However, there are differences with flow rates as well, which I am not completely familiar with.

 

Whats a reasonable price to pay for the icebox?

 

Is there really that much to the Icebox other than removing the stock resonator and replacing it with a plastic tube? Can't I get the same effect putting my own plastic tube there and replacing the stock filter with a K&N? Or is there something about the Icebox "box" itself? I'm just confused reading posts and looking at photos on comptech.com.

 

The Icebox kit is actually 3 main pieces. The snorkel tube & adapter (which replaces the resonator), the air filter cover (which replaces the stock one), and the new filter.

SNORKEL TUBE & ADAPTER: You can, of course, replace the snorkel with your own tube and rig up an adapter to make it fit into the bottom of the filter box. You'd need to buy some hardware and rig a way to attach the tube to the car. The snorkel tube is approximately the diameter of a compact disk.

AIRBOX: The replacement airbox cover has move volume than the stock. I believe this contributes to the improved throttle response. Its also smoother finish (stock has ribbed supports) that allow for less turbulant air flow. You can use a dremel or some other tools to grind out the ribs and smooth out the interior of the stock cover but you won't have the higher volume of the Icebox cover.

FILTER: The replacement filter, from what I've read on this board, doesn't really do much better than stock. You'd be much better off getting a K&N filter (which some Icebox users do anyway). I'm thinking of doing this myself.

So, to summarize, if you're handy you can modify the stock intake yourself to get some of the benefits of the Icebox but it would take some tedious work on your part and you'd still not have the higher volume airbox cover. I thought it was worth the $150 to just get the Icebox kit.

 

From K&N -



1. Lack of surface area hinders air flow and dirt holding capacity. Open cell foam usually saturated with oil.

2. Dirt builds on outside and blocks the openings.

3. Higher vacuum pressures distort the cells drawing dirt deeper into the filter.

4. Airflow is reduced as cells become blocked.

5. Turbulent filtered air.

I have tried all 3 filters in my icebox: foam, OEM paper, K&N. I had the foam filter in for about a week before I threw it away and put the stock filter back in which felt and sounded better than the foam. The K&N is better when you're above 4k rpm, a little worse below that. I also noticed that my gas mileage is down about 2mpg in the city and about 3+mpg on the highway. I just took a 400+ mile trip and could not break 30mpg.

 

Do you mean mileage down with the K&N vs. OEM paper? Thanks for the info, and you, too, jlukja. I'm on the fence esp. I'm buying the K&N anyway. It looks like the icebox airhorn sits right behind the louvered solid-plastic foglamp insert. I don't have fogs, is there anything to maybe drilling some holes in that insert so the airhorn gets cold air blowing into it as the car accelerates?

 

I know JTso and another member here did it, and posted pictures (didn't search for them though). Don't know how much you would gain but it makes sense.

 

Here is the link: http://www.acura-tsx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23325


^^^JTso's

 

With the K&N my gas mileage went down about 10% vs. paper. The only difference is that summer is here and the A/C is running all the time so that may be the explination. I haven't tried putting the paper filter back in to do a comparison since it's got hot outside.

 

Thanks for the link, jlukja. I think I'm going to give the Rube Goldberg method a try with a K&N filter and see what that does for me. Can always buy the Icebox in the future. I'll report back if there's any seat-of-the-pants gain to the homemade Icebox method. Any idea what the inside diameter is of that airhorn?

 

The airhorn ID is about 4.5in. I didn't measure it but I recall someone saying that it was roughly the size of a compact disk. Here is a pic of the installed airhorn from this thread.



This is a very good view looking from the wheel well. The airhorn wouldn't be so hard to make on your own using PVC piping. Its the transition between the airhorn and the bottom of the filter box that would take some doing. The airhorn is held in place by 2 adjustible straps. The first one pinches the top of the airhorn around the transition piece. The second, around the bottom piece, holds it to a bracket that is held in place by the existing grounding screw. Good Luck. Keep us posted.

 

Thanks a lot for all the info, I'll post some photos and seat-of-the-pants on the DIY method assuming the TSX still runs after I get through with it.

 

Can someone take pix of their set up which is ice box w/ the k&n filter?

 

OK, after a couple hours I got my Rube Goldberg airhorn installed and I must say it fit pretty much perfectly. I used black plastic 3" i.d. drain pipe. A 22.5-deg into a 45-deg into a step down from 3" to 2" to fit into the stock inlet pipe. I rigged my own bracket using a screw clamp and a piece of flat metal lying around, bolted to the same ground bolt. The 2" end of the pipe adapter needs about 1/4" of electrical tape wrapped around it to make a tight seal into the inlet tube. That makes a great seal, though, as the tape eventually creates a nice round lip. Everything is tight and the open end points directly at the foglight knockout, into which I dremeled/filed/sanded/deburred four slotted openings.

I got everything back together and took the car out for a good flogging. The sound is just as others have described -- pretty much stock at "normal" throttle and then a deeper, gutteral growl at about 3,700 rpm WOT that keeps growling to the redline. Seat-of-the-pants is that throttle response at low rpms is about the same, at high rpms it is snappier and feels like it pulls a little harder (we're still not talking a lot of hp here). I'm igetting a K&N filter tomorrow (tonight just used the stock filter) so I'll report again then.

I'm using the stock airbox (I don't recommend trying to remove all the lattice inside that thing or you'll end up with 20 million little plastic particles in the post-filter stage of your intake). I did remove the bar that goes across the inside of the stock cover but I have a hard time thinking that the cover is really restrictive or turbulent. I also did the throttle-body coolant bypass and I can say that, even after flogging the car mercilessly for 1/2 hour, the throttle body is only warm.

So, so far I'm calling it a success. Total cost about $10.36 for the Rube Goldberg airhorn and $40 for the K&N filter. I'll post tomorrow how it feels/sounds with the new filter added. I'll also try to post some digi pics although my camera is acting funky all of a sudden.

Thanks esp to jlukja for all your help and advice. This forum is terrific!