TMartin25

Pretty new to this,

I'm considering a cool air intake or just the air filter for my 2006 Acura TSX. Is it worth the money to go for the full intake or should I just settle for the filter?

Thanks

PACman

What are you hoping to gain from a cold air intake? What's your budget?

Jdmhoes

I just bought the K&N filter and removed the intake resonator. Its pretty much like a SRI but with all the plastic and looks stock. Sounds very loud on throttle.

kewlliljethro

Whatever route you choose to go, you should remove the stock intake resonator.

If you're gonna do lots of city driving and stay out of the upper RPM range, then go with a drop in k&n air filter, shave the ribs off your stock air box. You can expand on this by making a L shaped pipe to put where your resonator used to be to direct the airflow.

like this
OR you can purchase a comptech icebox if you have the money.

If you're gonna be rev happy with your car and be in the upper RPM often, then go with Injen or K&N cold air intake.
I haven't had one of these long tube cold air intakes yet, but according to many people on both forums, you'd lose low end torque, which isn't good for a daily driver

green_henry

In addition to removing the resonator, I added a BPI velocity stack and opened up the fake slots in the fog light cover. I have a K&N air filter, too, but it has been less noticeable than the other changes.

TMartin25

Thanks guys, my budget is around 250 tops, I'm looking to increase gas mileage along with a small horsepower gain. What else does the whole intake do and is it worth it?

kewlliljethro

Never thought I'd say this, but use the search button. or put this in google

site:tsx.acurazine.com "whatever you wanna search"

site:tsx.acurazine.com cold air intake

Air intakes are designed to optimally 1) increase airflow to your engine and 2) lower the temperature of the air.

Colder air= denser= more power

higher airflow = more air = more power

Since long tube cold air intakes are simply tubes with no air box, they need a bigger vacuum of air, requiring more effort and gas to get up to speed. They essentially move torque and hp higher up the RPM range. Or that's how I think it works. That's why airbox intake is typically better for DD.

CarbonGray Earl

I think the OP has an 06, so the fake slots are a little different in his.

I did the same as you...used a dremel to cut out the slots and get some direct airflow.

PACman

With $250, you have good options to choose from. Back in 2005, I got the K&N Typhoon CAI for $220. Installed it myself. Maybe 1/2 MPG improvement. Great low throaty sound at WOT & above 4K rpm! Never kept it at SR due to heat soak. The filter is reuseable, which I clean twice a year.

CarbonGray Earl

My understanding as well. I went for the CT icebox as a good hybrid of these 2 facts. It draws cold air and has an airbox. FWIW, Mugen has always had a similar design...i.e. cold air and airbox together.

I might add also that IMO, the airbox is only good if you want to take more steps like add a header. The power added is somewhat negligible.

slats

Before you go dropping a bunch of money into an expensive metal tube check out this article http://www.sca40.com/intake/

I actually did this for even cheaper because I didn't need any adaptor. Basically popped the top of my air box off and slapped on a huge K & N cone filter (rests perfectly in bottom of stock air box). Sounds great, improved throttle response, etc...

green_henry

I had a very similar Stillen setup (velocity stack + K&N) on my old Maxima. It definitely improved throttle response.

I was tempted to go a similar route with the TSX, but there seems to be a lot of solid data regarding air temperature, so I went with my poor man's version of the icebox (described above).

tsxykid105

dont buy an intake. a sri will get heat soak and if you get a ice box or a k&n drop in and remove the resnator pipe and cut it just like the icebox one youll have cai for 50 dollars and not get heat soak nd it amazing. i love it.

slats

Heat soak? Sorry not familiar with that term but I'm assuming you're talking about the higher air temp from engine bay. My way of thinking is that we are at least getting more air volume albeit warmer air. Icebox idea is interesting, however I would never consider a complete cold air set up since they are known to rob torque from the low end. And seeing as our engines already do not have much torque I would def not go that route!

CarbonGray Earl

^^actually, since the airbox for comptech or mugen-style intakes sit in the stock position, that low end 'torque' or response is similar to stock, if not better. Its the in-the-fender CAIs with longer tubes that sacrifice low end for (supposedly) top-end hp. The air has to travel a bit longer.

The short-ram intakes suck air in as quickly as the stock airbox, but underhood temps means it takes in less oxygen rich air.

The Comptech or Mugen style (cold air intake combined with Airbox) is considered a 'hybrid' style intake because it sucks in the exact same cold air as any open-filter CA. It has the advantage of having a well of air closer to the engine, for more immediate response, and is followed by the cold air from the fender.

I've had all three styles (DIY Comptech style, AEM CAI, and Comptech Icebox) in my previous car (Integra) and I prefer the Icebox. The icebox was obviously more quiet and servicing it was similar to stock. I can't say that I live in a place where I worry about hydrolock, but it is piece of mind.

Lastly, I was more concerned with response as opposed to whatever small gains can be had from the long tube CAI. From the seat of the pants feel, the Icebox's responses were more immediate; you could jump on the throttle and feel the difference in intakes. The top ends between CAI and hybrid intake weren't different enough to truly feel anything.

This is all my humble opinion. At the end of the day, everyone's got a valid answer because its their car. Keep in mind, there are bigger and better things to argue about than the 3-5 hp a $200 intake will get you.

Edit: I'd add that servicing the Icebox is similar to stock and its better for day-to-day driving in my experience, since response is more important than driving around at 7000+ rpm.

slats

^^agreed. Power gains from an intake (especially without headers, exhaust, etc) are minamal anyway. It all depends on what you are looking to do. With my DIY setup I cannot really feel any added power, did not see any big change in fuel economy, but definately noticed better throttle response right away. And the sound is fantastic - Quiet and stock sounding when light on the gas and then nice aggressive sounds under moderate to hard acceleration.

kewlliljethro

Here's this link to the other "forum"

http://www.tsxclu-.com/forums/1st-ge...iy-intake.html

I have the Comptech Icebox, but I lost the horn somewhere (guess it vibrated out..) and I replaced it with the above picture.

Should I settle with that DIY intake (taken from the stock resonator) or get a new horn?

Did you feel a big difference between DIY and the Icebox, Carbon Gray Earl?

GWEEDOspeedo

I started off my personal search for an answer to the "intake question" by finding that blog on a custom SRI. I went through with it and it was inexpensive (I only needed a $30 cone filter). I felt like I could tell the accelerator was a little lighter and more responsive, which it probably was, but I figured I wasn't getting anything really good out of my mod. I ended up finding an Injen CAI on ebay for about $200 and it looks/feels like a better setup. I haven't modded the fog-light covers yet but it does sound like a practical idea. I did remove the under-carriage covering (which I know adds some drag) to give the filter freer access to air. Overall, I'm happy with going from the custom SRI to the Injen CAI. I get the quicker throttle response and removing the entire stock intake piping felt like a relief for my car. It opens up such a large cavity and the CAI can breathe easily.

CarbonGray Earl

Not enough to remember it. That was for my Integra. Went straight to the Icebox with the TSX.

Nicolas84

Can this be done to a 3G TL?

CarbonGray Earl

^^it can be done for just about any car.