I spent my Sunday taking out the resonator. The first and most important thing to say is that front bolt was a BITCH. Me, my stepfather (a sheetmetal worker for 30 years), and my neighbor (a retired mechanic) tried for 3 hours to get that bolt out. Eventually we cracked the plastic around the bolt with a screwdriver and hammer and just tugged it out after removing the J-Pipe. So a few hours and bloody knuckles later, we got it out. The remove was a breeze besides that one bolt.

The car drives the same at low RPMs, but there is a deep, failrly loud intake noise now at WOT. There seems to be a pretty decent increase in throttle response. My butt dyno can feel a couple extra horses too.

Overall, happy with the results. Should hold me over until i get my SRI.

 

I know how much of a pain that bolt is but if you spent more than 45 minutes on it you could have removed the bumper and unscrewd that bolt with a ratchet. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

Anyhow, free mods > *

 

I know, but I was afraid to scratch up the bumber and break the clips. Oh well, free mods are great.

Someone else described it perfectly, its like the car is gulping in the air instead of sucking it in through a straw

 

You could have the bolt out under 1 minute with a simple 10mm ratchet gear wrench... I'm sure it was a good learning experience however.

 

I just went through the front fog light cover. But I guess if you have the fogs that's another story.....

 

Ya that bolt was a bitch for sure.

But it did take Dan and I alot less than 3 hours (with the bumper on) to get that bolt out.

 

I know, I went to home Depot, they didn't have any left. Every other place was closed. I already had the tire and wheel well off. I didn't want to put it all back on and wait for Home Depot to get the wrench.

Still got it out, in ghetto fashion, but its out

 

will removing the resonater make the car sound like that loud "ricey" asian noice like those civics running off of 3 cyllinders?

 

 

Nope, no sound change except at WOT. The change at WOT is a deep, throaty sound. Sounds nice.

Plus the hp/dollar spent is the best i've ever seen

 

There's an easy way to see for yourself, just take out the two bolts holding the air filter box, remove the rubber tube that connects the air box to the resonator. Or a more ghetto way is just force the rubber tube off either side (but you'll have trouble putting it back, so just loosen the air filter box). The air now sucks in directly from underneath the air box, without going through the resonator.

I've tried it and thought the car was a bit too loud under WOT for my tastes, despite the few extra hps that I felt and instantaneous throttle response (which was nice), I put it back to the way it was... but it's good knowing this can be easily done and reversed again

 

Bump

Has anybody gone from no resonator to SRI and noticed a difference. Is it worth doing?

Despite the go aheads i've heard about CAI, i'd rather be safe than sorry and stick with SRI, plus i'd rather not have any torque loss, slight as it may be.

Am I wasting money on a SRI if i have the resonator out already?

 

going to an sri or cai = 5-10lbf loss under 3k rpms. No way around that when ditching the airbox and associated tubing. You do, however, net a good 5-10 lbft from 3500-4500 rpms. For me this trade off wasn't worth it but for many it is.

 

Really?

I thought the torque loss only exsisted in the CAI because of the length of the tube compared to SRI. Sheds new light

 

lol

I took out my resonator more than a year ago then decided to go with the SRI, and this thread reminds me of that damn bolt...

It took me hours to take it off too.

 

So it seems my combination of not risking hydro-lock and not wanting torque loss would steer me in the direction of the Comptech Icebox.

Am I right?


Sorry for the painful memories homin, I still have the cuts on my knuckles.

 

since you've already removed the resonator, just buy a k&n drop-in filter and you have your own version of the comptech ice-box.

i believe the k&n drop-in filter part# for our car is 33-2276
http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...x?Prod=33-2276

 

i forgot to mention that the comptech icebox has a

High volume lid with internal velocity stack which increases airflow to engine. it also has a lower air horn that draws cooler air from behind the bumper and eliminates restriction of the resonator and includes a high flow reusable foam filter

 

So gains will most likey occur with the icebox, even though resonator is already out?

I realize the power gains will not be as high with the icebox, but as far as torque loss, will there be less with the icebox then there would be with a SRI? Seems to me like there would be due to the filter box still being there.

Sorry if these are n00b questions guys, i've never modded a car before

 

so can anyone explain why there is torque loss when using a SRI/CAI, but not as much when using a stock/comptech air box when the resonator is removed? Does it have anything to do with the volume of air that goes into the intake tube? Or is it just strictly the way/means that it goes in or perhaps the speed that it's going to the TB.

 

I'm certainly no expert, but it has something to do with the air being stored in the filter box that causes instant torque. If you take the airbox away, there is nowhere to store the air, so it takes a couple seconds for air to reach the engine. Thats why there is an early torque loss, the air isn't instantly available like it is with an airbox intake.

The thing I can't figure out is why there is a slight torque loss even with the comptech, the airbox is still there, and its bigger than the stock one. Should be more air instantly available, right?

If your losing torque with the icebox anyway, might as well just get the SRI/CAI and get the extra power benefit of them.

 

Don't let Tinkerbell scare ou away from a CAI/SRI because of torque loss under 3k. I don't think Tinky's ever driven a TSX equipped with an Injen or K&N (Correct me if I'm wrong Tinky). He's basing his info off dyno's which is fine but theres not that much of a noticeable difference, there is less power but its hardly noticeable. The TSX builds revs so fast and smooth its not a problem.

Besides, you get it all back with Hondata.

 

I like being able to be able to accelerate and keep my speed going uphill on the freeway without down shifting.

But he's right about hondata, you'll get it all back. Or if you stick with an icebox and hondat you'll have more than you had stock. ;P

 

But you have an AT, it does it for you

 

Let's not let logic confuse the issue!

 

Oh man, i;ve been hijacked

so SRI or Icebox? I can't make a decision of this caliber

 

CAI

 

If you're going to go that route CAI has the same negatives at an sri but far more benefits.

 

Your killing me Domn

 

Hydrolock=

 

The filter sits just below the opening into the resonator cavity. Only about 3-4 inches below the bottom of the stock box. The water level would have to be at the top of the wheel in order to hydrolock you in which case your car would most likely already be stalled.


FOr comparison i'm using the stock airbox but have the lower air horn provided with the comptech icebox. It runs a tube directly behind the fog light cover which is much lower than the cai. It depends on the venting in the bottom of the stock airbox to keep you from hydrolocking if you were to go in deep water.

 

The chances of that happening are slim to none. Just don't go driving through 5 inch puddles.

If you really don't feel comfortable with it then definently go with a SRI. You'll love the sound.

 

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the responses.

I'll probably wind up with the K&N SRI/CAI

 

I have the Injen. I run it in CAI mode April through November and then switch to SRI mode for winter. I'm not really worried about hydarlock but its better to be safe than sorry.

 

Let's race to 3k rpms

 

In 2003, about 4 months after I got my TSX and removed my resonator, it rained like a bitch here in Ohio. I went through what can only be discribed as a small pond with my TSX; up to the bottom of the door... NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.

 

 

when you unexpectedly hit that deep standing water, let off the throttle. that was my friend's mistake when he hydrolocked his eclipse.

 

sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread, but wanted to understand that issue first. Personally I'd say go with the CAI. I wouldn't worry about hydrolocking. I've had SRI before and CAI and CAI seems to be better. However, I'd still like to avoid losing torque as I have an automatic now and under normal driving it switches way before any of the high revs. On my manual before I had much more control over where it shifted. I think this time around, I will try something custom again for my intake. I'm going to remove my resonator, remove my drop in filter, keep the stock setup on top and put the cone filter in the wheelwell area and have something route air or deflect air towards the filter. Don't know how well this will work or what the gains will be, but it will be better then stock, should be better then the comptech one, but not sure how it will compare to a regular CAI or SRI. The theory is to keep that extra area for the initial air suction and to keep a chamber for more air. I know this will decrease air flow speed when it reaches the stock air box, however I'm willing to bet that the cold air will make more difference then the fact that the path to the TB is not straight and the airflow is decreased. thoughts anyone...

Richard

 

You want a filter in the stock airbox if you are going to keep it. It has vents in the bottom to prevent hydro lock so ifyour filter is sitting in the wheel well attached to the primary inlet tube you are going to be sucking unfiltered air into your engine. If you want to do something custom fit an adapter in the airbox so you can put a cone inside it.