My aem cai snapped well the metal piece that connects to the rubber stopper snapped . I guess i hit vtec one too many times

 

There were some bad welds on the bracket that attaches to the rubber stand-off (was it an early production model???). You are supposed to have a lifetime warranty (or so I thought). You wouldn't be the first to have it snap.

 

if the braket that broke compromised the integrity of the pipe (aka the pipe's got a hole in it), i'd not venture out anywhere...try and reinstall the stock airbox if u need to use the car

 

You guys sure it's not due to overtighting? Looking at mine I just don't see how it could just snap off?

 

I could see how it could snap if the weld is bad. That bracket is responsible for keeping the pipe from moving around, and if we could take a ride in our engine bay, it'd be one hella bumby ride. A little stress, over time will add up...

 

honestly, what u guys really need to do is use the rubber ring that's on the stock airbox and retrofit it right where the sheetmetal is cut out on the lower part of where the stock airbox used to b...this rubber ring will help prevent the pipe from hitting the bare sheetmetal and possibly puncturing it

cut the welds off...they're useless...the intake will stay in place just fine between the intake manifold and the rubber ring...the Xephyr CAI design was basically just that, and the intake holds no problem

with the bouncing around in the engine bay, it's better to have a little play with the intake than have it welded down to the sheetmetal where stress and forces that channel to the intake can cause a variety of problems

just my $0.02

 

Agreed.

The Xephyr CAI is supported by one lower mounting point that simply acts to eliminate any MAJOR play of the intake. I think the fact that the AEM is firmed into place leads to the breaks. I've heard of this before didn't AEM have a refund policy on the torn intakes. It's a design flaw, not yours. The intake flexes pretty well when you WOT your car. it needs to have some play in it.

 

mine snapped as well. called aem yesterday and am shipping it in today.

 

You have to send the old one back before you get a new one??? That kind of sucks...

 

yeah, u gotta put the stock box back in :shakehd: :thumbsdn:

 

That's horsepoop...

I think I'd have a real hard time puting that thing back in.

 

i guess shit happens even to god !

 

I just noticed recently, that mine snapped off as well.

Spiro

 

I have a AEM Short ram and mine snapped off as well.
I called ACP and they said i have to send it back put my onld one on adn then they will review to see if it was defect. I was so up set that they couldn't of help me out. I found out from my boy that it happend to him that it is caused form over tightening.
I Just put a couple pieces of Good masking tape to cover up the hole and never messed with it since.

 

the hole...where?? in the pipe??? r u nuts??? that's just asking for all kinda of engine problems...mechanic will take 1 look and say VOID!!!

if there's a hole in the pipe, don't take any chances like that

 

Most people dont look at the arm around the weld after they install it. If it start to break from the bottom of the weld most people would never no until it starts to tare; more towards the top. i took the hole arm out and coverd the whole very good rubber strip that acualy absorbs some of the heet. There isn't a hole and there isn't an arm there also. It is also very tight in the engine bay. When it was installed it was done with a tork wrench and the arm bent but put the intake intake seemed and look in the perfect spot.
The weld was very Cheep with in a couple of weeks tore off perfectly at the seams.

 

You should just take your filter and mount it directly onto the TB...feel the power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Instant Throttle response...trust me...

 

my friend had his intake stolen out of his integra, and drove around for a few days WITHOUT any intake at all.... Is that bad? Please explain... Also, would it give better performance, since the engine has a lot of breathing room, or worse performance, because all the air is HOT.... :?:

 

well after reading this, I took a walk outside to look at mine, and guess what....its cracked...WTF :angry:
So I called the place that I bought it from and they said they will have a new one for me by saturday, no need to send the old one back first....I only drive about 10 miles a day during the week, so they said the car will be fine.....Anyway, who knows how long this stupid thing has been cracked

 

Didn't you just keep the original AEM CAI that they sent you?

That told me that there were problems with the welds and with the bracket positioning?


OR

Is this #2 going on #3?

 

Eric, I didn't have a problem w/the tube last time it was the filter. This is the 1st problem w/the tube.

 

Well damn I'm glad i said something about this . I thought I was one of the very few people out there with the thing snapping . Its the piece that holds the intake down that broke , the thin metal piece . I'm just gonna get the good ole hot glue gun and glue the damn thing back together . I really dont feel like going throught the trouble of reinstalling the factory air box ....SCREW that . Hell i'll try to get some pics up sometime during this week or weekend to show what it looks like ,but i'm sure half of you already know what it looks like .

 

Oh also i dont see how it snapped ....b/c the only time it really moves is when i crank the car up ...i reved it up a few times to see how much it moved and it really didnt move . Just when u crank it up and a little when u turn it off .

 

Well, I don't know if they will confirm it, but I was told that the early units:

1. Had the "rub" problem with the air filter due to some problem with the jig they used to put the early units together (there are a few variations on the theme).

2. That the welds were not exactly "beef" on the "early" units.

3. That is hard to know that you got an early unit (at least back then) due to a lack of some kind of unique part # (for tracking, Q/A)...

$0.02


GOD: I wonder if AEM could just arrange an exchange by sending you the defective pipe (with a credit card slip used for a hostage) and just hold the transaction or credit you with a return (thus saving you extra work). Would it hurt to ask them?

 

I had a small rubbing problem but was able to isolate the tube from the car chasis

I have a VERY early unit

 

well i don't know about the early unit theory because my car is an 03 and I just got the cai this past may

 

Little girls, don't mess your skirts. YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH YOUR CAR. If you have a bipass valve and MOST or you do the car is taking partially unfiltered air in every time you start the beast. It is a structural issue on a part which plays NO part in the integrity of the car (maybe some of your ego). Have it replaced and install the new one. For anyone who is worried about running the car without the box and or CAI just don't let any small children and or animals play atop your engine. If you can fasten the filted with a portion of the stock tubeing do so, or if you have to be without the CAI for a while....duct tape doesn't hurt anyone when putting a makeshift filter on. Yes it's ghetto but you'll live through it.

 

If you really want to solve your problem take a drive to your local Lowes, Home Depot, Ace, etc etc and pick up 2 rubber grommets and place them on either side of the "l shaped piece" this should allow for some movement wich is good and prevent cracking.

 

 

then let this act as an announcement to all AEM owners who r concerned about future problems with this design...u have the option to cut the brackets that are supposed to secure the pipe to the chasis off totally and insert the rubber O-ring from the stock airbox around the pipe where the pipe and the sheetmetal are closest so that when the pipe flexes back and forth/up and down due to forces when u accelerate/decelerate/turn, the sheetmetal is hitting the rubber ring

Eclipse mentioned on the 1st page about the J-hook design...the J-hook design is a simple hook in the shape of a J that u can pick up in most any hardware store...the purpose of this hook is to prop up the lower half of the intake pipe so that it doesn't rest on the chasis...now the J-hook is placed on the small sheetmetal strip that's in a diagonal angle directly above the lower half of the intake pipe (should b able to draw a straight line from the corner of the car battery to this strip)...there will b a pre-allocated hole for this J-hook...when u go to the hardware store, u wanna get the hook, a 5-in or so nut & bolt combo for the hook, and 2 large washers to put on either side of the pre-allocated hole...now metal ring screw clamps came with my intake, but i think u can grab similar ones from the hardware store also or just improvise and use a strong material u can use to wrap around the pipe and attach to the J-hook...this design still allows a bit of play which is good

the way i set my intake up is combine both options above...i have the rubber O-ring positioned to prevent scratching/puncturing AND i have the J-hook designed to help limit the play with the pipe

since im in the office, i can't provide pics, but if u want, i can supply 1 or 2 tonight

 

I really don't think glue from a hot glue gun is going to create a strong enough bond between the hook and the CAI.


YMMV...

 

i was high once and i went to do a u-turn and i went over a HUGE island really fast..scariest thing ever!!! i thought i had FUUUCKED my car up...luckily i was on 16" TL rims so i had profile...no bent rims, nothing..i thought i was all good till i noticed my engine sounds funny...

i snapped mine too, but at the bypass...so i got a new bypass.

 

You and Stoned CL should have a conversation about Nuclear Fission. I would pay to tape that.

 

I wondered about that too...


I wonder if some JBWeld (with proper surface prep) might be a better "glue-fix"...

 

I checked mine last night after I washed the car, & the weld is fine, no cracks, or anything. Been on since May.

 

Why do this, when we have a defective product that should be replaced?

spiro

 

as i mentioned, u have that option...i was just thinking it could save a lot of time and potential headache waiting for a replacement