UW RL

What a pain!! Even with the bumper off, it took us way to long to drop the resonator. After that, it took us another 1 hour or so trying to align the tube into it's best position, so the filter doesn't bang on the other side of the fender well. Now my back hurts, because I constantly had to bend over and work. After I washed my car today I discovered a few chips and 1 long scratch on the driver's side fender. I think they were from the installation.


Impression:

No sound during cruising or even normal acceleratiing. Just like my old AEM short ram on my TL. But when you go WOT, it roars. There is no whisling sound during normal use. It just "farts" when you shut off the engine. Not sure how many horses more it produced, but the car pulls stronger at higher speeds.

neuronbob

Do you notice anything extra at the low end?

Any plans to dyno?

Just getting as many observations as I can as I plan my next upgrade.

Touge

Glad you like it . Yeah the resonator is tricky, but on the RL we don't have to drill like they do on the TL

lumpulus

UW RL

Hey Bob, I personally think the increase in the high end torque was higher than the low end. The car feels slightly faster at pick up, but the car just pulls and pulls when you step on it on an emply freeway. My car shifts into 4th gear when it reaches 90 mph.

Dyno-wise, not likely, since I didn't do a pre-mod dyno, I wouldn't know the difference if I did a dyno now. sorry.


Jaysmith and I should have had a friendly race before I installed the CAI. That way we can see how much faster his car with CAI and exhaust than my stock. Then another race after my CAI installation would inform us of the difference of the exhaust. I know it's not scientific but at least it's real-life testing.

UW RL

all right, pics coming later today. I need to see my patients first.

neuronbob

OK, looks like it's up to me to get the pre-mod dyno.

I have scheduled a pre-mod dyno for 2 1/2 weeks from now at the only AWD dyno in the Northeast Ohio area (explains the LONG wait), about 50 miles from my house. It's in a shop that does a lot of work on Subies, so they know something about AWD. Will let all know what actually gets put to the ground, stock, to add to Touge's results.

Sorry for the thread hijack, I just want to get some semi-objective numbers (well, you know--dynos vary even with the same conditions) as they will determine whether I keep the mods I'm planning.

UW RL

All right Bob, let us know how it goes in 2 1/2 weeks. In my opinion, if you are into modding, then there are 2 components that MUST be modded: intake and suspension. The rest like exhaust, bodykit, and some others come second.

neuronbob

Agree 100%. Up to now, I've been into suspension modification to improve handling performance. Hence the A-Spec suspension, but not the stick-on body kit.

This will be my first try at HP mods--I am planning to pull the trigger on the intake and have already ordered the 5zigen exhaust--it will arrive tomorrow. I am hoping the exhaust tweaks the backpressure just enough to improve flow and add a few HP. Realistically, I will end up retesting with both the intake and exhaust on just because of the logistics of getting an AWD dyno around here (and the cost--$100 an hour for a nontuning dyno....)

Regardless, objective data is the best data. Sorry, I sound too much like I do in my day job.....evidence-based medicine is (mostly) king.

UW RL

Since you are getting the 5zigen exhuast it only makes sense to drop a CAI in, so the whole air flow is improved. In terms of the exhuast for me, I will need to hear jaysmith's car in person to decide. But I think my suspension mod will come first.

Chas2

I had not really been following non-suspension mod threads, but FWIW, I was thinking along the same lines. I just found a newly opened shop that has AWD dyno in Northern VA, and was thinking of doing a baseline before I did any engine mods like the 5zigen exhaust and Touge's pulley.

I had flirted with mods on my Prelude many moons ago, and felt like in the end, all I did was make the car louder, but I could not say that it pulled better, and while I never did dyno it to prove it one way or the other, I just kind of felt ripped off.

Same with the K&N type filter...no discernable difference, plus I kept forgetting to wash it and reoil it, so I ended up just going back to paper filters after my mechanic told me the intake was getting pretty dirty and he did not like those oiled filter elements, and thought it could lead to long term damage to the engine, and that was with stock intake, no CAI or short ram intakes.

For all you Virginia people, here is the shop with the dyno, and their prices:

http://www.ptuning.com/html/awd_dyno.

neuronbob

Couple of other questions about the install.

This is an AEM TL CAI. When spec'd for the TL, there is supposedly a hookup to relocate the O2 sensor. Is that retained in this modded RL version? If so, is this also something we have to do during the install or can the 02 sensor location be kept as stock?

Is the inlet for the intake lower than stock? Where is the inlet (didn't see it in your picture thread)? I don't want to have to worry constantly about hydrolock.

Thanks!

EDIT: How simple is the filter to care for? Jeez, so many questions....

Touge

There is no o2 sensor on the factory intake. Only a breather hose and coolant, both which the new intake has provisions for. The intake is located lower than stock, but still quite high up. The filter can be cleaned using a cleaning kit that aem sells.

neuronbob

OK, I feel better now. Ordered the intake today.

If I didn't have my son, I'd just go synth19's route and buy a sports car. Until then....sportifying my daily driver will do just fine.

Besides, having a son who will be able eventually to appreciate cars with me is even better than having a sports car.

UW RL

yup, what he said. There is only one tubing connecting to the stock intake. After the stock intake assembly is removed, you will need to cut the supplied rubber hose off to approx 1.5 inches and that will go between the AEM intake and the metal tubing that's from the engine. The metal tubing that was attached to the stock intake assembly will not be attached to the AEM directly.

Hope this helps

meimei

How is it goin' with aem CAI? I've been searching for the right CAI online, but still unsure about the brands. It's either aem or k&n.

Touge

<- 3 months with the AEM on the RL, no issues at all.

acuralvr1

What language are you people speaking?

lland

LOL! Good question, though...

LL

Touge

LOL... we are talking about a performance modification on the RL to increase power - CAI = Cold Air Intake.

neuronbob

....and AEM is "Advanced Engine Management", the company that makes the cold air intake.

Jaysmith2000

We definitely need to connect so you can check it out. It'll be nice to get some dyno's on this (before/after). I'm curious what the gains are. Wheels are next for me, then the Pulley....

UW RL

let's wait for Neurobob's pre-mod dyno then we'll know how much CAI produces. And let me know which weekend is cool for you to meet up.

lland

Do any of these mods have an effect on the factory warranty?

LL

neuronbob

No. The Moss-Magnuson Act states that unless the aftermarket part is shown to have caused the damage one is trying to cover under warranty, the warranty remains in effect.

Hence my question above about how low the CAI intake is. If I drive through a deep puddle and cause my engine to hydrolock, I just paid for a new engine and have no recourse through warranty. The fact that I would be dumb to drive even a stock RL through a deep puddle in the first place is another issue altogether....

OTOH, if my MusicLink needs to be replaced, the fact that I have an aftermarket CAI and exhaust shouldn't invalidate the entire warranty.

Touge

Nope, the dealer has to 'prove' that the aftermarket part caused the issue. A customer of mine with a TL who is heavily modded goes into the dealer for warranty service with no issues.