Road Rage

I have been meaning to ask anyone with a Comptech air filter if they noticed a humming from the air cleaner when they installed it?

Mine hums so loud (low pitched) that at certain angles and when in the garage, it sounds like a powerful motorboat engine.

Got worse a bit when I removed the resonator. I am absolutely sure it is airbox - when I put my stethoscope up to it it howls like a wolf..

????

OldGuy

Mine is stock and it howls too, whines actually but not all the time. I haven't pursued it because it comes and goes and does not seem to bother anything. I thought it was a resonance thing. I can only hear it at idle when I am outside the car on the driver's side. It seems to come directly from the air filter box.

ChucksCL-S

I took out my resonator too and put a K&N in but really didn't get a hum until the day I took off the odd shaped "snorkel" -- the "u" shaped pipe under the air horn. I blocked the air opening and heard the noise' so I decided the factory added it to cancel a resonence effect. Since then I've gone to a AEM system.

Road Rage

Thanks guys.

Chuck:
1) Isn't that U-shaped "thing" the resonator?
2) Can I assume that the AEM CAI fixed the problem? Damn, I wish they used a better filter element and I would put on one - do not like that K&N style filter.

dean078

i have a CAI now, but when i had the stock box, it didn't hum...until after i opened it and clsoed it again.

turns out i didn't put the top cover on exactly right. check the top cover again and maybe that'll solve your problem.

ChucksCL-S

RR the u-shaped thing cancels a hum made by air going thru the air intake tube into the throttle body. The resonator box is below the air filter assembly and is restrictive - but it quiets all intake "whoosh" so to speak. You know, guys love it and most women think something is wrong with the car. The AEM "hisses" alittle at idle, is quiet until you get to the higher rpms and really wails in VTEC which sounds great to me. Hope this helps.

mackdaddy

As much as I know you don't like K&N RR, that's what I've got (OE style drop-in.)

Mine hums (resonates) too. I've still got the factory resonator assembly in place. Sounds really odd.....

Jim

Road Rage

Mackdaddy and all:

I read all your posts and decided to try putting the OEM filter element back in - still hums, perhaps a bit less!

I am beginning to think I violated a law of Nature and am now eternally damned.

I guess I'll go back to the Comptech and live with the Hummer. It is a minor annoyance.

dean078

check the airbox cover again. make sure it's TIGHT, because i remember having the same problem before. sometimes it seems like it's on correctly, but it's slightly up on one side or something.

mackdaddy

Good idea, I'll do just that as well.

Happy Tday - Jim (I'm freak'n stuffed!!!!)

Mr Hyde

Yup I just had the same problem after removing the cover to change my HID's. In my case pressing down the rear of the airbox cover got rid of the noise, and thats how I figured out it wasnt on right. I had to remove it and put it back on a few times before i got it right and the hum/resonance completely went away. I however still have my resonator, so the noise went completely away, if you removed yours, I am not sure mow much more quieter it would be.

Also installing a CAI will give you a resonance noise also, but it would sound a bit different; at least it did on my Accord.

mackdaddy

RR Update -

Just installed my AEM CAI yesterday. You think you've got a resonance effect with the stock box and no resonator.....

I don't know if I really like this setup AT ALL. I really loved it on my 89 Civic Si, but this is a completely different beast. The VTEC wail is going to get me in trouble, that I know!

It's also got a super low resonanace at idle when cold that is almost scarey. It does quiet down a bit when it comes down off fast idle. And I'm not impressed at all with the loss of low end torque.

The car is a blast to drive in SS, but in full auto (grandpa mode) it seems to be a DOG now. I'll give it a bit to make up my mind, but so far I'm again, not really that impressed..... more noise that anything else.

I did reset the ECU for those who are wondering. The RES might regain the low end torque loss, but I don't know. I like it fairly quiet.

Anyone else feel the same about torque below 3k? Just curious....

Jim

PS - Sorry to stray from the original topic.

ChucksCL-S

No loss here with CAI, power is better than ever. Just wanted to let you know. Hope your car is alright.

mackdaddy

Chuck - When you say "no loss" are you sure? I'm talking about throttle response right off the line from a dead stop. Seems like it's a bit "sluggish" as compared to OE with K&N drop in. But that's just my 1st impression from yesterday. Maybe today I'll look at it "in a different light!"

I have to admit, when VTEC kicks, it really wails.....

Jim

SybariticOne

When you say it's "humming", are you talking about the sucking sound? As in air is being sucked in by the intake? I have the Comptech high-flow filter and have removed the resonator box. The intake sucking in air is definitely noticable. But it's a continous sucking sound (getting good air flow). I'm just wondering if that is the "humming" you are referring to. If it is, I think that is normal. You have opened up the air flow to the intake. If not, then it's probably something else.

Road Rage

Sybar: I am pretty picky about terminology, and it is not the hissing/rushing sound of the air, it is a hum, or low freq resonance.

Hyde: I tried pushing on it at numerous points with no benefit. Here is what is really weird - it is independent of RPM - if I raise or lower the RPM, the hum stays the same in frequency and amplitude, until the engine noise actually drowns it out.

I am baffled.