2007 Acura TL-S Icebox CAI done. Pics and vid
11-25-2007, 11:46 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
2007 Acura TL-S Icebox CAI done. Pics and vid
So I really wanted a cold air intake, but was very hesitant since the town where I work has roads that flood (more than 5'' puddles) with any major downpour. The sewage system sucks (burr ridge for those that know Chicago area). Then I hear of the Icebox intake, but comptech isn't making them apparently and probably wont ever. So I decided to take matters into my own hands, like Minkl and some others, and fab one. Here are the pics.
Removed the front bumper. This took like 20 mins. Thanks to Sandiegodrive. I could never have done this without your awesome tutorials.
Custom Icebox snorkel installed. The velocity stack is positioned right above the fog light where the plastic thing directs air from the lower grill.
After several prototypes and 3 trips to home depot, I came up with this bracket which slips under the 2 metal rings behind the velocity stack. I used a rubber stopper from home depot to dampen any vibration like the AEM bracket. It's very solid and stable once connected and everything is tightened.
Just for kicks here is a video of my car with this "icebox" intake and stage 3 exhaust. I'll try to create more videos. The car seems peppier from 0 to 4000 rpm, which is exactly what I wanted. After 4 hrs of fabricating, I'm quite pleased. There is a dyno by my house so I'm rather curious how this icebox + K&N filter will do on a dyno.
My youtube video
Removed the front bumper. This took like 20 mins. Thanks to Sandiegodrive. I could never have done this without your awesome tutorials.
Custom Icebox snorkel installed. The velocity stack is positioned right above the fog light where the plastic thing directs air from the lower grill.
After several prototypes and 3 trips to home depot, I came up with this bracket which slips under the 2 metal rings behind the velocity stack. I used a rubber stopper from home depot to dampen any vibration like the AEM bracket. It's very solid and stable once connected and everything is tightened.
Just for kicks here is a video of my car with this "icebox" intake and stage 3 exhaust. I'll try to create more videos. The car seems peppier from 0 to 4000 rpm, which is exactly what I wanted. After 4 hrs of fabricating, I'm quite pleased. There is a dyno by my house so I'm rather curious how this icebox + K&N filter will do on a dyno.
My youtube video
11-27-2007, 07:06 PM
#3
Racer
Thread Starter
Thanks TLheaven.
After 2 days of driving something really stuck out to me. My daily commute is about 12.6 miles and I average 18-19 mpg each day. Yesterday and today the computer recorded my gas milage at 22-23 mpg! That got me sort of excited. It's possible that the air is also colder than in September and October which might take affect and I tried my best to make a ram air affect by having the velocity stack moved right behind the grill.
After 2 days of driving something really stuck out to me. My daily commute is about 12.6 miles and I average 18-19 mpg each day. Yesterday and today the computer recorded my gas milage at 22-23 mpg! That got me sort of excited. It's possible that the air is also colder than in September and October which might take affect and I tried my best to make a ram air affect by having the velocity stack moved right behind the grill.
11-28-2007, 06:29 PM
#4
Originally Posted by spiike
Thanks TLheaven.
After 2 days of driving something really stuck out to me. My daily commute is about 12.6 miles and I average 18-19 mpg each day. Yesterday and today the computer recorded my gas milage at 22-23 mpg! That got me sort of excited. It's possible that the air is also colder than in September and October which might take affect and I tried my best to make a ram air affect by having the velocity stack moved right behind the grill.
After 2 days of driving something really stuck out to me. My daily commute is about 12.6 miles and I average 18-19 mpg each day. Yesterday and today the computer recorded my gas milage at 22-23 mpg! That got me sort of excited. It's possible that the air is also colder than in September and October which might take affect and I tried my best to make a ram air affect by having the velocity stack moved right behind the grill.
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11-28-2007, 11:00 PM
#9
Originally Posted by The Dougler
what fittings did you use to create the velocity stack, and the elbows down? Also do you think this could be done by just pulling the fender liner back?
it'll be much easier with front bumper off. its a bit hard to take out intake resonators from the fenders.
btw it looks good
if i had more time, i would've done the same thing with the intake arm support.
i had to pick up my girl in a hour when i worked on it, so i just ziptied them.. haha
11-29-2007, 12:09 AM
#10
Racer
Thread Starter
Thanks for the compliments. 
Dougler, it will be unnecessarily difficult to squeeze your arm between the bumper liners and try to install. I know this because, that's how I was going to do my install. Then I watched Sandiegodrive's video and 20 mins later my bumper was off and I was free to do the install.
The fittings are installed in this order (all Spectre products): Velocity stack, 3'' diameter coupler, 60* bent elbow, 3'' to 4'' coupler, and finally the pipe from the intake resonator.
Dougler, it will be unnecessarily difficult to squeeze your arm between the bumper liners and try to install. I know this because, that's how I was going to do my install. Then I watched Sandiegodrive's video and 20 mins later my bumper was off and I was free to do the install.
The fittings are installed in this order (all Spectre products): Velocity stack, 3'' diameter coupler, 60* bent elbow, 3'' to 4'' coupler, and finally the pipe from the intake resonator.
11-29-2007, 01:17 PM
#11
Safety Car
its nice n clean but dude u need like 4 ft of water to get the CAI soaked and submerged in order for ur engine to reaaallly suck up water and damage it. a few rain drops wont do anything even if your driving for 12 hours straight in rain it wont harm it.
11-29-2007, 11:44 PM
#12
Racer
Thread Starter
Believe me I've contemplated a traditional CAI... but you know a lot of people preach that you wont hydrolock. Maybe my situation is unique due to my work area, but I find it very ignorant to say you wont hydrolock because it CAN happen.
BTW my friend about 7 years back hydrolocked his car and it wasn't cheap to fix at all. He was going through a flooded street (maybe a foot or so) slowly and the on comming car floored it causing a tide.
So ya.. benefits vs cost of an icebox completely outweigh the benefit and cost of a traditional CAI for me. (I also wanted a sleeper with out intake scream and low end gains). I'll dyno it eventually when I have time since no one has done a dyno with icebox + TL-S.
BTW my friend about 7 years back hydrolocked his car and it wasn't cheap to fix at all. He was going through a flooded street (maybe a foot or so) slowly and the on comming car floored it causing a tide.
So ya.. benefits vs cost of an icebox completely outweigh the benefit and cost of a traditional CAI for me. (I also wanted a sleeper with out intake scream and low end gains). I'll dyno it eventually when I have time since no one has done a dyno with icebox + TL-S.
11-30-2007, 12:04 PM
#13
is your initial increase in mileage still being maintained? Also about hydrolocking, is the only reason why this method would be less susceptible to it because you would have to drive through water about as high as the headlight, instead of when compared to a CAI which would be say 3' lower? Any difference in sound too with the intake resonator gone?
11-30-2007, 12:17 PM
#14
Safety Car
thank u the dougler the pipe has to be submerged in water half the filter can be submerged as well. they have videos online showing you how the intake system works with and without the bypass. conclusion on the tests is that you dont really need a bypass unless the intake is going so far down your risking pulling in a lot of water. on the tl the intake pipe only goes down 2 or 3 inches below the headlight line for the filter to fit.
11-30-2007, 12:56 PM
#15
Racer
Thread Starter
tripnbeats, I think he was asking a question not a supporting statement.
Dougler, the sound is almost near stock during low rpms and idle, but in WOT the engine is noticeably louder. Driving normal the passenger will never know you have a CAI by sound alone. Mileage to work today was at 21mpg, but I did do some hard acceleration to make a light.
As for your question: Hydrolock in itself is rare under normal conditions, but it can happen and it is very expensive to fix if it does. The reason why an icebox setup is less pervious to it is because the filter is mid way up the pipe to catch water if any is sucked up, and because (at least with the TSX) the airbox itself isnt compleletly air tight. So it is like trying to drink a liquid with a straw with a hole in it. On the other hand with a tradition CAI if water for watever reason was to go through the filter, then it will be sucked into your engine. The position of the velocity stack is almost right where the AEM filter sits, so position doesn't really matter.
There was a poster that said in an older thread, "if you really need a bypass then you dont need a CAI." I found that statement pretty clever.
Dougler, the sound is almost near stock during low rpms and idle, but in WOT the engine is noticeably louder. Driving normal the passenger will never know you have a CAI by sound alone. Mileage to work today was at 21mpg, but I did do some hard acceleration to make a light.
As for your question: Hydrolock in itself is rare under normal conditions, but it can happen and it is very expensive to fix if it does. The reason why an icebox setup is less pervious to it is because the filter is mid way up the pipe to catch water if any is sucked up, and because (at least with the TSX) the airbox itself isnt compleletly air tight. So it is like trying to drink a liquid with a straw with a hole in it. On the other hand with a tradition CAI if water for watever reason was to go through the filter, then it will be sucked into your engine. The position of the velocity stack is almost right where the AEM filter sits, so position doesn't really matter.
There was a poster that said in an older thread, "if you really need a bypass then you dont need a CAI." I found that statement pretty clever.
12-01-2007, 12:32 PM
#18
South Orange County, CA
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Originally Posted by juruki
Funny... I noticed the same thing shortly after installing my AEM CAI. I got a 3-4 mpg increase but it went back to normal after a week or so.
Cruising around 75 (73MPH average) and not aggressive driving, plus I am at sea level.
12-06-2007, 07:39 PM
#19
Racer
Thread Starter
A Senior Financial Analyst's thoughts after this mod:
After a week and a half of driving, the gas milage has pretty much stabalized at 21 mpg to and from work which is a 3 mpg increase in traffic. At 24 miles round trip, a whole year = 5760 miles in a year assuming I always went to work Mon - Fri. With a 14 gallon tank fill up, which is a little above "E," I now can drive 294 total miles compared to the 252 miles before this mod. That equals to 19 fill ups in a year due to work driving compared to 22 fill ups in a year before the mod. 3 fill ups at $45.5 ($3.25 per gal for a 14 gallon fill) comes to a $136.5 savings in one year. This mod cost me ~$70 to complete so the cost is made up the first year of driving and I made $66.5 in savings.
In a 5 year car ownership period, this mod will save you $612.5 (incl cost of mod) which can go towards:
After a week and a half of driving, the gas milage has pretty much stabalized at 21 mpg to and from work which is a 3 mpg increase in traffic. At 24 miles round trip, a whole year = 5760 miles in a year assuming I always went to work Mon - Fri. With a 14 gallon tank fill up, which is a little above "E," I now can drive 294 total miles compared to the 252 miles before this mod. That equals to 19 fill ups in a year due to work driving compared to 22 fill ups in a year before the mod. 3 fill ups at $45.5 ($3.25 per gal for a 14 gallon fill) comes to a $136.5 savings in one year. This mod cost me ~$70 to complete so the cost is made up the first year of driving and I made $66.5 in savings.
In a 5 year car ownership period, this mod will save you $612.5 (incl cost of mod) which can go towards:
12-06-2007, 07:48 PM
#21
Racer
Thread Starter
If you want loud you gotta go with the traditional pipe and filter like AEM or Injen. Mine makes almost no sound during normal driving and the engine sounds a little bit louder during WOT, but that's it. My gf has sensitive ears and I highly doubt she can even tell the difference. It's that quiet.
The Icebox CAI design uses your original airbox with a free flowing filter like K&N and a tube w/velocity stack down by the lower grill. So yes, there is a filter.
The Icebox CAI design uses your original airbox with a free flowing filter like K&N and a tube w/velocity stack down by the lower grill. So yes, there is a filter.
12-11-2007, 01:08 AM
#24
Racer
Thread Starter
gungrave you can get the velocity stack, connectors, and 60 degree adapter at pepboys. They were all Spectre products. I think Advanced Auto might carry them too, but call ahead incase. I threw away the receipt but I can go down to pepboys tomorrow and jot them down. Adapter parts cost like 30 bucks or so total.
12-24-2007, 07:14 PM
#26
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How easy/difficult was is to take off the front bumper to perform this mod? in past experience the plastic snaps have broken, and i havent seen the whole layout of the intake but it seems that there are a few resonators restricting airflow, do you have any before pics of what it looked like, otherwise ill just have to take off the bumper thanks!
12-30-2007, 10:59 AM
#27
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hey thanks for the info on how to do this , got all the parts from pep boys all u really need is that metal piece.and them metal clamps form a hardware store. bumper has to b taken off. thanks to sandigodrive and his videos u will have a great tutor to help u do it , the biggest pain was taking the stock intake out , but it came out with force . my mpg did go up about 3-4 . crazy if i go 45mph consistently. it will go to 37 . on highway goin 70-80 ill get 29 to 32. not much of a sound increase , but did notice alittle pep in response but i guess i got use to it bc it all seems normal again. the diff i can see between this an a cai, i dont really have facts but my thought is just ure prefrence and price , but now im thinkin but getin a cai lol bc i want the sound. well thanks again
. my mpg did go up about 3-4 . crazy if i go 45mph consistently. it will go to 37 . on highway goin 70-80 ill get 29 to 32. not much of a sound increase , but did notice alittle pep in response but i guess i got use to it bc it all seems normal again. the diff i can see between this an a cai, i dont really have facts but my thought is just ure prefrence and price , but now im thinkin but getin a cai lol bc i want the sound. well thanks again
04-12-2017, 02:07 PM
#36
from reading it...without the pictures... all he did was keep the factory air box in place and found/bought a snorkel and added a velocity stack to the snorkel.....then went to home depot and gathered materials for a mount that dampens vibrations just like the aem one.
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