First off, I also bought a Trickflow elbow to go with it. The only bad thing I read about CAI kits is that people have problems sometimes with hood clearance, especially with aftermarket elbows. I did not. The kit fit under the hood great and looked great because I took my time trimming up all the fittings and getting everything set just right.

My problem was trying to get the filter on the bottom of the kit from under the car. HAHA, what a joke that is. The right side of the filter butts up against the frame rail and the back of it butts up against the the plastic fender insert. In fact, I spent 2 hours, about 500 F-bombs, and every other filty and dirty word in my vocabulary trying to get the thing on from underneath. It just wasnt happening.

I have big hands so I couldnt get 2 hands under the car, if that would have even helped. Also I had that stupid mounting plate as far forward and to the left as I could get it. Dropping it in from the top already connected to the plate really isnt an easy option because theres a fuse block harness in your way (at least on a camaro) and the front of the unibody blocking you on the other side.

Anyways, I would have cut the plate so it would be easier to fit in from the top, but my service van is in the shop for repair, and all my tools were on it.

So what I ended up doing was getting so frustrated at that point, that I just jammed the plate with the filter on it through the top. It was a VERY tight fit going passed the harness and through the hole. Im sure I messed up the wire mesh on the filter pretty good, but I think it'll be ok.

I'll know the extent of the damage once I do my first cleaning, and maybe at the same time I'll cut the plate and buy a new filter if I have to. I did check to make sure I didnt mess it up bad enough that pieces are going to get sucked thru so it should be fine for now.

PS: I think 120$+ for that plastic moulded part, 4 band clamps, and some rubber duct is asking a lot.... since the filter itself is only like ~$55.

Regards,

Chris

 

If it makes you feel better, the K&N FIPK isn't much easier, but your filter must be smaller than the K&N's one. There's no way the K&N one would have fit from the top down like you did. Yeah, it takes time...would help if you had another person to push the tube down..that was my biggest issue. You want a tight seal b/w filter and tube, but with a tight seal, you need something to hold the tube in place. Good think I have small hands and arms, so I end up "hugging" the corner of my car for a while to make it work.

At least you didn't get the SLP one..it has TWO filters to install. Now let's hope you got it on tight...I've heard about the filters falling off after a while.

Well, it's over so go take a drive...should feel a little more power.

 

It really didn't fit from the top down, but I "made" it fit. The Moroso filter is oval shapped though so I'm sure it made it easier. But it makes for one hell of a time trying to push it on from underneath onto an oval shaped lip.

As far as falling off, I really cranked that sucker down before I jammed it down the hole. I used the widest straight edge driver I had to get the most torque on that clamp screw.

Who knows, now I probably won't be able to get it off... lol.

I really wish I had time to drive it after the install, but I didn't. The extra long install time got me stuck with baby duty before I had a chance to test it out, but I did get a chance to start it up.

It changed my exhaust note somehow to a slightly deeper sound and throttle response is a little better I think. Also the intake is quieter than the stock unit, they just need to design it so the filter isnt sitting so close to the frame rail and fender. I think that's why it was so hard to try to get on.

 

Yeah i hated doing mine. Wasnt impressed, but shes on there for good now.

 

Do it a few times and you'll get the hang of it. You'll have to recharge the filter sooner or later.

 

The SLP filters were a PITA... And they recommend ya change them once a year.

I did take off the filters once and cleaned them up, and had a buddy help me reinstall them. Much easier.

 

Damn you did it the hard way then. When I had my '96 I just took it in and out from the top, leaving the filters on. You have to use some force, but they went in there.

 

My Moroso CAI was already on the car when I bought it but I have recharged it twice since owning the car. It really wasn't as difficult as you're making it sound. It actually fit on there quite easily for me. I hope you oriented the band clamp so that the nut is on the outside of the filter and not right up next to the frame. Either way though, to tighten it, use a socket and not a screwdriver. It makes it so much easier.

 

On my KN FIPK the hardest part was getting the intake tube into the adapter, i used some grease and then a block of wood and it finally went in!

 

Differences between individual cars and product then, perhaps a quality control issue. I usually have a lot of patience too, but this was so tight up against the frame and fender well it wasnt even funny. It definately was not going in the from the bottom.

Also as I said before I have big hands and had limited access to tools since they are in my van which is in for repairs. Screwdriver was the best I could do.

 

I discovered something about the K&N cold air kit after I got my car back from a dealership. They had to remove the kit to do some engine work one time and when they put it back on; they tightened the filter too tight and collapsed the plastic tube. I was going over the engine bay after I got it back and found it....lucky for me I was able to relieve the stress on the tube and it bounced back to normal size......be careful how tight you go with them!