....Yeah, someone stole my Homemade CAI and I didn't even realize it for
a couple of hundred miles or so {unscrewed it from the bottom}. It
didn't seem like it was running right but I just kept right on going. Did I
ruin anything??? The only thing that is broken {as of yet}
is the started and of course
that has nothing to do with a missing air cleaner. I've got a '94 LT1....
Thanks everyone, Bill

 

as long as you havent descreened you maf, you probably did not damage anything. Tough to say though.

 

I did that last week, you should be fine.

 

you might want to check/clean your MAF sensor, and change your oil...

I don't think you hurt anything seriously.

 

change the oil dude!

 

Are you sure it didn't just fall off? How would someone know that you even had a cai? I'm just curious. I wouldn't worry about it it most likely didn't do much if anything. I would change the oil though.

 

.... Thanks everyone, I will change the oil tomorrow, at the same time that I'm installing a new starter. Ut-oh, it IS de-screened . I will check and clean the MAF sensor though. Hope it didn't hurt anything else.
.....Crazy_Jackalope, I have one of those 'more is better' personallities. When I
made my CAI I used K & N filter #41-1400, which is 7" in diameter, has a 4" inlet & is 18" long! Thats not a mis-print, yes its 18" long! {or rather WAS 18" long}...
You could see the bottom couple of inches of it sticking down, plus the cover that showed was chrome so it stuck out like a 'sore thumb'. I had a 4" screw in
plumbing fitting attached so it actually srewed in/out. Looking closer today I noticed that it wasn't unscrewed at all but RIPPED OUT. The bottom part of this particular air cleaner {the part that was at the bottom and was visable} has a 1/4" x 1" stud so you can further attach it. I had a 1" x 1/8" aluminum strap that was attached to the top and then bolted to the car with a 1/4" bolt. This aluminum strap was twisted off. So it didn't fall off. When I Had a different CAI it did fall off a couple of times, thats why I got the one with the 1/4 x 1 stud on it.
Tomorrow when my check hits the bank I'm ordering another K & N, this time I'm going smaller, much, much smaller..... Like with either part # RC 4900 {4.124 inlet x 7" diameter {app. as its a cone shape}, x 8" long} or K & N part # RC 3150 {5.5" inlet x 7" diameter x 9" long}. Thank a bunch Bill

 

hey bill, i was thinking of making a cold air kit myself too. Would a steel pipe with a filter on the end flow better than a stock one?

 

Hello Black1995Z, I'm a long way away from an 'air flow' expert, but I wouldn't go with steel because of heat issues with steel getting hotter than plastic. Thats why I went with Plastic pipe. I used 4" plastic all the way {straight runs and a 90 degree bend}. But with 4" I had to take my ABS brakes off {I didn't
want them anyway}. I also cut out the area under the stock unit to allow room
for the 4" plastic pipe and K & N filter to go through. So anyway, I'd use plastic.
bill

 

excellent tip with the plastic.. is the opening on the maf 4"? where can I find plastic peices i need?

edit: do you have any pics?

 

My friend has been driving his GT around with no air filter for over 6 months now , so I think you should be fine.

 

Typical Mustang owner

Just kidding..

Is he looking to kill his car? I can see it now during the teardown of the motor

"How did all this gravel get embedded into your pistons?!"

"Oh, that.. Pffft! I was driving around without an airfilter for months!"

There are just some things that you shouldnt do and driving around intentionally for months without an air filter is one of them... IMHO anyways..

 

Black95Z, I got the plumbing parts from The Home Depot {or was it Lowe's?} and Ace Hardware. I had to go to both places cuz neither one had all the stuff.
I need to go to Ace either today or tomorrow to get some stuff for my new set up, as I might change it a little. But I have to go get a rental car in the morning and replace my starter first}.So I'll see if I can get the
part numbers for ya. I used 4" sewer pipe {the last time I mention my set up in a post I caught holly hell for using sewer pipe!} Anyway its really thin white pipe
that has sort of a rubber coating on the inside. I have 12 or so feet of it left in
the garage so I'll look for a part number tomorrow {or I wonder how much it'd
cost to mail it to you? Like 2' of it? I'll send ya some if you pay shipping}. Then I found a rubber sleeve adapter that came with hose clamps to hook the MAF to the 4" {sewer pipe . Then a 90 degree pipe bend and hooked the K & N to that. I don't have a camera. I do have a camera phone thought. I'll e-mail you a picture of what it looks like when I
get it back together. I used different types of plumbing parts to do it. It screwed on and everything. Actually sort of sanitary concidering that I usually
Mickey Mouse things..... Bill

 

Hey Bill, thanks for the info. I might look around today and see what I can find too.
If you get around to taking some pics please send them to me!
chris_duperre@***.net
Do you think you gained anything from it over the stock air box?