Well I'm too cheap to pay $250 bucks for a bent plastic tube, filter and a heat shield......so I decided to build my own.

First I got all of my parts from Home Depot and O'rileys.

Not shown in the pic is some vehicle weather striping and a 1" x 1/4" flat bar.



Black duct tape $4
Black trash can $5
3" pipe clamps $1.50 ea
3/4" elbow for the valve cover breather $1.30
3" (swivel style) duct $7
Cone air filter $19
Self taping screws $1 per bag
Weather striping $3 per bag
Flat bar $7
3" angle bracket $1
Misc bolts found in garage free

Total $70 -- but I already had the flat bar in the garage.

For me $63




First start by removing your stock filter box, to include the 3 rubber inserts.

Next start cutting up your trash can little by little checking how it fits. I just did it by eye and marked where I wanted to cut with a sharpie. Everyone will want a different fit so I did not make a template when I finished cutting mine.

Next locate where you want to put the elbow fitting and the hole for the intake tube. Using a 1" drill bit cut the hole for the elbow and screw it in. Then test fit the heat shield and mark where the inlet tube will need to go. Make sure you only use a 2" hole saw when making your next hole so you can cut slats and bend them to secure the heat shield to the intake tube.

Then test fit every thing to make sure yo like the way it fits.




Once you get every thin fitting the way you like it secure it to the plastic piece that the stock intake connected to. I also made a tab on the heat shield to connect to the power steering resivore (sp) and the metal to the left of it for extra support. I then took the flat bar and bent it so it would wrap all the way around the top of the heat shield and used the self tapping screws to secure it. I put the angle bracket under the inlet tube so the plastic heat shield would not flex.

Finally I wrapped the inlet tube with the black duct tape. Mainly so it blends with every thing and to help seal it up. I also put the weather striping on the top to help seal it to the hood and keep as much of the engine heat away from the filter as possible.

The finished product.





I may work on the duct tape job to clean it up a little but other then that I'm really pleased on how it turned out.

 

Great Idea executed extremely well! Thanks for posting this, you got me thinking now!

Can you come over and do mine next weekend?

 

Thanks, I just thought I would share my idea.

 

One of the best boxes yet, great job!!

 

Be sure you don't tighten the clamp too tight on the filter or it will bend that thin metal and allow an air leak.

That thin material really worries me. It would be really easy for it to bend enough to cause a leak.

Just some thoughts, what about using some 3" black PVC pipe? It is lots stronger and still easy to work with.

Also, you could buy the rustys offroad airtube (40) then your filter (20) and then make your homebrew shield (which looks really good by the way) and you would still be in the same price range but would have a very durable airtube that you won't have to worry about bending and leaking.

Love the shield though.
Bryan

 

Great job..........did you notice more power................?

 

Yeah I found out what happens when you tighten it down to much, but other then that it is fairly strong. I almost bought the double walled pipe but it was too large in diameter. As far as power gains, I just dyno'd it today and put 165 hp and 198 tq to the wheels. ( I really need a power chip) But as the seat of the pants goes it accelerates much faster and free way passing is much easier now.

Oh yeah I also cleaned up the duct tape job, it looks much better now.

 

Nice job Ryan!

 

It has been almost a year. Are you still running your homemade CAI? Any problems with durability? Is it still working well?

That is straight McGyver shit!

 

This is the kinda stuff that goes down in hot rod greatness. What a great mod done in a very professional way, and all with bargain basement prices. This deserves to go in magazines. Great job!

You know what? If you wanna clean up the taped look, how bout this? Make sure you have the vent pipe turned right, and go have it RHINO LINED. It'll look good and be sealed.