Tj cowl cai

#1
Just got my new intake in the mail.
I always wanted a cowl intake, but didn't want to piece metal one. I wanted a good looking intake, that would function as it needed to.
I originally found the MAC's CAI from rubiconowners forum, but at the price of $400 it was way to high, and had been in/out of the final stages of production for quite some time. Finally someone made a decent rough copy of it.
Spectre Performance #9943
http://www.spectreperformance.com/#CATALOG.9943
It's a fairly light stainless tube work. Decent design, other than the fact that it comes with the oiled style wet air filter. They suck ***, so I'll figure out a way around that.

The intake will pull from the cowl directly below the cowl vent, so I'll be adding to this setup to shed water away from the intake. No big deal, just little water shroud out of a larger piece of pipe should do fine, or a 90* elbow to the passenger side will do. I may add one of the little scoups to the cowl to shed water away as well.

I should have some install pics up soon.
 
#2
Let us know what kind of sound you get out of this. The one they did on extreme last year for Gen Rights Jeep sounded like *** but I think it was more of the Jeep having bad exhaust leak. Either way it was enough to make me want to hear someone elses before I considered one. I really like the idea and design tho. I hope it works well.
 
#4
Sam has a setup similar to that that he made for a few bucks with parts from lowes, I have looked at making a similar setup. Before you drop the coin on that take a look at Sam's setup.
 
#5
Sam has a setup similar to that that he made for a few bucks with parts from lowes, I have looked at making a similar setup. Before you drop the coin on that take a look at Sam's setup.
I'm lazy! I would rather take the time & effort to build a bumper, than an intake!
I was more interested in not having to build anything, or measure, or figure anything out! I have seen several home grown kits, but it's so easy to just bolt something up! i I have even built a few for friends.
 
#6
So........
No more waiting. It's installed, and here's some pics!
The kit!
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Measured & marked for the hole in the fire wall.
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Expensive *** 3" bi-metal hole saw!
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My new hole!
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Flange.
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Ignore the wires that run allover the place! I got lazy on my own wiring, i figure I do it purdy at work all day, so I could care less what my personal stuff looks like!
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Fitted for final install.
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Now what you don't see is where I silicone the flanges to the firewall, and together. The hole I drilled in the intake to relocate the IAT Sensor, or the 2 layers of an old pair of the wifes pantyhose I put over the filter as a prefilter to make up for the supplied filter being crappy! You also do not see the deflector I made for inside the cowl to avoid any possibility of it ingesting any water, nor do you see the universal weather strip I used to seal the cowl panel.
I'll be watching my scan tool to see what change it makes on the fuel curve, IAT, and ignition advance. If the intake starts to get more heat soak than I like, then I will wrap it in ceramic tape to shield it.
 
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#8
Are you using this to get cooler air to the motor? I know why the "RICERS" have these but still wondering how much help its gonna be for our motors. Maybe more MPG?
 
#9
My guess, is that it is to move the intake higher up, and out of the way for water crossings. It also has a benifit of cooler air, but from my experience, the CAI does not add much other than a cool factor...

Jeff, How does it sound? I have heard that putting the intake there makes for a very loud whoosh sound in the cab just about all the time....
 
#10
My guess, is that it is to move the intake higher up, and out of the way for water crossings. It also has a benifit of cooler air, but from my experience, the CAI does not add much other than a cool factor...

Jeff, How does it sound? I have heard that putting the intake there makes for a very loud whoosh sound in the cab just about all the time....
Mine came with an Airaid system and it's noisey as hell. I'm gonna dyno it back to back with a stock air box and see which one to pitch.
 
#11
I had an air raid intake on mine, and the amount of grit inside the tube, past the filter and pre filter cause me concern, so I dumped it off. I would look and see how much is getting through yours...Idealy, Id like to make a cowl intake that uses a standard filter....
 
#12
Where is it grabbing the air from? the firewall? or fender?
It pulls cool air from the cowl!
Are you using this to get cooler air to the motor? I know why the "RICERS" have these but still wondering how much help its gonna be for our motors. Maybe more MPG?
If you get actual cool air, then relocate the IAT Sensor to get a true reading, that will allow the PCM to tune the fuel & ignition systems more accurately.

My guess, is that it is to move the intake higher up, and out of the way for water crossings. It also has a benifit of cooler air, but from my experience, the CAI does not add much other than a cool factor...

Jeff, How does it sound? I have heard that putting the intake there makes for a very loud whoosh sound in the cab just about all the time....
Most CAI draw from the engine compartment, not outside air. That's NOT cold air! This is a true cold air intake. It will improve PCM tuning, MPG's by a hair, and allow for deeper water crossings.

Oh and it's loud as all hell!

:mech:
 
#13
Did almost the exact same thing, used ABS and rubber elbows, only difficult part was drillin through the wall. My filter is in the cowl section and I can hear it whistle from time to time but it really isnt that loud
 
#15
Id like to see yours Sam. I might be doing the same thing soon....after the amount of mud in the bottom of my intake box, im convinced moving it up and out away from the fan is a good idea :)
 
#16
Does your tube get hot as hell? I am having motor issues and one thing I have noticed is that my air tube gets hotter than ten hells so
i dont see how any cool air could be captured. My Jeep has run like crap since I installed mine a few months back(several diff issues). I have only drven it a couple of miles but I have let it run alot. The temp gauge looks right although the motor, hood and everything else is blazing hot. My thermostat may be bad, Im gonna remove it and see if things cool down a bit.
 
#17
Now engine temp, intake air temp, and ambient engine compartment temp are all different monsters!

Engine temp is only measuring the coolant temp at the thermostat housing.
Intake Air Temp is only measuring the air temp in the intake manifold. (unless you relocate it )
Ambient engine compartment temp is what your feeling when the intake tube, hood, ect.. is boiling hot.

Engine temp can vary based on ambient outside temp, engine condition, how hard your running the engine.
Intake air temp is affected by ambient temp, but with the cowl intake it's not nearly as harsh of an effect as the OE intake.
Ambient engine compartment temp can be measured, but still will varry on ambient outside temp, engine temp, and how hard your engine is running, as well as how well it's running.

Not to throw a wrench in there, but your complaint covered all 3, and your gonna have to pick one at the time to resolve. One modification will not cover all 3!

BTW: What intake do you have installed? The spectre, or a home brew?
 
#18
I clearly said I have several different issues. My only question was does your tube get very hot under normal driving conditions? Too hot to touch?
 
#19
I think Im saving coin for new Mac MAci, yea it is expensive. Just mainly worried about cutting the hole in the firewall and cowl. Mac is still in design stage for what is this one 3 generation one. I hope that the new one wont be metal ducting, atleast I hope he keeps same silcone piping.
 
#20
The tube does get very hot, but it's no worse than the OE intake tube. I'm gonna wrap mine with some silver backed insulation to cut down on the ambient heat soak. The temp of the tube is not nearly as important as the air in the tube. It's still way cooler than the OE intake drawing from under the hood.
I wouldn't say mine is to hot to hold. I do have some hood vents to reduce the engine compartment ambient temp, so mine isn't getting as hot as yours. I wasn't trying to shoot ya down on your question, just to kinda explain that the engine compartment temp, cooling system temp, and heat soak are all tied together even though they are separate issues.

I have tried several mods to take care of the issues, and some worked great, some didn't!
 
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