Custom Built CAI! (Installed 08/06/13)

[bpd1151]

Well, much to my surprise, my local powder coater (Winning Colors -- http://winningcolorspowdercoating.com/) called me today, to let me know my latest round of stuff was available & ready for pickup.

Therefore, that means y'all get to get a little sneak preview of my newest (as yet to be installed) modification to my already long laundry list of mods to my 2010 Taurus SHO.

It's a custom, hand built CAI, which is/was loosely based off of the Hennessy CAI design / kit.

Thanks goes out entirely to Mr. Kirk Doucette, owner of NESHO (Northeast SHO - http://nesho.com/) for having sold me this item which was personally used by him on his own SHO, prior to recently having sold his SHO.

Now when I received it on my end, it wasn't by any means in "like new" condition.

Therefore, I opted to 1st off order up a brand new, replacement filter.

I opted to roll with a new product design offered up by S&B Performance Filters, item #KF-1014 (http://www.sbfilters.com/Cold-Air-Intake-Kits/Replacement-Filters/replacement-filters-75-2503-kf-1014).

I then had all of the metal tubing, and the heat shield, powder coated in sky white.

I also ordered up new expandable plastic tubing/ducting for the piece that is routed down towards the lower grille, to help provide yet another source of true, cold air intake. See/Refer Picture Below.

This design will work well, given that I will now have a total of three different sources of/for which "cold" outside air will now feed my turbo's (the stock/OEM opening, the driver's side heat extractor mounted in my engine hood, & now this 3rd location down below thanks to the new duct work).

Here's a couple of pictures for y'all to view (please ignore the ottoman thing which I placed it upon)......






The great thing about this design, is that it completely eliminates the stock intake plumbing that so many of us have still retained, and simply just bolted on an aftermarket open element filter to (such as the K&N and/or Airaid products).

This design also increases the diameter of the intake tubing to a full 3" and will feed each turbo individually, rather than having a shared design with one intake tubing of/from the OEM setup, part of which incorporates a full 180 degree bend in/near the center of the engine, and then splits towards the front turbo.

Kirk was also nice enough to fabricate for me a new piece that installs pre-throttle body, and completely eliminates that stupid "noise maker" contraption thing that FMC installed into the SHO Eco motors.

Additionally, the diameter is also one solid opening (and slightly larger) than the factory piece. I also had this piece powder coated as well. See/Refer Picture Below:






Now I still have yet to order up all of the new, silicone reduction tubes/hoses that will attach to this CAI plumbing subsequently the turbo's themselves, but I plan on ordering hoses in "ice white" from Samco sport Hoses (http://www.samcosport.com/usa/).

I don't plan on installing this new custom built CAI until AFTER I've placed my order for, and have received, my new upgraded turbo's.

I plan on trying to minimize labor costs & time by installing all at the same time.

That likely won't occur until sometime in August of this year, when my back pay check from my expired contract is slated to arrive into my grubby lil hands.

But I did at least want to share with the community what I've achieved thus far, and what's kind of in the works for me over the next several weeks.

Hope this thread was of some interest to y'all and thanks for reading.

Mike

[adelsin]

Awesome!!! Looks great. Wish someone had an exploded view of the duct system so I could follow along better.

[DJE624]

I love the white!  I have tossed around the idea of painting my engine cover White Plat.  The black and white looks great!

[bpd1151]

Wish someone had an exploded view of the duct system so I could follow along better.

No exploded view exists as this is a custom design.

Essentially, the filter is in the relatively same spot as the stock location.

Using that as a point of reference, you can follow the top tubing off of the filter, travels back towards the firewall, and then drops down to the rear turbo.

The bottom tubing, again off of the filter, is a 90 degree drop right straight to the front turbo.

The flexible black expandable tubing seen in the pic, will travel downwards towards the lower grille opening, and I will mount that open end in the spot where some of you have the ACC radar/sensor thingy.

Does that help orient you at all?? 

[bnoon]

The cost of some of these custom cai's you can buy the materials AND a welder and STILL have money left over. Crazy!

[EcoBrick Bob]

Just saw this Mike... Kirk owes you this!!!!!!  What did Kirk replace his 2010 SHO with?

Only question I have is about the new piece just in front of the TB.... Will making it larger like you did possibly reduce turbo boost? This is per comments on other threads here about larger is not always better after turbos boost intake air. The pipe from the intercooler to the TB in the Flex doesn't have that crazy BOV.  That is an alternative for you if you don't like that section replacing the SHO BOV.  I have 2.. the original and one where I have my spray nozzle mounted. 

[darreli]

I wonder what sort of gains you'll get with that alone?

Being that it is based loosely on Hennessey's and they are claiming 26 hp, I'm wondering if you'd be in the 35~hp range.

Even if its close, 1k is cheaper than 2.4k http://www.hennesseyperformance.com/shointake.html

I can tell you that the Hennessey CAI does not make 26hp. I'm pretty sure I was the first, maybe the second person to ever buy one from Hennessey. I didn't pay nearly what they charge for them, but I think they cut me a deal just to get some of them on the road. To be perfectly honest, and I dont really want to hurt anyones feelings here, but I dont believe any of the "CAI"s make any power.  The only thing that I've seen do anything real world is just a drop in K&N panel filter. After I put on the Hennessey kit I gave LMS my flat panel and with that alone, while we were at the track it picked up 3mph and knocked off a tenth.

Believe me, for a grand I would like to see a pick up in power, but I dont think it's there. A tune, methanol, downpipes, they all make power, for less money....cat back, CAI not so much.

[bpd1151]

I wonder what sort of gains you'll get with that alone?

Being that it is based loosely on Hennessey's and they are claiming 26 hp, I'm wondering if you'd be in the 35~hp range.

Even if its close, 1k is cheaper than 2.4k http://www.hennesseyperformance.com/shointake.html

Believe me, for a grand I would like to see a pick up in power, but I dont think it's there. A tune, methanol, downpipes, they all make power, for less money....cat back, CAI not so much.

I agree with Darrell, in the aspect that there are other, more beneficial power gains, as it relates to what other mods are available out there.

It's a matter of each individual prioritizing what's important to them, as it pertains to their own applications and/or desires.

I'll respectfully disagree with him on pricing however, as broken down below:

A tune, AND a device will cost one on average $450-$700
Methanol Kit alone, w/o install, $500-$800
Downpipes, $500-$900, again w/o install

So, certainly, this intake design, although inspired by, & loosely based on the Hennessey Kit, even with an uptick in production, and different materials (perhaps plastic instead of metal) and presuming me, or 4DR are able to find an interested vendor to fab them on a quantity level.....

And in turn, we are able to get the costs to trend downward.....

The potential price point of this mod is all relative in the grand scheme of things, and still in line with other performance items out on the market.

Important thing to remember, is that each piece is a part of the overall HP equation, and each piece likewise, contributes to the overall goal.

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[darreli]

I didn't mean all together they were cheaper but individually. And each of those make power as opposed to the air intake which has not been shown to make power.

And don't be bustin my balls..just giving an opinion. Don't you have something better to do..like eat donuts? Lol

[bpd1151]

I'll keep eating my cop doughnuts, as long as you keep playing with your fellow fire fighter's hoses you creepo.....

Bwahahahahaha...... luv 'ya Darrell.

Muah Xo Xo

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[darreli]

Ok..let me expand on this a little since by brother from the other badge immediately texted me and stated he wished he could play with my hose.

I obviously have a CAI and I purchased it as part of an overall plan (and it was the only thing out at the time) but if guys are looking for performance gains, I think money could be spent better elsewhere. Thats what these forums are for..to see what works and what doesnt. Believe me, I've thought several things were going to help and ultimately havent.  I thought lighter wheels would help, they absolutely did not. I thought the the Hennessey design of the CAI would help and it really hasnt made any more power than anyone else. Then I thought it would help as boost increased, but it hasnt yet. It still might and I hope it does at some point.  So...I'm not saying no one should buy or not buy anything. I'm just stating from my history and knowledge of what has been proven to work and not.

You're still my favorite cop Mike!

[bpd1151]

You're still my favorite cop Mike!

I actually just wanted to be held and snuggled.

Your hose is too dirty for me to play with......

BTW, I am heading to my Dad's cottage in MI next week for a portion of my vacation. If time permits, & the old man's cool with it (as IDK what other family may also be heading up) maybe you & the family can head out?

No homo sh!t though, otherwise i'll tase you bro.....

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[bnoon]

I thought lighter wheels would help, they absolutely did not.

I just wonder how you measured this and how big of a wheel weight difference you are talking about. My wheels were nearly 9 pounds lighter each than stock and they for sure made a difference in accelleration and mpg. A tenth to 60 and close to 2 mpg.

[darreli]

I thought lighter wheels would help, they absolutely did not.

I just wonder how you measured this and how big of a wheel weight difference you are talking about. My wheels were nearly 9 pounds lighter each than stock and they for sure made a difference in accelleration and mpg. A tenth to 60 and close to 2 mpg.

Many trips to the track..my wheels and tires are over 20lbs a piece lighter than factory and my 60fts are actually a little slower...I gained nothing on the top end and my mileage is the same as its always been. Granted wheelspin/wheel hop is worse than before I'm sure because of the lighter wheels...just real world testing though to answer your question

[EcoBrick Bob]

#1, I built my own CAI usiing a RotoFab "J pipe" from a G8 and an AEM Round filter.  Mine is quite a bit farther towards the fender than stock, but not as far as 4DR's.
Because the J pipe was recalled and ended up free, I have under $100. in my system.

I later bought an AirAid CAI and found my custom one had IAT temps considerably lower than the AirAid, which I went on to sell.  While I realize MCT is the ultimate determinator of the PCM and any retarding of spark due to heat, it still is nice to see IAT temps at or below Ambient.  And for the money it looks and sounds good.  But I agree with Darreli, it that the gain is minimal at best.

#2.  I disagree with Darreli on lighter wheels.  Mine are also 7% smaller diameter which raises my Axle ratio to around 3.40 from 3.16.  This has helped me with faster times, especially when I run Nitto 05 DR's.  The lighter wheels really help with stopping distances and in handling, though some of that is definitely do to my Pilot Super Sports.  The Conti DW's that were the same height, and close to the same weight didn't handle as well.  I also feel my MPG has benefited from the lighter wheel/tire combo because even though my engine is running higher RPM's on the HWY (2,000 RPM at 70 MPH - on GPS) my fuel mileage is the same.  That's because it takes less inertia to speed up and slow down wheels using cruise control.  I really don't care about fuel mileage, but love the better handling and stopping.  The one thing I do know is that going with 22" wheels and tires is going to slow you down as they weigh around 80 lbs each.

One of the Auto Mags did a study of tire sizes on a Voltswagen Golf a few years ago.  The stock wheels were 15" steel, the then tested 16", 17" 18" Aluminum wheels with the same diameter tire.  The 18" package was a half second slower to 60 mph, and returned almost 3mpg worse mileage than the 15" steel wheels.  The 16"s were almost as good as stock though.