Originally Posted by aFe POWER

Yep, and it's designed to have some flex in the kit, same as OE components, to allow for the engine torque. We did hear some of the filters should have been wiped down a bit more to remove some of the polyurethane mold release, which can make them very slick (so they come out of the mold easy).

The T-bolt clamps are useful in this scenario because unlike worm-drive clamps they have equal pressure across the entire clamp, not localized, which helps with the large housing and large filter.

Originally Posted by aFe POWER

The "slippery" feel is some remaining polyurethane mold release, it does it's job very well in ensuring the filter urethane comes out of the mold, but it can be slick to work with, including messing with you on the part installation.

Originally Posted by VAmikeC7

I received my intake from the group sale thread that AFE posted about a week and a half ago. I will take a little time to post my initial thoughts, from the packaging, installation, and the result(s). Unfortunately, bad weather that came during the installation did not allow me to take it out for a spin, but I will follow up tomorrow with an update to this thread and share my thoughts. Here it goes:

Receipt/Unboxing:

Very nice box, black cardboard with an almost reflective yet matted look to it. Small sticker on both sides of the box that shows a picture of the intake that the box contains. Box was perfect with no creases or damage whatsoever. Upon opening, I see a lot of cardboard paper and the usual, but everything in the package was placed where it was to not be disturbed while in transit. The filter was packaged in a separate bag in a separate box within the whole package--which I thought was a nice touch. The cleaning kit was also included, and that had its own box too. All in all, very professionally packaged, and there is a sticker inside the flap of the box that tells me that it was quality inspected on 5/16/14--the day it was shipped out, too!



Removal of OEM air box, filter, installation,etc:

I found it fairly easy to remove the OEM Filter housing and intake tube. The instructions that it came with were very detailed and went into detail on how to remove everything. The one thing I found slightly difficult was that the last screw holding the radiator heat extractor closest to the passenger side was kind of hard to get to because there was a hose/coil that was in the way of getting to that bolt. I didn't want to move the coil too much as it appeared to feel like it wouldn't budge. I had to use a long and thin ratchet to get to it. Once I got to it, the whole assembly literally comes right out. Once I removed the OEM t clamps, removing the stock intake tube (after taking off the intake tubes and the MAF sensor) was very easy and straightforward.

You are to re-use the OEM rubber grommets and transfer them to the AFE filter housing. The AFE housing had the inserts to where the OEM grommets would go and this made it all super easy and seamless (nice touch). The filter itself is fairly large, larger than the OEM, but you can immediately notice how much more free-flowing it is than the OEM paper filter, which looks so restrictive compared to the AFE filter. Following the instructions, I made to sure install everything as smoothly as I could and not attempt to force anything. The AFE kit comes with the replacement intake tube bolts that you screw into the resonator piece on the intake tube. I used the supplied lock-tite to further tighten the bolt. Again, nice little touch that eliminates any need to go out and get anything that is needed to complete installation.

I carefully transferred the MAF sensor onto the new AFE tube and they supplied the new M4 screws to tighten these down. I don't think they were needed but the screws are flat head as opposed to phillips and they seemed to be way better quality than OEM. I used the AFE M4 screws just cause I figured "why not, they look better anyways."

Installation of the intake tube into the filter housing and throttle body was a little tight and tricky. There is virtually very little to no flex in the tube compared to the OEM one, so don't feel tempted to bend it to make it fit. Just coax it in. I found that undoing the t clamps entirely so they can be opened and then wrapped around the throttle body connector/rubber hose made it easier and eliminated any crimping that would make it difficult to slide onto the throttle body. What concerns me a little bit is that there is an ever so slight gap between the male and female connector from the intake tube into the new filter housing. I made sure to tighten the large t clamps over each opening, but the gap is still there (pic below). However, I don't think any air will escape and I think a little play is okay for when the motor is flexing a bit under load. When I was done with installation, I did not hear or feel any air escaping the intake area or filter housing. I think its pretty tight internally with all the overlapping rubber.



After re-connecting the resonator hoses onto the new bolts and connecting the MAF sensor, I made sure to tighten down all the t bolt clamps (and admire the see through window of the filter housing!) as best as I could, checked my work, and started the car. No check engine light, nothing weird.

But I noticed something different immediately upon start up, which sounded like a deeper rumble from the engine. It just sounds a little throatier to me and just had a more pronounced sound. Due to the pouring rain, I didn't drive it, but I revved it up quite a bit and there is a noticeable "sucking" sound and it just sounds more free-flowing than before. Sounds promising! All in all, the installation took me about 45 minutes (10 of which was spent trying to get off the last bolt from the radiator extractor piece), and I stopped to get a drink since it was muggy in my garage. It looks great and looks a hell of a lot better than the OEM filter and intake. Definitely saved about 5 pounds or so of weight from the front of the car too! I loved how AFE packaged it, the ease of the instructions and the window for checking the filter is a really cool touch and will be a conversation piece, that's for sure!





Driving Impressions: UPDATED

This morning was a cool 67 degrees here in Central Virginia and with a 20ish mile drive to work, I was looking forward to seeing any changes that I could feel right away (although I know it will take a couple hundred miles for the computer to adjust, my car is also Diablo tuned, as well). Pulling out of my neighborhood (the RPM guage was still showing the yellow and red warning lines, so the car didn't warm up until I got to the main road about 10 minutes after leaving my house). Getting onto the entrance ramp to the highway, I decided to put it in 3rd gear and I was going about 45 around the ramp, and gradually increasing to about 55 to the point where I could just punch it as I am getting onto the highway. A lot of people are off today so the highway was empty, so I punched it in 3rd from about 60 and the very first thing was the AWESOME sucking and throatier sound. It was immediately noticeable to me. It just sounded FREE. At this point I had done about 7 miles from leaving my house to the highway, and while I know it takes some time, I noticed that 3rd gear (I have MN7) felt a little more happier on the top end, since I was doing about 70 after merging on the highway (speed limit is 70 in Central VA), and it just felt like it got there smoother and quicker than it did before but I don't want to deny the placebo effect. I put it in 6th gear soon after and cruised the next 10 miles to my office. Very quiet, but when I put it into 5th to give it a little more go, it has a throatier sound at the low end when you give it a slight push of the accelerator. Very sweet sound, to be honest.

Pulling into my corporate complex, it's like a long wavy road, and when I turn into the complex, I like to put it in 1st gear as I'm rolling in, then punch it for giggles. I would always chirp the tires a bit when I mash it around 15 mph and then the tires would stick (having only driven the car since early spring, my tires have always been warmed up after driving about 20 miles in 70-80+ degree temperature.) However, when I did it this morning, with the temp nearly 73 when I got to work, I decided to punch it from about 17 mph and the tires were spinning/hopping like crazy with the TC kicking in and this did NOT occur before (2900 miles and tires are virtually brand new). The engine sounded like it had a different tone--almost a deeper roar to it. It definitely raised my eyebrows a little bit, that's for sure. Sounds promising. I will update more when I have hit about 100/200/300 miles after installing, which I think will occur sometime around early next week.

People who are getting this won't be disappointed at all. Thanks AFE for making a wonderful product!

Originally Posted by Kracka

I got the recharge kit in my box for the oiled filter. The dry filter needs nothing more than a mild dishsoap & water to clean. It is very easy to over-tighten T-bolt clamps. The air intake is not pressurized so there is no reason to gorilla-arm them on there, all you'll do is compress the silicone and crack the plastic; snug is tight enough for this application. I've crushed a metal pipe before tightening a T-bolt because it didn't feel tight enough. Since then when tightening I always use a 1/4" drive ratchet and choke up on up basically holding it at the head and even on an application running 27-29 psig/boost never did I blow off a pipe or coupler.

Originally Posted by spaceaholic

Hope thats not true with the AFE/Weapon-X TB combo or I will have wasted a lot of money.

Originally Posted by Newton06

Yup. My tuner/builder said the same thing. Also said intakes (i.e. FAST) are not worth the money.

Same realm as throttle-body 'spacers'...

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

30whp gains are being found with ported LT1 manifolds......your tuner is stuck in 2005.

all of these intake parts will show gains when your car is modded. if you increase airflow through a part that is not already a limitation then you have not done anything, this is true.

but once you give your engine the ability to move more air, the restrictions begin to show.

as always, build to a goal. don't just throw parts at your car.

Originally Posted by Newton06

That's interesting as he build the motors for most of the Corvette racers at VIR.

Give me an intake vendor that will stand behind a 30 RWHP gain on a stock motor after 3 pulls (hell even 75% of 30HP) or give my money back & then we can talk.

Originally Posted by imxz28

Is there any Dyno proven results on these aFe CAI?
Is there any Dyno proven results on these aFe CAI?
Is there any Dyno proven results on these aFe CAI?

Originally Posted by xp800

Sure...

And my original post in this very Tech section...

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...eaponx-tb.html

Originally Posted by VAmikeC7

That's the exact gap I have. I noticed this morning however, after driving about 20 miles to work, that the gap is less noticeable and feels tighter. Maybe the ambient heat causes the housing to expand. When I opened the hood as soon as I parked the car, I checked to make sure nothing was loose or out of the ordinary. I will now update my OP to briefly describe my driving experience so far.