How To: Icebox Style Intake (DIY)

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So you got your short ram intake and you're tired of lagging around out of Vtec and sucking up hot engine air all the time? Too cheap to buy a CAI? CAI is too loud? Dreaming for a Comptech Icebox, but reluctant to spend $300+ for it? I'll show you an alternative to all of the above, while retaining a stock look as well as some cash in your pocket. 8)

*DISCLAIMER* I am not responsible for damage to your vehicle, intake parts, or tools. I will show you the proper way to do this, however it's up to you to execute proper procedure. Keep in mind that there are several ways to go about this mod. Which way would be the best is up for debate, but I did these proceedures in ways I feel it would benifit well from. The following was done on an '88 CRX Si with a B-16A swap, and I will go step by step on how to reproduce the same product for the same car. Other models, years, and motors can possibly be different. If you don't have a CRX/Civic of the same year/body style, make sure you measure, mark, research, and double check again what needs to be done before you go hacking away. Make sure to clean away any shards or debris caused by the cutting of your parts before you put the parts together..

Parts/Materials you will need:

- Your stock airbox (only the upper and lower portion that contains the filter, that is it)
- An aftermarket short ram intake tube
- 1 - 3" - to - 2½" ID coupler
- 1 - 3" - to - 3" ID coupler
- 3 - 3" ID hose clamps
- 1 - 2½" ID hose clamp
- 1 - K&N drop in filter (part # 30-2025 for the '88-'91 CRX/Civic airbox)
- 3' of 3" flexible irrigation pipe (found at Home Depot or Lowes)
- 1 - 3" irrigation pipe 90 degree elbow
- Zipties
- 1 - tube of high temp sylicone sealant in black
- Heavy duty tin snips and/or a Dremel with cutoff wheel or carbide cutting bit
- Phillips and flathead screwdrivers
- 10mm socket and drive
- Hacksaw

Step1:



Time to remove your intake (stock, CAI, whatever it may be). On my car, it was simply a short ram intake.


Step2:

You need access to the resonator box and ram portion of the stock intake system if it has not already been removed. You will need to at least partially remove the front bumper. I was able to remove the box by unbolting the whole passenger side of the front bumper and sliding it off enough to get access.

Step3:

After the box is removed, it's time to decide how and where you are going to route the ram portion of the intake to effectively route fresh oncoming air toward the intake chamber. The bottom piece of the stock airbox for ED/EF style Civics has an opening on the front of it. A small hose/pipe slips in there and connects the box to the resonator box which resides below the engine bay, behind the bumper. I found it would be wise to cut the opening of the lower box open more to directly fit the pipe, then route it straight out toward the headlight and route the irrigation pipe at a 90 degree angle (down and toward the front). This is truly a DIY portion of the project. Be aware that you will need to cut in any case to fit this 3" irrigation pipe through the stock hole in the frame.



As far as cutting the box goes, cut it open just enough to squeeze through. Since the pipe is rippled, it helps to cut just enough for the protruding part to just fit through. This way, the indented portion will sit flush and snug in the cut hole.



The pipe fitted into the cut hole:



After the pipe is properly fitted, take your black hi-temp RTV sealant and go around the cut and pipe to completely seal the opening and reinforce the attachment a bit. Do it on the inside of the box so it wont be noticable.

Step4:

With the lower portion of the box attached to the pipe, route the pipe through the frame and down beneath the car through the stock location you enlarged. Run it anyway you like and feel it would ram air the best.

What I did was purchase a 90 degree elbow and attached it on the end. I faced it toward the front of the car and just above the bottom level of the car.


After it was positioned in a matter satisfactory to my liking, I drilled holes in the end of the elbow, one in the frame, and secured the pipe to the frame via ol' Mr. ziptie. ;)


Step5:

Bolt the lower box down. You're halfway done, and by now, should be complimenting yourself on how l33t this is gonna look when done. ;)



Step6:

With the hard stuff out of the way, time to concentrate on the upper side of things. You don't have to do this step, but I figured by cutting just enough of the plastic portion of the inlet side of the box, I would be increasing the sound and flow that much. ;) I also figured I could cut the short ram pipe at a better location so the coupler is not sitting right at a bend.


Drop your K&N filter in and bolt/snap the box down. All you need to do is measure and cut the short ram intake tube to mate up to the box now. Here is my cut on the CRX tube:



Put the couplers on the tube, slide the tube onto the box, then onto the T/B. Clamp it all down into place. This should be your final result:




While I was at it, I decided to add some stainless steel allen head bolts and washers to "bling" up the box a bit:


I will probably be painting the intake tube flat black in the next week or so to make it even more subtile. ;)


Results:

Amazing. Compared to the short ram intake, it is a bit quieter (as I guessed it would be), but still about as loud as an AEM ver.1 CAI. Its raspy, yet still somewhat passive sounding when romped on. Vtec crossover is still pleanty of noticable, especially more so through the exhaust since I can hear the exhaust much clearer now without the loud short ram. I was very impressed at the overall low and midend gain I got over the short ram. I feel it's more than an AEM could offer due to my previous experiences with the AEM ver.1 CAI. I cant compare against the Comptech or Mugen systems, because I have no experience with them. However, since I wanted to use the same idea, I'd like to think it's close to comparable to both systems performance wise.

Overall, I think it's awesome. ;) Comments, questions, and suggestions are appreciated.
 
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Grn96Vic

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yo man thats really creative, looks like it would work great, but where is the front of the hose? behind the open area of the bumper? no problem with water or anything like that?
 


coops92hatch

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after i read this i had to try it... but instead of the black drain hose thing i used metal piping and cut out one of the holes in the bumper and made a custom ram air box with sheetmetal and a welder. it actually made a big difference over my short ram, and truthfully i feel vtec a lil bit more. but all in all i say this is a great diy. i would recomend this to anybody with a short ram. great write up man..
 

D Grade

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Thanks for the compliments, and I'm glad it worked out for you coops! Not a single problem with water. I doubt even if the pipe was submerged there would be a problem. The pipes end sits about bottom of the bumper level.

Since I'm looking forward to pulling the battery out and tossing it in the trunk, I've started planning a new box for the more conventional Honda engine bay (minus battery in the damn way). I'm probably going to use an EG airbox and EG shortram, so I will either add that process to this DIY, or make a new one for the specific EG year. Stay tuned. ;)
 


King Bob

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wow thread revival< I remember this. Hey man give us an update are you still rocking this set up and is it still doing it for you?
 

nightryder99

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King Bob said:
wow thread revival< I remember this. Hey man give us an update are you still rocking this set up and is it still doing it for you?
lol yea seems worth the revival if we can get some pics on this lil creation
 

nightryder99

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King Bob said:
wow thread revival< I remember this. Hey man give us an update are you still rocking this set up and is it still doing it for you?
lol yea seems worth the revival if we can get some pics on this lil creation
 

NOFX

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nightryder99 said:
lol yea seems worth the revival if we can get some pics on this lil creation
Can you not see the pics he posted?
 

nightryder99

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NOFX said:
Can you not see the pics he posted?
nope it was my browser ...using mozilla maybe i didnt update somethin or my zonealarm was blocking it
 

gearbox

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this is almost exactly how the older accords were setup (like a cold air intake with box) and it works well
 

RHennin

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I'm planning on doing this but with a box fabbed out of stainless sheet metal. I know it doesnt seem like the best choice, but I like the look of it and I plan on treating it inside and out so that it doesnt conduct heat much at all. Has anyone else done what I plan on doing with a sheet metal box? Can you post some pics if you get a chance. I'd really like to see how some of you guys would go about doing it. I tried to make some templates about a month ago when I started it but with all the hoses running around the filter etc... it became a b***h....
 

Steven.

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i did this same thing, with the stock box
 


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