Intake installed

"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake)
08/08/2013 at 23:57 • Filed to: None

Holy crap, it sounds INCREDIBLE! Crappy cellphone pic, but it gets the idea across. It looks a lot nicer than the stock airbox obviously. The heatshield was a pain to install, but the whole install took a half hour or so so it wasn't bad.

So, what does it do? First of all, the sound. Holy crap the sound. There's a noticeable 'burble' at low revs, and you can really hear the turbo spool up. The BPV makes a sweet blowoff sound now. Before the intake was installed, you couldn't really tell it was a turbo, but now it's impossible to deny. As far as power is concerned, eh. Throttle response seems better, and there's a little more power throughout but nothing that would blow your socks off. I expect the tune to do that whenever I get around to it.

If you buy a sonic or cruze with the 1.4 Ecotec, you NEED this or a similar intake. It's worth the $275 or so with the heatshield.

DISCUSSION (14)

Nerd-Vol > Jayhawk Jake
08/08/2013 at 23:59

Congratulations.

Dealkiller the Very Tired > Jayhawk Jake
08/09/2013 at 00:32

Would this void the warranty from GM? If not, enjoy. I should look into this for my '06 Focus, as it sounds like an asthmatic weasel when I put my foot into it.

desertdog5051 > Jayhawk Jake
08/09/2013 at 01:00

I know the feeling. Feels good, doesn't it. I don't have a turbo but I bet it is really special. Congratulations. Great post. Thanks.

Jayhawk Jake > Dealkiller the Very Tired
08/09/2013 at 01:03

I don't know if it voids the warranty. Maybe, but it won't do any damage.

nafsucof > Dealkiller the Very Tired
08/09/2013 at 01:04

Shouldn't. It doesn't affect and emissions control devices. I think these are map sensor and not maf. The ecu probably is torque targeting like many new cars meaning that as long as the tune is stock it'll only make the predetermined power (stock) until tuned. If the car makes 100% power at 90% throttle and 90% advertised boost so be it that's where it stops. Target power achieved. On the flip side, the tune will open up the power big time taking back what gm left on the table.

nafsucof > nafsucof
08/09/2013 at 01:06

That pic looks like it has a maf maybe? Now that I look.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Jayhawk Jake
08/09/2013 at 01:26

Can anyone tell me why an air intake kit changes the sound of an engine? And what some good, cheap brands are?

Jayhawk Jake > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/09/2013 at 01:34

There's a couple reasons. First of all, compared to stock you're usually getting more air and its more open. Being more open means the air coming in is making more noise, so there's that.

With a turbo, the intake is hooked up to the turbo. The stock air box on the sonic was a huge plastic box pulling air from the bumper and putting it through rubber and plastic tubes and a huge covered filter. The new intake is a single piece metal tube with a huge open filter, so the acoustics are better, you can hear the turbo more readily.

This is a ddmworks intake made for the sonic, the filter is a K&N filter. You could just buy pipes and make your own if you wanted to be super cheap.

Nerd-Vol > Jayhawk Jake
08/09/2013 at 01:41

Yep. My intake really woke up the noise of my car. Just like you said, I could finally hear the turbo and the bpv. I felt like a new man.

dinobot666 > Jayhawk Jake
08/09/2013 at 08:38

Will it need a tune after you change the intake? I know a lot of turbocharged motors aren't keen on aftermarket intakes.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/09/2013 at 08:38

Speed by Spectre makes good parts for the money. Here's a link. Made one for My dad's freestar, my 328i, and bought and installed a K&N for my mom's Lincoln LS. Huge difference on all 3.

Jayhawk Jake > dinobot666
08/09/2013 at 09:28

No, I think I've read that the ECU will learn down and I'll lose whatever marginal power gain I got from the new intake, but that's not a big deal. I'll get a tune eventually.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Jayhawk Jake
08/09/2013 at 22:51

Hmmm... After inspecting the intake/looking at forums it seems my car came with a cold air intake from the factory! The system doesn't start at the airbox, there's actually a tube that goes down and collects cooler air from under the bumper. According to teh forums if I install a custom system it'll sound better but there won't be much of a power boost as the OEM intake is very efficient as is.

Jayhawk Jake > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/09/2013 at 23:54

Probably. I doubt I'm getting much performance but it sounds incredible.