Looking to free up space in the engine bay and am considering adding the AEM intake. Does it drone or add to a drone if running a midpipe and cutback (bhr and legamax)?

I tried to search and only found one comment from 2005 about it...

 

I don't have one, but I've heard a few people say it has a good sound.
I think that's the selling point, since the consensus here seems to be the stock airbox is hard to improve upon.

Hopefully someone with one will weigh in.

 

Never heard of anyone complaining about the AEM intake, but have heard of people using fake gimmicky intakes causing unbearable whining noises.

 

The stock intake is actually really good. I would never touch it unless you are planning on heavily modifying the car for track use only.

 

I guess you are all saying leave it stock for now. So be it! I will remove the airbox etc. to clean and put it back in after...for now lol.

I know the AEM is minimal HP but every bit counts!

 

More for the sound than for extra power. On a stock engine it won't really make a difference.

 

It totally frees up engine bay space, better low end throttle response. Like lol loud at higher RPM. It’s actually quiet ricey sounding.. you get like 1-3 hp
more than stock. And like I said a bit better throttle response. The “perks” are more access to things than anything. Others have said the OEM intake is great and they are 100% correct. The only intake that is probably better is the racing beat intake with the duct. Mainly because when moving it’s forcing air into the intake box. Just figure out how you want to spend your money... but know it’s a lot of $ for not much gain.

I have that aem intake on the race car.. the space feature is what I like. I bought another one for the daily.. mainly for space again.. but the racing beat intake might be the best performer.. but I don’t have any experience with it unfortunately...


also to answer your question about droning.. no, no drone.. the exhaust can drone the intake is not something you hear unless you’re WOT.

 

Good info.^
That's been my perception over the years, but it's good to hear a firsthand account.

 

I didn't do great in fluid dynamics, but I feel like you could make a better ram cold air intake by doing a cylinder filter where the oem intake is sitting over the crashbar. Then make ducting to reroute air from the front up behind the crashbar and into the filter. This would ideally give the benefits of the racingbeat ram intake pipe with the benefit of free engine space to use. I'm unsure about removing the panel under the oem airbox since i believe that is used to direct airflow from the radiator towards the coils area. This isnt to say you could make an easier to remove panel for that as well.

 

Lots of good info above that I don't need to repeat.. My 2 cents would be that is actually not that different from stock until you are about 60% or more on the throttle. So if you are just cruising along you don't really hear much of a difference. I got one because there really aren't many other places to do meaningful upgrades, looks good in the engine bay and like others said lots of free space to work. I wouldn't pay for one new but you can find good deals on the used market

 

After taking out and putting the stock airbox back in last night I definitely want to get an intake. Jesus the dirt (and rust) that's collecting under it is ridiculous.

I'll have to address the heat and airflow issue because I wouldn't be keeping the lower portion.

Great to know about it being "tame" under 6k and I agree about the cost. Ill wait but this solidifies it will happen...along with relocating my massive odyssey battery to the trunk eventually.

 

the trick i found with the stock airbox is to undo the throttle body clamp +vacuum elbows(careful....actually might be worth getting new elbows for better idle at some point)+ maf wire + variable intake vacuum line. Then pulling back on the accordion piece off the throttle body and then lifting up.

If you try to take out just the airbox and then take out the accordion piece, itll be a bitch and a half.

 

It sounds great! I love my Mazdaspeed/AEM intake. I believe most droning that you hear will come from the exhaust system rather than the intake system. I never experienced droning from the intake with the many cars ive driven.

 

Intake tubes just make the RX-8 engine bay look so silly. Doesn't the stock box also have an active flapper of some sort that opens/closes? Is it 'OK' to loose that without changing tuning, etc?

 

Probably not but people will do it anyways. I feel Mazda designed the stock intake well enough it doesn't need this modification. The only way this is worth it is if you plan on heavily modifying the engine. In this case, you would be tuning it anyways. There are plenty other mods I would do before even considering dumping money and time into a new intake that isn't really necessary.

 

Really only the racingbeat intake(adding ram air) and the aem cold air(no restrictive air box) do anything for our cars (0-5hp gain). Other than that swapping away from a log style exhaust manifold again will only gain 0-5hp, but helps across the powerband.

 

The flapper is the VFAD, it's before the airbox for noise management. Has no effect on airflow. Silly or not, it works well. They needed to get air from the bumper where it is cold, to the throttle body. They put a straight pipe. It's the simplest intake you can make, but also there is nothing left to improve.

 

Let's say you get 2-3 hp is that really gonna make the difference vs a crazy *** Audi or BMW? You're gonna lose every time. This car has garbage straight line speed and I'm happy for it. That's not what this car is about. The car is just so balanced as it is and corners better than those stupid German cars. Unless it's a $100k Porsche or something im gonna beat its *** on the next corner.