installing RB ram air duct, raspy check
 

Tomorrow I am installing the RB air duct to go with my RB revi intake that I purchased about 6 months ago. I have currently been running without any duct (i did not use the stock one because it was a completely mess and a few pieces were even broken on it). I removed the duct assembly and am just goin with the straight intake.

Anyways, recently I have been hearing a lot of raspyness in my 8 while driving. RPMs, and length of driving doesnt matter like I've seen in some previous threads with similar issues. I dont hear it at idle. Only once I start giving it gas but its at any RPM. It basically sounds like my 8 has strep throat.

Just fishing for some suggestions on things to check tomorrow since I will be installing the duct and taking the front apart. I wondered if running without a duct maybe got my air filter wet/dirty which might have caused this noise? Would that be a possibility?

I replaced the plugs at the beginning of the winter, and coils were replaced last spring. I also cleaned my MAF when I installed the revi intake.

As always, thanks for any advice guys.

Do you have a stock exhaust?

Yeah, I do. I think the sound is coming from the front though (judging by the sound from the driver's seat). But yeah the exhaust is stock.

Sucking air through the front hollow crosspiece without a tube to line it, makes a fair imitation of a whistle.

OK then. On some of the cheap aftermarket mid pipes the presilencer will go and give a raspy sound.

I know
Have it now

Ah I see. I may get one in the future if my cat decides to go but for now its stock cat and stock exhaust. Although I feel flames coming out of the back would be pretty cool.

Ha. you know whats funny. I went to install the duct today and guess what I found? I take off the bumper to install the duct and notice that the passengers side bumper bar is completely crushed. Isnt that awesome? I like how the salesman 100% assured me it had never been in an accident. Mazda didnt say anything about it either when i brought it to them to check out.

Oh that sucks huge

There's definitely more noise w/RB system than stock. To me it's a very noticeable hissing noise. Have someone rev it while you stand in front of the car. To me my duct acts as kind of a megaphone aiming the sound out in front of the car. The purpose of the stock 'snake tubing' was to decrease the intake sound.

just a question. does the Revi air box with with factory air duct? the reason I am asking is S2 the grill is mostly covered so the ram air duct is not gonna really make any difference.

:crazy:^ you need to rephrase that in english

It will work but I suggest using the tube from an auto, it doesn't have all the VFAD stuff on it and is a larger diameter.

The auto intake tube is on top and the stock R3 one is the one installed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9krpmrx8/4896786592/

so you just cap the vacuum tube?
I actually would like to keep the VFAD thing but thanks anyway.

I ran it without any duct for a while and it was fine. I just installed the RAM air duct and I dont notice much of a difference other then a little bit in sound. But I do like it better than stock. REVI isnt ear-shattering loud. It's a good medium.

Actually an update on this.

2 things. I think the noise was coming from 2 places.

#1, I found a RB screw inside my intake which was bouncing around. No idea whether it was an extra because it was so long ago that I installed it and am not sure what it was from. Took it out, eliminated 1 noise.

#2, the main sound I was complaining about is actually coming from the transmission. I had my friend hit the pedal a bit in neutral and could hear it coming right from the transmission. This bothers me for 2 reasons.

The first is that I saw the smashed bumper bar. Obviously this car has been in an accident and I was not told about it (maybe dealership just didnt know, whatever).

It always festers inside my mind that maybe the old owner saw signs of the tranny going bad and sold it off. I am getting a LOT of transmission noise upon takeoff and slow speeds, as well as some hard shifting intermintently. I'm sure it being winter and all is a key factor.

I'm hoping that once it's time to get the clutch changed out I'm going to do a few things.

I'm going to purchase a new flywheel (not performance, but just maybe OEM replacement or a better quality street-grade one), new clutch, have them look for any bad seals they can see and replace them, as well as adjust the clutch pedal as I think when my clutch pedal was replaced under warranty the dealer didnt do such a hot job.

Just change the trans fluid with fresh factory fluid and I bet it the sound will improve or go away.

you think that factory will have a quiter sound than redline MT90? I'll definitely order some. Do you think differential fluid also has any effect? When I changed it previously I went with royal purple, but I really dont like how the royal purple synchromax fluid sounded.