Un-biased Injen Intake review and pics.
 

Out of the box I decided to take it apart and look closely at all the parts to try to see if there was something that would surprise me. There was one thing, I'm interested to see if anyone else sees it. (I'm sure you will).

Just a top view of the box
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...8/DSCN0922.jpg

This is all you can see inside of the box, the filter itself
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...8/DSCN0923.jpg

The inside of the actual piping (which i ordered in black mr. fluid :rant: )
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...8/DSCN0925.jpg

The "step down" section of the pipe.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...8/DSCN0926.jpg

Intake alone installed
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...8/DSCN0927.jpg

All done #1
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...8/DSCN0928.jpg

All done #2
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...8/DSCN0929.jpg

Now, first off... This install was braindead easy. I managed to have it done in about 15 minutes. If you are half way familiar with the car you will fly through this which I liked. As for notes per the installation, I really wouldn't have any except that you are going to need allen wrenches, which I was unaware of until I opened the box. I didn't expect this. installation would get a 9.5/10 (would have been 10/10 for easiness had there been no allen wrenches needed).

Car started up just fine, the idle was exactly the same. Pulling out of the garage for a small test run it wasn't noticable at all. In a sense, it was similiar to the AEM intake. I didn't know what to expect once I got it W.O.T. I had OSDucky with me, and he noticed the same thing I did at first, the car felt even more smooth than normal.

Once the secondary port opens up and you are on the gas, the thing sounds pretty damn aggressive. It's inherently a different tone than the AEM due to the differences in design, but to be honest I like it a bit more than the tone I was getting from the AEM I had before. The car screams a bit now, however unlike the K&N intake, it's sexy sounding, and not comparable with a hornets nest. For sound quality I would give this intake a 9.0/10.

Now obviously all of you would like to know how it felt as far as power goes. Well, my butt dyno did NOT measure 21 whp. I will say this tho, it does give a bit of a help after 8800 indeed. When you go WOT before that, it feels just like the AEM did, a tiny better than stock. If you have a flash on your car where you have an adjusted redine (higher than OEM) like I do, you will probably benefit the most from this intake. The power did not seem to die off as easily as it had been after 9k RPMS, it was still pulling just enough to notice. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this thing threw me to the back of my seat, but I will say after 8800 it is a bit noticable to me the increase. Is it 21whp? Doubtful. It is definitely something. I have a bunch of silly numbers that aren't anything I would like to post courtesy of Dynolicious, but I will not comment on anything until I physically take it to a dyno. For performance, I'd give it an 8.0/10. Combined with either the racing beat or odula ram air duct, I seriously believe this may have the best potential NA.

Should you buy it? If you're going to buy an intake, yes you should consider it. It sounds great, looks sleek, and is an easy DIY ( especially for noobs or lazy people, since you don't have to take off the bumper ). Are there HUGE gains? I don't believe this to be the case. I do think it's giving a noticable amount at the top, but like I've said I don't think it's anything MASSIVE. Who knows, maybe after I dyno I might be surprised. We'll just have to wait and see.

I will have sound files and a video for you guys as soon as I have time... I also got a 1968 strat today, and TBH that is going to occupy a large portion of my weekend :)

is the airflow coming in from the OEM intake tubing? can you hook up an RB duct to it to give it MORE cold air?

^ Yes Jedi, you can. That's why I think in conjunction with one of those ducts this may have the best potential available.

You suck haha mine is on the truck somewhere and it is supposed to be shipped today....but i am starting to doubt it as it is already 5:00. I will add my opinions when I get.

I guess the secret to the massive 21WHP gains is that little foam-filled metal log that sits near the MAF? :lol:

Seriously, WTF could the point of that possibly be? :)

I'm unsure, that's what I am curious about.

well, you see... the foam acts as a... umm.... it makes the air.... When the flow hits it... umm... yeah, I'm clueless as well. Like the RB, it does a good job of not looking out of place or obviously modded (to those who don't know the car in and out) , while still looking better.

Well fedex man just came.....now if only I had allen wrenches:banghead:

yeah, tried to warn you about those wrenches lol

Hey I didn't get the 21 horspower adder foam piece in that little tube. Haha

*Ahem* there was only Polished in-stock...you know that :)

They didn't have any in black.

Hope to see results, sounds and video soon. :)

you know I am just messing with you ;)

Make sure you shop around for prices and people who know why these things are designed as they are.

intakes net you 5-8whp at best, with the racing beat duct.

I'll bite...

What is the purpose of that tube with the foam?

trick the maf by changing the airflow past it

nice looking Intake...im also interested on how the "21HP" comes from the Injen intake...im with others....maybe a RB ram duct...or odula...

BTW: You re low on windshield washer fluid!!! What if all these bugs f ur windshield at the track...?lol

*Edit* I spelled INJEN - engine...lol

What did dynolicious say?

Sound Clipsssssssss

I'm gunna have a guess . The foam filled tube is trying to trick the MAF like Zoom said so that at low speed closed loop the maf sees pretty much stock airflows but at higher rpm wot situations it tricks the maf into thinking less air is flowing thereby leaning out the mixture somewhat ....
In this way it would prevent the ECU from correcting the maf readings over time thereby giving you leaner mixtures all the time .
Ta daaaaaaaaa !

I am thinking more musically on this one.........

Everyone wants to feel their purchases are justified.

People should not use intakes for sound - get an exhaust.

People should not use intakes to lean out the fuel - get a fuel management system.

People should realize the stock intake isn't a restriction to begin with. If you want to help the engine, get cooler air into the intake, otherwise you're just screwing around and you may as well get some neon lights and spray paint your car day glow orange for performance gains.

I'm actually shocked you didn't say you found better throttle response. :)

When we have a few hundy laying around I am sure MM, Easy, and I will get our hands on one of these and play with it. Then we'll report any tangible gains we discover in the data/on the dyno. BTW, a pipe with foam in it won't flow air near as much as it provides a tuned pitch that can be used to cancel annoying resonant frequencies. I'd be interested in hearing how this intake system works with my porting as I get a strong resonance from 2,500-2,800 RPMs now. It sounds smooth and the engine runs REAL strong these days but the howl can sometimes be annoying. Even with the screen and panels back in the factory box I am using I still get that resonant frequency.

And I'm shocked you couldn't be any more condescending.

I am getting colder air into the intake via the ram air duct. I did not purchase this system to purposely lean out the PCM using it. I wrote an honest review of what I thought about it, I didn't claim massive gains - nor did I claim increased throttle response because the effects were negligible to me. I think it is a possibility for the PCM to over time adjust and negate this purposely initiated leaning that the intake is providing out of the box. At that point, if that holds true then it will be a better barometer of how this intake may perform.

Are you against the racing beat intake, FEED intake, RE-Amemiya box, the ARC box, HKS, and K&N V.2 intake as well then? Because using your theory, ( and let's just throw out the leaning of fuel the injen does for just a second ) those wouldn't be doing any good for the engine because it's still getting the same temps of air the OEM is getting since it's a box if it isn't using the ram air duct. Then how are any of them getting any sort of gains? Why is that design used overwhelmingly more than the conventional tube and filter design of the AEM/Mazdaspeed? I really am curious, I'd like to know what you think about that for my own knowledge.

If that paragraph is true, is it safe to assume that to you the only worthwhile intakes so to speak would be the AEM and anything with a duct put onto it?

Well I just put mine on today. As far as the butt dyno goes...no noticable gains. I also noticed this thing is extremely loud. As far as fit and finish goes the engine cover doesnt seem to go on as easily as before, but the intake does look good. Redefine are you having any problems keeping the upper vacum hose on because mine seems to want to pop off.