If that was the case Mazda themselves wouldn't be selling a cold air modeled/copied after the AEM.

 

I was reading your post and my first though was GOOD GOD! 5 hours for a CAI. I'm so use to the ricers around here that everything is a CAI. I had a short ram air intake pictured in my head until I saw your pictures. Then I realize it was a true CAI. Now I see why its 5 hours. LOL. It looks great.

As for the people talking about hydrolocking because of the engine. Don't they make, should have come with one, and little rubber flap or something that goes in there. When it picks up something more dense then air, such as water, it lets it out before the intake or wont let it in something to that effect.

I had a friend with a honda who hydrolocked his engine. He forgot to put that piece in. Once he fixed it he put that in and has been fine since.

 

Well it was my first time taking off the bumper, plus I had just gotten the car back so I was being extra careful, plus I was cleaning up some stuff behind there, and the mesh on one side had a screw come out so it's not like it was 5 hours purely for the intake, it was 5 hours for a bunch of little things plus the intake lol Yes it is a true cold air, I've driven it in rain, a touchless car wash here and there, and after washing it with no issues whatsoever. I would have to pretty much submerge the thing to screw it up, and if I ever run across water that deep I'm ether turning around or getting my *** out the car before I drown

 

thanks this may have just persuaded me.

 

I wonder if the piping of this kit can go hand n hand with replacing the greddy filther that comes with their turbo kit?

 

how much does this interfere with the placement of an intercooler if you decide to get the car turbo'd down the road.

 

canaryrx8, nice color car! After reading this post I purchased the AEM intake off ebay based on your post and other comments. Installed it Christmas day with my wife and we took about 7 hours with breaks for breakfast, lunch, and warming back up from freezing in the garage. I'm very happy with the intake and think it sounds really nice at high RPMs (above 7k). I also notice a nice sound difference when flooring it at low RPMs (it's the air sucking noise). I too have driven in heavy rain, and snow with no issues.

I have a couple of questions and some comments for others:
1. C: When installing this unit, you don't need to do all the steps in taking off the plastic guards around the wheel wells and on the bottom. This can save you 30+ minutes or more. There are a few small steps missing from the instructions that I got from AEM regarding the plastic covers around the hood latch. Just take out the plastic pop holders and move on.

2. Q: Did your kit come with a pre-filter? Mine had a black one and I didn't see one on yours. I'm thinking of replacing the black pre-filter with a yellow one the next time I clean it.

3. Q: Where did you get your grill? It's been asked a few times but I haven't seen an answer.

4. Q: I'm thinking about putting in some sort of "escape hatch" that I can pop open and clean the filter from below and wondered if you or anyone else had done something like that.

I'll put a picture or two on my website today, but you can't see it behind my stupid stock grill very well. Thanks for the original post and all the comments. Made my decision easy and without regret.

-Lane
http://web.mac.com/tigelane/

 

It's impossible. No intake for a NA RX-8 will work with turbo since all NA intakes go from the intake manifold to filter. With a turbo you have a turbo, and intercooler between the manifold and filter.

Additionally, the intercooler is almost always shoved right under the low speed impact bumper, which is where the Revi duct and this CAI is routed.



It's okay this way, but:

1. Your radiator fans are blowing 220 F hot air, and it'll be heating up the intake tubes.

2. The bottom of the batt tray and the bottom of the OEM intake tray are designed to funnel the hot air down and out of the car as it moves. By having it open, you're allowing that air to circulate around the engine bay a lot more. So you'll find a bit more heat soak, and more dust and crap in the engine bay as time goes on.




Swoope, I think you're a swell guy and all, but for the love of god, don't quote a 7 page long post! That's a lot of scrolling for no reason.

 

More than likely you'll pitch this bad boy if you go turbo, so it's a non-issue

Mine came with the AEM filter and the "sock", left off the sock, no problems as of yet.

I've since replaced it, and I HIGHLY recommend www.customcargrills.com, they have several different styles available, and it's high quality powder coated mesh, they also have stainless and even chrome. This being an older post the grill material I had then was actually just some universal mesh I picked up off Ebay, it wasn't very good quality and actually started to discolor after a while.
I'm actually changing it up to a diamond pattern with larger openings, as one of the pieces on the side was cut too small when the bodyshop had my car and after a recent repair (from vandalism no less ugh) I noticed it anddecided to switch to a different style. (I have the powdercoated black, see below)

Have not done that, I am able to get to it just removing the radiator cooling deflector thingie and the top part of the bumper where it attaches, honestly mine hasn't gotten that filthy so I haven't really had to devise anything yet, don't know if anyone else has.

Installed it with the wife huh? that's awesome, you're one lucky guy Thanks for the post.

 

I thought u have a turbo? Canayrx8

 

Nope no turbo as of yet, maybe somewhere down the road I might go FI, but with all the talk of another rotary coupe coming out and a lot of other exciting new cars on the horizon I'm not looking to dump thousands of dollars into boosting/supercharging anytime soon.