MordeKyle

I installed an AEM Cold Air Intake about two weeks ago, ill put some pics up later. I got the intake from an amazing web page that has tons of stuff for the 2006 civics. http://www.autocityimports.com the intake cost about $250(U.S.).

The intake made an incredible sound difference and the engine has more power to back up the sound. You can actually hear the engine pulling in air. The install was a breeze, that is if you dont count the removal of the stock parts as part of the install. It took me 5 1/2 hours to remove all of the stock air system. It took me only about an hour to install the intake itself. Make sure you have a variety of different length extensions on your socket set before taking this project on.

If anyone has any questions about the intake or what it took to install the intake just let me know. I wish i would have know what i was getting into before i went to install the intake, there was a lot of head scrathcing involved in the removal of the stock system.

The instructions were very detailed on how to remove the old system and on installing the new system, but im sure when aem put the intake in for the instuckion manual, they had every tool under the sun, it was kinda tricky at times.

WLH

Cool. I bought the same intake in the powder silver color to match my car. It's been sitting in my living room for a week now. Read the instructions and knew it would be a bit of a job removing the stock air system. (especially since I want to keep it intake for possible re-install at a later date....cold air and slushy winters are not a good combo) I got mine for $279 CDN at Mopac Performance in Langley, BC. Will post an update when I get mine done.

Hilorains

If you have warranty work, are you going to put back the OEM system?

kero

I this a short intake?

WLH

Depends on the warranty work I suppose. It's a long intake that goes behind the bumper. Would be easy to re-install.

MordeKyle

the box says that the intake will not void warrenty...but dont know if it will or not, my brother in law is the assistant new car manager at my local dealer, ill have a talk with him

kero

Eventhough I know the longer intakes are easier, are not the short intakes easier to install? I know the air they take in is warmer but they still give a little extra kick don't they.

GoneIn60

They are easier in the respect that you dont have to run it all the way down behind the bumper other than that they are pretty similar in the way you install them

WLH

The longer "cold air" intakes increase the horsepower by providing fresh cool air to the engine. Also, they are less restrictive then the stock air cleaner box. Better performance and economy. The "short ram" intakes do not pull air from a cooler source (like under the bumper) but pull air from the engine compartment. They have the potential to produce more power. However, if the engine compartment temptures are too high, the power gains may be lost.

Hilorains

Seen the debate about Warm Air Intakes (WAI) v. Cold Air Intakes (CAI) in other forums. I tried both in my Altima. Not having access to a Dyno to get actual HP measurements, I really couldn't sense a difference. However, the big issue about a CAI is water ingestion. I know AEM sells a bypass valve and I assume it did not come with kit.

Shishpanik

Cold air intakes themselves barely do anything for performance. In combination with race header, and low restriction exhaust they tend to do more. However, if drivin economically it should give you 1-2 mpg more and keep relatively quiet, however if you push it it gets loud and sounds really good .

MordeKyle

no, the bypass does not come with the kit, it is an optional part

HondaLuke

I'll be purchasing an '07 civic when it comes into the dealership in several weeks. I would like to do a few things to not only increase performance, but, in turn, increase gas mileage. I would prefer to have very little aesthetic or audible characteristics to indicate that I have done anything (ie. i don't want a loud exhaust, decals, a rear wing, etc.) I know helping the engine breath a little will increase low-end grunt (something that would benefit the civic significantly) I have read the thread on the AEM intake systems and have a few questions about that and performance enhanscements in general.

1. Will those systems that indicate they are designe for "'06 Civic (DX, LX, EX) manual" work for my '07 EX Auto?

2. If I am able to get an intake that works and it is a "long" air intake (as opposed to short ram) do I need that bypass valve? How important is that?

3. Are there exhaust systems that free up the engine's exhalation, but don't give me the loud tuner sound (I used to love it, but not really anymore)

4. Another performance mod that would help gas mileage: lighter pulleys for the main belt(s). That would seem to be a rather simple swap and would decrease load on the engine = increased performance and gas mileage.

phantom-civic

1) Most of the time, but not all, the parts designed for the engine bay vary from auto to stick, b/c of the transmissions there often isn't enough room in auto's.
2) If you get a c.a.i. and its long (as all all) you only have to worry about hydrolocking your car if ur in water up to your foglights, which you shouldn't be driving in anyway!! its very rare that u'll lock it just from going through a puddle or driving in heavy rain, but you can try and pick up a bypass valve.
3) Most after market exhuasts are louder than your stock, but u might want to tryo just increasing your pipes, that might work (i dunno) if not there are some low grunting ones (i have a magnaflow and itsn't noticeable unless u listen for it at low idles, only when u push the car does it make noise)
4)my logic says that anything that makes the car 'lighter' should increase performance/gas mileage....so remove those rear seats!!!lol

-i have heard however on some other forums that after people installed a c.a.i. their c.e.l. went on and have not figured out how to get it off (AEM says they're working on it) also; i know on some stick shifters (haven't heard auto's) that the c.a.i. is causing them to stall at low rpm (ie. at lights, or turning from a stop) i was all ready to install one, but i heard this and was afraid so i'm waiting. Let me know if anyone has installed their AEM cai and are haing problems...i'll be looking into s.r.i.'s and heatboxes

HondaLuke

Thanks, phantom

The automatic is a new compact transmission. Which would make me think it is smaller than normal automatics.

Regardless, does anyone know if there is a CAI that fits the 8th gen Civic EX AT? I'm going to try and contact AEM.

Does anyone know my question about the belt pulleys? I figure that could reduce significant load if pulleys were lighter given the centrifugal force involved.

MordeKyle

i have an AEM col air intake installed in my 06 civic coupe(manual). as far as the bypass valve and the water is conserned, i was looking into this and i noticed that the resignator box from the stock air system is installed in the exact place as the c.a.i. filer will be. The resognator box was not water, dust , or air tight. so... if you drive into water up to your foglights, even with the stick system, you can run the risk of hydrolock.

Phantom... i have had absolutly no problems with the aem cai. My car does not stall or have any problems idling. i had nothing but improvments to power, gas milage and sound. if you do put in an aem cai i would suggest the "long" intake over the short ram. getting the short ram would defeat half the purpouse of getting a cold air intake.

also, and maybe i should post this as a whole new thread, but there are a couple things i suggest for the install of a cold air intake...

1. Get the AEM!!!!!!
2. While you have everything apart, go ahead and replace the two stock hose clamp that will be left on the system, they are weak and more than likely you will break one of them trying to re tighten them.
3. buy some rubber pags that have adheasive on one side. When making adjustments to the system for the perfect fit put them in any area that the intake my come in contact with the frame. I had a large vibration sound anytime i really got on it, i but a couple rubber pads on it where it was making contact and it fixed the problem. if the intake keeps making contact with the frame or any other surface will cause a hole in the intake itself

be sure to ask me any more questions you have concerning this intake

civic_dx-g

why AEM vs. Injen?

MordeKyle

aside from the companies, and the fact that aem is more recognizable and they stand by their products and the amount of research and tuning they do to their products... aem has dry flow filter, no oiling

HondaLuke

Thanks. So do you know whether or not the AEM CAI will work for the automatic?

MordeKyle

i dont know for sure, there are several different ones offered by AEM. try here...
2006+ Honda Civic (DX,LX,EX) (Manual) AEM Cold Air Intake
this is where i purchased mine, you might also try and contact AEM. You could also contact auto city imports, they have a pretty good knowladge of their products.

HondaLuke

I just emailed auto city imports. I'll post when I get a response.

HondaLuke

The response to my query on 8th gen Civic EX (AT) CAI:

Luke-
We have the new Injen intake that will work with you EX Automatic,
it just came in earlier this week. We have Black and Polished in stock!

http://autocityimports.com/2006-hond...injen-cold-int
ake-classretailretail-s36000sdiv-p-7748.html

05blkrs

lightened crank pulleys will help a lot... for your simple gas mileage quest, i suggest trying to avoid under drive pulleys becaus ethey will affect the performance of the a/c, the alternator, and any other accessory driven off of the main belt.. although the water pump is driven off of the timing belst so it is not at risk like on older cars....

HondaLuke

Thanks for that. How easy of a swap are pulleys? Also, any idea of percentage of gains, gas and power (i know, we all just want to know "how much more horsepower"). Plus, I don't see many manufacturers producing that kind of product for the new civics yet, as it doesn't seem to be a very high demand upgrade for a vehicle in general.

MordeKyle

hondaluke, the injen intake is probably a great intake, i would just stay away from fujitsu

HondaLuke

yeah, i think that i'm just going to wait for AEM to release one. On their site, for some of their CAI, they don't distinguish between MT and AT. We'll see. I'll call them (AEM) soon and find out.

MordeKyle

great idea! thats probably the best desision

WLH

In talled my AEM intake finally. It's awesome. A bit louder then I thought it would be but really makes the car sound awesome under load. Even had some of my workers comment that they thought I had installed a performance muffler or something. Really adds most power between 3000-4500 rpm. A key spot for most driving. It is a long job to install one. I have installed 8 others in various other vehicles and this one took the longest by far. I think I was completely done in about 5 hrs. I have big arms and it took me a good 30-40mins just to remove the upper mounting bolt for the stock resonator box. Grab every 10mm socket and wrench you can find to do this job. Some tight spots.

As far as CEI's or stalling I have experienced none at all. Both those are symptoms of vaccum leaks. You do have to touch/move around various other vaccum lines not related to the install and that may be the source to some peoples problems. Coming next...... Honda's factory suspension upgrade. Going to see if I can get this done in the next month or so.

MordeKyle

i finally got time to take a picture, its not very good and my car is really dirty... but...

imported_02si

SO YOU ARE SAYING THAT IF I INSTALL A COLD AIR INTAKE TO MY CAR WOULDNT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE PERFORMANCE BUT THE SHORT RAM INTAKE WOULD??? WHATS THE POINT THEN? THE NOISE THEY MAKE??