[Unsightedscarab]

So I was mildly annoyed that all of the "cold air systems" aren't really cold air since they still brought air from inside the engine bay. And none of them are actual "Ram Air system" either.
Well a few months ago when a stone cracked my fog light it gave me an idea. Why not have a sealed system that directly get pressurized air (at speed) from the front bumper?
After extensive research into the subject of from bumper ram air intakes I decided to take the plunge and build my own out of stuff I already had or could order.

Note: this is not the finished version and I'll be ordering more specific components once I've got more dimensions and now that I've got my base design proven to work.

But after a test drive it's definitely better than the name brand kits for both air temps and overall power.

It's using the K&N Apollo filter system. Completely sealed.

Right now it's secured and at highway speed there's definitely a power difference vs the normal K&N kit that I had on before this.
That is according to the butt Dyno.
At idle I can actually feel air being pulled in through the front.

Main challenge was fitting the stock Maf sensor housing and securing the air filter system itself (it's a big filter)

Also for those worring about rain, I live in Texas where is rarely rains and I don't usually drive my eclipse in the rain.

Let me know what y'all think!

 

[NimNom123]

Thats super sick. I'm kinda curious to experiment with this idea myself, but i have the 01 bumper so mounting the thing wouldn't be as straightforward

 

[WhiteSpyder]

Reminds me of the setups Andy Granitelli used to run on his Chysler 300 car on the salt flats [cira early 1960's]. He would remove the headlight buckets and put large air intakes in thier place. Each side fed one of the TWO Paxton superchargers. I know I am dating myself, but good job. ...J.D.

 

[Sisyphus58]

Might want to fabricate a grille for the opening to keep out dirt, bugs, leaves, small furry animals, etc.

 

[Sisyphus58]

I'm thinking of doing something similar, except using one of the grilles below the blinker instead. Would have to make some kind of scoop that is round at one end and rectangular or oblong at the other.
Wouldn't lose the foglight mount that way...

 

[GTSDriver2003]

Can we see some more pics of that front spoiler?

 

[WhiteSpyder]

Might want to fabricate a grille for the opening to keep out dirt, bugs, leaves, small furry animals, etc.

Yeh...Sucking up a squirrel or other such road kill delicacies should not be on the menu 😁
,,,J,D,

 

[Unsightedscarab]

I'm thinking of doing something similar, except using one of the grilles below the blinker instead. Would have to make some kind of scoop that is round at one end and rectangular or oblong at the other.
Wouldn't lose the foglight mount that way...

That was actually my original idea to use the "fake vents" and turn them into functioning vents. But I actually want to use those as functioning brake coolers in the future.

 

[Unsightedscarab]

Might want to fabricate a grille for the opening to keep out dirt, bugs, leaves, small furry animals, etc.

Definitely a good idea! Just need to get some mesh next time I'm at home Depot.

 

[Unsightedscarab]

Can we see some more pics of that front spoiler?

It's an 06-07 WRX front lip. Fits "almost" perfect with some minor modifications.
Amazon link.
Nice thing is that it's cheap too so I don't feel bad when it scrapes.
Front Bumper Lip Compatible With 2006-2007 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX, CS2 Style PP Black Front Lip Spoiler Splitter by IKON MOTORSPORTS https://a.co/d/ib0NWhE

 

[WhiteSpyder]

Too bad you cannot find you some Grill Craft "Sport Grills". They are out of production but someone may have some used ones. They came in chrome and black like this: ...J.D.

 

[Unsightedscarab]

Too bad you cannot find you some Grill Craft "Sport Grills". They are out of production but someone may have some used ones. They came in chrome and black like this: ...J.D.
View attachment 45744

I'll probably just end up taking a Dremel to my stock ones. Since they're pretty easy to find in junk yards.
Then mesh them up myself

 

[WhiteSpyder]

You think you can get enough air flow that way ? ...J.D.

 

[Unsightedscarab]

You think you can get enough air flow that way ? ...J.D.

I think if I get one of the funnels style ducts to put behind it it should be able to compress the air enough at speeds over 30 to give me decent air flow right onto the brakes.

 

[Bitter]

1000% please get a water bypass device on there between the filter and airflow sensor, one deep puddle, hard splash, or even possibly driving behind a truck slinging a lot of water spray could get water sucked into the engine.
You probably think I'm just being paranoid but I'm not. Not a 3G but when I installed a CAI on my Celica that mounts the filter in the front wheel well I sucked some water through my filter enough to stumble the engine JUST from spray off the tire through the slats in the wheel well liner! I resolved my issue by adding plastic over the slats, a water repellent dust sock over the filter, and a spray shield on the front to block spray through the bumper. I still draw cooler air from the wheel well that's not connected to the engine bay but with less risk of sucking water, sadly I don't have the room to mount an actual bypass valve on my intake, but you do!

How a Cold Air Intake Bypass Valve Works to Prevent Engine Hydrolock

A cold air intake kit (CAI) is the gateway mod for many first-time gearheads. And it’s easy to see why—they’re relatively cheap, easy to install, and offer some serious bang-for-buck …

www.onallcylinders.com

 

[Unsightedscarab]

1000% please get a water bypass device on there between the filter and airflow sensor, one deep puddle, hard splash, or even possibly driving behind a truck slinging a lot of water spray could get water sucked into the engine.
You probably think I'm just being paranoid but I'm not. Not a 3G but when I installed a CAI on my Celica that mounts the filter in the front wheel well I sucked some water through my filter enough to stumble the engine JUST from spray off the tire through the slats in the wheel well liner! I resolved my issue by adding plastic over the slats, a water repellent dust sock over the filter, and a spray shield on the front to block spray through the bumper. I still draw cooler air from the wheel well that's not connected to the engine bay but with less risk of sucking water, sadly I don't have the room to mount an actual bypass valve on my intake, but you do!

How a Cold Air Intake Bypass Valve Works to Prevent Engine Hydrolock

A cold air intake kit (CAI) is the gateway mod for many first-time gearheads. And it’s easy to see why—they’re relatively cheap, easy to install, and offer some serious bang-for-buck …

www.onallcylinders.com

So interestingly enough We actually did a little bit of math and science on this to prevent water from being sucked up into the engine. One it's an updraft intake system after the main front bumper intake. It makes it very difficult for water to be sucked upwards. It would have to be a horrendous amount of water to actually create suction.
Second: We put a ribbed flex pipe going between the front bumper and the Apollo filter. The advantage of this is actually breaks up the water molecules as they're coming into the hose.
Test results: I actually just ended up having to drive the car through a very heavy rainstorm in Central Texas. Semis flinging water at 60 plus miles per hour. All while that system was sucking air out the front bumper. Well after driving for 45 minutes home from work with about half of it being in a big downpour. We actually took the filter apart to see how wet it was. What amazed me is that the filter was completely dry. It turns out that that flex intake tubing has big enough ridges that it catches the water as it's coming in. Because we check the flex pipe and it had water in it but the filter was completely dry. Now that being said I did keep off the throttle as much as I could to reduce suction. But typically speaking I would not drive my car in the rain. Now as far as going through big puddles, I do agree it is a risk that I take with this car with it being lowered. But I do also live in Central Texas and for the most part it's very dry here and the days it does rain I usually just take my fiance's car.

 

[Unsightedscarab]

Update! So I was having some rough cold start idles with the Maf in the position it was in. After I moved it closer to the Apollo filter it idles just fine now. I didn't realize these mafs life to be right behind the filter.
Other than that it's been working perfectly! Intake temps at speeds over 20mph have been only about 3-6° above ambient outside temps!

 

[eclipsethrowaway]

It's an 06-07 WRX front lip. Fits "almost" perfect with some minor modifications. Amazon link. Nice thing is that it's cheap too so I don't feel bad when it scrapes. Front Bumper Lip Compatible With 2006-2007 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX, CS2 Style PP Black Front Lip Spoiler Splitter by IKON MOTORSPORTS https://a.co/d/ib0NWhE View attachment 45743

Mind saying what bumper lip that is? Looks great

 

[NimNom123]

Mind saying what bumper lip that is? Looks great

He says its a 06 WRX lip in the message you quoted, lol 😅

 

[Maicolsaldivarchile]

wow, what a good induction system, I leave you a photo of what I was doing in my eclipse, something similar, taking the air from the lower front