Cold Air Intake

[healtoeit]

OK!
I know I'm opening up a can of worms here, but my dad put a cold air intake in his e39 and the throttle response has improved alot. I just finished helping a friend put one in his ricer and his throttle response has improved as well. I would like to know if the K&N air filter that I have in my stock airbox is the best way to go and what other Cold air intake options their are for my 525i! I was looking around and found
http://www.racdyn-usa.com/Merchant2/...egory_Code=e34
That looks like it would just suck in hot air to me, so then I was thinking of makiing my own, but then I searched the forum and found that if you place the air intake too low it might suck up water (kind of a "duh" thing to me). So, what should/can I do if anything? Any suggestions?
Thankx

[bad_manners_god]

OK!
I know I'm opening up a can of worms here, but my dad put a cold air intake in his e39 and the throttle response has improved alot. I just finished helping a friend put one in his ricer and his throttle response has improved as well. I would like to know if the K&N air filter that I have in my stock airbox is the best way to go and what other Cold air intake options their are for my 525i! I was looking around and found
http://www.racdyn-usa.com/Merchant2/...egory_Code=e34
That looks like it would just suck in hot air to me, so then I was thinking of makiing my own, but then I searched the forum and found that if you place the air intake too low it might suck up water (kind of a "duh" thing to me). So, what should/can I do if anything? Any suggestions?
Thankx

That's kind of the same setup I have except I went to a performance shop and just purchased the universal fittings I needed with a place for the sensor and a universal cone for about 60$ or even the ebay CAI for the E34 aren't that bad either except the cone isn't ideal to be re-used.

I know a friend with a e46 who went for a Dinan CAI, and it's an solid piece that goes through the bottom of the engine bay and sits close to the floor/fender well. Except when you look at the red cone filter, it's black because of all the crap that it picks up from being so low to the ground.

The setup that you saw doesn't actually get as much heat as you think, mine is parallel to the radiator fan and there is no shroud on my fan.

[BigKriss]

i made my own to the stock air box and stock air filter element

[healtoeit]

What piping material did you use? Also, was their any noticeable difference in performance?
Thankx

[BigKriss]

pvc, no difference noticed. i made a post about it a long time ago.

[repenttokyo]

this setup is getting heatsoaked from the engine. You need some kind of separation between the engine and the cai, or there is no point in locating the filter element free inside the engine bay.

[bad_manners_god]

What piping material did you use? Also, was their any noticeable difference in performance?
Thankx

It's plastic material with a chrome exterior. Defiently Noticed more response and more power throughout the RPM band.

[repenttokyo]

What would you suggest as a barrier?

any material you can get your hands on that you can easily form and that will not transfer heat from the engine compartment into the isolated compartment that you are making for your air filter. It's also a good idea to ensure that there is a path to outside cold air to your isolated compartment.

[repenttokyo]

OK!
Is the air inside the front bumper/ behind the headlight (which is where the stock air box seems to take its air from) considered "cold?"
I ask this because their a plastic shield behind the headlights, and I was thinking of taking the driver's side one out and placing the air filter in that area... but I'm skeptical about removing parts like this. They have to be there for a reason right?

the main idea is to keep the hot air from the engine away from your filter element. That is why the stock air filter is placed at the front of the car. So a barrier helping you do this is a good idea. Yes, the air is relatively 'colder' up front. From what I can see, the shield behind the headlights is there to protect them from getting wet. I have removed mine from the right hand side with no ill effects. Some people even remove a headlight in order to get cold air to their filter, although this is a bit extreme for the street.

[healtoeit]

this setup is getting heatsoaked from the engine. You need some kind of separation between the engine and the cai, or there is no point in locating the filter element free inside the engine bay.

What would you suggest as a barrier?