cai or gutting stock? how to gut stock?

[jojo51592]

So one of my friends tried talking me into buying a cai to my 2000 sle today, i decided not to but have been thinking about it. I wondered what you guys thought. I saw mention of gutting the air box, sounds like it would work for now but I'm not sure on what exactly it is. I plan on getting the fwi at sometime, just not right now as I'm trying to pay for college.

[repinS]

Which CAI in particular? Did it include a proper heat shield?

[jojo51592]

No it was just a general cai nothing too special.

[nos4blood70]

If there's no heat shield or if the tube doesn't go into the fender, you won't gain performance. Gutting the airbox would be a better bet.

[jojo51592]

That's kinda what I was leaning towards, I like how it still has the stock look to it too. Thing is how do you go about gutting it? I saw pictures in another thread but mine looks different than the one showed.

[Jfridge92]

To be blunt and simple, remove the air box from your car. When you have it out, look inside of it. You'll see all the dampening material and excess crap that's inside of it. Basically rip it all out and "gut" the inside, until it's just a box that's hollow on the inside. This lets the most air flow through the box. On the 1999 air box you can cut the front open to let more air come in, but I'm not exactly sure how the front of the 2K+ airbox looks, but it's the same concept. Basically remove as much material from the inside as you can.

[jojo51592]

Alright, sounds pretty easy. Thanks, I guess I now have a project for when I get home after classes

[redzmonte]

Gutted Air Box instructions:
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=29575

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