Intake Build: LX5 Throttle Body and intake questions
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 322
From: Warren MI
LX5 Throttle Body and intake questions
Does anyone have one on their vehicle? Im ordering from WOT Tech along with ported upper and lower manifolds to open up my 3400.
So should I go with the MMS CAI, or try for the ZZP Fenderwell Intake to receive maximum airflow?
So should I go with the MMS CAI, or try for the ZZP Fenderwell Intake to receive maximum airflow?
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,159
From: Coal City,Il
I assume theyre both good. I used to have the one from Milzy and I liked the heat resistance it offered but hes had some bad reviews lately. Ive only ever had positive interactions with the guy. Hes even called me multiple times to make sure my order was perfect. ZZP really knows their stuff but for a 3400 I personally like Milzy's intake. It certainly doesnt look as good tho. Its flexible rubber tubing.
Imo tho, youre better off just building your own. I think I paid a total of $50 and routed it behind the headlight. You have to account for the MAF tho.
Imo tho, youre better off just building your own. I think I paid a total of $50 and routed it behind the headlight. You have to account for the MAF tho.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 322
From: Warren MI
I assume theyre both good. I used to have the one from Milzy and I liked the heat resistance it offered but hes had some bad reviews lately. Ive only ever had positive interactions with the guy. Hes even called me multiple times to make sure my order was perfect. ZZP really knows their stuff but for a 3400 I personally like Milzy's intake. It certainly doesnt look as good tho. Its flexible rubber tubing.
Imo tho, youre better off just building your own. I think I paid a total of $50 and routed it behind the headlight. You have to account for the MAF tho.
Imo tho, youre better off just building your own. I think I paid a total of $50 and routed it behind the headlight. You have to account for the MAF tho.
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6,465
Am I reading the Milzy price right - $140 + $20 for a 6th gen monte + shipping?
Thats crazy IMO, especially for how little horsepower is to be gained here. It's literally a coupler, a filter, some flexi hose, and a stock $15 GM PCM tray. Theres nothing really to 'build' here, just measure the OD of the MAF inlet then either jump on the interwebs or go down to autozone and buy the parts with that size ID. I wouldnt even worry about paying extra for ultra smooth tubing, a lot of factory accordion intake is extremely bumpy inside, just step it up to a larger hose size if you're worried about it.
You're also not going to be able to use the ZZP 4" unless they specifically offer a 3400 version. The version I see is a rigid tube that's intended for 3800s (ie it goes up to the TB directly as the MAF on the 3800 is inside the TB). You've got an external MAF thats mounted outside of the TB, so your attach point for a FWI is in a very different place.
And I'd never even consider buying the K&N intake for the heat shield, its literally the worst CAI someone can buy for these cars in terms of the heat shield. I made the mistake of buying a used one for my GXP.
Thats crazy IMO, especially for how little horsepower is to be gained here. It's literally a coupler, a filter, some flexi hose, and a stock $15 GM PCM tray. Theres nothing really to 'build' here, just measure the OD of the MAF inlet then either jump on the interwebs or go down to autozone and buy the parts with that size ID. I wouldnt even worry about paying extra for ultra smooth tubing, a lot of factory accordion intake is extremely bumpy inside, just step it up to a larger hose size if you're worried about it.
You're also not going to be able to use the ZZP 4" unless they specifically offer a 3400 version. The version I see is a rigid tube that's intended for 3800s (ie it goes up to the TB directly as the MAF on the 3800 is inside the TB). You've got an external MAF thats mounted outside of the TB, so your attach point for a FWI is in a very different place.
And I'd never even consider buying the K&N intake for the heat shield, its literally the worst CAI someone can buy for these cars in terms of the heat shield. I made the mistake of buying a used one for my GXP.
Last edited by bumpin96monte; Apr 22, 2021 at 06:06 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 322
From: Warren MI
Am I reading the Milzy price right - $140 + $20 for a 6th gen monte + shipping?
Thats crazy IMO, especially for how little horsepower is to be gained here. It's literally a coupler, a filter, some flexi hose, and a stock $15 GM PCM tray. Theres nothing really to 'build' here, just measure the OD of the MAF inlet then either jump on the interwebs or go down to autozone and buy the parts with that size ID.
And I'd never even consider buying the K&N intake for the heat shield, its literally the worst CAI someone can buy for these cars in terms of the heat shield. I made the mistake of buying a used one for my GXP.
Thats crazy IMO, especially for how little horsepower is to be gained here. It's literally a coupler, a filter, some flexi hose, and a stock $15 GM PCM tray. Theres nothing really to 'build' here, just measure the OD of the MAF inlet then either jump on the interwebs or go down to autozone and buy the parts with that size ID.
And I'd never even consider buying the K&N intake for the heat shield, its literally the worst CAI someone can buy for these cars in terms of the heat shield. I made the mistake of buying a used one for my GXP.
Ok, well what would you recommend as far as a palpable heat shield? I know that seems to be a big issue when modding the 3400....
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6,465
A heat shield only really matters when the filter ends up entirely in the engine bay. Like that K&N CAI you mentioned - the filter sits literally right where the stock air box does. So without any shield you suck in all the heat off the exhaust crossover running next to it and all of the 100++ degree radiator fan wash.
The whole point of a real FWI is to get the filter into the cool air in the fenderwell and completely out of the engine bay. This is either-
-Running the hose into the fenderwell and all the way down, putting the filter at the bottom of the well. This is the highest risk for hydrolock when driving through puddles.
-Running the hose into the fender, making an immediate 90 and hanging the filter there at the top of the well pointing down.
-Running the hose straight towards the well and sticking the majority of the filter in the well, but not pointed at the ground like the other two, but rather pointed at the side of the car. This is the only one that has any chance of sucking any significant engine bay heat, but you can literally make a heat shield for this out of a sheet of $5 ABS plastic and some tin snips.
That's why I'm saying paying $200 is kinda crazy.At the ultra cheapo end, a $15 knockoff cone filter, $10 in dryer duct w clamps included, and 30 cents worth of zip ties (to hold the pcm down) will physically do the same thing (not that I reccomend it as it'll look trashy).
The whole point of a real FWI is to get the filter into the cool air in the fenderwell and completely out of the engine bay. This is either-
-Running the hose into the fenderwell and all the way down, putting the filter at the bottom of the well. This is the highest risk for hydrolock when driving through puddles.
-Running the hose into the fender, making an immediate 90 and hanging the filter there at the top of the well pointing down.
-Running the hose straight towards the well and sticking the majority of the filter in the well, but not pointed at the ground like the other two, but rather pointed at the side of the car. This is the only one that has any chance of sucking any significant engine bay heat, but you can literally make a heat shield for this out of a sheet of $5 ABS plastic and some tin snips.
That's why I'm saying paying $200 is kinda crazy.At the ultra cheapo end, a $15 knockoff cone filter, $10 in dryer duct w clamps included, and 30 cents worth of zip ties (to hold the pcm down) will physically do the same thing (not that I reccomend it as it'll look trashy).
Last edited by bumpin96monte; Apr 22, 2021 at 10:12 PM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 322
From: Warren MI
A heat shield only really matters when the filter ends up entirely in the engine bay. Like that K&N CAI you mentioned - the filter sits literally right where the stock air box does. So without any shield you suck in all the heat off the exhaust crossover running next to it and all of the 100++ degree radiator fan wash.
The whole point of a real FWI is to get the filter into the cool air in the fenderwell and completely out of the engine bay. This is either-
-Running the hose into the fenderwell and all the way down, putting the filter at the bottom of the well. This is the highest risk for hydrolock when driving through puddles.
-Running the hose into the fender, making an immediate 90 and hanging the filter there at the top of the well pointing down.
-Running the hose straight towards the well and sticking the majority of the filter in the well, but not pointed at the ground like the other two, but rather pointed at the side of the car. This is the only one that has any chance of sucking any significant engine bay heat, but you can literally make a heat shield for this out of a sheet of $5 ABS plastic and some tin snips.
That's why I'm saying paying $200 is kinda crazy.At the ultra cheapo end, a $15 knockoff cone filter, $10 in dryer duct w clamps included, and 30 cents worth of zip ties (to hold the pcm down) will physically do the same thing (not that I reccomend it as it'll look trashy).
The whole point of a real FWI is to get the filter into the cool air in the fenderwell and completely out of the engine bay. This is either-
-Running the hose into the fenderwell and all the way down, putting the filter at the bottom of the well. This is the highest risk for hydrolock when driving through puddles.
-Running the hose into the fender, making an immediate 90 and hanging the filter there at the top of the well pointing down.
-Running the hose straight towards the well and sticking the majority of the filter in the well, but not pointed at the ground like the other two, but rather pointed at the side of the car. This is the only one that has any chance of sucking any significant engine bay heat, but you can literally make a heat shield for this out of a sheet of $5 ABS plastic and some tin snips.
That's why I'm saying paying $200 is kinda crazy.At the ultra cheapo end, a $15 knockoff cone filter, $10 in dryer duct w clamps included, and 30 cents worth of zip ties (to hold the pcm down) will physically do the same thing (not that I reccomend it as it'll look trashy).
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,159
From: Coal City,Il
Even autozone has all different sizes of intake tubing. Just dont use the couplers it comes with, buy new silicone ones. They sell those also. That sounds like itll work out best for you. Dont get that K&N intake. I had no idea Milzy's was THAT much money, holy hell. I hate to say it but, what a rip off. And like bumpin' said, ZZP's is for the 3800. You would have to chop it up to fit the MAF.
I stongly suggest looking into Autozone's intake pieces and a cheap filter. Route it into the fender or behind the headlight. Thats exactly what I did. Its very simple once you study the workings of it. Good luck! We wanna see it once youre done...
I stongly suggest looking into Autozone's intake pieces and a cheap filter. Route it into the fender or behind the headlight. Thats exactly what I did. Its very simple once you study the workings of it. Good luck! We wanna see it once youre done...
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6,465
I wouldn't know how to work with the in dryer duct so I'll try something like a universal intake tube in place of that.
On a serious note though, I was being overly facetious to illustrate a point. That stuff is the cheapest flexible tube you can possibly buy - Amazon used to have hose + clamps for like $6 and the kits are usually like 8-10 feet long so you could even split the cost with a buddy or two to get the hose cost down to literal couch change.
I was just trying to show that it costs almost nothing to make a functional setup here so spending $200 on a name brand 'kit' is just throwing money down the toilet. Id certainly reccomend going with higher quality parts across the board than what I'd used in my overly exaggerated example. But even with nice stuff you're not going to be spending $200 here.
Last edited by bumpin96monte; Apr 23, 2021 at 10:33 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 322
From: Warren MI
On a serious note though, I was being overly facetious to illustrate a point. That stuff is the cheapest flexible tube you can possibly buy - Amazon used to have hose + clamps for like $6 and the kits are usually like 8-10 feet long so you could even split the cost with a buddy or two to get the hose cost down to literal couch change.
I was just trying to show that it costs almost nothing to make a functional setup here so spending $200 on a name brand 'kit' is just throwing money down the toilet. Id certainly reccomend going with higher quality parts across the board than what I'd used in my overly exaggerated example. But even with nice stuff you're not going to be spending $200 here.