So I kept myself busy yesterday & today with a few new additions to the Monte, First I added this new K&N Intake 57-3045 - K&N 57 Series FIPK, Performance Intake Kit <--Link And All I have to say is, YES! Everything is muchhh better Response, HP, Sound, Look, (Not sure about fuel mileage yet, but i'll take anything lol). Fairly quick/easy install.



Next I added the SS emblem to my grille (Thanks Frank)

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o..._6944852_n.jpg

Love the look better than the old chevy symbol

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o..._3484470_n.jpg

I also put two Hifonics 12's in a dual slot port box. Sounds pretty good how I have it set up. Pictures are posted Below

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o..._5117052_n.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o..._6596127_n.jpg

Thanks for looking everyone

 

When did you buy the K&N, I thought I talked you out of it???

 

I hate to rain on your parade, you may wanna take that K&N CAI back. It's more of a "Hot Air Intake". Chibi has a lot of experience with it:
- The box to keep the hot air out is steel with no insulation (metal conducts heat easily, hence why electronics have metal fins on parts to move heat).
- Where the snorkel comes into the box is a HUGE hole to let heat in.
- No lid on the box
- Chibi actually had the plastic snorkel develop damage from heat near the throttle body.

For the money you spent on it, you could get a Wizaird from ZZP (which is much better):
ZZ Performance

In talking with Chibi, he said this was one of his first purchases for his Monte and he wishes he could go back and change that (at this point it's a dead issue, his next plan is turbo charging and the intake takes another change).

If you are intent on keeping the K&N setup, I would look into insulating the box (which would allow you to remove the gap around the snorkel). Home Depot sells for like $10 what appears to be the same bubble style insulation used in the Wizaird.

Again, sorry to rain on your parade.

 

I got a super good deal on it. And I guess I completely forgot that we had words about the K&N.... Is it really that horrible?

 

It really is just a glorified hot air intake. That's why it's not even called a CAI from K&N. If you noticed they called it a K&N FIPK (fuel injection performance kit).

What happens is that the heat from the engine can get sucked in, and that makes your intake air temperature sensor read high because the air is hot and that forces the PCM to pull timing from your car so you actually LOSE power.

The throttle response that you gained from the no restriction air-flow just feels like more power.

If you got an AMAZING deal (like $100) then it's okay. Try to work on shielding the filter from heat. But if you paid $200 for this thing, I would try to return it and spend that $200 on a wizaired CAI system.

 

I Paid $115 shipped for it. I couldn't pass it up... Any suggestions of a plan to try and make the situation better?

 

Well it looks good - you can try and fab a different surround for the filter, possibly a lid for it.

 

Absolutely! As I mentioned, if you go to Home Depot, look in the insulation isle. If it's like mine, that have a package of insulation that looks like bubble wrap. Pick up a pack of that (looking at what I saw, one pack should be enough for 1-2 layers in the K&N box). Get something to attach the insulation to the metal box (possibly liquid nail). Cut and glue it in. When you get to the panel that has the hole for the snorkel to come in, make the hole in your insulation smaller (and I would probably make large fringes around the the snorkel to "seal" insulation around it).

As for a lid, you might get away with buying a piece of plexiglass and cutting it to fit on top of the box, two screw/bolt holes and put matching holes in the top radiator rail (so you can make it stationary).

Possibly wrap that insulation around the snorkel itself (not sure how well they will hold up, might need to look into a different material).

That's an off the head first thought. Not sure if anyone else has more input. I'm guessing my ideas are about $20-$30....

 

couldve made a fwi :P lol

 

Not everyone wants a FWI :P