96 Cold Air Intake

jmwatgmi · Post by **jmwatgmi** » Wed May 04, 2005 11:27 pm

I want to add a cold air intake, but I'm not sure where the filter will end up being located. I saw one site that said the battery must be relocated, or lowered, but I'm not sure how to do this. Can someone give me a thorough guide (pictures would be great too)?

Thanks

evlneon · Post by **evlneon** » Thu May 05, 2005 8:51 pm

well you first might want to post what model-year neon you have.

jmwatgmi · Post by **jmwatgmi** » Fri May 06, 2005 1:17 am

It's a 96, I included it in the title, and didn't think about including it in the discription.

2.0L SOHC, ATX

Post by **Vinny** » Fri May 06, 2005 7:20 am

You can do one of 2 things:

1. Buy an Iceman intake. *best solution* It's about $200, but comes with a metal battery tray and the intake tube itself. You will have to cut it down some since you have an ATX, but its plastic and it's not a big deal. I've had Iceman intakes on both of my Neons (well, the same Iceman intake on both cars rather) and I've been nothing but happy with it.

2. Get a 3.0 intake tube from a Caravan. *cheapest solution* If you're not sure what I am talking about search for it on neons.org. Basically it is a J-shaped piece of plastic tubing from the intake system of 3.0L Caravans, you can mount it on your TB and slap a filter on the en.. You can usually pick them up for about $30 or less. Only thing is you will have to cut some on your factory battery tray for clearance, so be careful what you cut out. You need to make sure your battery is still properly supported.

There are other intakes available out there, but really most of them are junk. Don' get anything that places the filter above the exhaust, it's not worth your time or money.

fusion210 · Post by **fusion210** » Fri May 06, 2005 8:56 am

When my car was an autotragic, I did this.

I forget the name of the filter with the correct size, but that will be pretty easy to measure when you do it anyway.
Get a tractor battery with the highest CCA rating you can find. The tractor battery will not only save you weight, it will allow you to easily put in a cold air intake. Or a cooler air intake like my old one.

The problem with the automatic, is that it takes up precious room where a cold air intake would sit in a five speed.
As Vinny said, you can cut the Iceman down some, there is a diagram floating around somewhere if you do decide to get the Iceman.
If you go the cheap route like me, you need to basicly remove the battery cover, factory battery tie down, and the front section of the tray.
I didn't even pay for my intake tube, local junkyard just let me have a bunch one time.
My cost, $40.
$30 for the K&N
$10 for the breather filter you will need to cover up the barb on the valve cover. There is a tube called the make up air tube, it sucks in filter air from the factory's intake tube. You can use a breather filter, or adapt the make up air tube to your new cold air intake. IIRC the icemand even comes with a replacement air tube.
Also as Vinny said, it's all about a custom job or the Iceman, everything else is a waste.

If you have the money for some bling and perhaps a slight edge in performance, get the iceman. You will be able to use your factory battery with no issue and it won't look ghetto.

If you are a total cheap ass like me, it's all about the 3.0 intake.
I have a pic of when I went crazy with the battery tray.

Focus on the front part closest to the camera. You can see how I took out a notch for where the filter needs to sit. Make sure to leave the portion on where the battery temp sensor screws into the battery tray if you do what I do. And be sure to check and see if anything is rubbing.

Post by **Vinny** » Fri May 06, 2005 4:59 pm

I don;t know if you said to lerave the part with the temp sensor on because of the added support or not, but the temp sensor doesn;t have to be right there. It can be zip-tied up with the bundle of wires right there and be fine.

Let us know what you decide to do.

evlneon · Post by **evlneon** » Fri May 06, 2005 7:22 pm

jmwatgmi wrote:It's a 96, I included it in the title, and didn't think about including it in the discription.

2.0L SOHC, ATX

HA-HA, i can't read.

fusion210 · Post by **fusion210** » Sat May 07, 2005 5:42 pm

Vinny wrote:I don;t know if you said to lerave the part with the temp sensor on because of the added support or not, but the temp sensor doesn;t have to be right there. It can be zip-tied up with the bundle of wires right there and be fine.

Because I actually don't have to be ghetto if I don't have to.

Post by **Vinny** » Sat May 07, 2005 7:57 pm

Nothing ghetto about not mounting the battery temp sensor. The sensor is about useless anyway, and what do you think people do with it when they relocate the battery somewhere else entirely? Do you actually think your battery temp sensor is doing anything worthwhile the way its haning out there without the battery shroud? No need to try and accuse me of giving ghetto advice, I don't play that shit.

fusion210 · Post by **fusion210** » Sun May 08, 2005 3:32 am

Vinny wrote:Nothing ghetto about not mounting the battery temp sensor. The sensor is about useless anyway, and what do you think people do with it when they relocate the battery somewhere else entirely? Do you actually think your battery temp sensor is doing anything worthwhile the way its haning out there without the battery shroud? No need to try and accuse me of giving ghetto advice, I don't play that shit.

Having it on the tray vs having it dangling in the breeze.
Tray =! ghetto
Zip ties = ghetto
Like how I have my downstream o2 cable zip tied to my bobble strut. Ghetto!

Post by **Vinny** » Sun May 08, 2005 10:13 am

I see what you are saying now, sorry to be so snippy. Seriously though in the grand scheme of things, zip-tieing a useless sensor to a nearby clump of wires where you can't even see it ranks pretty low on the ghetto meter IMO.