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I just got and installed my AFE CAI! It is a very easy install and you will love the results! I took lots of pictures to make a detailed how to for all of us amateur gear heads.
I have a 2004 MC named Abby for the record.
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Here is my stock air box. Now to remove it...
The first step is to loosen the clamp ring that holds your hose to the stock box.
Then you have two screws that hold it to the frame.
**The instructions say to loosen the back bolt (holds the battery box) now. I waited until I got the stock box out. The back battery bolt does not connect to the stock box so you can remove it later.**
Remove the two bolts (one near my finger, the other is on the silver thing on the right.
Now, I tried to pull it out at this point. The directions say that you can just yank it. BUT there is still a little bit to remove. There is some electrical stuff on the right side of the box. Not only do you have to pull out the chunky black thing from its little clamp (technical language I know) but you also need to pull out a little clip that goes into the box. If you are looking at it, you can see exactly what I'm talking about. Also feel free to post the real names of these parts.
So I tried to yank it out again. However I found it difficult to get because there is a hose that goes into the front of the box that seemed to be in there quite well. SO I took the stock box apart. Two more screws and tossing my filter later, I was looking into my air box.
If you look closely, you can see a dead BEE in my stock air box!!
Now that i got my hand in there and pushed the intake hose out, the stock box came out like a charm.
You can see that pesky intake hose on the bottom of the picture.
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THE INSTALL
So now is a good time to get that last bolt out. It is in the back attaching the battery to the frame. You kinda have to get your wrench into some wiring to get a good grip but its not too bad.
At this point, I stray away from the instructions again. I found it much easier to put the new housing in and attach the hose to the frame in the same step. That way you can wiggle both. Once you put the hose on and tighten the new clamp they gave you, Then you use the back (battery) bolt you just took out, and only ONE of the other bolts (the one by my finger in the earlier pic). And at this point you put the rubber lining on the outside of the housing.
*Note, the air intake hose that we messed with earlier will just kinda sit there and look awkward. There is no hole for it to go in. Air just goes in the slats, down the hose and into the new compartment made by the intake.*
You are getting close! All we have now is to install the filter! Pop that baby on and tighten the clamp. WOOOO!! You got yourself a new aFe CAI!! It sounds amazing when you get up to over 3000 rpms. I immediately feel like my car breathes better and is much happier!
Do not forget they sell the one that doesn't need oiling! Also check out the exhausts for the MCs I would recommend the Megan it is nice I bouught one tonight from AutocooperX and I really like the sound.
Art
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04 MC SG/SG RIP 8-19-07
06 MC CR/CR CROC #322 Pepper
12 MC BRG/BRG ORDERED 1-30-12
MMC #80 MINI ID: AHHH 024
BTW, I'm sure it doesn't matter on your 04 Cooper with the Midlands transmission, but you may want to check your reverse lights.
That particular heat shield had an issue with rubbing against the reverse light switch located on the 05-06 Cooper Getrag transmission. aFe fixed the issue by sending out an altered version of that heat shield. It's the same thing as what you have, but with one of the bottom corners cut out.
Also, that black chunky electrical thing that was connected to the airbox, it now just hangs there. Is that bad? Im scared i will close my hood and smash it or for it to be banging against my filter.
do you know if the heat sheild keeps most if not all heat away from the filter? That is my only concern about buying an open intake which is way I'm not even considering K&N or Injen because they don't come with a heat sheild. It's a toss up between the DDM or the afe.
about the dry version. I hate that it is gray :( it's so ugly. the blue looks amazing. I'm just worried that I might over oil it and it'll mess with the mass air flow sensor or something...
