As some know I had a scare earlier this week; I hit a puddle and had water splash onto my filter, the engine started lugging across the rev range and became unresponsive, I pulled over and got my filter cleaning kit and gave it a quick cleaning and re-oiling checked the tube all dry (huge sigh of relief). So I set about making a little shield so a similar unavoidable incident would be avoided if a splash of water got in there, I found a box top would be the easiest method of accoplishing this, while also providing me with the added benifit of more insulation. Here is what I came up with, $4.12 in materials from Home Depot (what I had lying around the house didn't quite cut it, and made sure I had extra), managed to use household tools and spare scres I had lying around the house. Total time minus watching paint dry and weather delays was about 90 min. Also pictured my Fri. afternoon work painting the S red on the IC cover. Also removed Aig Bag stockers on Fri. but for got to grab a shot of the finished product.



Had to remove therubber seals, will be replace with a layer of rubber so the box will seal, just not with the hood.


Added layer of flat black paint for a little more stock look.


Red S for bling factor


Final fitting


And done

I have plans later this weekend to add a layer of rubber and make a new bottom of the box for better insulation and maybe a little noise dampening. I'm debating adding a MINI wings logo to the top of the box (will most likely do) and painting the ALTA Box black (don't really want to do but with the top black the silver looks kinda out of place). Haven't motored yet (thats later tonight and a good portion of the day tomorrow), will post any driving differeances (though I don't expect any). The differance between this and the alta box is that my custom top will deflect a small amout of water away from the filer, where as their stops at the cowl, based on photos of the prototypes, also as stated mine will have a layer of rubber insulation. Also I had no issue using two screw to mount the top, and I can just clean the filter every 5k and I'll be all set.

Edit: Insulation was added, seeing a huge drop in temps with more than 50 degree delta between the engine bay and filter surface, other threads have show similar drops and proctection from heats soak yeilding significant Dyno and Data logger results.

 

I did the same thing about three weeks ago! I tried a full top, and had fitment issues, so it turned into a top that just covered the filter...

 

So what have you guys experienced so far as audible and performance differences?

More noise? Less noise?
More power? Less power? (seat of the pants, of course)

 

Cool inexpensive top. What type of materials did you exactly use?

 

Looks like something I would want to have as well. Please provide instructions and materials list for the rest of us envious Alta CAI owners.
I always thought there should be a cover and you all have solved the problem.

Thanks,
hogtrader

 

I bought a single 12"x36"x3 1/4" section of two piece air ducting from Home Depot, (galvinized aluminum orginally trid 16 guage steel, but it was overkill on strengh and hard to work with). I used tin snips to cut out a 12"x12" section then I removed my ALTA box and traced the outline of the top in pencil onto the cut out section. I hade nough room for about a 1/2" overhang on all sides (enough to use screws for acnhoring) I cut out corners and scored the lines and bent the three flaps, then I reinstalled the ALTA box and set the top over it and marked where I needed to trim at the back end of the box (unlike the offerings from ALTA and in the HDI my top extends in hopes of preventing small splashes of water from being able to reach the filter) I had to make adjustments for the fire wall and the brake fluid resivoir. I also made a small bend (by hand not far) to be more likely to prevent debris and provide clearance from the body work. Right now I have two screws (3/4" drywall) holding it in place I don't see much reason to add more, and I will be adding rubber insulation in the inside and will likely fabricate a bottom to the box (not done by any aftermarket option to my knowledge).

I have not found nor did I expect any signifact driveability changes just extra protection and cooling for the filter. I may update this with more photos later after making further modifications.

In all fairness ALTA offers a box top for the CAI (may still be in prototype phase), it nor the HDI met my need/want of prtection from water.

 

Went out again tonight, no change in power feel but I have noticed a nicer (not quiter) SC whine witht he cabin sealed, and wuth the windows down I can hear the engine over the SC again, so the sound is more focused than changed or dampened, just thought I'd give an update, will look into getting some video posted (old Hi8 analog but I might be able to convert into Mpeg and up load if the computer will agree for a little while)

 

Good idea. I think there are alot of us that have altered the Alta air intake box trying to getting the same sound and performance but with the added safety of having the cover. Here is my modification as I have to have an open ventted hood made here in germany.

 

nicely done.

where did the water enter your filter when you hit the puddle? from the
vents by the winshield guessing by the way you covered the top... ?

 

Thanks. Yea the splash covered the car and just a little bit managed to hit the tip of the filter coming in from the cowl there.

 

Here is a video showing any differance made in sound, don't have stock to referance.

 

Had a BAD storm here interms of quantoty of water that was on the road by 4a.m. Had a few times where I though I was screwed, stayed dry, checked it the next day and tough it had some grass clips on ther no sign of water getting in, cleaned it off (was about due anyway) and back to happy motoring.

No the question is what am I doing driving in such conditions so frequently?

 

Mine has down-turned flaps that sit on the inside of the box - with foam padding lining them so it sits snugly against the ecu box and the inside edges of the alta box. There's a 'leg' at the back of the lid, that goes all the way down to the bottom of the air-box base to prevent the back of the box-top from being pushed down...

I've recently put a pulley on and I noticed a significant increase in the 'sucking' noise of the throttle body and the s/c whine - it was just too much noise for my tastes.....

....I took the box top off the other day to see if it made a difference to the sound - and it made a significant difference! Much quieter now...

When I had the stock pulley on there wasn't too much of a difference in the sound, though.