Stock Airbox

[Jeremy]

Is there anything i can do to my stock airbox on my 1997 SL besides a K&N drop in filter?

[evilSL1]

I have the same year only i have the SL1 (basically the same car). What you need to do is take the plastic box that is sitting on top of the radiotor off, it has one plastic button clip you need to pull out, the you have to wiggle the pipe in the air box till it comes out. Unless you live in the artic circle or anywhere the air temp. gets below -30 deg. far. But all it does is warm the air.

You can also drill the h*ll out of the bottom of the box. That way it draws in cold air from the bottom also.

[patrick 96sl2]

I cut about a 5-6 inch hole in the bottom of my stock airbox using a hacksaw blade.. The car does seem a little more peppier in the midrange area and no increase in noise.

Patrick

[Jeremy]

Thanks, i was wondering what that thing sitting on top of my radiator was, i had to take it off once already because my radiator fan died on me. One of my concerns deals with water getting into the filter and such, but i guess its high enough.

[evilSL1]

Once you do that you should be able to feel an increase in torque and hp, it doesn't get to loud, but it does get a little louder

[Jeremy]

I know in a previous discussion someones mentioned a tab coming off of the airbox and that it might damage the upper raidiator hose, is that something i have to worry about?

[evilSL1]

I never had any problem with any tab, but then again i have know idea what tab he is talking about.
On my car the tube pulled out and i did not notice a tab. I never saw any problems with my hose

[chulo]

Check out the ten commandments for saturn owners. Thou shalt rid yourself of thy cursed resctrictive factory airbox lest is draggeth thee down to hell.(With all of the civics) Get a monkey racing intake.

[Jeremy]

OK, maybe its just on the older models.

Thanks

[Jeremy]

Hahaha,

Good one Chulo, actually FirePower Performance might be releasing a turbo for my car, i might get it, but if not an intake is the way to go.

[Sam96SL2]

ok the tab is on the airbox itself as far as the box you removed i dont think it warms the air it is a resonator, put on their to muffle the intake, IMO i would just drop the 150 and get a hotshot. B/C i removed the resonator didnt noticed an increase at all until i put on the hotshot.

[evilSL1]

i actually does both. i was talking with saturn and they put it there as a intake warmer/muffler.
Just a little food for thought

[Sam96SL2]

ok. ? why would you want to warm the air

[Jeremy]

But, will the tab harm any of the hoses, yes or no?

[evilSL1]

for some climates you need to have warmer air or you can actually put out the spark
that would basicaly suck really really bad.
but for anyone in a normal climate that box is usless and robs hp and somewhat of a growl.

[Steve96SL2m]

The tab WILL wear a hole in your upper radiator hose after removing the resonator. The hose rests on the resonator, and when you remove it, the tab sticks out near the hose. Don't be fooled thinking that the hose is far enough away and won't touch. After the hose warms up, it sags enough to contact the tab and it will wear a hole quickly. Trust me, I removed mine. About a week later I read about the tab on this message board, so I checked mine. Sure enough, it had started to wear. I would definitely take one minute to cut the tab off. It will not keep you from reinstalling the resonator if you want to in the future, but it may save you from getting stuck somewhere with a busted hose!

[Jeremy]

Thanks,
I live in sunny Florida so i dont think the climate issue will be a problem, thanks for the heads up on that TAB.

[KerryrreK]

I used hose clamps to protect the radiator hose as opposed to cutting off the tab (easier and reversable). But I have one question, doesn't this hole in the side of the airbox allow air to come in bypassing the air flow sensor? Wouldn't this make for more air in the air/fuel ratio, which would then be detected by the oxygen sensor at the exhaust manifold which would attempt to correct the problem by using less air? Maybe I'm confused, but isn't giving more air without letting the pcm know it going to cause problems and possibly hurt performance?

[Heartbeat - '95 SL2]

The only sensor near the the airbox is the air temp sensor, which people have relocated when removing the air box resonator. I believe the duties of an air flow sensor are handled by the manifold air pressure (MAP) sensor at the intake, downstream from the airbox and throttle body.

[Jeremy]

where do you relocate the air temp sensor to?

[Richard]

EvilSL1, <b>its apparent that you have no idea what you are talking about</b>...I hope you're just joking around. The thing you are referring to that "warms the air" is the intake resonator. It muffles sound that would normally eminate from the intake. You won't feel any increase in torque or horsepower either. Nor does it rob horsepower.
You would <b>never</b> need to warm the intake air. The PCM does things to keep the car running at even the coldest temperatures...like down to -30. "Put out the spark"?!?!? WTF?!! <b>The spark is electrical energy, not fire.</b> It will jump to the electrode no matter how cold the outside temperature is or how cold the intake temperature is! And so what if you lost a spark...you would simply be running on 3 cylinders. Nothing that spectacular would happen to the engine except a loss of power.
I think I remember you said you beat an Acura Integra Type R in another thread? How did you beat a car that runs 14's on the track? You know nothing about your car!

I can't stand it when people post bogus info! If you don't know what you are talking about then don't post!

KerryrreK, the air intake temp sensor is located near the opposite end of the airbox from the resonator. The reading this sensor takes partially determines the air/fuel mixture that will be burned. The colder the air, the richer the mixture and vice versa. Even if no air were to pass over it, it would still be able to get a reading somewhere near the actual air temperature. So long as its not reading excessively high temperatures (could cause a dangerously lean situation) there shouldn't be a problem. To get excessively high temps you would have to weld it to the exhaust manifold or something comparable to that. <b>For a few extra horses at the expense of a little fuel economy, relocate the sensor to somewhere next to the headlight so it will get a temp from outside air that is slighly cooler than air under the hood.</b>

[Sam96SL2]

Thats exactly what I thought about the air warming issue..from that point on i knew he/she did not know what the hell they were talking about. I just hate that a couple of people belived him

As far as evil beating the type R he/she said his car is gutted and etc...BUT WHERE ARE THE TIMESLIPS.....I say either PUT UP OR SHUT UP!!

[Jeremy]

Thank you, however I think i will just drop the $150 on a tubular intake, because it would be more worthwhile of a modification to my car.

[Richard]

You're right Sam...PUT UP OR SHUT UP! It makes me so mad when people post crap...and they know its crap.

Evil, who do you think you are fooling? There are a lot of extreme Saturn enthusiasts in here as well as Saturn techs who are probably laughing at your posts. Somehow I still doubt you beat a Type R (you're never going to live this down).

'97 SL1
16" light weight wheels
Kumo esta 215/40 16zr
Iceman intake
Weapon-R exhaust
Striped out

Hmmm...no mention of any forced or chemical induction. So how'd you do it?

[Jeremy]

EvilSL1

Here is my theory, He claims he beat a Ricer. It was probably a Integra RS With Type-R badges on it. And it was probably someone that sucked at driving because it still has at least 140hp. Besides a Type-R is basically a race car with AC, it was made for the track. If you could beat mad props but to me it sounds like you are a poser. Or you have to take another thing into count maybe he wishes he could have beat a Type-R, knows he can't so he makes up a story. The only thing that pisses me off mor than people with riced out cars is people who makeup stories about beating a car thats on another level. Its like saying you beat a Viper with a mustang 5.0 it isn't going to happen unles you really tweak it out alot.
just my .02

[Sam96SL2]

Hey Jeremy the intake will be worth the while..trust me..also you might want to wait and see what the sps intake system is going to be like...i dont know when its due to hit the market though..Supposdely this is suppose to be the best intake ever made for saturns

[Richard]

Could someone please fill me in on the SPS intake? I haven't heard anything about it.

[eRic 02sc2]

look on http://www.spswebpage.com for info on the sps intakes.

[Jeremy]

What sps intake? All i saw was the hotshot intake.

[92NOSSL2]

Just leave the stock air box and save for a Clean functional Cold air intake.
Peace.

[Jeremy]

Thats what im gonna do. It would be more effective, and less work.