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?