I've been working on installing a Takeda cold air intake all day.

Several posts on the forum talk about how easy it is, only mentioning scrunching the urethane elbow to fit through the hole by the radiator and issues with the tube by the throttle body, which has been upgraded.

I'm attaching 4 pictures. Two are of the passenger side. There, I could get the urethane elbow in the hole, but there was no way I could possibly get it unscrunched enough to fit it over the aluminum tube.

On the driver's side, the pipes for the radiator are in the way, and I couldn't even get it to fit in the hole scrunched. I didn't see any other option but to cut the hole to be larger.

Even with the hole enlarged, I cannot get the tube by the radiator to fit on the driver's side. I can get the tube in, but the space between the metal radiator support and the radiator pipes isn't large enough to get the end of the elbow over the aluminum intake tube. In the picture, you can see the metal radiator tubes on the left and the metal radiator support is behind the hose clamp on the right. The space between these isn't large enough to fit the elbow, and it's forced into an oval shape.

How have other's solved this? The other parts of the install are all straight forward, but this one has me stumped.

I haven't cut the passenger side hole yet, but when I do, I think i would be able to get it to work, as there are no metal radiator pipes in the way.

 

here look at post 198

New Style Takeda Attack Intakes $400 - Got mine! - Page 14 - Nissan 370Z Forum

 

Even if you enlarged the holes to make it work, the edges will cut into the tubing.


Everyone that buys a Takeda, buys it to avoid enlarging the holes.
Since you are enlarging the holes, get yourself a Stillen Gen 3 CAI.

 

Same issue there after arguing between forum members is resolved. I guess I'll try enlarging the hole a bit more, but the problem I'm having is the space between the metal support, which I don't want to cut, and the metal AC tubing that goes to the radiator. This is all behind the radiator support on the driver's side.

 

Too late for that now...

 

sorry you are having these issues.. i have a takeda and didn't come across the issues you're having. Getting the rubber tubes through the existing inlets is a pain.. but you kinda have to squeeze them in the middle so they are round on the outside. it takes a bit of adjustment.

what year is the car? mine was a 2008.. and I cut nothing, you do have to adjust the horn a bit, just needs to be raised.. but nothing else cosmetic should have to be changed

i even checked them 2 weeks ago.. was cleaning the filter.. all tubes, and rubber connectors are still in place.

 

First off,, take your time,,, don't stress it,, in the end it all works out

 

I had a fun time getting the elbows trough as well...like the post above me said take your time. If you've got some pliers that will help you grab hold and pull it through...

 

Nope!
I had the same issues. I put my stock air boxes back in, returned the system to Afe, with a letter explaining their engineering is flawed.
Bought a Stillen Gen3, and installed it the next weekend.
BTW Afe bought it back.

 

It's done.

I got the driver's side tube on by making the hole a bit larger than I already had it, then putting the elbow on the tube and feeding it through the hole from the engine side. It took a considerable amount of wiggling, pulling, and pushing, but I got it.

Car is a 2009 X coupe.

I have 87 photos of the process. I'll weed through them and post a step-by-step tutorial in the DIY section in a week or two.

Thanks for the help.

I took it for a brief drive, it's certainly louder under load, and there seems to be no increase in volume at highway speeds, so immediate expectations are met. I'll know if performance expectations are met next month at Watkins Glen.