Steeda CAI - how do I know if I do this right?

[Bluemustang]

Ok guys, so after much frustration I was able to install (I think) the Steeda CAI.

I had a heck of a time getting the intake tube into the MAF housing and getting the hoses in. Those rubber grommets are a PITA! My god.

So I loaded the custom Bama tune - I let it idle for about 10 minutes waiting for it to calm down. The car didn't throw any engine codes. I took it out for a test drive and the car runs OK. Didn't feel super fast, maybe slower but I can't tell.

AF ratio was bouncing around a little bit more than usual but the ECM seemed to be trying to adjust it back to around 14.0. At idle it stays between 13.9-14.3.

My question is- how do I know if I have done this correctly. Is there something obvious that would jump out if I did NOT install correctly?

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[Chameleon]

I think you installed it OK. If it wasn't it would stutter and conk out. And maybe throw a code.

 

[Terminator2]

Pictures? MAF ones goes on one way and as long as you hooked up all the hoses and made sure you tightened your clamps down you should be ok.

 

[Bluemustang]

 

[Bluemustang]

The only issues that give me slight concern is the connection the MAF housing, the attachment to the cold air feed being tight and the hoses being tight.

You can't see from the pictures but one side of the silicon reducer is not completely flush with the MAF housing/velocity stack, and the intake tube doesn't fit all the way into the MAF housing on its own, so I assumed it just gets connected via the silicon reducer and isn't supposed to go all the way in. The clamps are down real tight and there's no give anywhere. I made sure to tighten things down as much as I can by hand without over tightening.

The hoses aren't super tight. One of the adapters doesn't sit into the grommet that snug, but it was the best I could do. I think it's fine.

The piece from the stock airbox - which fits to the Steeda airbox. That thing was such a pain to get in the car because it's so tight that it would fall off and I had to start the process all over again. Also, the screw holes on the Steeda airbox did not line up with the velocity stack, so I had to slightly enlarge one of the screw holes on the airbox to make it go in. The screws are pretty tight though.

AF ratio stays around 14 with steady throttle. I have noticed when slowing down it drops briefly to 12 before going right back to 13.9-14.3 at idle. I wonder why it would do that. I have not gone WOT yet as I have just had 2 short test drives.

 

[Dominant1]

Car should feel more powerful with the steeda tune. My last car started out with a steeda intake and tune, and it was noticeably more powerful!

 

[Ramen]

Mine was like night and day. I know better now that it was more likely the tune that woke the car up and not so much the CAI.

Both the tune and CAI for me was Steeda, however. I can't speak to Bama's tunes.

 

[Dominant1]

Oh its bama, well that explains the lack of power!

 

[armykyle1 [HACKED ACCOUNT]

You should space your hose clamps further apart and line up the worm gears. It'll look cleaner.

If the car is running fine, you're good to go.

 

[Bluemustang]

I drove the car later in the day and it felt pretty fast now. It took some longer miles for it to adapt I think because it felt much smoother and happier to rev. Up top it really pulled which was quite nice. I hear a difference in my exhaust note and the engine feels good. It's not rough.

I still will most likely datalog the tune to make sure everything is good. I may end just getting a Lund tune, we'll see. But more Bama tune revisions cost me nothing. Lund is perhaps worth it but I'm going to see how I like this tune first as I liked the tunes I had been using from them previously.

Thanks for the advice guys I really appreciate it. I think I was apprehensive due to the trouble I had putting it together. And also I should have began by removing the stock assembly first. I see now that it would have made the process much easier and more logical. The intake is on tight but I will take your suggestion [MENTION=22603]armykyle1[/MENTION].

 

[armykyle1 [HACKED ACCOUNT]

Glad it's working out for you.

 

[Bluemustang]

[MENTION=22603]armykyle1[/MENTION]- how can I know if I have a vacuum leak, do you know? My only concern is the hoses as you can see in the picture above. The meta insert which goes into the rubber grommet is not tight. There's some play in it.

I notice a sight hesitation in the throttle right off the line... At idle my vacuum gauge reads 20 inHg in park. In drive idling it is around 18 inHg. I'm thinking everything is fine, I just want to make sure I don't have a slight leak. Engine is running fine, no idle surges are crazy A/F ratios. A/F hovers around 13.7-14.3 range for the most part.

 

[Bluemustang]

I've datalogged the tune with Bama, and they've said it looks great. But I am a novice and I tend to worry about these things even if nothing is wrong.

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