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Help! My newly installed PR CAI makes a thumping noise.

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Old 04-14-2002, 08:58 PM
  #1  
enk
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Help! My newly installed PR CAI makes a thumping noise.

It seems everytime I accelerate from 0 mph, there is a short thumping noise that lasts about half a second.

Also, when I change gears (like from P to R, or P to D), it seems to make that sound too.

Because my CAI tubing is a very tight fit is barely moveable, and the sides of the hole itself are covered with a plastic lining, I'm guessing it is the filter hitting the fender well.

My filter sits really low and from what I could tell it is probably rubbing against the wheel well cosntantly.

Does anyone have any experience on the removal of the thumping noise, or how to better position the tube so that the filter sits higher (maybe by twisting the tube some insane way?)

Thanks for the help. This thumping noise is driving me crazy!!

EDIT: Also, it probably helps to say that it does not make that sound when I rev the engine in neutral, or when I accelerate from say, 30-40mph. It only makes that noise when I accelerate from 0, and when I change gears like I said above.
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Old 04-14-2002, 10:28 PM
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Prolly your engine torquing/moving during a gear change. So just go through and look at everything and maybe put something soft around the hole you driled in your fender well to avoid metal on metal thumping from the CAI tube and the fender.
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Old 04-14-2002, 11:15 PM
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it is exactly what you think it is.

i just installed my prcai last weekend and i had the same situation.. i took off the two lower screws underneath the fender and 1 on the clip on the inner fender well. so that all i have are the phillips screws around the inner fender, 2 of the 3 clips on the left side of the inner fender, and the 1 10MM bolt holding the bottom part of the inner fender well on.

i also loosened the entire intake upper tubing and moved it around from behind the fender to get as much clearance as possible, you will also notice a power gain as well, because you are not getting as much air in the intake because it cant circulate all of the way around.
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Old 04-15-2002, 02:30 AM
  #4  
enk
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Ok I just took apart basically everything and tried to get more clearance between the filter and the fender well lining. (my neighbors must think I'm crazy for doing this stuff at 2 in the morning)

I also added the support beam I got from my JWT Popcharger to vertically support the entire tube at the MAF section.

Now, there aren't any weird noises when I go from P->R or D, but darnit the 0mph->15mph acceleration still results in the weird thumping sound--although the noise level is now to a lesser degree.

Tomorrow I plan on removing my fender well lining and see if it still makes that sound. If so, I may have to find a way to modify the filter so that it will slide higher up the tube--or drive without the fender lining!

I am kind of a perfectionist, and you won't believe how annoying the sound is to me!

Any further suggestions would be highly appreciated!
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Old 04-15-2002, 09:10 AM
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dont ever get weapon R or ground control coilovers then.. they make so much noise and there is nothing you can do about it, it sucks.. i just moved the filter up and down and back and forth and it finally stayed in place and didnt touch the lining..

good luck are you going to leave the negative terminal off the battery for 10 hours to reset the ECU or let it do it by itself?
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Old 04-16-2002, 11:43 PM
  #6  
enk
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Yeah--I'm currently leaving the battery disconnected overnight to reset the ECU.

Also, I was fooling around with the tube to get more clearance between the fender well liner and the filter, and I was able to significantly raise the filter.

For people that may be having this problem, what I did was loosen the clamp connecting the lower pipe to the MAF, and pushed the tube all the way in. Now there is virtually no space between the hole and the filter.

Lastly, my check engine light came on today while driving. I'm aware that this is common with CAI installs, but how can I best get rid of it w/out it coming back on later? Would simply resetting the ECU fix it?
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