guys have just fitted a GT pod filter (same as battens setup) onto my AU2 XR8 and a few people have shown interest on how it was achieved
firstly i will start off by saying that using existing MAF and rest of intake etc you will obviously not expect BIG gains, but since installation i have noticed better throttle response and this is still with just the standard paper filter, with BMC or K+N gains will surely increase.
another reason why i performed this mod was for aesthetic purposes, i feel it improves the look of the engine bay hugely, especially painted as i have done to match the engine cover.
Parts required - (thanks to jamie xr6 for the part numbers)
Hose Sub Assembly - BA 9B697 A
Clamp - 9628 AA
Cover Air Cleaner - BAT 9A628 A
Bell Housing XR8 - BAT 9A612 A
Bracket Air Cleaner - BAT 9626 A
Tube Air Cleaner Inlet - BAT 9C676 A
3 x Grommet - BA 9G823 A
2 x Collar, Steel Plate - BA 9K625 A
2 x Screw and Washer - AU2TVE6W095A
Motorcraft Paper Air Filter - FA 1632
BPT Adapter Tube to Airbox $50
4 x Domed Headed Nuts
Plastic spacer that goes between original airbox and MAF (optional)
Total cost approximately $250, more if you want a high flow filter.
Procedure -
Obvious main modification is modifying pod box lid so MAF can bolt to it.
The lid comes with a throat that the GT pipe would attach to, as it has no MAF, that now needs to be removed and the spacer that comes off the standard EF/EL/AU v8 airbox are (pictured in attachment 1). NOTE - Using this spacer is optional, you could just bolt the MAF directly to the lid but i thought this made it look alot more professional and somewhat factory. Choice is yours, however, i found it also easier to use the spacer as a template aswell when modifying the lid!
First step is to remove the throat off the lid, i used a hacksaw for this, so that the top is now flush so the spacer can sit on top nicely.
Next step is to fill in the open ribbed sections that are showing around the outside of the spacer, i would recommend body filler for this. NOTE - it is up to you if you want to fill this section in, it will however make a MUCH neater finish!However, once doing this you will obviously have to paint it to make it look decent, if you want to keep the factory look then just use black. (see attachment 2 for pic)
As the opening of the MAF is smaller than the opening in the GT lid i also used some filler to make it a nice smooth entry into the MAF for the air.
The next stage is to drill the required holes in the lid so you can mount the spacer/MAF. NOTE - Once these are drilled you will encounter one obstacle, although the bolts will slide through the holes, there isnt enough clearance on the inside to get a nut onto the bolts! I got around this by using pieces of threaded rod instead and bent a dog leg onto the ends of them so they wouldnt pull through (try and bend the dog legs roughly on the same angle as the inside of the lid so it sits nicely up against it), and then used some domed headed nuts on the tops to bolt it down (what you use is up to you, i think this option looks good!) (see attachment 3 and 4 for pics)
hard part over, MAF is now attached to lid!
Next, attaching MAF to existing intake tube.
As the MAF is now further away from where it used to be you need to extend the intake tube. I did this by using some flexible tube from the BA I6 and cut the original intake tube approximately an inch down from the flexible section so it had somewhere nice to clamp down on to. This is where you stand around and feel odd because something actually went easy! The BA flexible tube slides nicely straight over the top of the original intake pipe and can clamp straight down beautifully!! (see attachment 5 for pic)
Now we need to fix the pod to the engine bay.
This is another issue that needs to be overcome as i found that with the MAF sticking up off the end of the lid we need to get the pod down as much as possible so as to not interfere with the bonnet. To do this i didnt use the bracket supplied with the pod assembly as it held the pod up off the chassis a bit too much i felt. What i ended up doing was making a small bracket actually out of part of the bracket supplied (will be obvious when you see the original bracket which part i cut off - didnt take a pic!), and used an existing mouting point in the engine bay. (see attachment 5 for pic). NOTE - i fitted the pod originally without the rubber intake that takes the air from behind the headlights as this needs to be shortened to fit. Best way is to mount the pod then measure the distance between the back of the lights to the pod to see how long you cant have the intake, i ended up cutting off approx. 2 inches off the front then it fitted no dramas.
Then just line up where the hole needs to be made for the battens adaptor on the side of the pod, cut that hole, attach the adaptor then your done! (see attachment 5, 6 & 7 for finished shots)
Obviously all this will make much more sense once you have the thing sitting in front of you! However i hope this helps anyone attempting it and ill help more if needed.
This setup could also be used on 6 cylinder models! All youd need to do is fit the BA I6 intake pipe, that will have the flexible tube on the end of it and you can clamp that straight onto the pod box as you have no MAF to deal with (lucky b@stards!)
Well done man. Awesome write up! Once again it's really appreciated. I think you're right it will make more sense to me when I have all the parts in front of me. I will perform this mod in the next couple of week and Will go with the BMC filter. I'll let you know how it goes and supply my own pics, and if I have any dramas I'll ask you in this thread.
One last question, what paint did you use to spray the pod and snorkel?
__________________
O.F.R #12
1999 AU XR8
14.594 @ 94.40mph
152.2RWKW (APS dyno)
Switchable Shift Kit, K&N panel filter, Lukey straight thru mufflers, momo gear and steer,
DBA slotted rotors/Bendix ultimate pads (front), Pioneer MP3 head unit and BA XR carpet mats.
Well done man. Awesome write up! Once again it's really appreciated. I think you're right it will make more sense to me when I have all the parts in front of me. I will perform this mod in the next couple of week and Will go with the BMC filter. I'll let you know how it goes and supply my own pics, and if I have any dramas I'll ask you in this thread.
One last question, what paint did you use to spray the pod and snorkel?
yep dont hesitate to ask any questions mate
the pod snorkel and engine cover are 2 pack lightning strike!
Yeah I was wondering wouldn't it be easier using the T3 pod? Arent they the same except for moutning spots? Mounting spots being the T3 pod would mount the the AU and the BA to the BA (obviously).
__________________
O.F.R #12
1999 AU XR8
14.594 @ 94.40mph
152.2RWKW (APS dyno)
Switchable Shift Kit, K&N panel filter, Lukey straight thru mufflers, momo gear and steer,
DBA slotted rotors/Bendix ultimate pads (front), Pioneer MP3 head unit and BA XR carpet mats.
look, the reason i got the GT one was because a mate was getting it and he was able to organise an extra one for me, my understanding is with the T3 pod it doesnt have the second opening taking air from under the headlights it has an opening on the side going down behind the front quarter panel (pic attached), which would also mean cutting a big hole
also there may be issues trying to attach a smaller MAF to the pod when it is designed for an 82mm one, correct me if im wrong here (bolt holes lining up wise)
plus the dirty great big bracket on the top seen in the pic that the GT one doesnt have
took all of half a day to modify the lid so im not worried. also looks neater than the T3 lid i think if you look at the pic
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