I just installed my color-matched RS1 AEM CAI yesterday. It took me 2 hours cause one of the supplied hose clamps was busted :x But... after a trip to Kragen I was able to finish.

So, I love the way the new intake looks but the design of it doesn't seem to place the filter in an ideal spot. It's currently behind the headlight with hardly any openings around it.

So here's my idea... I could remove the fog lights and then put some sort of vent insert on the left (and a filler insert on the right). That way air would go right to the filter (I haven't double-checked to make sure it all lines up right).

I figure that would get more power out of the 6 foot long AEM beast.

Any comments?

its been a neat little trick sinc ethe XBs been out ive been doing it since september, kind of a ram air if u will

Do you have any pics???

Where did you get the parts? Or did you just leave the hole open?

I did not order fog lights exactly for this reason!!! I was going to pop out the inserts were the fog lights would go, put some sort of messing in the hole and let the air come in!!!

I unfortunately didn't have a choice about the fog lights. I wanted an RS1 and had to take a hit on some of the accessories pre-packaged with it.

That big bumper below the headlight is open space. Throw an elbow on there and mount the filter down near the bottom of the bumper. Maybe even add a little scoup down there. I am in the process of designing my own intake system with that in mind. Save me a ton of money and I can make it look any way I want.

I just bought a couple of hot lava inserts off ebay for $8. I'm going to leave the right one on and maybe use the other one as a scoop. I could cut a hole in it and add a pipe to the back of it, maybe put mesh over the hole or something.

The only real thing that you are going to have to watch for is water! When it rains, you do not want your filter to get wet!

I know you can screw up your engine if you drive through a huge puddle and saturate the intake pipe with water. But, is it really that bad if you get some indirect rain on the filter? Currently, the AEM intake is bound to get a little water on the filter on rainy days from either below where there is a gap in the splash guard or in front where the lower grills are.

Air has moisture content by nature. Even if enough water got through the main filter to collect droplets on the side of the intake pipe, they would evaporate into incoming intake air before they actually got sucked up.

It would be the same with stock intake except the filter is located further down the line. The water lock protection (on the AEM intake) just activates if the filter were to get submersed. I've been told by AEM associates that it's not really even required.

Thanks Cameron, so you're saying to not worry about water too much?

Don't worry about water too much.

I have never heard of anyone driving an XB through such a deep puddle that the intake sucks in solid water. If you did that, you'd have to open your doors to let the water out of the cab. Just about any intake that doesn't scrape the ground will be fine.