Removal of lower airbox - LS - How???

[More revs]

The lighting was bad and the floor really dusty so I didnt have a good look but HTF do you remove that lower airbox snorkel???

I know someone from the group has done this but cant remember who...

Cmon fess up...

[photn]

hmmmmm hack saw or grinder?

There are 2 ways - Cutting and removing the pipe (which is moulded into the lower airbox) or actually removing the airbox. Both have the same outcome but if you want to return it back to stock the latter is recommended.

To remove it -
1. Jack the car up a good height, throw your axle stands under it and remove the front passenger wheel.
2. Remove the front passenger headlight
3. Remove the Upper airbox (remove the spring clip for the TB hose and remove the thick circular band connecting the airbox with the radiator support, half way through pulling it out, you will see the crank case ventilation pipe to remove)
4. From here you can see the second airbox pipe leading to the second airbox
5. Remove the screws for the front plastic section of the passenger wheel guard, as well as the plastic underneath the 2nd airbox.
6. With a LOT of persuasion work the airbox out through the space you have. I think I remember seeing some rubber grommets etc to hold the box in place and stop vibrations, just pull it through
7. Once removed put everything back in place in reverse order (remember to replace the crank case ventilation pipe)


To just cut the pipe between the upper and lower airbox:
1. Remove the Upper airbox (remove the spring clip for the TB hose and remove the thick circular band connecting the airbox with the radiator support, half way through pulling it out, you will see the crank case ventilation pipe to remove)
2. From here you can see the second airbox pipe leading to the second airbox
3. Cut this pipe by whatever means
4. Put everything back together in reverse order

[More revs]

Yeah I had the top airbox out today so will pull it out again on the w/e and CUT the bottom one out. Stuffed if I can be bothered pulling it out neatly. I.m old and dont have your patience LS..

LOL I'm not quite sure on the size of the pipe but its a fairly standard inlet, 2.5 or 3" perhaps?

If you can get some piping and silicone joins cheap perhaps route a CAI around the radiator to get rammed air from the air dam.

[More revs]

Now your talking yeah... I'll cut the lower tubing off and put a 90 degree angle on so it sucks away from engine heat. I've seen those blue silicon segments in Super Cheap - a store named after me.

[20focus05]

I've got the CL and I am thinking of putting an air pod down where the 2nd air box is creating a plate to insulate it from the engine bay then cut out the ribs in the plastic(from inside) where the fog lights go in the LX for cold air. what do you recon. just dont go through deep water!!!

Once you pull out the top airbox and remove the headlight how easy it would be routing air intake piping

[More revs]

I did a similar thing with the WRX - just cut the secondary airbox / silencer out and ran a short piece of silicon into the mudguard. It freed up more HP than the very expensive exhaust did. Maybe I ran a cotton filter too I cant remember now but it sucked harder than a debutant.

Again on a Commodore rally car I ran 6 separate throttle bodies and it went really hard and substantial exhaust tuning made very little difference over what intake mods made.

And another one my sons VL... yadda yadda yadda you get the picture.

I suspect there are a lot of gains lurking in the LS inlet.

The ribbed rubber hose between the TB and the top airbox also probably hinders flow. Replace this with silicone should do a little bit, perhaps port the TB as well with a dremel

[More revs]

If I was chasing max HP I would use the vacuum guage and measure what losses there are but even from eye balling the focus setup there is way too much stuff between atmosphere and plenum. And that flexy hose you mentioned - going in the bin. I.m not sure about the TB might have to buy a spare one and drop it off for some flow testing see if its a problem.

Too true. Get rid of the fat and then focus on whats left.

Can you tell me more about vac guage and how its used. ie how do you test it behind the TB etc.

[More revs]

Have a mechanical vac guage in the cabin with you and run the fine capillary tube out the widow, under the bonnet and plug it in to the airbox atmosphere side of filter. Go for a drive and have a helper record the reading at WOT high revs. Do this in above the filter then above the TB and you get an accurate measure of where losses are. 9 out of 10 times its atmosphere side of TB where manufacturers have spent time making things quiet and weather proof. WOT should give a VERY low reading less than 3 PSI difference between atmosphere and plenum maybe even lower. The guys who junk std airboxes are on the right track. I'm going remove the std airbox and stick a cone filter on a short piece of silicon hose then worry about how to screen off engine bay heat....

[20focus05]

Hi guys I am looking to modify the LH air shield, the one that goes between the bumper and radiator. Attaching a 70mm pipe to it which then connects to the bottom of the air filter box. effectively a cold air induction.
Doing some tech drawings on solidworks

[20focus05]

basic form

So this sits between the radiator and the front bar at an angle? Looks awesome!

[DragonMesh]

Old thread i know but i've done a little searching and didnt want to make a new thread to ask the question... i done this mod some time ago after reading this thread and i love it. However ford which to take more money off me for plugging my car into a computer... my car has only done around 25000km so should i be putting the second box back on for the service. i know its not a huge mod i just dont know how picky ford are when it comes to warrenty and such :

[RJO89]

I was wondering the same thing. If it's only going for a service I wouldn't bother putting it back on then taking it off again. I actually had my car looked at by Ford's service guys and they didn't notice it gone. . Unless there is something wrong with the engine pinging or the throttle body and you want it repaired under warranty, I wouldn't bother putting it back on.

[Conquest_Tsi]

whats everyone been using to cut that lower pipe?

[RJO89]

Originally Posted by Conquest_Tsi

whats everyone been using to cut that lower pipe?

Don't cut it. I didn't even bother taking out the top airbox. Here's a foolproof method (easy as p*** - without cutting any pipe) and very, very difficult to screw up. Plus, it's always there if you want to put it back on later on...

1. Jack the car up and remove the front passenger wheel.
2. Remove the plastic wheel guard (approx. 8 Torx screws holding it in place - mark with a pencil or something visible to see where you took them from. I had one left over )
3. You will see the resonator sitting just behind the passenger fog light.
4. Look for 3 bolts holding the resonator in place. There will be one at the rear near where the wheel was. The other two you will need to pop the bonnet, remove the headlight and scrounge around, but they're pretty visible.
5. Remove those three bolts with a ratchet (it takes a while because there isn't much room to move around). I found the best way is to use the ratchet to release them initially, and to a point where you can just unscrew them with your hands.
6. After the three bolts are removed, the resonator will practically just fall out. Just give it a little jiggle and it comes out, pipe and all.

This way you don't have to worry about cutting anything, and the option is there to replace it if need be (but god knows why you would!!!)

[DragonMesh]

there were bolts holding the res in place? i thought it was on rubber grommets... been a while since i done it tho so im not sure... and yes its deffinatly worth it but i find that i use more petrol because i have the throttle open more to hear the sound :p

[RJO89]

The top airbox is held on by rubber grommets. The resonator is held on with bolts.
And I'm in the same boat. Always getting revs over ~3000 just to hear that noise :

[Conquest_Tsi]

Pardon being the idiot but how do u remove the passenger headlight?
I unscrewed one visible screw but it wouldnt budge!

[RJO89]

You need to pull it pretty hard. There's two clips on the bottom of the headlight unit that hold it in place. If you wiggle it and pull it at the same time it'll pop out.

[Conquest_Tsi]

Originally Posted by edgecrusher89

You need to pull it pretty hard. There's two clips on the bottom of the headlight unit that hold it in place. If you wiggle it and pull it at the same time it'll pop out.

Pop or break? lmao

[RJO89]

It'll pop if you're good enough lol. Just don't get frustrated and break it. But even if you did, it'd only be a clip, which you could probably make yourself if need be anyway.

[blue_focus]

Originally Posted by Conquest_Tsi

Pardon being the idiot but how do u remove the passenger headlight?
I unscrewed one visible screw but it wouldnt budge!

There will be a clip on the inside of the headlight. Press that down with a screwdriver of somthing similar and it will easily pull out

[blue_focus]

Originally Posted by 20focus05

I've got the CL and I am thinking of putting an air pod down where the 2nd air box is creating a plate to insulate it from the engine bay then cut out the ribs in the plastic(from inside) where the fog lights go in the LX for cold air. what do you recon. just dont go through deep water!!!

Yeh i have been thinkin the same thing. It looks like it a good idea. Might have a go at it this weekend.

[20focus05]

blue I have changed that idea. I bought one of those conertina hose/tube($40) that went straight onto the bottom of the original air box, I then cut a hole in the air dam on the left side of the radiator and stuck the end of the tube through it, whoo cold air induction. lol did make it quite though compaired to it sucking staight in the bottom of the filter box. i have some pics, not sure if I have posted them anywhere here.

[20focus05]

oh there is 2 clips I think, if its the air box you are trying to get to you dont need to remove the light, just remove the bottom air dam/tray the air box will pull out with a bit of elbow grease. it pops out of rubber holders