Mopar CAI installation and cover/plug fitment?

[Caspien]

Alright, so I'm in the process of installing the Mopar CAI as a lead into the Mopar snorkel, once its available again. (probably adding this next year, since everyone is out of stock on it, right now.. and at $700, that makes me gag a bit)

Install is about as simple as any other CAI, simpler even, since it didn't require replacing the airbox. Getting the intake tube to slide into the upper airbox was a bit of a chore.

Couple of notes: Wasn't expecting the idle noise to drop so significantly. My wife, who is a master audio engineer, has said she'd guess a 3-5dB drop in noise. Neighbor even asked if I put a new exhaust on, today, because he said he noticed something sounded different, quieter. Completely unexpected, and the fact that 2 people (other than myself) have commented on it, makes me believe I'm not just imagining it.

The sound at upper RPMs while accelerating is actually quite nice. I know some claim (including Mopar) that you're going to see improvements in performance, but, honestly, without the header and exhaust modifications, I never expect any performance increases on CAIs. The vehicle MAY feel a bit peppier, and MAY have a slight MPG increase... but I'm just assuming a placebo effect. We'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks. Normally I sit around 17.5-18.3MPG in my usual to the office and back trips. We'll see if there's any difference. I expect I'll see a DROP, since I'll be pushing it occasionally to get the new resonance.

Started to take the hood off, today, to do the cutout, and it started sprinkling. Breaking the seal on the hood bolts was a PITA, since they PAINTED the friggen bolts, including the THREADs. (No locktite, but yeah.. globs and globs of paint. Also, the hood liner is absolute garbage. I've always wondered where the hell I kept getting dust from, and little 'clumps' of what appeared to be paper in the engine. (I suspected rodents, since my Gladiator lives outside) Turns out it's that awful hood liner. Popped 1 push retainer with a panel tool, and watched the liner sort of disintegrate in front of me. Likely going to want to replace that piece of junk liner. I know a replacement is only like $40, but I'm debating just going with something like a lavashield on it, instead.

Took the time to test out my cutting skills with a rotary tool (Ryobi PBLRT01), on some scrap aluminum.. and while I believe I'll be 'good enough', since the bezel gives a pretty hefty overlap from the hole cut, a friend of mine has said he's going to ask his co-worker (body shop guy, who is starting up his own business) how much he'd charge to do it for me... *chuckling* Maybe he saw something I didn't see, but the cuts looked mostly 'low poly', in that they were in the shape we traced out on the sheet, but they weren't really fully rounded yet, since I'd not gotten that far. *shrug*



One thing I've ran into, I was able to sort of forcibly remove the cover to the cutout plastic, but now, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to get it back on without nearly breaking it to force it back on.

The top portion of the cover has 2 hinges.. once closed, and one partially open to snap in, one side of the cover. The bottom portion has a tab, that slides into a groove for the second part of the bezel.. but I cannot quite get all 3 pieces to 'line up' so I can snap the cover to the opening in place... any ideas? Currently, I'm debating cutting a small amount off of the bottom of the cover, in hopes that allows it to slide into place, BUT, I also wonder how much of this is designed in such a way as to stay on extremely tight when in place, obviously to keep moisture out, but also wind while driving down the road.

Just sorta wondering if I'm missing something here... (I have some photos, which are crap, because they were shot at night, I'll take some better ones tomorrow and post them, if folks want 'em)


I CAN get it to snap back in, if I force it, but I'm wondering if I should cut off a small amount of the tab, at this point, to make it a bit easier to install and remove... For those that have installed it, any issues/ideas?



Also, don't know if anyone has ever mentioned the part numbers for the cover for the hole, or the bezel that closes it out. Can't find them on a search, here, but here they are:

Cover for hole, to block out water: 68405961AA
Black exterior ABS Plastic closeout for the hole: 68405960AA
Inside reinforcement bracket doesn't have a part stamped on it.



~ Casp

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[Martinnfb]

Thank You for the write up, I am contemplating CAI as well. Would you mind to post some photos, especially the cut out?
Cheers
M.

 

[Caspien]

Already posted, here:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-admin-warning-no-politics.23705/post-1180277

That said, to get the plug to fit, at all, I had to trim a small amount off the bottom of the bottom lip a bit.. I'd recommend waiting until you get the hole cut, and everything done, before you start trimming.

Ideally, you want it to fit snugly, but not so tight that it puts a ton of pressure on the lower clip on the bezel.


For ME, I have to put the first pin in on the plug (upper left corner) and then sort of slide the tongue into the slot/clip on the bezel, at the same time I'm snapping the upper right pin into the upper right notch of the bezel.

It works well so far, but that cutting of the hood was completely nerve wracking.

One suggestion... Figure out where the hole is going to be, and cover the entire area with painters tape on the outside. (Blue, low tack)

That way when you start to cut through the outer shell (from the inside of the hood) the cutout is help in place.. allowing you to cleanly cut through, without the weight of the piece you're cutting out, getting in the way of the cuts. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably do the same thing on the inside.. the shifting of the metal, while cutting, was probably the biggest culprit to the inside being a bit more jagged than needed.





~ Casp

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The vehicle MAY feel a bit peppier, and MAY have a slight MPG increase... but I'm just assuming a placebo effect. We'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks. Normally I sit around 17.5-18.3MPG in my usual to the office and back trips. We'll see if there's any difference. I expect I'll see a DROP, since I'll be pushing it occasionally to get the new resonance.

Keep in mind seasonal fuel changes........... so comparing what you've gotten in the last few weeks to what you get in the next few weeks could be a change due to fuel.

What typically happens with increases in the "tube" size for air going into engines - decrease in air velocity resulting in lower low end performance, possible very high end performance but the rest of the system is then the bottleneck (throttle body, intake manifold, exhaust, cam/valving, etc.)
Of course MOPAR will suggest gains - to not mention it would pretty much leave them sitting on the shelf collecting dust.
It's like a guy who races Pontiacs found - too large an exhaust can kill performance, "depending". Same for intake - thus the dual plane intakes and 3bbl carburetors allowing for high velocity air at lower RPM and more air at higher RPM.
Since these are not direct injected, they do depend on velocity and turbulence of the incoming air.

And yeah, pics..........

 

[Caspien]

Keep in mind seasonal fuel changes........... so comparing what you've gotten in the last few weeks to what you get in the next few weeks could be a change due to fuel.

What typically happens with increases in the "tube" size for air going into engines - decrease in air velocity resulting in lower low end performance, possible very high end performance but the rest of the system is then the bottleneck (throttle body, intake manifold, exhaust, cam/valving, etc.)
Of course MOPAR will suggest gains - to not mention it would pretty much leave them sitting on the shelf collecting dust.
It's like a guy who races Pontiacs found - too large an exhaust can kill performance, "depending". Same for intake - thus the dual plane intakes and 3bbl carburetors allowing for high velocity air at lower RPM and more air at higher RPM.
Since these are not direct injected, they do depend on velocity and turbulence of the incoming air.

And yeah, pics..........

Oh . Like I said, not entirely certain it isn't placebo. We've not switched to winter mix yet, but it won't matter anyway, since I'm adding 35s and the lift in the next couple of weeks.. so any actual gains (if there are any) will likely be eaten up with those changes.

I've posted the photos in the previously mentioned thread, and another one regarding the stock intake chambers.


I'll post some photos of the closeout, later.. when it stops raining


And yeah, I fully remember learning the hard way, about to much intake and too much exhaust, from when I was a teenager.. lol.. 454 full block installed into a monte carlo, only to have it run like crap, because my idiot friend decided he wanted to ignore specs, and build his own car 'his way'.. thing was awful until his uncle rebuilt everything from the ground up.


~ Casp

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