I'm looking at an air intake system on ebay (link below) for my 98 Corolla. I looked at my engine and I'm pretty sure it's easy to take off the factory intake hose and install the new one. My only three questions are: is the system on ebay crap? And if it is, are there any on ebay that aren't crap? And thirdly, if there aren't, where do they sell good ones?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2470712301
It may look good picture-wise - but the stated performance gains sounds like BS to me. I've installed other intakes - cold air and short ram types and have never seen more than 3-5HP gains at the wheels.
Hard to tell by the picture - but it looks like it is missing a "bung" to attached the mass air flow sensor. There is a hole there - but you need another piece to attach the sensor to the pipe - unless you want to take out the dremel and start grinding out the hole.
It also seems to be missing a few point to mount some of the wiring to it - look at your OEM air box and compare it to the picture.
The biggest problems is that you may lose HP with this particular setup - the tubing is way short - it will actually suck in more hot air than you OEM setup. If you look at your setup - there is a tube that runs from the bottom of the airbox to behind the driver-side headlamp assembly. Granted the tubing is smaller - but you will have cooler air there than what this "ram" system will do.
Often on eBay - if it sounds too good to be true or very cheap - it probably will do more harm than good or will not work at all. Plus with a statement "sold as is" no warranty for "brand new" - that should bring on the POS product flag.
To answer your first question - if it is crap? I'd have to say YES from the reasoning above.
If there are any that are not crap - possibly, if they state who the original manufacturer was and if it includes AEM, Injen, TRD, HKS, K&N, ICEMAN, and a few others I have forgotten - then it probably is pretty good stuff. Some like OBX, Weapon R, DC Sports are sometimes OK - but I have heard more problems with them than good.
Sometimes is it better to good with a good aftermarket directly - than eBay - but that doesn't mean all eBay stuff is crap - just have to wade through the BS stuff to get to the good stuff, if they have them at that time.
Generally - Cold Air Intakes are more effective in producing HP - but some good Short Ram models, like Injen, produce decent numbers. If you go the CAI option - make sure that it has a bypass feature to negate the possiblity of sucking in water when you hit a standing pool in the road or in very heavy rain. Prices should run around the $100 to $200 range - you get what you pay for.
Plus keep in mind that most of these intakes are designed to make more performanace gains at higher RPMs and WOT - at normal speeds and crusing - they just make more noise. Really more show than go - but if you autocross or go the track - that extra bump in HP helps alot.
Good Luck.
