Short Ram Air Intake DIY

2003 Tiburon GT 2.7 V6 - Weapon R Dragon SRI

I am somewhat new to the forum, I have been using it for weeks but this is one of my first posts. Every other question I've had or procedure I've needed I was able to find by searching. This place is a goldmine. I tired to take as many pictures as possible and will be as detailed as possible. If I missed anything or you see something stupid, please let me know. This is a learning process for me and I have thick skin.

First, I used Solo2Tib's "Engine bay looking dull?" procedure found in the car care forums to clean up and detail my engine. I figured this was a good time to do it so the shiny new intake would match the rest of the engine.

I bought the Weapon R Dragon Short Air Ram system for an 03-06 GT, but the basic procedure applies to any short air intake.

Tools needed:
-Flathead screwdriver
-Phillips head screwdriver
-10mm socket or wrench
-Pliars
-Rag
-Cleaner


1. This is everything my kit came with: 2 intake pipes, 8 clamps, 10mm PVC tube, air filter, "cold air" shield, 3 3" silicone couplers, a 2.5-3" silicone coupler, rubber mounting gromet, U-shaped mounting bracket, crappy instructions, emissions stickers, and air filter cleaner.



I found that the 2.5-3" coupler didn't fit so I went to Shuck's and purchased an additional 3" coupler. But I'll get back to that later. Also, the supposed "cold air" shield that was included was made out of cheap plastic and went directly over the filter, restricting airflow around the sides of the filter, so I decided not to use it. It wouldn't have fit anyway, the space for the air filter was extremely tight.

The kit was $115 shipped and the extra coupler was $7.



2. Here is the cleaned engine,




and the stock airfilter.





3. If your kit came with instructions, place them nearby (mine were about 50% usable, I've heard the Injen ones are better) and some sort of cleaning agent + rag (I used Windex).





4. First locate the two metal hinges, which clamp the top of the air filter box to the bottom, and undo them, as shown.





5. Next, using a flathead screwdriver, loosen the 2 clamps closest to the airbox, which hold the airbox to the MAF sensor.





6. There are two tabs on the side of the airbox opposite the hinges to be aware of.






7. Remove the top of the airbox, pulling downwards to undo the tabs, and pull the box and small section of tube free from the MAF sensor. Set aside.





8. Remove the stock air filter (just pull out). Set aside.





9. There are 3 (or in my case 2) 10mm bolts holding down the bottom of the airbox, undo these with a 10mm socket or wrench.





10. Remove the bottom of the airbox. Set aside.





11. Now, follow the stock intake tubing up towards the engine untill you find a small vacuum hose coming off of the intake tubing and into the engine. Pull this hose off of the intake tubing.





12. Locate the other end of the small hose you just removed, under the engine cover, and pull it out. You may be tempted to take off the engine cover for this step, but you don't need to, the connection isn't far in. Set aside.





13. Loosen the clamp on the other side of the MAF sensor using a phillips screwdriver.





14. Pull out the MAF sensor.





15. Set the MAF sensor aside, I wedged it up HERE. (lol by bad Alpine)





16. Loosen the clamp that is holding the stock intake tubing to the engine block, using a phillips screwdriver.





17. Pull the intake tubing off of the engine. Set aside.





18. Spray windex or other non-abrasive cleaner onto rag.

19. Clean off the connection point on the engine block where you removed the intake tubing.





20. Put a clamp around one side of a 3" coupler and put coupler on engine block as shown. Tighten clamp with flathead screwdriver, just snug enough so it doesn't fall off.




My intake instructions said to use the 2.5-3" coupler here and put the 2.5" side on the engine, but I swear that the 2.5" opening doesn't fit. I tried to force this sucker on for a half hour! Prying, lubing, and stretching but the fudging thing just did not fit. Then I tried warming it in the microwave to make it more pliable, but after 30 seconds it melted into the below mess. So either be careful warming your 2.5-3" coupler or buy an extra 3" coupler like I did.





21. Set a clamp on the other side of the 3" coupler installed on the engine, and insert the first metal intake pipe (the one with a welded connection spot for the PVC vacuum tube). Tighten the clamp with a flathead just snug again.





22. Insert one end of the small PVC hose that came with your kit onto the intake pipe as shown.





23. Insert the other end of the rubber hose onto the connection point under the engine cover where you removed the stock one from. I ran this tube under the intake pipe, just make sure wherever you snake it is not touching anything hot.





24. Now come back to your MAF sensor, and use a pair of pliers (preferably needle-nose) to unclip the MAF sensor clamp from the wiring. Set clamp aside.





25. Set a clamp on a 3" coupler, and install snugly on the other side of the intake pipe coming from the engine, using a flathead.





26. Set a clamp on the other side of the coupler you just installed and insert the MAF sensor assembly. Make sure that the small arrow on the side of the MAF assembly (see picture) is pointing toward the engine (in the direction that the air will be flowing).





27. Tighten clamp with flathead, again just snug enough to hold in place.





This is what you should have thusfar.





28. I had to wait until my girlfriend got off work to replace the coupler that I melted, so I finished the installation at dusk. Sorry for the darker pictures. Now you want to install the little rubber mounting grommet into one of the empty screw holes from the stock airbox. Try to line it up next to where the air filter will sit so that you can mount the U-bracket to it later.





29. Put a 3" coupler on the other side of the MAF assembly.





30. Install a clamp to hold the coupler in place with a flathead.





31. Slide on an extra clamp before putting the next piece of intake piping in.





32. At this point you want to move away from the engine and assemble the end of the intake (the part that holds the air filter). This is because there isn't enough wiggle room in the engine to put the air filter on the end on the intake with the pipe already installed. So mount a coupler on the end of the second elbow pipe with a clamp and flathead.





33. Place a clamp on the other side of the coupler, with the U part of the U-bracket under the clamp as shown. The bracket will need to point down into the engine, toward the rubber mounting grommet.

34. Install the air filter into the other side of the coupler, tightening the clamp that is holding the U-bracket on with a flathead.





35. Now you want to insert the pipe with the air filter you just assembled into the coupler coming from the MAF.





Make sure the air filter is angled down into the engine, below the fuse box, as the fuse box does not leave enough room for the air filter to be installed completely horizontal. Also, if you try to angle it up the hood will not close.




Here is an overhead shot of how it should look.





36. Tighten the clamp that you slid onto the coupler in step 31 with a flathead, holding the intake pipe with the air filter in place.





37. This part is a bit tricky, you need to bend the U-bracket, coming from the air filter clamp, towards the rubber mounting grommet.




It may require quite a bit of bending and twisting to get it just right.





38. Place the washer and nut onto the stem from rubber grommet, over the U bracket.





39. Tighten nut with a 10mm ratchet or wrench, just so it pulls the bracket onto the rubber, not so tight that the rubber starts getting squished down.




Should look like this when done.




The extra part of the bracket sticking off of the rubber grommet annoyed me, as it was just floating out into empty engine space, so I bent it down. I suppose you could just cut it off as well.





40. My kit came with stickers that supposedly help you pass emissions or smog tests, my city doesn't have those but I put it on the fusebox next to the air filter anyway.





41. Now that everything is installed, make sure that everything fits well and the air filter isn't touching anything, and go back through and tighten down all those clamps firmly with a flathead.






42. Step back and admire the finished product. Looks nice on my freshly detailed engine. Start up your car and make sure no check gauges or anything comes on, and listen to those extra 3 horses! Haha but really it sounds good. I've heard that you're supposed to undo a battery terminal to reset the MAF, but I don't know the truth in that statement, maybe someone can clear this up? I know this DIY is pretty lengthy for a simple installation, but some people might find it useful, it would've helped me.







Since I'm new to the forum here's a few shots of my car. It's dirty atm but hey I live on a dirt driveway and it rains every day in WA, what can ya do.

one of the best DIY write up... good work

(not the best choice of intake though IMO)

It's true, I hadn't discovered this site yet when I purchased it and went for cost over brand. But oh well ya live and learn.

great DIY. good job man

Nice DIY. I will send you some + rep.

Good Job Bossss

Thanks for the support guys, glad ya'll liked it. One more thing I should ad, is to check all the clamps and alignment after a few days to a week of driving. My engine vibrates quite a bit, and a lot of the clamps needed a surprising amount of tightening.

Great DIY !!
I already have an AEM CAI, but this is very detailed, and the pictures help quite a bit.
+1 Rep, and I sent you a PM.
Thanx for the great write up!!

Yes great writeup.

I just installed this on my 08 tib and On the 08 you have to take the engine cover off to remove the smaller hose. Also on the 08, the smaller coupler works you just have to stand there stretching it for 5 minutes and work with it a bit.

Great review. You should do more!

Nice DIY!

Added to proper section.

Is this DIY easily applicable to the Injen SRI? Just asking because everyone keeps mentioning that Injen's SRI is placed further away than the other brand name intakes.

Yeah it just sits to the right of the battery instead of behind it and you have to take out the snorkel thing to make room, I've heard the Injen one comes with good instructions.

for those wondering for the injen SRI
im going to try and make a DIY for it sometime next week ( if it arrives )
hopefully itll be as good as this DIY

good DIY
poor choice of intake.

Just installed it this morning. Took almost 2 hours but that's a combination of the cold and me just wanting to make sure everything was tight (I double checked each step just to make sure I didn't screw up).

Followed the DIY here to take out the old intake and box since it's pretty good and the pictures helped a lot. Then I stuck with Injen's instruction to finish putting everything together. Really enjoyed working this and we'll see how long she holds up before something falls off because I screwed up.

Whats wrong with the weapon r? Nothing exactly... i put mine in but i didnt have to get a new rubber piece to connect to the trottle opening... just takes patience... its a great piece tho, great sound and love the power that kicks in at about 3500rpms

Very instructive DIY.

Basically everyone's claim that this intake is not a good choice is because injen sri is a little longer and the filter will sit further away? It's about $80 more to get injen and I could probably save that money by purchasing a longer tubing and use it for shipping charges and getting more upgrades. Or is there an issue with buid quality? maybe filter is crap?

Please no CAI comments, just SRI.

i dont see why people dont like weapon r's i put one on my tib and i love, i tossed the filter though, i didnt like it and it didnt make much sound, so i got a spectre filter and it sounds amazing and the power gain from 3000 to 5000 is awesome

Like the write up!

Not tryin to be a pain or anything but if your really trying to get power out of your engine purchase a cold air intake. Not the short ram. My reasoning is, becuase the placment of the short ram, which is in the engine bay next to your engine, radiator, parts that are hot, it will carry less oxygen because your taking in hot air(which has less oxygen then cold air) which is then meaning a smaller combustion. There are a few ways to make it take in colder air but it will cost you more money. So IMO just save up your money and get the CAI which leads to your inner fender where colder air is.

Did not have any problems.. did it in less than 30 minutes.

Injen SRI is awsome.. the sound it makes and the extra hp's.. its just perfect!

great DIY. the microwave fail was the best part!! fvckin lovin it!

lol for sure did.

This is a great DIY though, I'll be using it as a guide to install my Fujita CAI this week

Quick question though: Once I have installed my intake, can I then just start the car without a problem immediately after? Assuming of course installed properly. I don't want any CELs or anything else to go wrong. This is my first car after and have had it for only a month.

I was going to mention this to you. You won't get a light, and you don't have to do this, but I'd recommend resetting the ECU. Just unplug the battery while you're installing it.