Review of Option Racing Intake - AEM Clone

Elbo · 04-11-2006, 06:01 PM

Baseball fan found this on ebay for $88, with shipping it comes to $109.95. I had ordered a clone intake for my Honda Del Sol a few years ago, and the shipping was really slow. This time I got the package 5 days from when I ordered it. Not to bad.

Packaging:
It was shipped UPS, and I was sent a tracking number the day after I purchased it. It is packaged really well. Everything is protected in Bubblewrap, and plastic bags.

The materials seem pretty good. The welds aren't the greatest, but I think they will do the job. There are several places where I had to dremel to get punch through screw holes, and I had to dremel out the mass air flow meter. That was frustrating having to stop the project to fix stuff they should have gotten at the factory. The filter is stanard cheap filter, but I am going to replace it with a AEM Dry Filter. Having no instructions really sucks, If some one has some for the AEM, post them, this was a serious PITA trying to get it on without a clue.

The Tube has diameter of 3.0 inches on both ends. The Cold Air Housing seems like good quality, it is painted with a nice glossy black paint. So that's good,

Elbo · 04-11-2006, 06:04 PM

More detailed pictures

GreenT · 04-11-2006, 08:22 PM

Those are some pretty sloppy looking welds.

TitanicDJ · 04-11-2006, 08:32 PM

WOW you ain't kidding. Those are some of the worst welds I've ever seen. I think I did a better job back in Jr. High.

DJ

Elbo · 04-11-2006, 10:56 PM

I'm not to worried about the sloppy welds, but the lack of instructions and having to dremel stuff a bit is a major downside. I got about half of it installed, but having problems getting the silver body of the intake attached to the engine side. I'm still holding my judgement on this, but save your paypal for the moment if your looking for a AEM on the cheap... Let's see how this turns out.

pi3yeargrad · 04-11-2006, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elbo

I'm not to worried about the sloppy welds, but the lack of instructions and having to dremel stuff a bit is a major downside. I got about half of it installed, but having problems getting the silver body of the intake attached to the engine side. I'm still holding my judgement on this, but save your paypal for the moment if your looking for a AEM on the cheap... Let's see how this turns out.

lol...well if it works its all good...looks like someone bought an AEM and said lets make a copy and sell...

Elbo · 04-11-2006, 11:33 PM

Okay I thought I would be done hours ago, again the lack of the instructions really hurts, if you get this kit, be sure to find some instructions, I managed to spill my radiator fluid out of the reservoir tank, and all sorts of goofy mistakes. But now it's starting to come together. I hear that some of the AEM's also have slightly missed welds on the MAF sensor, so that makes me feel better. I figured out how to attach it to the throttle body. So I should have finished installation photos pretty soon.

Elbo · 04-12-2006, 12:41 AM

I didn't do the lower three screws on the housing, as I didn't take my wheel well apart. Will do that this weekend, as I want it to be nice and tight. Over all I am really happy with the way it turned out. I think instructions would have made all the difference though. I spent about five hours jacking with this.. And it should have only taken two. Again because of lack of instructions.

If you get this kit, try and look at the pictures of the AEM installs, and read up as much as you can.. Hopefully someone will post up the install instructions. You can ask questions here, I'll try to help.

Tool wise, you will need (If I remember correctly) a 8 mm & 10mm crescent wrench, 8mm, 10 & 12mm sockets. Socket extenders, Beer, Phillips Screw Driver, Flat head screw driver, and some patience.

But I am sure the performance will be right with AEM, I think overall this kit is about 90% of an AEM kit at about 1/2 the cost when you switch to a nice AEM filter.

I suppose the filter that it comes with is okay. I'll run it until my new filter gets in.

Here are a couple of pictures.

pi3yeargrad · 04-12-2006, 12:44 AM

where da pics?

Chris03hd · 04-12-2006, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elbo

Hopefully someone will post up the install instructions. You can ask questions here, I'll try to help.
.

All i did was phone AEM direct off their web site. Nice people emailed me the full instruction's with pictures, 5 minutes later.

Elbo · 04-12-2006, 08:50 AM

Good to know! I drove this morning, there is a pretty big difference in the sound on accelerating, it sounds a lot more meaty.

pi3yeargrad · 04-12-2006, 12:55 PM

all u need now is the AEM sticker...

FLA-Titan · 04-12-2006, 03:31 PM

Does the filter come with an oiling kit? If not, was it pre-oiled?

Elbo · 04-12-2006, 10:45 PM

Hmmm, Good question, it came with no instructions, I stuck it on their dry, I do have some K&N spray. What do you guys think? Is there a way to tell, what type of filter it is?

got_titan · 04-12-2006, 10:47 PM

looks good installed........great price for an aem....lol