Gimpster
New member
This weekend the mailman dropped off some ZZP goodies for me. I thought I'd document the installation of intake for others.
The intake was originally designed for the Cruze, and so the fit is a little tight in some areas. Most notably the Cruze appears to have more space between the radiator support and the intake. Another area of tight fit was the low-side AC hard line UNDER the intake. I'll get into the AC line a bit later though.
1.) You'll need the following tools and supplies to install the intake using my method:
2.) Start by removing the negative battery terminal on your car. This is just safe when working with automotive electronics, and also will force your computer to relearn the MAF curve after changing the intake. This is accomplished with a 10mm socket.
3.) Remove the MAF connector. This is accomplished by pulling on the red tab and then depressing the black plastic tab exposed.
4.)Using an 8mm socket, loosen the worm clamp on the intake tube at the turbocharger inlet and the airbox. After they're loose, remove the air inlet tube.
5.) Pulling upwards towards the hood, the airbox will unhook from its rubber pad. After you've removed the bottom peg, pull towards the drivers fender and the airbox will unhook from the passenger fender. Take the airbox to your work bench for the next step.
6.) Using a Torx T20, remove the two circled screws holding the MAF to the airbox. Remove the MAF from the airbox and put the screws back if you ever need them again.
7.) Insert the MAF into the ZZP intake tube, make SURE the holes that are open on the MAF face INTO THE AIR STREAM. IE: facing the filter side of the tube. Using the ZZP supplied allen headed bolts, thread them into the intake tube with the 4mm allen key. I opted to use blue loctite on these, but thats up to you.
8.) Remove the 15mm nut on the engine mount thats closest to the headlights.
8.) Now its time to test fit the intake. Install the rubber elbow on to the intake tube, and place it on the turbocharger. This is where things get fun. I had to shim my intake UP on the mount stud with a couple washers to get the height right. I then had to "massage" the low-side AC line down significantly to clear the filter. Once I had the filter on, I then had to tweak the intake mount for comfortable clearance to the radiator support and away from the headlights.
Like all things aftermarket, sometimes it isn't perfect and you have to find a way... play with it long enough and you'll get a fit. Hood clearance was NOT an issue on my car. I would suggest periodically checking fitment after the initial install for a little bit anyway.
I also used an inspection mirror and flashlight to ensure clearance between the filter and the AC lines below, you really don't want to rub on those for a long time.
Below I try to highlight some of the problem areas I had to deal with.
9.) After you're satisfied with the fit: Plug the MAF harness back into the MAF, tighten the worm clamps on the filter and elbow (3 total). Also don't forget to tighten the 15mm stud nut back down too. I opted to put a washer on top of the intake mount too. Re-install the negative battery terminal.
If all went well, your engine should now look like this!
The intake was originally designed for the Cruze, and so the fit is a little tight in some areas. Most notably the Cruze appears to have more space between the radiator support and the intake. Another area of tight fit was the low-side AC hard line UNDER the intake. I'll get into the AC line a bit later though.
1.) You'll need the following tools and supplies to install the intake using my method:
- 3/8" or 1/4" socket wrench
- 1/4" socket driver is useful too
- various extensions
- 15mm socket
- 10mm socket
- 8mm socket
- T20 Torx
- 4mm allen key
- various washers, will get into later
- blue loctite, optional I suppose
- inspection mirror and flashlight is useful
2.) Start by removing the negative battery terminal on your car. This is just safe when working with automotive electronics, and also will force your computer to relearn the MAF curve after changing the intake. This is accomplished with a 10mm socket.
3.) Remove the MAF connector. This is accomplished by pulling on the red tab and then depressing the black plastic tab exposed.
4.)Using an 8mm socket, loosen the worm clamp on the intake tube at the turbocharger inlet and the airbox. After they're loose, remove the air inlet tube.
5.) Pulling upwards towards the hood, the airbox will unhook from its rubber pad. After you've removed the bottom peg, pull towards the drivers fender and the airbox will unhook from the passenger fender. Take the airbox to your work bench for the next step.
6.) Using a Torx T20, remove the two circled screws holding the MAF to the airbox. Remove the MAF from the airbox and put the screws back if you ever need them again.
7.) Insert the MAF into the ZZP intake tube, make SURE the holes that are open on the MAF face INTO THE AIR STREAM. IE: facing the filter side of the tube. Using the ZZP supplied allen headed bolts, thread them into the intake tube with the 4mm allen key. I opted to use blue loctite on these, but thats up to you.
8.) Remove the 15mm nut on the engine mount thats closest to the headlights.
8.) Now its time to test fit the intake. Install the rubber elbow on to the intake tube, and place it on the turbocharger. This is where things get fun. I had to shim my intake UP on the mount stud with a couple washers to get the height right. I then had to "massage" the low-side AC line down significantly to clear the filter. Once I had the filter on, I then had to tweak the intake mount for comfortable clearance to the radiator support and away from the headlights.
Like all things aftermarket, sometimes it isn't perfect and you have to find a way... play with it long enough and you'll get a fit. Hood clearance was NOT an issue on my car. I would suggest periodically checking fitment after the initial install for a little bit anyway.
I also used an inspection mirror and flashlight to ensure clearance between the filter and the AC lines below, you really don't want to rub on those for a long time.
Below I try to highlight some of the problem areas I had to deal with.
9.) After you're satisfied with the fit: Plug the MAF harness back into the MAF, tighten the worm clamps on the filter and elbow (3 total). Also don't forget to tighten the 15mm stud nut back down too. I opted to put a washer on top of the intake mount too. Re-install the negative battery terminal.
If all went well, your engine should now look like this!
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