[MSCLCAR]

Hi everyone,

Although I haven't chimed in very often, I've been reading the blogs in here every day for about the past year. Y'all are always a good source of information and entertainment ... and now I have a question for anyone who has done the C&L CAI install.

I finally got my C&L CAI "Racer" kit with the X2 tuner from Doug at BamaChips. I have an '07 GT. My main question relates to the filter shroud / heat shield - Is it supposed to sit with the bottom (floor) and top edge level to the ground, or is it supposed to sit slanted foward, with the front edge (the one sitting near the radiator) a couple of inches lower than the back edge? I've looked at lots o' pictures of the system ... it's hard to tell, but I've always imagined it sitting level to the groung. Mine won't sit that way (i.e., the contours of the shroud don't fit to the contours of the top of the wheel well if you try to make it sit level).

At first, I thought they might have sent me the wrong shroud, but Doug says that the shrouds for all of the different systems (for V6, GT, etc.) are the same. Maybe it's just the fact that I've always imagined it sitting in there with the floor of the shroud level to the ground (it just looks weird to me leaning forward), but I've actually started wondering whether my car (an '07 delivered in March) has a differently shaped wheel well or a mounting hole in a different location.

I've attached pictures so you can see what I'm talking about. As you can see in the second picture below, the lip where it mounts to the wheel well is slanted upward compared to the bottom floor and top edge. And since the mounting location above the wheel well sits pretty much level to the ground, it makes it impossible for the shroud to sit level once you bolt it down.

Let me know your thoughts.

Also, even with it installed slanting forward, the lines you can see in the lower left corner of the first picture seem to be in the way. Are those my ABS lines? The C&L instructions say that the ABS lines may be in the way and that I should "pull the rearmost ABS lines towards the forward of the vehicle so that they clear the bottom of the filter shroud." They are certainly in the way, but it seems to be the front edge (not the bottom) that is having clearance problems. And the instructions say that "they should move easily, and not require any real effort." If those lines in the lower left corner of my picture are the ABS lines of which they speak, they are hard (metal) and don't budge. Are the instructions implying that the nuts holding them in place should be loosened and that then they will swing a little out of the way without any real effort?

I hope all of that makes sense. I don't know if any of you have encountered these same things, but I'll appreciate any help / information / suggestions y'all can offer. Thanks in advance.

[TheUNZippee!]

My Airaid actually uses the bolt that holds that ABS junction block down as an additional mounting point for the shroud. Are you sure there is nothing like that for the C&L?

[TheUNZippee!]

p.s. If need be I can take a picture of mine for you, although I have no idea if the Airaid mounts similarly to the C&L.

[MSCLCAR]

Originally Posted by TheUNZippee! My Airaid actually uses the bolt that holds that ABS junction block down as an additional mounting point for the shroud. Are you sure there is nothing like that for the C&L?

The C&L shroud bolts to the stock airbox hole, with zip-ties to fasten to ASB lines (for extra support). The other C&L version (not the "Racer" like mine) also has a mounting bracket that bolts to the valve cover. It sounds like the Airaid is a completely different set-up. Thanks, though.

[TheUNZippee!]

Ah I see. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, then man.

[06RedfireGT]

I saw a vid of how to install a C&L intake (non racer) and the way it mounted was the inlet tube went on the throttle body the the shroud went around the inlet tube the it attached to the inner fender using that one hole, and then the filter cone attached to the inlet tube using a hose clamp. The mounting for the shroud of the racer should be the same as the Trueflow. The contours of the shroud of both should match right up to the contours of the inner fender.

[MSCLCAR]

Originally Posted by 06RedfireGT I saw a vid of how to install a C&L intake (non racer) and the way it mounted was the inlet tube went on the throttle body the the shroud went around the inlet tube the it attached to the inner fender using that one hole, and then the filter cone attached to the inlet tube using a hose clamp. The mounting for the shroud of the racer should be the same as the Trueflow. The contours of the shroud of both should match right up to the contours of the inner fender.

Thanks for chiming in, 06RedfireGT. Yeah, I've seen a video showing the install, too (it came free in one of my 'Stang magazines). I'm confident I'm attempting to put it in the right place in the right way, it's just not sitting in there the way it looks like it should. The "what-goes-where" and "what-connects-to-what" parts are no problem - it's just that once it's in, it's either sitting differently than it seems to sit in the pics/vids I've seen (slanted significantly forward versus level) or the contours of my shroud or car are different because it sure doesn't sit level. I'm hoping someone with this piece in his/her car can either tell me "Yeah, it should sit level, so something's wrong" or "Yeah, you idiot, it's supposed to slant forward."

And any input anyone can give me on my question about the ABS lines (with respect to the instructions saying they should easily move out of the way) would be much appreciated.

[06RedfireGT]

sorry I couldn't help out more.

[MSCLCAR]

Hey guys,

I finally got in touch with someone at C&L. They confirmed that the shroud is supposed to sit slanted. It just wasn't how I'd pictured it, but I can see how that works now.

So the only problem now is that it seems that my ABS lines don't want to move like they usually do. The tech at C&L said they usually just pivot/swing out of the way with little effort. It looks like my setup may be a little different for some reason. The lines are actually clamped down in several places, preventing them from swinging. I should be able to figure that out, though. I can either play with the clamps and try to free them up, or I can just cut slots into the shroud.

Thanks again.

[06RedfireGT]

good that you got everything worked out.

[TheUNZippee!]

Wow, I had no idea the C&L was so finicky to mount. I'm not one to put down another guys purchases, but I'm glad after hearing this I scored the Airaid.

At least the C&L will perform great. I know a bunch of guys here that have them, and they all say they work amazingly well.

[MSCLCAR]

Update:

FYI, I got everything worked out on the install (including the ABS lines). But when I went to load the tunes, I discovered that the vendor loaded the wrong ones (for a JLT CAI, not the C&L, and for the wrong octane ratings). I'm starting to think that this "15-minute install" is never gonna end. I'm not gonna bad-mouth those guys at BamaChips for a simple mistake, though. They've been really nice and great to work with, and I'd recommend them to anyone. I'm just going crazy waiting to hear back on how to proceed with the process of getting new tunes.

[06RedfireGT]

too bad you have to go through all this hassle, but when its done you're gonna love it.

[bigolgeek]

I just installed the C&L and let me tell you that I really thought I was going to be getting a quality intake. I have never seen a bigger piece of garbage in my life. Invest in oh maybe 15 minutes of R&D into a better shroud C&L

Ziptie the shroud to the ABS lines

C&L gets my :award for quality!

[Modern_Muscle]

doug will just email you new ones, i had a light come on from mine, and he corrected in within 3 days...

[Geezer]

The way you have it positioned in the first picture is correct.

You must return to stock air intake until your tunes arrive though. They should go in at the same time.

[MSCLCAR]

I got the new tunes from BamaChips and loaded them up yesterday, but then I discovered that the problem wasn't that my tuner had the wrong tunes on it but that they sent me the wrong tuner (for some guy named David). So, since the calibration was set for a different car, the car wouldn't crank. I've re-installed the stock tune and stock airbox for now and am waiting for Doug at BamaChips to get in touch. I have a tank full of 93 octane, though. Does anyone know if I'll be okay driving it around on that with the stock tune?

[Geezer]

You are absolutely fine driving 93 octane.

[acehogg69]

SLT-2 FTW! IMO

[RyanHNT]

Thats an odd looking fit? My airade CAI fit like a glove. It had two knobs in the bottom that fit inside the holes in the fender well to keep air flowing around it and to reduce any vibration then it bolted to the old air box hole and to the ABS forward bolt, no freaking zip ties?? Thats kind of cheese.