How-To: Installing the AEM Brute Force CAI with DryFLOW FIlter
Recently got an AEM Brute Force Air Intake System with DryFLOW Filter (no oil required) and installed it on our Aug.'04 build 2005 Midnight Blue 300C (test bed for eventual install on the '06 Heritage Edition).
Here's an illustrated documentary about the installation. Let me know if you have any questions, and I or someone from AEM (whomever is their forum monitor/moderator) will try to answer them.
This is what arrived and all pieces were well packaged (foam peanuts) in the box.
The Project:
Does it take automotive skill/experience? NO!
Should you read the instructions? YES! (I'm a man... I can change!)
I had not really “worked” on a car for many years, so I was concerned about how easy, or challenging this install might be. I was pleased to find that it required simple, everyday tools (regular screw driver, 10mm and 8mm sockets and wrench), was relatively easy and took me just over an hour from start to finish.
This is the stock intake system of my 2005 Chrysler 300C. The first step is to remove the engine cover by pulling straight up on the sides to disengage the 4 positioning posts.
Then disconnect the Intake Air Temperature (IAT) sensor at the elbow of the intake pipe. This involves two operations. First pull back on the red tab. This unlocks the connector's security clip, but does not release the security prong.
Then press the back of the underlying security tab to open the connector’s hold-down prong.
The connector, then, will slide apart easily. Without this, you can NOT get the connector apart!
Loosen the stock hose clamps at the throttle body, and the filter box.
Then remove the intake tube. Loosen and remove the filter box mounting bolt (10mm) at the front right rail of the engine bay.
Keep the bolt because it will be reused. Then remove the valve cover breather hose from the rear of the filter box. You may need to twist gently to pull off the breather hose.
The stock air box then lifts up and out of the way.
Continued with next post...
__________________
See my photo gallery section. First name is... uh... Tim. I know... it's Goofy! LOL
In love with my first wife & first car ('68 Charger) ... still have the wife
but now there's the Heritage Edition and a Magnum SRT8!
Start by installing the silicone coupler (2x3.5in.) on the throttle body.
I positioned the coupler to within 1-2 mm of the end of the landing. Tighten the in-board hose clamp only; making sure the final position of the screw head is convenient for access.
Next, following AEM’s instructions, I installed the heat shield, paying attention to the following “keys.”
The rearward tab fits in the positioning slot of the coolant reservoir.
The “foot” slides under the fluid hoses and wiring cable to align with the positioning hole (arrow). That’s where the plastic push-pin will come into play.
At this point the AEM instructions say to install both the push-pin in the bottom hole, and the factory bolt in the original hold-down position. However, I found this to be premature for reasons that will become clear. I recommend waiting on both until the new intake pipe is pre-set into the throttle body and onto heat shield’s soft mount anchor point.
The next step is to install the soft mount for the intake pipe anchor. The soft mount installs on the engine side of the heat shield. It is fastened by a flanged 8mm nut and a washer on the filter side of the heat shield.
At this point the AEM instructions say to install the rubber gasket to the top of the heat shield, but that can be done at any time, and I suggest it be the last step before reinstalling the engine cowl.
Preparing to relocate the IAT sensor from the stock intake to the Brute Force intake pipe:
Take note of the orientation of the IAT sensor in the stock intake tube so that you can reproduce it in the Brute Force intake pipe.
Carefully remove the IAT sensor from the stock intake tube. I found this to be the most difficult part of the install. The sensor is somewhat fragile and you don’t want to bend, or worse, break it during the removal. It is tough, if not impossible with fingers only! I finally used my regular screwdriver to carefully pry it straight out of the stock intake.
Insert the rubber grommet, supplied, into the Brute Force Intake pipe, ensuring that it is fully seated and the edges, both outside and inside, are not pinched or folded. Then gently insert the IAT sensor into the grommet and orient it in the airflow as it was in the stock intake tube.
The AEM instructions then say to first insert the new intake pipe into the heat shield opening, and follow with insertion of the pipe into the intake coupler. Lastly, align the mounting bracket (anchor) to the soft mount on the heat shield. This is where I ran into a slight fitment issue (see picture).
Placing the pipe within the heat shield port was no problem at all. However, there was very little room to maneuver the pipe elbow between the end of the coupling and the front rail of the engine compartment due to a coolant line and the edge of the radiator cowl.
It was not difficult to see that by rotating the pipe downward and into the coupling the insertion could be accomplished.
Once inserted, I looked over at the anchor position. Initially, I could not flex the heat shield, nor wrestle the intake pipe enough to get the anchor onto the soft mount. If I withdrew the pipe from the coupler, the anchor would fit, but then I could not reinsert the pipe into the coupler.
So I took the heat shield hold-down bolt off, pulled out the push-pin at the bottom, and unhooked the heat shield from the coolant reservoir. This allowed me to get the anchor on the soft mount. Then with only slight pressure and paying attention to the anchor, I was able to realign the heat shield into the coolant reservoir slot, reinsert the push-pin, and reinstall the hold-down bolt.
The anchor is secured with the other washer and 8mm flanged nut (not shown).
Then it was time to install the filter element. The AEM instructions say simply to attach the filter element and tighten the hose clamp. However, there wasn’t room between the end of the intake pipe and the little black reservoir to get the element in place on the pipe. I wasn’t about to take the anchor off again, so I had to figure out a different way.
The little black reservoir is held in position by a small plastic tab on the back, inside corner where it mounts to the another slot in the coolant reservoir.
By removing the small, black reservoir and pulling it and it’s tubing forward, there was plenty of room to slip the filter element over the intake pipe. Once on the pipe, there is sufficient room and flexibility to work the small tank’s tubing back under the filter to reposition the tank on the front of the coolant reservoir.
Once on the pipe, there is sufficient room and flexibility to work the small tank’s tubing back under the filter to reposition the tank on the front of the coolant reservoir. After installation, the filter’s hose clamp was tightened and the rubber foam strip was reattached to the heat shield’s engine-side edge.
As can be seen below, once installed there is no rubbing between the filter and the small black tank or any other surface in that quadrant of the engine bay.
Final Steps:
The only things remaining were to reattach the IAT sensor wiring harness, and reconnect the valve cover breather tube. Because the stock breather tube now is too short to reach the new intake pipe, AEM has provided a plastic coupler and a small section of hose to bridge the gap. Inserting the plastic coupler into the supplied hose section takes some lubrication (a little water, or oil) and pressure against a hard, flat surface as shown.
Once the coupler is fully into the supplied hose section, it is more easily inserted into the stock breathing tube. Then the hose is attached to the metal port on the intake pipe. It is secured to the smooth pipe port by the final, small hose clamp (also not pictured).
The completed assembly looks like this before… and after replacing the engine cowl.
Anyone can complete this install in about an hour with only the simplest of tools needed.
Initial impressions of the intake and its performance: It sounds good (throatier) at start-up, and is quite noticeable upon hard acceleration or WOT. In fact… it sounds like a “Brute!”
But it is almost unnoticeable in the cabin under normal cruise conditions.
We haven’t had it long enough to determine whether there is any fuel economy benefit or seat-dyno difference, but it does look cool! And it never needs oil!! I'm going to like that!
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