The AEM Brute Force Intake kit
comes complete with everything you need.
|
"Nothing new about
an intake kit. Ah, heck they don't really do anything but make your
vehicle louder and there is not much that an intake kit can really
do now, is there? I won't believe it until I see it on a dyno!"
Yeah, I've
heard these comments before, too, and to be honest, I have
not necessarily bought into the hype, either. I have done a lot of
other things to my Jeep but left the stock intake box and tube
in the vehicle.
Shortly after moving to Colorado, I went out wheeling
with some friends from a local club and laid my vehicle over.
While getting it back together I decided that it was time to make
a few more modifications and a give it a real tune up. When I was ordering
parts, TXJEEPER (our Editor) suggested that I try out the new AEM Brute Force Intake system. I agreed to try it and soon we had one winging
its way toward my garage.
The AEM intake
comes in both polished or aluminum versions. Mike, of course, sent
me the polished version, as he knows my aversion to bling. But
barring something bad happening to my boss due to this lack of
taste, it does make the engine bay look cleaner and I can always
use it as a mirror on those early mornings when I have to shave
in camp before hitting the trail.
But I digress.
As I said, the AEM Brute Force Intake System comes as a complete
kit. It includes the following:
Once the kit
arrived I opened the boxes and got to work right away. Now before
I go into the very simple install I do want to point out a few
things that may be different from my install and my eventual results. The TJ I am working on is highly modified, or at least
reasonably modified. Prior to the install, I ran a stock replacement K&N Filter
in the factory air box, and I have a modified throttle body and
already run a throttle body spacer. This configuration has worked
quite well at turning 37 inch IROKs with 4.56 gears through my 3
speed automatic transmission. The rig runs very nicely down the
highway (albeit at a little higher RPM then I would prefer). I
also have an aftermarket coil setup with thick, low resistance,
high strength wires and spark plugs with an incredible gap (due
to coil output).
The Installation
The first
step in installing the AEM kit is to remove the stock components. The first thing to remove is the stock air box and tube. If you
need specific instructions you can refer to the AEM instructions
as they walk you through each step with pictures and directions.
Here you can see the stock layout of the air box and tube. |
Note the horn on the front of the box. This is where your
stock engine breathes in its air. |
My engine is usually pretty clean, but even so, you can see
the dirt accumulated inside my airbox.. |
Here is the box and tube removed from the vehicle. |
Once the airbox is
removed from the vehicle, the next step is to remove the four bolts
which hold the throttle body to the manifold.
Installation is a simple job. 4 bolts and hand tools. It should take about 10 minutes
to remove the throttle body and install the new AEM piece |
Yuck! My throttle body needs cleaning. Now is a good time
to clean yours, as well. |
Now just reverse
what you have done and install the AEM throttle body spacer with the
new gasket supplied. Even if your old gasket looks good, don't
use it. Use the ones that came with the kit. Bolt the new spacer
down underneath the throttle body with the longer bolts supplied and then install the rest
of the hardware to make your linkage work with the new spacer
(I didn't need to do this on mine since I was simply swapping
one spacer for another).
Longer bolts drop through the throttle body. Be careful not
to drop anything down into the manifold. |
Once you have everything tightened up, check the linkage
for binding and you should be good to go. |
Now move on
to the installation of the heat shield. Again, this is a simple
operation and should take only a few minutes to accomplish. The
instructions are good but here are the things to look for.
This is where the heat shield goes. Notice the padding on
the top of the shield. It is to protect and seal against the hood. |
At the front of the heat shield it will tie into the upper
radiator bolt. You will need a deep socket to reach this
bolt. |
This rubber mount is included with the kit and allows the
system to move, yet be solidly mounted. |
Here you see the rubber mount and the bolt that each go
through the fender to secure the shield. |
Make sure you have plenty of clearance between your a/c
hoses and the shield, as the shield will move and you want
to make sure you won't cut a hose. |
AEM even supplies a wire tie to secure the top of the shield
to the radiator mount strut. I had to mount mine on the
opposite side compared to the AEM instructions. |
Once the heat shield is in place it's time to move on to installing the air
inlet pipe and the filter, followed by the new piece of hose to connect the
intake to the valve cover breather.
Connect the supplied hose from the air inlet pipe to the
breather. |
Installation is a snap and should take less than an
hour to complete. |
Now drive
around and have fun with your new-found power. Oh wait, you are
a skeptic and don't believe me when I say this is well worth the
money. You want proof, right? Fine. Turn the page and let's
make you a believer.
Dyno
Tested