We thought this would be easy. Gather up as many new RSX Type-S intake systems that we could find, locate a Type-S we could use as a guinea pig, bolt 'em on and let 'er rip. Take a few pictures, post the dyno numbers and, voila, we have a nice juicy story.
Boy, Were We Wrong.As it turns out, it took several months for us just to get the intakes in one place. The RSX is still a very new car, and not everyone had their intake systems ready to go when we were. As of press time, only Advanced Engine Management, DC Sports, Injen, Jackson Racing and K&N responded to our query. AEM and DC Sports sent two intakes each, a short-ram and cold-air system. Injen sent its short-ram, and K&N sent its own short-ram and a stock replacement filter for the RSX.
Jackson Racing provided us with a mostly finalized prototype version of its intake. However, the elbow bend for the pipe was revised before there was time to bend a new one, so Jackson simply modified the bend with short lengths of hose. Oscar Jackson assured us that, although it wasn't pretty, it was the final shape for the intake and would provide the same numbers as the production version. In addition, DC Sports had provided us with its finalized prototypes, which were the models for the production version. We loaded them into the car, and hit the testing room.
OK, we know what you want to see, and if you just can't wait to find out what the final power numbers are, turn to page 95 and look at the chart there. When you're done, come back here.
Finished? OK. Beyond just finding out peak power numbers, we wanted to answer a few other questions about these intakes, and about the RSX in general. For example, how much do the systems flow? How much of a difference do the cold-air systems make over the short-ram systems? How can one get consistent dyno numbers on a car that is constantly switching between six different fuel and spark maps?
To answer these questions, we devised a rigorous testing regimen to evaluate the intakes not just on sheer horsepower numbers, but to determine exactly how that power was being made.
DesignsThere are two basic designs for RSX intakes; the short-ram, which places the filter under the hood, and the cold-air intake, which puts the filter outside the engine bay. However, both look "backwards" in the engine compartment. The K-series engine in the RSX sits on the opposite side of the engine bay than we are used to seeing in a Honda or Acura. As such, the intake manifold is on the front of the engine, so aftermarket intakes are routed differently.
Short-rams invariably place the filter next to the driver's-side firewall. These intakes take minutes to install, with the whole procedure taking less than a half hour using only simple hand tools. The most difficult part was removing the bulky stock airbox, and if that gives you too much trouble, you should master that whole "chewing gum and walking" thing before doing this install.
During our installation procedures, we found the AEM short-ram was the easiest to install; however, we should remind you some of the other pieces were still in prototype stage, so the mounting points might have been revised by the time you read this. The only exception to the plug-and-play nature of the short-rams was Injen's piece, which includes a stamped-steel heat shield. But this hardly adds any complexity to the installation.
The cold-air intakes are a different story. Because the intake is on the front of the engine, the pipe for a CAI has to make an abrupt turn downward to the front of the vehicle. If you're installing an intake for aesthetic purposes, skip the CAIs; all you'll see is about 3 in. of the first bend before the intake system burrows through the nose of the car. Installation is not nearly as easy as the short-rams, either. The windshield washer bottle is in the way. Both AEM and DC Sports have different solutions to that problem. AEM provides a relocation kit, complete with new hoses, straps for holding it in place and other hardware needed. DC Sports, on the other hand, offers a new, reshaped bottle that will fit in the stock location, saving a bit on the installation time. Both kits require the driver's-side fender liner be cut to accommodate the new intake pipe and the filter placed in front of the left front wheel. Plan on at least a couple of hours to install one of these cold-air systems, and have a lift handy, or at least a strong floor jack and jackstands