i have the aem intake. my dyno guys had mentioned a problem with the air flow getting too it, and after chebosto (thanks again man!) had said something to another member the other day, i decided to see if i could fix it? MAN IT WAS EASY!!! i was under there installing my UD pulleys, and decided to take a look. i dont have a digital camera, but ill TRY to explain the best i can! here goes! if you look under your car, with the plastic shroud ( or whatever its called) off, inbetween the bumper (black grill) and the radiator, all the way on the right hand side, there is a peice of plastic that seperates the area in front of your radiator and the filter of your cai. lost anyone yet?? if you stick your hand in your grill, from the front, all the way to the right you can feel it! it goes from next to your radiator UP over the factory RAM inlet, and its held in by 3 of those push clip things! ( you know that 1 in the middel of the underbody shroud, the same kind, the ones you gotta pry the middel up with a flat head to remove? ) still with me? after i pulled those out the plastic was free, but because of its shape over the inlet, i had to cut it out! not as scary as it sounds!! ( i PROMISE!!) but now cold air rushes in my grill, off to the sides, and into that NEW HOLE, straight into my cai!!! SWEET HUA??? please if anyone w/a digital camera could snap a couple of pics of the plastic that needs to be removed, id be forever greatful!! this whole job could be done in 10 min. now i feel like i have finaly given something back to you guys! ( not much ) but i PROMISE gains from this free mod on the road!!! ill try to answer any questions i can, as im SURE iv lost a few of you!! SORRY! someone PLEASE hurry with the pics! and IMO, this shouldve been in the AEM instructions!!!! let me know what you all think! latter!

 

do you know the purpose of this plastic piece?

i want to know what it is and what it is for before removing it.

 

Yeah, I'd like to know what it is and what it is too.

 

I removed my reflectors and it made a world of difference.

 

I know exactly what piece your talking about and thought about taking it out too. When I first installing the CAI, I said to myself, how is air from the front area of the car (grill) going to get to the intake with this panel/splash guard here between the filter intake and the grill area and underneath. My guess for the purpose of the panel/splash guard is to keep air coming in from the front grill area to stay in that area and feed the factory intake. But, I'm concerned that if taking the panel/splashguard off, the filer may be more prone to attract water. I'm sure to do this it has to raining pretty hard or driving through a very deep puddle.

 

I will have my bumper off this weekend, and i will take some pics. I already removed the piece you are talking about.


Later
Aceman

 

im REALY not worried about rain! and as far a puddels, water would get in there NO MATER WHAT! it wasnt a water tight seal. i have a bypass for that as well! nissan was right to put it there to keep water out, but now that my cai is there, it NEEDS to breath!! im even going to put one of those ARC type, engine filler pannels on, to seal off the top better too! every little bit helps, and i figure if even less air goes over the radiator into the engine bay, then it only has one other place to go, into the intake!!

 

a little water is good for the engine... like a little...

 

I think I know which piece you are talking about.
When I installed my Injen CAI the instructions said to remove it. I don't have the instructions with me so I can't tell you what they called it but if memory serves me correctly it is an air-dam of sorts.
Since the Injen filter is in front of the grill this piece had to be removed to make room.
I have had my CAI installed since January and I have not had a problem with this piece out of the car. No additional water in the engine bay.

 

that plastic shroud is to keep the front area of the radiator 'pressurized' while driving... but if you open it up, you're still getting pressure localized inside the bumper, but now you'll be able to get air to your AEM intake..
shouldnt be much of a problem if you remove it... or if you feel weird about it you can sorta cut it and bend it so it channels air into your inner fender area, and not remove it completely.. just sorta bend it to the side with some cutting and tape...

 

Here is a pic from my AEM DIY install. Can you see the piece you are referring to in it? This is looking down into the space where the stock airbox was. The holes you see where for the bolts holding the airbox in.

 

I have had mine off since I first got the car. I think it might be there for cosmetic reasons too. When you remove it, you can see more of the radiator and other engine parts. I like the way it looks with them removed.

 

Those black pieces are air restrictors for the radiator. When I installed my Injen I removed both of them. The one on the driver side was directly in front of the filter! I used a piece of aluminum gutter guard placed behind the grill as a screen diffuser and protector for the filter. My engine temperature has not changed from adding the screen or removing the restrictors.

 

Grill without restrictors.

 

when you say "restrictors" are you refering to the plastic pieces on each sid of the grill?? thanks doc for the pic, im sure it helped! does anyone have one from the botom?? and do any of you know how to get one of those engine filler panels??? a member of this forum makes/sells them for like $60! his are better than those made by ARC (IMO) because the cover the entire hole. and less $$! that panel would presureize the area in front of the radiator even more! but i cant seem to get ahold of him??? what do you guys think of those engine filler panels???