sUpErMaNGS

hey guys i recently installed an ebay intake. Everything seems to be placed nicely and tightly. I drove it for around 5 miles since and the Check Engine light came on. IT is definitely faster and runs higher RPMs but i dont like this ECU problem so i might switch back to stock intake.

Just wanted to buy the intake for shiz and giggles since it was like 45 bucks lol
but if i can keep it id keep it but any ideas how to get rid of the Check engine light?

masboy

iTrader: (30)

most likely the MAF sensor.

This is one of the reason I'd avoid ebay intake for lexus. SRT Intake + ECU is the best bang to go.

I think it's better for your to take the intake off. Ebay intake won't do anything to your lexus.

Doesn't mean to be harsh, but try to get it done right from 1st place next time. You got what you pay for....

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Most likely you're getting a lean code. Take off that intake. It's not well designed.

macd7919

iTrader: (10)

It's not that the intake is not well designed, in fact you could argue that the intake IS well designed as it is bringing in considerably more airflow (hence the lean condition).

The real problem is that the factory ecu is not compensating for the increased air flow with more fuel. The reason people suggest the SRT intake is that it increases airflow but also includes a piggyback computer to increase the fuel as well so you don't get check engine lights, this also produces the most power.

You could either return/sell your current intake and buy an SRT or if you really like the intake you have then you can buy an AFC (air fuel controller) and then take it to a dyno to be tuned. This will get you some more power and get rid of your check engine light.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Well of course anything can work as long as there is a balance of air, fuel and timing. But most people who buy intake are expecting some performance gains without having to have their ECU modified. Its not well designed because he's most likely getting less power than he started with.

macd7919

iTrader: (10)

What I'm saying is that it's not proper terminology to say the intake is poorly designed and may be confusing to the OP. The intake is designed just fine, it's doing what it's supposed to do, bring in more air. The problem is that it's just a part of the complete system and that's where the issue is. He can keep the intake, he just needs to complete the system. If the intake was poorly designed (didn't flow additional air) then he would need to replace that as well but that isn't the case here.

Imagine if you order a plain cheese pizza (intake) but you want it to have the taste of mushrooms (full performance via an AFC), it shows up, you eat it but it doesn't taste like mushrooms.

Is it still a pizza? Yes. Does it taste like a cheese pizza? Yes. Therefore it is meeting it's design criteria and providing everything it's advertised to do, however it won't have the mushroom flavor until you add the mushrooms (an AFC in this case). But it's still a pizza and it's still holding true to it's core design, it's just not completed with the mushrooms.

Therefore, you can't say that it's a poorly designed cheese pizza because it doesn't taste like mushrooms. Just like you can't say it's a poorly designed intake because it doesn't add more fuel. It's doing it's job like it's supposed to, but because you want that smooth mushroom flavor you need to order an AFC to complete the deal..

It would have been nice for the seller to tell him that he needed something to compensate for fuel but it's eBay and you can't count on the seller knowing anything about your car. The market is buyer beware as well all know and/or learned the hard way.

sUpErMaNGS

thanks guys im probably going to take it off soon anyways cuz the light bothers me.

but last question...if i leave it on what will happen? will it damage my lexy =[? b/c i dont have time to do it now cuz of tests so i was wondering how long i can hold this off for thanks and i WILL look into a SRT intake b/c this intake def make me feel faster, imagine a SRT intake ^_^

macd7919

iTrader: (10)

It most likely won't damage anything to leave it on for a few days. Once you take it off rememer to disconnect your battery for a few minutes to clear the ecu/CEL.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

That's like saying a 4" exhaust with sharp bends and bottle necks here and there is okay since it has a larger flowing capacity than the OEM exhaust, and all you need is a supercharger to get more air pumping. It's doing what it's suppose to be doing isnt it? But would you actually want that on your car?

You can buy Brand X sway bars that are very very thick solid steel sway bars and it'll eliminate all of your body roll like its suppose to, but can you honestly say your handling has improved?

I'm sure you know there is more to intake than just air volume. Lets face it..this is Ebay intake we're talking about. There was probably little to no R&D/testing involved (hence the price).

I see it as a bad design, you see it as acceptable. Lets agree to disagree.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Try not to do some flooring in the mean time.

One thing to watch out though..sometimes your car may feel faster because it's louder. Years ago, people bought RMM intakes thinking they were faster only to find out they were consistently getting less power on the dyno.

denut-L

iTrader: (11)

I think before you buy an intake you should save that money and get a afc. with out the afc you will probably lose more hp then gain.. But the load roar just makes you think you gained POWER!

kowala

iTrader: (2)

this thread just makes me want some pizza lol anyways i can see an ebay intake passing on a civic or teg , but on the lexus come on.... haha jk i'd look into that srt intake though, definitely wouldn't wanna take a risk by putting something cheap on the gs

macd7919

iTrader: (10)

Your completely missing the point.

A: It isn't like comparing it to a 4" exhaust with sharp bends and bottlenecks here and there WHATSOEVER. THAT is a bad design because it's not flowing the capacity of a 4" pipe and is therefore a POOR design because it inhibits the flow of the majority of the piping. Secondly, the reason the 4" pipe is a bad design is because it performs worse than another brands design of THE SAME PART, NOT ANOTHER BRANDS PART THAT INCLUDES A SUPERCHARGER! That would be a SYSTEM, an exhaust is an INDIVIDUAL PART. The eBay intake is obviously flowing more air (hence the CEL) and is a very short pipe (relative) with small bends and constant diameter, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know a basically straight 3" pipe will flow the same as another almost straight 3" pipe does it?

So I guess that all turbo's are bad designs because they are sold individually and to make them work you need a bunch of other components? Not to mention bigger injectors, they flow more fuel but you need something to control them that isn't included in the box so they are poor design as well right? Think about your logic.

The intake pipe is flowing it's capacity, as we all know an intake pipe is not a difficult science to understand and no one makes an intake that has sharp bends and bottlenecks, as I'm sure this eBay intake doesn't have. If you think you need a lot of R&D to figure out if your intake is flowing more air then you are terribly misinformed. BTW, as you brought in your previous post I would like to hear what you think governs airflow of a more or less straight pipe , tell me what would change the airflow characteristics of two different manufacturers intakes, with the same diameter piping and similar length and shape (short ram intakes for example).

B: With the sway bars you are actually proving my point, if they are DESIGNED to take all the body roll away from the car and THAT'S WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISH, then it's a good design , and yes, if I was into drifting then that is exactly what I would want, no body roll and my handling regarding that application has improved.

C: See the last part of A.

We can agree to disagree but you need to do some research or take a class on engineering design before calling things out as poorly designed. I understand what your trying to say but the logic is flawed and the whole point of the forum is to have good information. Telling the guy his intake is bad is not the problem as I mention in my previous post and doesn't help him out whatsoever. He wanted to know why the CEL was caused and how to fix it. It has nothing to do with the design of the intake and everything to do with fuel compensation.

Lastly, if you are going to try and call out people on poor design then you should have some background in the subject.

excluesive

iTrader: (10)

i love " we can agree to disagree"

LOL

I have been seeing that used quite often lately and every time, it cracks me up

macd7919

iTrader: (10)

Lol...always a good diffuser line IMO.