BBK CAI Fitment = Crap and I don't know why

[MR.ADAMS]

So I traded a member on here my JLT CAI for a BBK CAI because I want to use the stock strut tower brace. The BBK came off of a car identical to mine, which is a 1996-1998 Cobra.

For some damn reason, the fitment is garbage. I mean, bad. It took me maybe 45 minutes to install the JLT and I started doing this BBK last night and I'm not even done. When all of the couplings and pipes are on picture perfect as you would expect them to be, the bend into the fenderwell is about 3" in front of the hole in the inner fender where it is supposed to pass through, no where near the circle in the fender plate.

But then, when I angle the MAF coupler (bad) which partially covers the IAT bung (bad) so that the 90deg bend fits where it needs to be, it just looks like trash (bad) and the fender plate is useless because it won't come close to bolting in (bad).

This is more of a rant then a question, I'm just wondering if anyone else has had these issues w BBK. It makes no sense that it comes off one car and onto the same car and has problems fitting. Or if someone could point me toward installation instructions on a 4v to see if I'm messing up. I'm too pissed to search right now.


/rant

 

[LDC2335]

you gotta hold your mouth just right.....take off or loosen stb, slide on couplings but dont tighten, re tighten stb and then tighten couplers.. mine still vibrates against stb a little, but it fits

 

[MR.ADAMS]

I got it on satisfactorily, the fitment is still iffy at best in my opinion but I guess that's just how it goes. As far as quality the JLT is lightyears beyond the BBK, and performance-wise I noticed the difference pretty quickly. Less pull on the top end than the JLT but it's nothing long tubes won't fix. Once I put the brace on I noticed a difference in chassis flex, the car takes joints in the road much better, and the steering input feels slightly more responsive.

Now I just need to get my Konis, Race springs, and some long tubes to get her feeling a little more spritely!

 

[whitefiveo]

the only thing jlt gave me was a shorted out maf sensor, on my year (95) it moved the sensor to the very botton of the fender and it got wet when i drove in the rain. so i got a bbk now

 

[LDC2335]

we'll you gotta sacrifice somewhere..lol

BBK fits under brace and and doesn't turn as sharp as the C&L before the maf

JLT give a few more hp but no brace, i noticed a big difference without it. Plus it hangs low

i thought about cutting the curved section after the maf,(making it a maf adapter) and attaching a 9" filter there. I guarantee the throttle response will be better, but i wonder if hp will suffer due to higher IAT temps. I already have the C&L heat shield i could use

 

[MR.ADAMS]

we'll you gotta sacrifice somewhere..lol

BBK fits under brace and and doesn't turn as sharp as the C&L before the maf

JLT give a few more hp but no brace, i noticed a big difference without it. Plus it hangs low

i thought about cutting the curved section after the maf,(making it a maf adapter) and attaching a 9" filter there. I guarantee the throttle response will be better, but i wonder if hp will suffer due to higher IAT temps. I already have the C&L heat shield i could use

I was thinking of putting a downward 90 on the pipe in the fender and running a big filter, but the reason the JLT yields more power is because of the larger diameter piping, not the size of the filter. I may still do something like this to get a bigger filter lower, because I have my splash guard angled slightly downward to scoop air passing under the bumper as a pseudo-ram-air.

 

[LDC2335]

I was thinking of putting a downward 90 on the pipe in the fender and running a big filter, but the reason the JLT yields more power is because of the larger diameter piping, not the size of the filter. I may still do something like this to get a bigger filter lower, because I have my splash guard angled slightly downward to scoop air passing under the bumper as a pseudo-ram-air.

thats pretty dangerous for water locking your engine, thats the one reason some dont like the JLT, because it hangs down so low..

and tought the jlt was just 4 inch pvc?

 

[MR.ADAMS]

thats pretty dangerous for water locking your engine, thats the one reason some dont like the JLT, because it hangs down so low..

and tought the jlt was just 4 inch pvc?

Negative, I don't drive the Cobra in the rain and if you just use common sense there's no reason for anyone to hydro-lock any motor. And yes the JLT is pretty much a specifically molded PVC pipe but it's simply designed more intuitively and elegantly. It's arguably a better looking piece as well. I'm already missing my JLT but that's in the past and I'm moving in a different direction now.

 

[dro]

Hmmm took me 30 mins to install my BBK. Did you try just test fitting everything and putting it to the TB? Thats how i did mine and it worked like a champ. Put the thing on there and tighten everything as you go making sure everything jives together.

 

[crash549]

i want to do the bbk upper tube but then hook it up to my k&n cold air box and filter. i think that would be ideal if i can pull it off. big air filter with a flashy intake.