I must say I really miss the sound of my AFE intake I had on my 07 530 but changed mine back to stock with the info on power loss a couple years ago.

I have kind of been hopin to see an enclosed airbox intake design but nothing has come about. I am thinking about using the afe but finding a way to iinsulate or enclose the box--Just not sure how the best way to go about it-just need some ideas of where to go or how to do this myself.

The thought I have is going to a carbon fiber fabrication shop-there is one near by with 3 and 5 axis maching ability to do 3D molds and deep shapes--would be actually getting them to make a brand new all carbon fiber box molded from the AFE box--that way you would get rid of the metal box which is terrible for heat sink and you could have it enclosed fully in a full carbon fiber box-basically similir to the gruppe M or simota for the e90.

I think a carbon fiber AFE would be a cool idea and solve the problems with heat soak and sucking in hot engine air--would actually probably make for a nice 5hp gain or so

 

How about something like this? This is the ECIS intake I had on my e46 the top of it is sealed by the hood when it is closed

 

Curtis,

The AFE intake look just like the ECIS intake, with the shield and all. I believe it's the material they use which trap the heat in the small area where the cone is sitting. Just like Diamond said, if the box is made of CF, which could eliminate the heat problem. Let me know how it goes Diamond, I want to give it a try too.

 

Definitely possible, I wouldn't use CF as a base because its a hard material to work with and $$$, unfortunately I'm not sure what kind of material would be a good insulator and relatively cheap...

Keep us posted

 

I'd like to see this as well.

But wouldn't an enclosed AFE hot air intake essentially be OEM except with a cone filter instead of a panel?

 

Well the OEM one is designed to deaden sound but flow wise it already flows very well and I dont think an increase inflow is out there to be had---I would like the same performance as the stock box with more sound-which is my goal. The box hopefully wil be enclosed but it wont be shaped and designed to deaden sound--the cone filter and larger space inside the enclosure will have a much louder intake sound which is what I want

 

Same here, I love the intake sound when I puts it in sport mode, the only reason I still have it on my car. I figure as long as it sounds good, loosing a few HP is not gonna make my car any slower than N54 N/A or any worst than N54 B/T or S85.
my 2cents

 

I agree, I just got my state inspection sticker today and the tech drove it around.
I love the sound of my car too much to take it off.

 

How about gutting the factor box so it is basically the same box minus all the inside-then just fab an aftermarket cone filter in the exit hole from the airbox-then you have a nice stock contained box, fully pressurized properly but have more space, less sound deadening design and a big filter for more sound---any thought-Maybe a dremel to take out the inside

 

I bought my afe well before all the bashing started on this forum. I tried to return it but to no avail. So I decided I may as well keep it.

I been thinking of doing something like this when all the talk about heat soak came up on this forum. I've spent countless hrs standing in front of my engine trying to come up with ideas to modify the oem box to fit the afe filter. The afe filter is quite large so it won't fit in the oem box. However, I believe a shorter cone with a flexible tube (a 45 and 90 degree elbow wont work- too big and too much bending) on a adapter going into the intake just before the MAF sensor MIGHT fit. The cone filter will have to be bolted down securely within the box.

I know, i know. Just buy a panel filter and be done with it! But for those of us who still got an afe intake, we're hoping that there just might be some way some how we can make it work. If not, well, life goes on. Honestly, I still got my afe in my car. Do I feel like I've lost some HP? Honestly, NO! And I too enjoy the sound when flooring it. yahoo!! BTW I do like the idea of a custom fabricated box. If you come up with any, let me know. I'll buy one in a heartbeat.

edit: Joe (aka Rizbel) has a DIY with pics on gutting the inside of the OEM box. I believe he did it with a dremel.