Celica Forums General Discussion Exterior AEM intake questins

Ok just ordered a AEM cold air Intake. Just a few questions about it. How often should i clean the filter?? How long does it take to install??(doing it myself of course) and last which one is better 1st gen or 2nd gen?? Thanks a lot guys

The general rule of thumb is that the filter needs to be cleaned when the dirt build up gets as thick as the wire mesh. The usual interval is 30,000 - 50,000 miles depending on driving conditions. Recommend that you check your filter about once a year in normal usage. Install duration should be about an hour with basic knowledge and less with more experience.

I have the AEM and the directions were pretty straight forward...I recommend taking your time as there are a lot of connections once you get it in. Like I said, its pretty straight forward, but a lot more involved than a short ram because you have to cut the fender well, and to get to it you have to take your driver's side tire off or your front bumper...either way its not bad as long as you can follow directions, and its not an all day project

Thanks. still one more questions. which is better, the 1st gen or 2nd gen??

The second generation of course. The 1st gen had problems with CELs.

ahh crap i think i got the 1st gen, hope all is well

yeah dude...2nd gen (sorry to mention that...its the one I have)...I got mine on and made sure I checked that all my connections were made according to the directions before I reconnected the battery, and I haven't ever had my CEL come one, and I've had the Intake on for like 6,000 miles, along with new internals (car only has 13,000 miles right now)...so yeah, go 2nd gen...you'll love it ...either way just make sure you have all your connections made...I think the reason the 1st gen's were having probs is that sometimes the connections were loose. I put a first gen in my buddy's 00 celi, and at first the CEL came on when we started it...then when we checked everything again, the air flow meter was a little loose...we re-tightened everything, and reset the battery, and no problems for the last 36000 miles or so he's driven with his Intake

Second Gen..And I would clean it every 25,000-30,000 miles but that is because Iam anal about stuff like that.

How do you know if its a 1st gen. or a 2nd gen.??

Most likely when you get the box or the Intake itself, it'll say V2 on it for the second generation. For the first i dont think it'll say anything. Not sure!

yeah, the first gen's just say AEM on the side of the box, and the Intake...the second gen's have "VS2" on the box and the pipe

whenever its dirty... maybe 5000 mile intervals

about an hour


Gen 2 is better... why would they make a second generation if it wasnt any better than the first.

ya i would trade it back in and get a gen 2, but whatever. congrats though