Celica Forums General Discussion Exterior damn intake!

ok, so last week i was installing my AEM CAI, and everything was going okay until it came to connect the filter to the pipe. THERE'S NO ROOM to put the filter in because of this frickin' metal bracket that's occupying the space!!! is this normal? i tried cutting it off but 1) it's thick and 2) there's barely any room for any hand movement. the car in the instruction's photos doesn't have this metal bracket. i know it's supposed to be a tight fit but damn! anyone else run into this problem?

btw: i THINK my CAI is for 2000-2003 GTS's, and i have a 2004. i'm thinking to just have it professionally installed; anybody know of anyone in SoCal (particularly ventura) that i could run to for help?

one more thing: i heard that if you have an intake, you can't get your car smog-checked. is this true?

sorry this is such a long post ... but thanks for your help!!!!

Can you post a picture by any chance? Yes you can smog with it AEM comes with carb # for CA. You should be able to pass smog with it on. I passed with mine on

i can't post a pic because i don't have the means to

but basically, just imagine the area that your filter occupies, and then a black metal bracket protruding into the very heart of the area.

i think it has something to do the the left side marker light ...

hey bro, i knwo mine was pretty tight, i have a rmm short ram but it ended up fitting pretty well. The only thing on mine was that the maf sensor is pushing on the computer box so it cant be rotated down any more .

ps: i have an 04 as well, check out my profile to see pics

are you sure its not the front end tow hitch
if it is you can unbolt it

take off the bracket or saw it off
my mechanic did that
its unnecessary

dude are you talking about the HID ballast that's on the way for the filter? Coz if it is I had the same problem and I called AEM for the HID Ballast bracket. I can help you if you only got pictures. I installed mine with no problems nor CEL, so I'm familiar with the AEM gen 2 installation.

yeah Pnoy, that must be it because i know it holds connectors to one of the lights, i just wasn't sure if it was the side markers or the headlights. what does AEM's HID ballast bracket do? relocate those connections?

this is CAI not short ram
it's not the tow hitch

These are the pics from my Injen CAI install. Are you talking about bracket number 1, 2, or 3?

If its number 1 that's the HID ballast and I just bent it back out of the way with no issues.

This one after it was bent and new filter installed.

To safely bend the bracket I recommend you unbolt the ballast from the bracket, then unbolt the bracket from the frame, then place the bracket on the ground and use a rubber mallet to hammer on the bracket until it is bent sufficiently back. Then put it all back together.