Talon total engine air intake replacement kit interest

[highpocket74]

I've been thinking about this for a LONG time, and woke up this morning with a crazy idea of how to build a completely new intake system with:

• use my current intake pre-filter design to still capture cleaner air
• a new air box that will accept a Desertcraft primary air filter with easy access from the cargo bed
• a new high volume and high flow plenum to feed the throttle bodies

This would be a total replacement to make the intake system simpler, easier to maintain and possibly flow better. I'm almost certain I can do this now!

This could be a long road of development but I need a challenge for the new year! I'm after the normal trail guys market, not so much the racing market, although the vision in my head could possibly be adapted for racing applications. This will definately put my CAD and design skills to the test!

As many of you may have guessed, I could setup shop and sell speaker roofs and other bling items like that but I'm not into that stuff myself. That would be more torturous to me than actually figuring out a better way to do something!

If I can keep this at the same price of a particle separator, I think this would sell. I mean this is THE REASON for particle separator installs anyway.

 

[Admin]

 

[906UP]

Interested

 

[highpocket74]

This could take a while. I’ve got my buddy working on the floor plug design so i want to start working on this intake. Got some fresh concepts though!

 

[highpocket74]

This is the way design work goes...when inspiration hits you better run with it.

This morning I awoke with an idea to get this project kick started back up. I've ordered a few parts that I know I'll need immediately. I'll keep ya'll posted once i have something to share. This may or may not work!

 

[highpocket74]

Back on this project recently now that I don't have to constantly weld intake tubes! I've had various parts laying around for months waiting on the free time.

This is the prototype I've installed on my X2.

This uses a Donaldson style filter housing with the safety filter and main filter. I have designed a custom frame bracket for mounting behind the passenger seat. The outlet will connect to my intake tube to feed the air box. The rain cap is my design.
The OEM filter has been removed from the air box, which will be retained and used as a plenum. We have looked into replacing the air box with a better system in the same location but the OEM air box will work and this will required fewer parts. Designing new throttle body boots, the piping for that, a new plenum, and a new air filter housing is just too much to accomplish and very complicated.

There are 3 snaps to remove the end cap and change the filter! A filter change can be made without any tools in about 30 seconds. The replacement filters are also much cheaper than OEM panel filters. And actually a Desertcraft X3 filter is nearly identical to the filter for this housing!

As soon as I can get in, the dyno shop will be testing this setup compared to stock.

Just wanted to toss this out there for feedback. In order to even get this project moving toward an easy to install kit, a large investment would be required. I'd have to purchase many items in bulk just to keep the costs down.

For the time being I will be running this on my Talon for testing.

Oh, Jackson Turbo guys, this kit will work for you too. My tube would require trimming above the fender but one customer has already verified that the pre filter tube does work.

 

[Hondasxs]

Nice.

 

[highpocket74]

Nice.

It's a pretty clean setup tucked up behind the passenger seat headrest with easy filter access.

 

[Vikes79]

There’s a few challenges with type of filter setup…and it’s largely due to proper size of the vessel. The other is where the vacutator valve is located.

If you don’t have the proper cfm and velocity of the air in the filter housing, you won’t get enough centrifugal force to sling the “rocks” out of the air stream into the vactuator valve to allow the valve to dump when the motor is off. Everything will just go to the filter directly.

The other issue is if the vactuator valve is damaged or the motor doesn’t have enough vacuum to pull the valve closed, it will just sent all contaminates directly to the filter. Right now the valve would dump dirt into the bed.

Often these filters are in a location that’s under a hood or something like you’d see on a skidsteer or tractor with an intake pipe stretched somewhere else for cooler air.

Your idea is not new, I’ve seen it before on jeeps and other SXS, I’m not sure that the orientation is correct or that the talon motor is moving enough cfm and velocity thru the radial housing to be working correctly. A dyno run won’t tell anything about this part.

Just some engineering thoughts

 

[highpocket74]

All of what you said is true.
My goal is to replace the hated Talon air box with something that is easier for maintenance and will capture cleaner air by relocation. Any kind of centrifugal separation requires high engine rpm's because those devices are sized for max flow operation. That function is not critical to this application. It is more cost effective to use this readily available air box rather me redesign the entire talon intake system.

The dyno run would verify if the concept is still not costing horsepower to make the changes.

 

[highpocket74]

Finally got a ride in this Saturday with this air filter setup. It was very dusty and perfect for testing. I was a little nervous because I was not running an air filter in the air box. With this setup the entire OEM air box is a plenum.

Sunday I washed the Talon so I could check the air box. It was super clean! No dust anywhere according to the finger swipe tests. The trumpets were clean. The Talon ran very well with no power loss detected and it was HOT!

My air box has caked on dirt in textured spots. I thoroughly wiped the air box but couldn't get this dirt out of the grooves. Next time I will chemical clean my OEM airbox to spotless before testing so I can post pictures. I'm satisfied with filtration to the point where I put a new gasket on the air box cover and sealed it back shut. With a new gasket I should never have to open the OEM air box again.