2011 Genesis 4.6 - Mod Stock Intake System For Sound

[Jon2523]

Quick Update:

I initially just removed the intake mufflers, and while I got a little better sound it was not even close to the sound I got when removing the bottom piece from the intake box. Additionally I had installed a cone filter onto the MAF and the sound I'm getting from the modified intake box is the same as the cone filter, so I am keeping the intake box mod instead.
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I'm new to the forum and suspect someone has already covered how to get a "cold air intake" sound out of your stock intake system, but thought I would share just in case. I like keeping a stock intake box, but prefer to hear the intake system growl, so I did the below steps to get there. This isn't a performance mod. It's only for those that would like a cheap and effective way to get some great sound out of their Genesis. If the 3.8's have the same intake setup then this should work exactly the same for them.

1. Remove the intake mufflers from both sides of the intake (leave the bottom as this one doesn't seem to effect sound and isn't easily removed) and fill the holes with Hillman Rubber Stoppers (#9 1/2). Amazon carries them, but so should your local hardware store (Amazon.com: The Hillman Group 52043 #9-1/2 Extra Large Rubber Stopper, 2-Pack: Home Improvement).

- Use the existing clamps to clamp them down and ensure they do not move. See pics of the stoppers installed (I have a video of me pushing on one to show how well it stays in place, but apparently I can't post it here). The outside hole is the larger hole and is the one that needs to be double and triple checked to ensure you have the stopper clamped down well.

2. Remove intake box (couple of 10mm bolts and some clips to remove to get the entire contraption out. It's best to unbolt the MAF from the intake box before you remove the entire intake box contraption. Now you need to remove the lower part that is attached to the box ("Remove This" pic). You will leave the other part that is attached to the side of the intake box ("Leave this in place" pic) that draws air from above the radiator because removing it does not effect intake sound.

3. Re-install the intake box and enjoy.

I've come from the BMW side and we used to debaffle our intake boxes for the same sound as a CAI, and what I've done accomplishes the same thing.

 

[Anolen95]

I’d tried removing the magnetic door at the bottom of the box, but didn’t notice any difference and put it back. Tried removing the baffles/mufflers, door, and that flexible “duct” today. Frankly I still can’t tell a difference unless my windows are down and I’m next to something that bounces the sound back at me. Just a faint induction “whoosh”. Maybe I’m just looking for more, but did this really make a significant difference with yours?

 

[G-249978]

I’d tried removing the magnetic door at the bottom of the box, but didn’t notice any difference and put it back. Tried removing the baffles/mufflers, door, and that flexible “duct” today. Frankly I still can’t tell a difference unless my windows are down and I’m next to something that bounces the sound back at me. Just a faint induction “whoosh”. Maybe I’m just looking for more, but did this really make a significant difference with yours?

The main difference will be removing the intake mufflers or resonators that are on the intake tubing. You will have to plug those up once you remove them. That, along with removing the other things will give you the sound I have.

 

[Jon2523]

I’d tried removing the magnetic door at the bottom of the box, but didn’t notice any difference and put it back. Tried removing the baffles/mufflers, door, and that flexible “duct” today. Frankly I still can’t tell a difference unless my windows are down and I’m next to something that bounces the sound back at me. Just a faint induction “whoosh”. Maybe I’m just looking for more, but did this really make a significant difference with yours?

That's odd you don't hear a difference. There is one more thing you can remove, which is the piece I said to leave in place (first picture I attached in the OP). I actually did remove that piece and never came back and updated it. Try that and see what happens.

I know many people will say you're drawing hot air doing it this way and that's true, but the car still gets great gas mileage (not any worse than when I left everything alone) and doesn't perform any worse from what I can tell.

At some point in the near future I'm going to build my own custom intake (it will be hot air obviously) and put it on the dyno and compare it with the stock box and modified stock box setup all on the same day to see if there's any difference. My father-in-law has a dynojet at his shop, so it won't be a big lift to make those comparisons.

 

[Anolen95]

Definitely interested in the results of that out of curiosity.

Are you running stock exhaust? Any additional sound on the intake side of mine is also battling exhaust, so that could be part of it. The only cars I’ve owned that satisfied my intake noise desires were a 5.0 foxbody with BBK tb and intake, and an 03 wrx with catless up pipe and intake muffling/baffling removed. So maybe I’m just looking for more/ different sound than this setup can produce.

 

[Jon2523]

Definitely interested in the results of that out of curiosity.

Are you running stock exhaust? Any additional sound on the intake side of mine is also battling exhaust, so that could be part of it. The only cars I’ve owned that satisfied my intake noise desires were a 5.0 foxbody with BBK tb and intake, and an 03 wrx with catless up pipe and intake muffling/baffling removed. So maybe I’m just looking for more/ different sound than this setup can produce.

I am running a stock exhaust. I'm betting your exhaust is drowning out the intake sound a little, but I also think that last piece you need to remove will also have an effect on the sound because it did for me. The cone filter is louder overall than the modified stock box from what I've found. I initially said it wasn't, but I was wrong. It's certainly a noticeable sound difference.

I've had several cars (95 M3 and a 2000 M Coupe) that had catback exhausts and intakes and I could here the intakes at times through the rev range, but each car is different for sure.

What exhaust do you have on yours?

 

[Anolen95]

I have electric cutouts, but they’re kinda half assed because I discovered xforce varex half way through installation. So even with them closed there’s a good amount of noise that leaks past the y-pipe as I never sealed them up.

 

[zAlucarDz]

I decided to mod my intake for sound today, here is the outcome. Full 4" please ignore the dust. It was 30 outside so I didn't clean the engine before taking a picture.

 

[Jon2523]

I decided to mod my intake for sound today, here is the outcome. Full 4" please ignore the dust. It was 30 outside so I didn't clean the engine before taking a picture.

Hey that’s great! Can you link the rubber elbow and 4” piping you used? Also, what did you do for the vacuum line going to the driver side valve cover?

 

[zAlucarDz]

Hey that’s great! Can you link the rubber elbow and 4” piping you used? Also, what did you do for the vacuum line going to the driver side valve cover?

I used generic brand rubber and aluminum from intakes hoses dot com.

3.5in to 4in adapter for throttle body
3.75in to 4in adapter for maf
4in elbow
4in coupler
1ft 4in aluminum pipe cut to length

for the vacuum port on the valve cover I used a 5/8in breather filter by uni filter on Amazon.

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[Jon2523]

I used generic brand rubber and aluminum from intakes hoses dot com.

3.5in to 4in adapter for throttle body
3.75in to 4in adapter for maf
4in elbow
4in coupler
1ft 4in aluminum pipe cut to length

for the vacuum port on the valve cover I used a 5/8in breather filter by uni filter on Amazon.

Wouldn’t that breather filter be a vacuum leak since the system is a closed system? If you aren’t getting a check engine light then I guess it isn’t, but I would’ve thought that would cause a vacuum leak.

 

[Steve2020]

Get rid of the fuel injection and slap a quadrajet on there, be careful not to suck the hood through it though. They sound like a really mad deep voiced tornado out on a rampage.

 

[Genny All Day Long]

Amazon.com: K&N Universal Clamp-On Air Filter: High Performance, Premium, Washable, Replacement Filter: Flange Diameter: 4 In, Filter Height: 7.5 In, Flange Length: 1.5 In, Shape: Oval Straight, RF-1040: Automotive

Buy K&N Universal Clamp-On Air Filter: High Performance, Premium, Washable, Replacement Filter: Flange Diameter: 4 In, Filter Height: 7.5 In, Flange Length: 1.5 In, Shape: Oval Straight, RF-1040: Air Filters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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Put this on and be done with it. The intake mods listed above(which I had done previous) will only make this sound better. The butt dyno tells me I gained a few horses. My foot instantly tells me the throttle is quicker and more delicate. When I bought my Genny stock I had 17.1 in the city and a MAX of (being as frugal as possbl) 26.3 on highway. Now I have 19 in the city and my max on the highway is 31.9 being utterly frugal. This linked air cleaner fits perfectly. You only need remove 3 bolts and discard the 10 pound air box (bonus). AND you will never ever buy an air cleaner again.

 

[Steve2020]

Amazon.com: K&N Universal Clamp-On Air Filter: High Performance, Premium, Washable, Replacement Filter: Flange Diameter: 4 In, Filter Height: 7.5 In, Flange Length: 1.5 In, Shape: Oval Straight, RF-1040: Automotive

Buy K&N Universal Clamp-On Air Filter: High Performance, Premium, Washable, Replacement Filter: Flange Diameter: 4 In, Filter Height: 7.5 In, Flange Length: 1.5 In, Shape: Oval Straight, RF-1040: Air Filters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Put this on and be done with it. The intake mods listed above(which I had done previous) will only make this sound better. The butt dyno tells me I gained a few horses. My foot instantly tells me the throttle is quicker and more delicate. When I bought my Genny stock I had 17.1 in the city and a MAX of (being as frugal as possbl) 26.3 on highway. Now I have 19 in the city and my max on the highway is 31.9 being utterly frugal. This linked air cleaner fits perfectly. You only need remove 3 bolts and discard the 10 pound air box (bonus). AND you will never ever buy an air cleaner again.

I ordered one just now, I'll give it a shot.

 

[Genny All Day Long]

I ordered one just now, I'll give it a shot.

Nice. Lemme know what you think after you test it for a week. I also plan to custom fab my own 'box' to separate it some from the engine, ala' cold air intake.

 

[Steve2020]

Nice. Lemme know what you think after you test it for a week. I also plan to custom fab my own 'box' to separate it some from the engine, ala' cold air intake.

Thinking about modifying it to fit straight onto the ETC, I'll just need to cut the flange a little shorter and at an angle so it won't hit the hood or radiator. This weekend I'll have time to take the factory intake parts off and know for sure if I can get it to work.

 

[Genny All Day Long]

Thinking about modifying it to fit straight onto the ETC, I'll just need to cut the flange a little shorter and at an angle so it won't hit the hood or radiator. This weekend I'll have time to take the factory intake parts off and know for sure if I can get it to work.

Hmm... Never really thought about that. Would make quite the difference if it works. The only prob I foresee (besides what you note) is the fresh air hose off the factory intake running into the dr side valve cover.

 

[Steve2020]

Hmm... Never really thought about that. Would make quite the difference if it works. The only prob I foresee (besides what you note) is the fresh air hose off the factory intake running into the dr side valve cover.

The only hose mine has is where it sucks the blow by through there to try to burn it. For that you can just run a draft tube like older cars run or just use an elbow with a tiny breather on it. I've never ran the engine with the tube disconnected but surely it can't be that bad, I never had a problem on old engines (that were in good shape) running a breather on the valve cover. As a matter of fact on my last big block I had a breather on each side and never even had the filters to look wet.

 

[Steve2020]

Update: big negative on mounting that particular filter directly onto the ETC. By the time I got the flange shortened and angled enough to keep it away from the hood and radiator the filter itself was hitting the water lines coming from the radiator hose. Also, if somebody were to buy a filter with that inside diameter flange you'll have to use the adapter from the stock intake hose, it's way too big.

 

[Genny All Day Long]

Update: big negative on mounting that particular filter directly onto the ETC. By the time I got the flange shortened and angled enough to keep it away from the hood and radiator the filter itself was hitting the water lines coming from the radiator hose. Also, if somebody were to buy a filter with that inside diameter flange you'll have to use the adapter from the stock intake hose, it's way too big.

^ I opened my hood yesterday and came to the conclusion pretty quick Itd probably be a no go for you.