Harley#356’s How-To’s
JLP Ram Air Intake (New Style)
Purpose behind the Mod:
One of the biggest killers of performance for these trucks is heat! Putting in a free flowing intake lets the engine breath better, but if its only sucking in HOT engine bay air, your performance can actually be hurt. The best kits out there are hands down an enclosed box setup to shield the filter from the engine heat, and the even better kits out there are ones that include a ram air setup to tunnel cool fresh outside ambient air into the filter box.
This how-to is for the new style JLP Ram-Air setup, which mounts the scoop behind the grille, and has VERY nicely improved fully welded aluminum boxes. No more tack welds that could potentially break, better fit and finish, and even a bit lighter than the older steel boxes! With the scoop behind the grille it gets rid of any ground clearance issues on lowered trucks, and will pickup less dirt/debris off the road.
Need:
-JLP Ram Air Intake ( link .: Johnny Lightning Performance )
Tools Needed:
-Floor jack
-Jack stand
-Assorted sockets
-Flathead Screwdriver
-Drill
-1/4" Drill Bit
Process:
I took a LOT of pics for this how-to. The JLP kit comes with instructions, but incase you just need to see a few more pics from other angles, or photos in color, or more up close detail photo's, they're all here in this how-to! Or if you bought a kit used and don't have instructions, here ya go! Install is easy, but how-to's always help. I'll do the instructions for each step above each photo.
PHOTO # 1: Here is a photo of everything that should be included in your JLP Ram-Air Intake. Aluminum box, aluminum lid, flex hose, filter, scoop, filter flange, IAT sensor gromet, MAF bolts, several hose clamps &/or zip ties, L bracket, nut & bolt for scoop, lid screw, and instructions.
PHOTO # 2: Here is a closeup of the smaller hardware that comes with the kit.
PHOTO # 3: First, remove your stock airbox & rubber elbow. Be sure to unplug the IAT1 sensor and MAF sensor, and the 3 vac lines on the bottom of the rubber elbow. When the airbox is out, remove the MAF section and set aside for installing to the JLP box.
PHOTO # 4: The next step is insert the billet filter flange into the end of the JLP box. The fit is very snug, so what I did is make a quick pass around the opening in the box with a hand-file just to knock the powdercoating down just a tiny hair, and the flange popped right in.
PHOTO # 5: From the inside of the box.
PHOTO # 6: Grab your MAF now, and bolt it up to the JLP box using the four supplied 4mm allen bolts.
PHOTO # 7: The front side of the MAF should face forward when installed.
PHOTO # 8: Next stick the supplied rubber grommet into the hole on the rear side of the box. This is for your IAT1 sensor.
PHOTO # 9: Set the box into place in the engine bay. The left side will be supported by your intake elbow, and the right side supported by the coolant tank brace. There's a notch in the corner of the JLP box that slides over the coolant tank brace. Then plug your IAT1 sensor into the airbox with the plastic portion vertical as shown in the photo.
PHOTO # 10: Here's just a photo from inside the JLP box looking out towards the drivers fender. You can see the intake is open here to get fresh air from the outside. One of my next mods will be running a second scoop and tubing up the fender to this side of the box.
PHOTO # 11: Your box is now installed!
PHOTO # 12: Slide your air filter into the box and over the billet flange and tighten down on supplied hose clamp. Also, take the supplied black trim and place it around the edge of the box and trim any excess. You can also use chrome instead of black to bling it up a bit.
PHOTO # 13: Next put the aluminum lid on. The right side slides underneath the edge of the airbox, and the left side is attached with a very small screw.
PHOTO # 14: Here is a closeup of the small screw on the left side of the box that holds the lid in place.
PHOTO # 15: Next take the L bracket, and remove the one 14mm steering box bolt and reinstall it with the L bracket facing forwards. In the pic mine is still my old bracket from my original style JLP ram-air, but the new style uses the same bracket.
PHOTO # 16: Now we'll run the ram-air tubing. Locate the bottom of the airbox. I did this all with my wheel liner out for taking photos, but you can also do it with it still in, just have to reach from up top to tighten the hose on the bottom of the airbox.
PHOTO # 17: With the hose in place, tighten up on supplied hose clamp and route hose down and towards the L bracket.
PHOTO # 18: Now insert another hose clamp (or zip tie, depending what ships with your kit) through the L bracket and around your flex-hose. This keeps it secured to the frame, and out of the way of rubbing your tire. I'm lowered 3" up front, and with bigger 295/45/20" tires, and I've NEVER even come close to rubbing the hose with it properly secured.
PHOTO # 19: Route the hose around the body mount, through a rubber splash guard (may have to trim the guard back an inch or two for room for the hose to fully fit), and up into the area between the back of the grille and the front of the AC condensor. Keep the rubber hose relatively tight, because you won't have much extra to work with at the end.
PHOTO # 20: Remove your radiator shroud, and pull the hose upwards to the top drivers corner of the grille. Wait til the end to mount the scoop, I just had it on in the photo for positioning.
PHOTO # 21: With the scoop situated in the top drivers corner of the grille, mark and drill one 1/4" hole through the fiberglass/plastic grille support & plastic scoop beneath. Use the supplied allen bolt & nut to bolt the scoop into place. I suggested to JL to include 2 washers with the kit for a bit more clamping area, but if your kit doesn't have any, I suggest adding a washer on the top & bottom of the allen bolt.
PHOTO # 23: Here's a shot from the grille of the scoop mounted. Definitely a lot more stealthy and hidden than the older style scoops under the bumper.
PHOTO # 24: Attach the hose with the supplied hose clamp to the back side of the scoop and tighten down.
PHOTO # 25: Taking a step back to the wheel-well, here's a photo of the tubing with the wheel well installed. Can only see a small portion of the tubing, but still enough room to get to the L bracket so you don't have to remove the fender liner to install the intake.
PHOTO # 26: Plug your MAF back in, make sure your IAT1 sensor is still plugged in, reinstall your intake elbow, and make sure the bottom 3 vacuum lines are still attached to it. Fire the truck up, and go enjoy your new ram-air intake!
PHOTO # 27: The finished product looks nice under the hood, especially with the new quality & fit/finish of the new aluminum airbox! I plan to go with a chrome lid & sonic blue airbox when I do my 2.6 KB, so stay tuned!