I got an Injen short ram intake about six months ago in my 2003 ES with automatic. I didn't have any problems with the MAF or CEL or anything like that. My problem is that it seems that my battery (located just forward of the intake) is hitting the filter and banging it up. I have tried to shake the battery to determine where the shaking is coming from. I can't get it to move at all! But the end of the filter keeps on getting smashed, no matter how many times I straighten it out and reposition the filter and battery. I even installed a different kind of battery tie down to try to move the battery further away, but that doesn't seem to be working at all, and it makes my engine look kinda junky. I am considering on moving the battery to the trunk, but I decided to ask for advice before doing something so drastic that could potentially compromise the reliability of my Lancer (I'm not the best with wiring).

 

Try tightening the intake, I'd be surprised if the battery is moving.

 

Is the Injen shoved all the way into the coupling on the MAS, and on the throttle body? Also is the filter shoved all the way on? If all that is good, if you loosen up the battery and the tray it sits in you can move it slightly, maybe an eighth of an inch, I had to do so to mine due to the changed direction of my lower radiator hose on the 05 ES.
I would also say loosen the couplings and tilt or twist the Injen either up or down until it doesn't touch the battery. The MAS does not have to be level, neither does the Injen to work properly.

 

i had this problem. the battery is actually NOT moving, but rather your engine is. your engine is rocking, smashing up your filter on the stationary battery

solution for this? man, i wish i knew. perhaps a shorter, more conical filter

 

I had the same problem. Don't worry nothing is going to happen to your intake. I still have mine and it works great.

 

i got fed up with my CAI rubbing on the battery so i just tossed some window weld in those side mounts when i filled the front one and it minimized it a bit...it's really not a big deal man. i shouldn't have even wasted the time doing what i did.

 

The intake is in tight, I think it might be the engine moving around. Thanks for the advice.

 

i had the same problem until i got deyeme stiff motor mounts, it was solved

 

most def. my engine mounts should be coming in sometime this week, i think its a worthy upgrade for anyone

 

you ever think of cutting the intake piping shorter?

 

I had a similar problem with one of those ultra cheap front strut bars... you know the "carbon fiber" bars.

The engine would move so much that it would lift up and hit the bar.

I have a feeling that my cold air intake may be rubbing in my fender well when I accelerate, but I haven't taken the time to check yet.

Anybody else's engine moving this much???

 

your engine is moving. have the same problem with my cai when going in reverse, the intake hits the battery tray. your best bet is try pushing the intake further back on the throttle body, if that doesnt work, you could get a shorter filter. good luck

 

yeah, I'm considering either trying to move the whole battery and tray forward a little or maybe just buying a shorter filter, like the hemisphere shaped ones that I've seen on some HKS cars, if it'll clear the hood.

 

After I took another look. It would be cheaper to just move the battery. HKS wants $105 just for a filter! I also noticed that the picture of the engine on the INJEN site looks slightly different from my car as far as battery placement goes. It would make sense that this intake was probably developed on a 2002 model. The body style didn't change, but maybe the battery placement did. I'm not even sure, but maybe the battery was moved a little. Does anybody have an 02 Lancer with auto with this intake? I am curious how this intake works on the 2002 model.

 

The other day I went outside to wash my Lancer, and started tinkering under the hood. Before I knew it I had taken the entire thing apart, rechecked the tollerances (made sure everything in the silicone tubes was touching) and put it all back together before tightening anything. With everything just pushed and fitted together, I was able to tuck the filter a little lower behind the battery without it being too close to that top of the mount. That was two days ago and the filter hasn't noticeably dented yet. I'm going to turn the filter one more time, without moving the intake from it's current possition, to an area where the filter is a little less pre-dented to make sure the problem is fixed before spending the fifty bucks to buy another filter from Injen. If it all turns out okay, it post a new pic so that maybe it won't happen to someone else in the future.