2005 Vibe CAI Help

[XXVibeXX]

Hey guys, I have installed a Cosmo CAI in my Vibe but, of course, the instructions are pretty vague and, with no pictures, makes it even harder to figure out what has to be done. Anyway, I have it installed but there is still a 3/8" nipple that is supposed to have some sort of hose attached to it. I'm guessing the vacuum line. But I can't find any other lines that are supposed to attach to it. Am I supposed to detach the hose from the vacuum switch valve? If so, does the hose that goes from the engine to the vacuum switch valve get redirected to the intake tube so it now goes from the engine to the intake tube? Any help on this would be appreciated. Also, the instructions talk about relocating the OBD canister..what in the hell is that? I didn't notice anything that looked like a canister under my hood that I would have to relocate. Any info on this would be helpful also. Thanks guys.

[Toasted7]

The Cosmo CAI doesn't really fit the 05 and up with Drive By Wire (DBW) without some modification. The hose coming from under the engine cover NEEDS to be hooked up (some way, some how, you have to make this happen). I had to replace that hose with a piece of radiator hose with a pre-formed 90degree bend in order to clear out the side of the engine cover. My CAI tube had another very small hole in it and I just plugged that hole (it's not needed for the DBW) on 03s and 04s, there is a smaller hose that connects to that. Hope this helps!I got one of the VERY EARLY 05 CAI attempts from Cosmo and I had to do a LOT of modification to it in order to get it to work. I'm in the process of looking for someone that can weld aluminum in order to make my fabricated piece more permanant. The JB Weld I put on the connector held for a few months and just recently came loose, so now I'm back to the stock air box... SUCK! I already miss that sound and the extra horses, not many, but I do miss 'em. LOL!The newer Cosmo CAIs should fit a little easier from what I have heard from other users on here. Maybe Mrizzle will see this and let you know what he did in order to get his working as well.

[XXVibeXX]

Thanks for the input. The kit came with a hose to connect the CAI tube to the underside of the engine cover so that's not a problem there. I do have a rubber plug covering the extra 3/8" nipple since it's not getting used. I was just wondering if I NEED to connect a tube to it or not? You said there's a smaller hose that connects to it..what hose and where is it located? Info on the OBD canister would also be appreciated.

[Mrizzle05]

Ill post some pics of mine if i have them at work... itll show your what mine looks like... and i had to cut about 2.5" off my intake tubing where the filter goes to make it fit.

[Mrizzle05]

Darn... thats all i have at work. if you still need more pics get back on at about 630-ish and i can put more pics up, unless anyone else hase some handy.Good luck

[XXVibeXX]

Thanks for the pic. I didn't have to cut off anything to get my filter to fit properly, that's weird. Anyway, do you have a vacuum hose attached to your intake tube? I noticed on other pictures of installations that the vacuum tube was pulled off the stock air box and then put onto the intake "nipple" but my '05 Vibe BASE had no vacuum hose attached to the air box so I have no hose to attach to the intake tube. What did you do with the extra "nipple" on your intake tube?

[Mrizzle05]

just clamped it off... i used something and a zip tie to keep it on.heres one i made with the stuff i did... kinda 5th grade style but you get the idea.

Attached files

[XXVibeXX]

I see, thanks again for your help. Do you know what the OBD canister is? The instructions said I had to relocate it but I didn't see anything else to relocate.

[Mrizzle05]

nope not me... sorry.

[XXVibeXX]

Eh, well anyway...I attached a breather filter to the extra opening on the intake tube. The cleaner air the better!

[Mrizzle05]

did you run it?? let it run for about 15-20 minutes... so the ECU can adjust to the new air flow. adn you should be good.

[Mrizzle05]

heres some more pics if they can help better or to make sure you got your stuff on.

[XXVibeXX]

Actually I haven't let the car run for 15-20 minutes. I have driven it to work already though, do you think it's too late to do that now? Did you use a radiator hose to connect the intake to the underside of the engine cover? The hose that I got with the kit is flimsy and it bends too much so there's a kink in it.

[Mrizzle05]

Mines radiator hose too...and it kinks too i used a stock part... is the butterfly clamp thingy. i used it where the kink was and it keeps the kink open.You might be ok.. you dont have a cel yet right??? any lights in your dash come on yet?

[XXVibeXX]

No cel yet...don't expect to get one either. Everything is honky doory. Did you get your radiator hose from checker auto parts or a place like that?

[AKLGT]

awesome!

[Mrizzle05]

yup... i havent looked lately for a more flexible hose that wont kink... and i havent cleaned my engine bay in a while so maybe ill look into that.glad you did it with no cel.

[XXVibeXX]

Yup me too. I'd like to be able to get a stock upper spoiler in black too. I don't think it costs too much but I still need the money for it.

[Mrizzle05]

Just search here in the for sale area or on ebay... they usually go cheap there.my mid spoiler was about $280 painted and installed.

[Toasted7]

You can get a radiator hose from an autoparts store. Get one that has a 90 degree bend in it and make sure it won't kink (that cuts down on the air that is going through it). Mine ran just fine with that in it. As for the smaller hose... there is NOT one on the DBW Vibes.

[XXVibeXX]

I was able to use the stock hose with a section of the hose from the CAI kit put together to get the entire "custom" hose to reach from the engine to the intake tube without any kink in it. I wrapped some electrical tape around the connection between the stock tube and the extra hose so no air should escape out of it. I'm gonna check to see if the tape holds up under the heat of the engine after work.

[Toasted7]

I highly doubt that tape will hold up for too long... the JB Weld I put on only lasted a few months in the engine compartment and that stuff will hold for ages in any other circumstances.