Glass air-box (original renault)

[FeelX]

No! Not glass off course, but transparent (clear) polyester!​

It just came to me a few months ago. I received my ITG panel filter and I thought it looked quite cool. In Holland tuning/cleaning the engine-bay is not as hot as in the UK. So I thought lets just share this with you guys.​

My idea is to make a mould of the upper part of the original air-box. And cast/mould a transparent polyester one. So when you take a look under the bonnet you can see your replacement filter.​

E.g.:

With the ITG you would see the metal mesh and ITG Logo
I also think a K&N or Green-filter would look really good​

Status:​

I just emailed a company that can provide the needed materials, about the possible problems and possibilities. I hope they will reply soon to all my questions ​

So now I am just waiting for a reply. Any of you guys see any problems or have suggestions?​

Oh and let me know what you think about it.​

Best regards,​

Felix​

Ps. If anyone on here have already done/tried this, I’m really interested in the result and the way it was made.​

 

[Millsy]

sounds very interesting mate, not sure if i would have one in my engine bay but be cool to see the result

 

[Neil G]

Sounds cool

Are you going to be marketing these airbox covers?

 

[RichMcc]

Ask em if they'll make me a transparent bonnet too LOL

 

[Meek_racing]

Haha, I was going to do a similar one for a "self project" I have the CAD drawings somewhere on my computer... Will check when Im home later on!

I contacted a few carbon fibre manufacturers to produce the tube, this would be in two sections with a split line at a 45degree angle, this would mean that an oval style ITG filter could be used, the angle meant more surface area blah blah blah... It also meant that the ITG logo could be seen as its the filter is at an angle.

Anywho, so its like the Pipecross but a bit longer and there is an oval section cut from the top of the carbon tube, this is replaced by a transparent polymer, similar to what your going on about...

The idea is cool, you could even aim the product at the chavvy market by sticking in some cheap LED's or neon lights! lmoa

If your going to remodel the top, see what people want it to look like, it will be expensive if you duplicate the current one! Too many internal and external ribs! Make it simple and only stick ribs on the outside wall.

 

[Meek_racing]

Injection moulding... your looking at over £4K for a complex patern like the existing one. Then you have all the problems with small batch size and testing to get the right consistancy in the polymer. KISS Haha, Keep It Simple Stupid... Some silly University thing I was told, but its true!

If your willing to pay around £400 you can get a prototype made up. I have a few numbers if you want them? I think Materialize are based in Belgium...

 

[FeelX]

@ Neil G

First off I want to try and make only one. So I am not into marketing these airbox-covers (yet). (I might if the result is good enough and there is enough interest)

@ Everybody

My idea was to use the original part to make a mould (die-cast). Using rubber/latex or polyurethaanrubber. (which is also used for casting concrete forms). The company I emailed can provide these materials and also the casting polyester.

After some replies of you guys I ran off to my car and took another look at my airbox-cover. I am now also considering to take a look at making a custom cover. (this might be a lot easier, but is my second alternative)

First I will try and figure out if it possible to make a die-cast myself with rubber/latex product. This will most likely be a die-cast consisting of 2 parts. (inner and outer part). I hope to get a fast reply and some useful hints of the guy I contacted at the poly-ester company.

Cost I don't know yet.

I already had a look at making an easier form of airbox-cover, so made some sketches.

These are just sketches and does only have estimated dimensions.

I might also be looking at making a cheap housing for a cone- or cylindrical-filter

BTW I'm glad there are some people interested in this project.

 

[Meek_racing]

If its a one off mate, get it prototyped! that way you can create any shape to your pleasure! If its for manufacture and even on a small scale, you have to make sure you have the correct mould angles, wall thickness, ribs etc...

 

[Meek_racing]

A Carbon version of the standard airbox will look mighty fine

 

[FeelX]

Well when the mold of rubber/latex/polyester is good enough I can make more of these airbox covers.

My first aim is to make a replica airbox cover that is transparent.

Adjusting some ribs of the original might just be necessary to make it an easy cast. I’m not looking to re-design the part. I believe there are lots of ribs on the inside of the airbox cover, but those might just be there for noise-reduction.

You just said prototyping is about 400pounds. I'm not looking to spend that much money on one airbox cover, just for fun. (Then again when prototyping is the only way to go, I could engrave it with a cliosport / renault sport logo. )

Anyway it's just an idea and am looking how to make it work.

Ps. Meek_racing, you seem to know your stuff about casting. I got my Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, but don't really know alot about casting. So if you don't mind I would like to send you some PM's when I need your expertise

Ps. (2) That does look mint! (have you got that cad-file with exact dimensions?)

 

[Meek_racing]

Yeah I know the basics, but i will have a word with the old men in my design office. They always know what to do lol, they may be old and smelly, but my god, they know alot about manufacturing!

As far as i know, prototyping will cost that much, its all based on size and weight being used. A resin polymer will be sintered from a vat of resin. It works by creating layers from the CAD model and curing the resin as it works its way down the vat. The end result is no manufacturing costs, 100% accurate prototype, and it can be any transparent

I have got the model in Solidworks but can export it to any file you want! Give me a day or so and I can do a technical drawing if you want? The model is to scale and 95% sure the Dims are to scale. I will need to compare but cant do that till the weekend.

Most of the time the ribs are to give the structure strength. But there are too many on the airbox, its silly! I snapped some of the external ones off and sprayed the outside of my airbox, I have a thread on here of it... Looks much better!

Anywho, give me a shout if you need some help or the odd modeling etc...

 

[Meek_racing]

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=177954&highlight=airbox

 

[len_beach]

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=177954&highlight=airbox

Any pictures of that badger fitted?

 

[FeelX]

LOL! Nice and fast replies!

I know the basics of prototyping too. In the Netherlands there are a few companies that are specialized in 3d-printing and/or prototyping. I don’t know the exact quality and materials that can be made.

Anyhow, solidworks is ok for me. I’m using Auto-cad at the moment, but have a copy of solidworks too. I do have to get used to solidworks again however. At my current job I’m not using any cad-programs at the moment. Lol I’m actually thinking about changing jobs, so I can get involve in engineering, design and cad-drawing again.

The ribs inside are indeed to give the structure strength, but I guess a little thicker material on the walls should do the trick. The walls of the cover are very thin at the moment, as you can see the inside ribs on the outside.

First step is to get some materials to try and make a strong but flexible mold. Then I might alter the design on the inside and outside a bit. By cutting away material of the mold of the inner part the walls get thicker so I can try and remove all ribs. I also plan to drill the holes on the side after casting.

Anyway just for now I’m waiting for a reply from poly-service.

As Len Beach asked do you have pictures of that cover fitted?

 

[Meek_racing]

len_beach: I'm fitting it this weekend I hope... Giving my car a good clean and service the engine bay. Its been in my bedroom for months! I have the grill, just need the CAF and bobs your Unkle... Well, maybe not, but you get the point

FeelX: Ribs do buger all in top section! I can understand the bottom as it takes alot of stress from the engine. But the lid doesn't do much. I havent modeled them on my SolidWorks part, I can stick them in however.

Right then, off to bed as I have an early start

Keep me posted chap!

 

[FeelX]

Well there can be two reasons for placing ribs and making the top surface this thin.

- saving material (lower production cost) using ribs might be that effective that using no ribs and making the material thicker at that spot uses more material.

- sound reduction (the ribs could reflect the soundwaves - vibrations, so the induction noise will already be reduced inside the airbox)

In the cad-file I wouldn't mind leaving out the ribs. Making a transparent part would be unnecessary with those ribs, they would only deflect/reflect light

 

[FeelX]

Just a quick question.

Does anybody on here has fitted an universal cone-filter? I'm thinking about a self made induction kit, but is it possible to use the filters fitted to other way around?

Normal fitting is with the wide-side toward the windscreen. (air coming from the caf, going from the outside of the filter to the inside, then into the engine)

To fit a bigger filter then usual it might be an idea to fit the filter the other way around. narrow-side toward the windscreen. (air coming from the caf, going from the inside of the filter to the outside, then into the engine)

I think it is possible to fit a bigger filter this way because of the free space in the engine-bay.

I’m just curious, because larger filter surface should provide less restrictive airflow, right?

Ps. Will post a picture of my intention asap.​

 

[FeelX]

It's a shame I can't edit my previous post anymore, so have to reply to my own post.

My MS paint skills are very very good as you can see! (I bet an 4 year old can do better)

On the left you see my intention. Feeding the filter from the inside-out. On the right, you see the most usual manner to use a filter.

Does any manufacturer mount their filters this way? Has anyone tried? Do you guys think it is possible, or will it give problems?

Below a few pictures of an easy made airbox for a cone-filter. (BTW the orange part should be the filter)

The cold air feed should be mounted directly to the filter, so te flat part will be fixated between the filter and the CAF. The plastic cone will be mounted to the flat part. (just by screwing the cone into the flat part) Finally the complete airbox should be fitted to the standard elbow.

As you can see these are just sketches.

 

[Meek_racing]

I think it’s like the second picture because you have a large amount of air being forced through the filter into the elbow... Thus increasing pressure to the engine.
The other way would mean a concentrated amount of air being dispersed into a large area, thus creating low pressure and it will not be forced into the engine like with a CAF… But I’m not an expert on this matter, I’m sure some of the technical chaps will inform you.