Looking for a good and cheap short ram intake...

[gt3_dk]

I was looking into adding some more quick power and I don't wanna pay too much money and I don't want a CAI because of all the risks of flooding. Although the roads are very rarely flooded here, I am a college student so I got no money to replace that shit damage so don't tell me to but one!

Can anyone tell me what they are using on their car if it's a short ram? I need to find something that will fit in a 1999 LX with 1.8L. Everything is stock right now and I got no plans for turbo either.

The popular brand names like AEM and Injen are much too expensive for me right now so I was looking for cheaper alternatives. (Why pay 200 when I can get something *almost* as good for $30?)

I have checked on ebay though but nothing that looked trustable came up.... Like paying < $8 from a buyer with a 3/4 negative feedback ratio is not something I want to risk.

Is it true also we can interchange many 1.8L and 2.0L parts? If so, what air intakes should fit in my car (like, air intakes from what other models should I also be considering)?

Thanks everyone (and yes I did do a forum search but didn't want to skip through like 20+ pages of threads :S)

[wwpms6]

i've seen a few people on here buying from x3 racing and they don't seem to have anything bad to say. thats where i bought mine from it was like $30 something shipped. i also bought a new k&n filter part number RE-0930. you can even find that on ebay. the filter that comes with it is really cheap.

here's a link to one like i bought:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38634&item=7988984047

here's a link to a k&n filter:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/K-N-Universal-Cone-Air-Filter-3-Inlet-RE-0930_W0QQitemZ7987784354QQcategoryZ33659QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


from what i've heard from a few people and read on here and other forums a lot of the parts interchange. here's a suggested mod list for the 2.0 and 1.8 that i got from another forum posted by macdaddyslomo.


macdaddyslomo suggestions list

3rd Gen Protégé Aftermarket Parts List

1. 2.0 L and 1.8L Engine

FS-ZE High Compression 10.5 to 1 pistons $185.00
Pauter Forged Rods
Wiseco Forged Pistons
JE Forged Pistons
FS-ZE Intake Cam $180.00
FS-ZE Intake Manifold $670.00
Ford Probe or MX-6 Intake Manifold(Eliminate VTCS)
Mazdaspeed Exhaust Cam
SR Motorsports Adjustable Cam Gears $347.00
Injen Racing Cold Air Intake
AEM Short Ram Intake
Ractive Cold Air Intake
Ebay Cold Air Intake
Wagner Header
OBX Header
Auto EXE Header
AWR Header
AWR Motor Mounts
SR Motorsports Motor Mounts
Corksport Power Series Throttle Body $255.00
Indigo Underdrive Pulleys
Unorthodox Racing Underdrive Crank Pulley $199.00
AutoEXE Throttle body


3.Exhaust –(engine doesn’t matter) Need to check if P5 or Sedan
Borla Exhaust
Thermal Research Exhaust
Mazdaspeed Axleback
Racing Beat Exhuast
Corksport Power Series Exhaust
JIC Bullet Exhaust
Magnaflow Exhaust
Greddy Exhaust
SR Motorsports Exhaust
Megan Racing Exhaust

4. Drivetrain
B & M Short Shifter
Kartboy Short Shifter
TWM Short Shifter
MP3/MSP Short Shifter
SR Motorsports Short Shifter
Ebay Short Shifter
Kartboy Shifter bushings
Corksport Bronzoil Bushings
Quaife LSD (need to verify if F or G series Transmission)
Mazdaspeed LSD (G series Transmission only)
Mazdaspeed Axles (G series Transmission only)
Corksport Axles (G series transmission only)
Mazdaspeed 4.30 Final Drive gears(G series transmission only)
ACT Clutch
Clutch Masters Clutch
SPEC Clutch
Unorthodox Clutch Kit
Competition Clutch
Unorthodox Flywheel
Indigo Racing Flywheel
SR Motorsports Flywheel

5. Suspension
Racing Beat Spring
Eibach Springs
B & G Springs
H & R Springs
Intrax Springs
Goldline Springs
Tein Springs
Progress Springs
Auto EXE Springs
Ground Control Coilovers
Auto EXE Coilovers
JIC Coilovers
Tein Coilovers
NEX Coilovers
SR Motorsports Coilovers
AWR Rear Swaybar
SR Motorsports Rear Swaybar
Racing Beat Swaybar Kit
Progress Rear Swaybar
Auto EXE Swaybar Kit
Mazda OEM Strut Bar(for DX,LX,ES Sedans)
GT Spec Front Strut Bar
GT Spec Rear Strut Bar(specify P5 or sedan)
OBX Strut Bar
Cusco Strut Bar
Ebay Strut Bar
DGM Motorsport CF Strut Bar
Corksport Strut Bar
SR Motorsports Strut Bar
Auto EXE Strut Bar
Tokico HP Struts
Tokico Illumina Stuts
KYB Struts
Auto EXE Dampers
Mazdaspeed Adjustable Struts
GT Spec Ladder Bar
GT Spec Lower Tie Bar
GT Spec Trailing Arms
GT Spec Rear V-Brace
GT Spec 4 Point Linkage Bar for Trunk
GT Spec Trunk Reinforcement Bar
Auto EXE Lower Arm Bar
Auto EXE Member Bar Set
AWR Swaybar Endlinks
SR Motorsports Swaybar Endlinks

6. Forced Induction
Hiboost Turbo Kit (1.6L,1.8L,2.0L)
W.O.M.P Supercharger Kit (1.8L,2.0L)
Wagner Motorsports Turbo Kit(1.6L,1.8L,2.0L)
Mental Addiction Motorsports Turbo Kit(1.8L,2.0L)
Nitrous Express Nitrous Kit


i don't like being told to search after i have been searching for4 hours. sometime searcing is better because you also learn a little more form other post.

more people will post and then i'll see how bad i did with my answer

[gt3_dk]

?? That many parts? hehe... I never knew there were so many exhaust systems I could use!

Okay well back to the filter. Now that looks good, unlike the other shit I found last night. Well by a cheap filter what do you mean? Is it so cheap I should avoid using it because the "exchangable filter net" can get sucked in my engine? LOL... Because if by cheap you just mean its restricting *some* (that the K&N lets by) airflow I guess I'd be able to live with that.

Do you have pics of it installed? I'd really like to see it in action and it's a shame most dealers or ebay people don't show the installed part...! I want to see exactly where the filter ends up because if this kit should fit my car I want to make sure it's not sucking air right beside the heat shield!!! By the way, can I take my shit heatshield off cuz it's kinda rusting over and I just wanna rip it off because it looks so frail and stupid. Is anything gonna change (like engine temps) if I take that off or did Mazda just put it there with the little hand that sais "HOT" so that they wouldn't get sued?

Thanks again dude...

[wwpms6]

Before I ever bought the intake that's all I read was to get a different filter because they were so cheap. The filter that came with the intake seems really cheap I done know about the net getting sucked in but I done think it would filter the air real well.

I don't have any pic's of it installed because I haven't installed mine yet. I know it fits though. I do think you have to cut a little bit off the first pipe so it wont rub on the master cylinder here's a thread about a guy who got the same intake for his 2.0 I think he has a link to pics on it. http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111436

I think if you take the heat shield off it will get hotter under there. There's a thread in the hot to section with info on painting it and the valve cover. I'll try to find the link.

edit// here's the how to link: http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37842

[gt3_dk]

Cool... well I guess I'll stick with the crap filter and I'll buy a filter some other time... or is that stupid and really dangerous for my engine?

God dammit I'm so pissed!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (bang) I'm pooooor!!!!! (hand) All this stuff is gonna get me ruined and I don't even have my fukin license yet lol...

BTW those pics were of the CAI but it's cool anyways I see it looks good.

Okay well that painting thing is cool too but like the bottom of my heat shield is reusted and there's some chunks missing :S

[wwpms6]

I don't know about sticking with the filter because I've never installed mine and when I bought it I bought a k&n filter the same day. I read some where that it could be dangerous, you could probably use it for a little while. I don't know though, you could post in the General Performance section and ask about it.

I know what you mean about being poor! Lol I've been spending money on my car every since I got my license. I was even spending it before but that was on my 66 mustang. it was stolen though and I was stuck with my sister's protege since she got a new car.

Sorry about the pics I never even looked at them I just remember reading he bought from x3.

I don't have to worry about painting my heat shield because I'm getting an obx header. My heat shield isn't the prettiest either but I don't think there are chunks missing. maybe you could live with it until you could get the money to buy a header and exhaust.

[gt3_dk]

I don't have to worry about painting my heat shield because I'm getting an obx header. My heat shield isn't the prettiest either but I don't think there are chunks missing. maybe you could live with it until you could get the money to buy a header and exhaust.

Yeah... (dunno) before I spend any more money on my car though, I have the brakes to fix and belts to maybe change and a bunch of crap. Then my license, then my insurance, then my license plates. Then I absolutely need new rear speakers cuz they can't keep up with my new head unit and my front speakers. I need to pay for college, clothes, overpriced bus pass (I can't drive that far to school everyday and pay $$$$ for parking every stupid day... and I don't trust my car in that city anyways.) I also still owe around $320 on the driving courses I'm wasting my money on just to get my license sooner.... and I absolutely want paint job, rear disc brakes and a body kit.

So... I don't think I'll get to the real expensive stuff soon :'(


But why don't you have to worry cuz you're getting a new header? They don't need a heatshield? Why?

[jbiird317]

isnt the 99 LX the 1.6L engine?

[wwpms6]

i don't think the heatsheild will fit over the new header. i'm sending my header to jet coat and that also helps keep temps down. looks damn good too.