The usual weak points for most stock turbo systems is usually the intake and exhaust. They are both very restricted from the factory. Most of it is to limit the amount of noise the car makes as well as to meet emission regulations. A really short pipe to a very large and free flowing filter should give you the desired results. If you really wanted more noise and better performance get rid of the stock air box all together.
Chevy Cruze Intake mod.
Let me start off saying this I do not see this car as a performance car, but the inner child in me wants to hear moar turbo noise... 
So I have been playing around to find out what will and will not work. first unusual thing I noticed about the intake ducting on this car is that GM did not put any "silencers" on it. They usually put them all over on NA cars, they are large unsightly and make things to quiet.
With out any silencers in place I had to dig a little deeper. I popped out the air box and noticed a pre-air-box piping to be very similar to how Subaru does theirs.Other than this one opening the air-box is completely sealed off. Air flows right from the front of the car into ducting that runs up to the air-box.
GM for once had a good idea. They placed a rubber surround on the air-box that fits into the ducting coming up from the bumper. So I just slipped that rubber gasket off. Removing this piece allowed for the inlet to grab more air than just the volume of the tubing while still being able to suck fresh air from it while at speed.
Now my inner child was also enthused to find that it did provide me with "more turbo noise" lol. But it was still rather quiet. So I set off to find an aftermarket airfilter that is known to be a bit more open. Enter K&N, As I posted in my "K&N" thread they were all but useless. I did order one, but it did not fit quite right, so I only had it in place for short time but WOW, it really changed the sound of things. Much much more turbo noise, and a slight improvement in the butt dyno area.
After I get my hands on the right sized filter I will be doing some testing on stock filter vs K&N so It can be determined if they are a total waste of money on these cars, like they are finding on other newer GM's.
Simply loosen the clamp @ the air box and disconnect the MAF sensor and lift the box right out, it has two rubber stoppers holding it in place one in the front and one in the rear, just lift slowly on the rubber part and it will pop out. flip the box over and you will see the "condom" sitting there, lift th one side and it will slide right off. reinstall the air-box and profit.
so in short, if you want more intake or "turbo" noise, pop out your air-box. and remove the rubber "condom" on the bottom of the box.
So I have been playing around to find out what will and will not work. first unusual thing I noticed about the intake ducting on this car is that GM did not put any "silencers" on it. They usually put them all over on NA cars, they are large unsightly and make things to quiet.
With out any silencers in place I had to dig a little deeper. I popped out the air box and noticed a pre-air-box piping to be very similar to how Subaru does theirs.Other than this one opening the air-box is completely sealed off. Air flows right from the front of the car into ducting that runs up to the air-box.
GM for once had a good idea. They placed a rubber surround on the air-box that fits into the ducting coming up from the bumper. So I just slipped that rubber gasket off. Removing this piece allowed for the inlet to grab more air than just the volume of the tubing while still being able to suck fresh air from it while at speed.
Now my inner child was also enthused to find that it did provide me with "more turbo noise" lol. But it was still rather quiet. So I set off to find an aftermarket airfilter that is known to be a bit more open. Enter K&N, As I posted in my "K&N" thread they were all but useless. I did order one, but it did not fit quite right, so I only had it in place for short time but WOW, it really changed the sound of things. Much much more turbo noise, and a slight improvement in the butt dyno area.
After I get my hands on the right sized filter I will be doing some testing on stock filter vs K&N so It can be determined if they are a total waste of money on these cars, like they are finding on other newer GM's.
Simply loosen the clamp @ the air box and disconnect the MAF sensor and lift the box right out, it has two rubber stoppers holding it in place one in the front and one in the rear, just lift slowly on the rubber part and it will pop out. flip the box over and you will see the "condom" sitting there, lift th one side and it will slide right off. reinstall the air-box and profit.
so in short, if you want more intake or "turbo" noise, pop out your air-box. and remove the rubber "condom" on the bottom of the box.
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ive got to try this. thanks for the write up
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Bpipe looking at your pics about fog lights. I would have to agree that it's hard to beat the stock system.
But, it does look like if you included a elbow or maybe something like this NACA Ducts and some hose one could have Ram air.
But, it does look like if you included a elbow or maybe something like this NACA Ducts and some hose one could have Ram air.
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185 Posts
Can U post a Photo to see what this condom looks like. I was going to buy a K&N filter but U said It dont fit right can U tell me what one u used instead.Let me start off saying this I do not see this car as a performance car, but the inner child in me wants to hear moar turbo noise...
So I have been playing around to find out what will and will not work. first unusual thing I noticed about the intake ducting on this car is that GM did not put any "silencers" on it. They usually put them all over on NA cars, they are large unsightly and make things to quiet.
With out any silencers in place I had to dig a little deeper. I popped out the air box and noticed a pre-air-box piping to be very similar to how Subaru does theirs.Other than this one opening the air-box is completely sealed off. Air flows right from the front of the car into ducting that runs up to the air-box.
GM for once had a good idea. They placed a rubber surround on the air-box that fits into the ducting coming up from the bumper. So I just slipped that rubber gasket off. Removing this piece allowed for the inlet to grab more air than just the volume of the tubing while still being able to suck fresh air from it while at speed.
Now my inner child was also enthused to find that it did provide me with "more turbo noise" lol. But it was still rather quiet. So I set off to find an aftermarket airfilter that is known to be a bit more open. Enter K&N, As I posted in my "K&N" thread they were all but useless. I did order one, but it did not fit quite right, so I only had it in place for short time but WOW, it really changed the sound of things. Much much more turbo noise, and a slight improvement in the butt dyno area.
After I get my hands on the right sized filter I will be doing some testing on stock filter vs K&N so It can be determined if they are a total waste of money on these cars, like they are finding on other newer GM's.
Simply loosen the clamp @ the air box and disconnect the MAF sensor and lift the box right out, it has two rubber stoppers holding it in place one in the front and one in the rear, just lift slowly on the rubber part and it will pop out. flip the box over and you will see the "condom" sitting there, lift th one side and it will slide right off. reinstall the air-box and profit.
so in short, if you want more intake or "turbo" noise, pop out your air-box. and remove the rubber "condom" on the bottom of the box.
Thanks Red Jewel 5
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402 Posts
i made a post on here called factory cold air box i think. tons of pics on there.
It is the small rubber coupler that sits between the airbox and the piping entering the box. Just pull it off, it can be put back on if needed.
Note: KN has since provided the correct PN via their website. Taking the Condom off and putting in a filter makes the intake sound much louder than I expected.
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185 Posts
Thanks guys found it going to order K & N should improve sound.
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I did this mod and my car ran horrible! Then when I thought about it, I also did the same mod to my 2014 kawasaki ninja and it ran horrible too.
I removed the rubber piece that connects the air tunnel/tube to the front of the car, I then drove the car around and it was hesitating so hard it was beyond ridiculous.
I went and put it back together and drove the car and bam it had it's performance again...
No I didnt do anythign wrong either, Im good mechanically and know whats up... DONT DO THIS TO YOUR CAR!
I removed the rubber piece that connects the air tunnel/tube to the front of the car, I then drove the car around and it was hesitating so hard it was beyond ridiculous.
I went and put it back together and drove the car and bam it had it's performance again...
No I didnt do anythign wrong either, Im good mechanically and know whats up... DONT DO THIS TO YOUR CAR!
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273 Posts
I did this to my car and have driven it like that since 2011, I think you have or had other issues.
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maybe you forgot to plug the MAF back in?
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What is your location, 1.4/1.6/1.8/2.0 and what all did you remove? I removed the snorkel and the piece for the resonator and was fine.
As for the beginning of this thread.....
If I could go back, i wouldn't do this last hole at the back. I was going for the idea of having it be louder at the firewall and it didn't really do much.
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This was the other area of focus and swapped out. Bottom of the airbox needed to be foam padded as the flex isolated the airbox from the engine movements. Left "As is" you will hear it hit the fender/well on start up and when the engine rocks from hard shifts or deaccel.
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As for the beginning of this thread.....
If I could go back, i wouldn't do this last hole at the back. I was going for the idea of having it be louder at the firewall and it didn't really do much.
This was the other area of focus and swapped out. Bottom of the airbox needed to be foam padded as the flex isolated the airbox from the engine movements. Left "As is" you will hear it hit the fender/well on start up and when the engine rocks from hard shifts or deaccel.
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