A year ago I yanked my Z-tube and replaced it with my OEM G-tube for the heck of it and I ended up liking it. There was a bit less intake volume, especially after about a week when the ECU has adjusted. Sounds odd, I know. I didn't notice any change in power though which confirms the Z-tube is just a noise maker. I sold the Z-tube shortly after. After a while, I did start to miss the deeper intake sound. Recently I picked up another G-tube for cheap and did a little experiment and I'm not claiming to be the first to have done this because I'm sure someone has done it. I took a hacksaw and removed the large lower intake resonator from the G-tube. Sanded down the area a bit to get off the burrs, then stuck a cap from a bottle of Wishbone salad dressing into the hole and glued/sealed it up with "Goop" marine-grade silcone glue.



The result is the 80%+ of the Z-tube sound. You don't get all of it because the top resonator stays in place.

 

lol what if the cap glue gets loose from the heat and it gets sucked in? But I am sure you thought of that :O

 

lol...

 

The cap slides into the hole with about 1/2MM clearance. I took Goop and ran a bead around the outside of the cap and placed in the G-tube, making sure the top of cap wouldn't impede airflow. I let the glue set and then ran a large and wide bead of Goop around the exterior cap and G-tube. I've used this stuff in the past prior intake setups and it's held up just fine to the 150+ degree temps under the hood. It's always good to check your work though.

If this cap were to somehow become unglued (I see how it's possible) and it were to make it's way past the TB and into an intake runner (a total long shot), it wouldn't get any further than just inside the runner. The cap is too large. And if this were to happen, the huge vacuum leak would make the car shut off once you lifted off the throttle.

 

hmm idk if i would trust glue and heat espicially when that motor sucks in alot of air at WOT but y not just use the z tube? pick up a z-tube cheap then u don't have goop and a bottle top in ur intake!

 

what if cap gets stuck in throttle body and throttle body gets stuck open? that would be a total pain to deal with on side of road and makes me wonder would throttle get stuck?

 

just got boost Dave the sound will be much better :P

 

Goop can handle 160 degrees and remains pliable. I've used it on it other intakes in the past and the stuff can handle the heat. I wouldn't trust anything else.

Used z-tubes are going for 60+ shipped. I got this for 30 shipped. Money wasn't the issue though. I was just curious how this would sound. I can the mod sounds great and may be an option for those not wanting to spend 90+ on a new z-tube.

 

oh no man im not knocking what you did and understand it just would worry be about the bottle top. i actually like the way my z-tube sounds with the stock box on it. i just don't have the power duct attached anymore. well im in the south where its 100 without the engine running so maybe y i don't use it alot. idk felt like it was a little louder without the power duct in front and a z-tube for me anyways.

 

Na, I'm not offended. I can understand why people might be reluctant to do it. That's why I pointed out the type of adhesive I used. I believe it's improbable that the cap would beome totally unglued all at once and get sucked into the intake tract. If the glue were to start to fail, it would fail slowly and start causing vacuum leaks. The car would start running very poorly if that happened basicially giving you warning there is a problem with unmonitored air entering the intake tract after the MAF.

 

Henceforth to be known as Dave's Goopy Salad Mod.

 

That could be taken so many different ways...some of which would be x-rated. Let's use it.

 

O RLY? I had NO idea! Haha, so it is written, so it shall be done.

All seriouosness aside, though, I like the way you think -- if you want the intake sound, it's very practical to mod the G-tube rather than spring for a Z-tube. I'll keep my CF tube, just the same, though.

 

ya that is true i didn't think about the vaccum leaks that would occur around the cap before it would break fully loose.but keep us updated on it and let us know what the glue looks like in about a month or so in case there is any changes

 

So after driving with this mod in place for 2 days, I think I'm going to have to take back my original statement from a year ago that there is no change in throttle response between the G-tube and Z-tube. I really doubt that having the small upper resonator still active on my G/Z-tube makes a difference, but the throttle response is quite a bit better with this modded tube in place. Punching it from 4000rpms in 2nd or 3rd results in a shift snap of the neck. With the G-tube, the throttle response feels more linear and not as snappy. Is there more power with the Z-tube or G/Z-tube? I highly doubt it, but I think it definitely feels better from behind the wheel. I love having the induction sound back too.