Axis air box elimination

[Greg Kilgore]

At 185 hours while do a little riding noticed using a little more fuel that the trip should have taken and running a little rough. Thought it might be time to clean the air filter.

 

I while back, I bought a filter kit for another sxs I had but never installed. I was going to do the snorkel thing. Anyway, while I was as cleaning the air filter for the Axis 500. I mocked up this filter kit and wanted to know if anyone could give a reason why this wouldn't work.

I plan on removing the air box completely. Moving the PCV valve hose to the side of the large hose going to the throttle body instead of the way it is now. Now it connects to the air box. There is already a hole in that hose and it just has a 90° fitting on it and then a plug.

Then route some pipe thru the tunnel that the front drive shaft uses. Then up under the hood and mount the new filter there. I even bought a hood scoop to use. See pics below.

Here is the way it is from the factory.

Notice the hose plugged into the top of the air box. That is for the PCV valve. It provides suction for the crankcase to keep from blowing seals. You can't see in the pic, but there is a hose that connects to the crank case. That hose connects to a box with 2 hoses coming off. One of those hoses goes down to under the sxs to let any oil that is sucked up drip on the ground. The other hose connects to the air box.

Here is the passenger side of the air box. Notice the 90° nipple on the large hose running between the air box and the throttle body.

 

Here is a pic of the kit I got off Amazon.

Here are some pics with the air box removed, PCV hose relocated, and the hose coming up into the hood area thru the tunnel that the front drive shaft uses.

I will probably have to relocate the radiator overflow jug. I know I will probably have to use solid pipe instead of that plastic flex stuff. And will have to keep it clear of the drive shaft. The only issue I see it the air coming in thru the PVC hose is not filtered. It also could cause more suction on the crankcase and cause the sxs to use some oil. Those little square boxes on top to the throttle hose are empty. I may have to connect the PCV hose to that and add a filter in that square box.

But other than that. Does anyone know of any reason this shouldn't work?

 

Once I get it installed I can close off the holes in the engine cover that is currently uses by the air box. That will help keep noise and heat out of the cab in the summer.

 

[Greg Kilgore]

My bad. The PVC hose would be sucking in air from crankcase and not outside air. 

2nd my bad. The oil, if any, does not drip on ground. There is a plug in the bottom of that tube/hose. So it would just fill with oil.

See pics.

[Greg Kilgore]

Nobody has a comment

Nobody has input

[klm]

I can't see why it wont work if you have the clearance for the hose.

I have often thought of just removing the filter and attaching hose to top of the box and either going through the engine cover or out the back and attaching to the roll cage with a filter.

I thought the pvc valve was suppose to pull air from the crankcase.

Anybody know what those two square things on the intake hose are for?

  

[Greg Kilgore]

Thanks for the reply KLM.

In the pics 7,8,9, and 10 in the 1st post. The air box is removed and a thin plastic flex hose. (Almost like the ones used for a dryer vent hose.) Is attached and going thru the drive shaft tunnel and into the hood area. That is where I stopped the mock-up.

When I make the permanent install I will use solid wall pipe as much as possible. I have a heat gun that will be used to make bends and pre-made bends where needed.

 

I'll keep everyone posted on the progress. As well as the fans I'm installing. The fans are on another post. Then I'm going to make doors and installing a heater. Plan on taking pics and posting all progress.

 

 

[Just Mark]

while i didn't eliminate the box, i did relocate the intake to the back of the passenger side and added a motorcycle filter for extra measure... seems to be working so far

[Greg Kilgore]

Just Mark, got pics?