[Sincity]

As an insurance adjuster, I get a chance to see vehicles taken apart for repairs. Last week (before we went down) I passed by a FX35 with its front bumper cover removed. At this point, I noticed there is a rubber baffle that runs vertically next to the driver side lower frame rail. It is this rubber baffle that blocks airflow from the upper and lower grill to enter the apron area underneath our CAI.

Here is how to perform the "minor surgery":

1) Remove the upper grill clips. Remove by prying the 4 compression clips. To remove clips, you will need to pry out the "center stem" on the clip body, and then pry out the clip body. Do not remove grill at this point.

2) Remove the upper clips that attach the front bumper cover. These 2 clips are located on each side of the grill. Use the same method as outlined in Step #1.

3) Remove Grill. With the upper grill clips and upper bumper cover clips removed, gently pull the grill assembly forward. As you look behind the grill, you will notice it is attached by 4 compression clips. Use a plier or your fingers to squeeze the clip and gently pry the grill forward towards you. Do this for all four clips and pull the grill off.

4) At this point, pull the bumper cover on the left side next to the driver side headlamp and you will see the rubber baffle I am talking about. Look at the picture I have enclosed with the 2 red circles I have drawn. This is the rubber baffle. It is actually 1 piece. I do not have any more pictures at this point.

5) To remove baffle, use a sharp utility knife or X-Acto blade and cut the rubber baffle piece. Cut the rubber piece along the frame rail and pull the upper piece from the top and the bottom piece from the lower grill opening.

6) Removing the stock airbox lower resonator is optional for non-Injen CAI (alrady removed to install Injen) to further improve airflow.


With the rubber baffle removed. The vehicle, theoretically, should be getting air from the upper grill, but especially from from the lower grill when it is moving. I believe this procedure should really benefit the Injen since it sits low into the area we just opened up. Second up in terms of benefit should be the Stillen and JWT.

 

[Sincity]

Removal of front bumper cover not neccessary!

 

[GeoFX]

Anyone know if the rubber baffle serves any other purpose besides reducing noise? Is it possible that Infiniti designed it to also help prevent water splashing into the engine bay?

 

[PINITI]

might this also allow for cooler air flow into the pass. cabin when a/c is off and sunroof and windows are open? (rather than warm air)

 

[Sincity]

You still get the warm air Piniti.

GEO: I pondered hard on the purpose of that baffle. I still dunno. Maybe to reduce turbulence into the engine compartment? But then again, you have air being forced fed into the engine compartment by the fans.

 

[PINITI]

have you done this to yours yet, and was it beneficial to your JWT/Z-tube set-up? (being banned just made you smarter!)

 

[Sincity]

I'v already done it. My Buttometer doesn't feel anything. If there are any gains, it would be sooo small.......But every little bit of cooler air is beneficial.

 

[bradical]

you know....i wonder if you could leave in the baffle and instead modify a homemade air scoop that could pipe the cool air right to the CAI. you could cut a hole in the baffle to pass the scoop piping.

i am imagining a scoop kind of like the ones ive seen on 350Zs where they are embedded in the front bumper, but instead having the scoop mounted bedind the grill and piped thru the baffle.

just an idea

 

[MustGoFastR]

you know....i wonder if you could leave in the baffle and instead modify a homemade air scoop that could pipe the cool air right to the CAI. you could cut a hole in the baffle to pass the scoop piping.

i am imagining a scoop kind of like the ones ive seen on 350Zs where they are embedded in the front bumper, but instead having the scoop mounted bedind the grill and piped thru the baffle.

just an idea

That's exactly what I was thinking of doing with the stcok center scoop with the Injen set-up; I just couldn't see where to pass a tube through at the time...

 

[PINITI]

GEO: I pondered hard on the purpose of that baffle. I still dunno. Maybe to reduce turbulence into the engine compartment? But then again, you have air being forced fed into the engine compartment by the fans.

Is there a similar baffle set-up on the pass. side also, if so , if it were removed too, wouldn't that allow/increase air flow circulation throughout the entire engine bay?

 

[MustGoFastR]

I'm thinking those baffles may be there to help force air through the radiator. If they were not there, a good amount of air could take the path of least resistence and circulate around it.

 

[Sincity]

There is also a baffle on the passenger side but I do not see any advantages in removing it. The driver side baffle is VERY close to where the Injen filter is sitting. Can't tell from the picture, but you should be able to get a good idea by using the lower intake box resonator as a reference point.

 

[Sincity]

I'm thinking those baffles may be there to help force air through the radiator. If they were not there, a good amount of air could take the path of least resistence and circulate around it.

Very good analysis! Therefore the path of least resistance is right into the CAI. But don't worry about the cooling system, we have 2 fans that draw in a lot of air. Living in Vegas and drivng through rush hour, the temp gauge remained the same. If it remains the same during stop and go, you do not have to worry about overheating while you are driving.

 

[bradical]

also, another thing that i was looking at in my own fx one day was that 3" hole in the bottom of the engine bay floor pan right under the resonator. you can see it on the picture you posted as well just to the right of the lower red circle. if you mounted a scoop under the bottom of the car outside of the engine bay with a 90 degree elbow piping air right in to the CAI from there. put a screen in the scoop to keep out debris.

 

[PINITI]

so you mean to say that between this and what dave and must. found out on sat. , Injen still MAY have half a chance of making a come back? (what about those cancelled orders?)

 

[MustGoFastR]

I could see this possibly being of benefit to the Injen, but like Sincity said, he didn't realy feel any difference; I doubt it would do much, if anything for the Stillen or Popcharger. After cleaning my Stillen filter (and looking at where it was dirty) this past weekend, it's very evident that pretty much ALL of the air goes into the filter via the "Power Duct". That thing practically rams air right in there (alternatively, it doesn't look like the center scoop does squat, as that section of the filter was spotless), so I don't see opening an area below to fresher air to be of much benefit. To really do anything, you need to force the air into the intake.

Seeing how the Power Duct works, I'd say the best course of action with the Stillen would be to seal off the filter (turn the heat shield into a sealed enclosure and omit the center scoop) so that all of the air is forced into the enclosure via the top scoop (or a remotely located scoop and ducting), creating positive pressure in the enclosure. Of course this could easily be done with the stock airbox and a drop-in; just seal off the bottom resonator hole and the center scoop hole. The Z guys have repeatedly stated in the past that the G35/FX35 two scoop stock intake is actually detrimental over a single scoop inlet (the Z has only one; one way for air to get in and it must go through the intake tube and has no other way to get out). The Grouppe M intake for the Z is designed this way.

 

[Sincity]

After reading MGFR latest post, I went out and removed the JWT filter. On my JWT, the area where it is darker (dirtier) happens to be from: the center scoop and bottom of filter (where I increased the airflow). Since I do not have a "Power Scoop", the top of the JWT is cleaner.

 

[Sweet Fx]

Nice.

I think the one we removed was that top, middle one. I will have to check tommorow.

 

[PINITI]

so last month i gave up on buying the Injen for $240 because of the negative issues, instead ordered the JWT/Z-tube & STB for $300 , now we come to find out that the pretty bling-bling might work afterall. Sometimes too much knowledge/information is NOT a good thing! Decisions leave me confused at times. I guess at this point, it's hope for the best?

 

[Sincity]

Don't give up on the JWT! We'll need to see the results of next weeks Injen testing.