Throttle Body Spacer and Funnel Ram Air Intake Install
The decision to install a Poweraid Throttle Body Spacer and an Akimoto Funnel Ram air tube and filter was an easy one. Having a ’97 TJ with 33” tires, a lift and the 2.5 liter engine, the added boost in horse power and fuel economy that both of these products give was needed and welcome. Since you remove the factory airbox to install the Akimoto, it made sense to install the Poweraid TBS at the same time.

Please note: After using the Akimoto for several years now, my advise is to purchase a different brand on air intake!!! The Akimoto was NOT designed to handle the engine vibrations the 2.5L puts out, especially the aluminum mount. AEM Brute Force or similar would cause you less frustration in the long run! And a prefilter will keep fine dust out of your intake and engine! Also, a 62mm spacer will net you even better results for the same amount of money.

 
(Pic. 1) Here is the Akimoto kit fresh from Quadratec.


(Pic. 2) Here is the Poweraid kit (notice the parts to be removed during the install on the right).


(Pic. 3) Step one to either install is to remove the cover to the air cleaner. The arrow on the left of the picture shows the air cleaner in the air box with the cover removed. After loosening a hose clamp around the base of the stock breather tube, the whole assembly comes off. Since I was doing a driveway install (as opposed to installing it in a garage) I placed a zip-lock baggie (right arrow) over the intake to prevent any foreign debris from falling in.


(Pic. 4) Next step is to remove the air filter box. To remove it first take out the air filter itself, and then remove the three bolts that hold the box to the inner fender well. Under the box each bolt has a threaded spacer between the box and the fender and a bolt under the fender inside the wheel well.


(Pic. 5) This is how the inner fender looks with the box removed. Note the discoloration where the spacers were.


(Pic.6) This is the ugly and restrictive factory air intake assembly that you will be removing.


(Pic. 7) To install the Poweraid Throttle Body Spacer remove the four bolts that hold the throttle body to the intake. Carefully lift the throttle body up and remove the gasket.


(Pic. 8) Next, sandwich the spacer with the two gaskets that came in the kit. Make sure that the spacer is right side up with the “top” indicator up and bolt it down using the longer bolts and washers supplied with the kit. The kit also comes with two bolts and spacers that raise the stock air intake tubing to accommodate the increase in height that the throttle body incurs from the kit. That is it for the throttle body spacer install. 


(Pic. 9) To make the retaining spring stay put I pulled it off of the throttle linkage and pulled the straight end of the spring wire through the plastic holder and bent it 90°. Then replace it back putting the hooked end of the spring wire over the top of the metal bracket as shown in the picture.


(Pic. 10) The first step to installing the Akimoto Funnel Ram Intake after removing the factory air intake is to attach the silicone reducer with the smaller diameter end onto the throttle body. Place and tighten the smallest hose clamp around the base and loosely place one of the three larger hose clamps around the top.


(Pic. 11) Next place the shorter side of the intake tube into the reducer. Assemble the silicone coupling onto the air filter with one of the hose clamps and then slide it onto the open end of the tube. Do not tighten the second hose clamp.


(Pic. 12) Take the support bracket from the kit and place it under the loose hose clamp and tighten. Using one of the two bolts that attached the factory air tube to the valve cover and one of the nuts from the bottom of the factory airbox, bolt the support bracket to the bolt hole from the factory airbox that is closest to the engine. After it is secure go back and tighten the hose clamp that connects the tube to the silicone reducer on top of the throttle body.

(Pic. 13) The final step to the install is to attach the breather hose to the intake tube and the fitting on top of the valve cover. Lastly, take a rag and clean those finger prints off that stainless steel! After having both installed on my 2.5 for about a week I noticed a slight gain in fuel economy (4 mpg) and a lot more responsive throttle around the 1000 to 3500 rpm range. The combination of both the Poweraid  Throttle Body Spacer and the Akimoto Funnel Ram nets about 10 to 15 horsepower in the low end. A 62mm spacer netted even more gains. Over all I highly recommend both a throttle body spacer and a funnel ram air intake for anybody looking to give their 4 banger a little boost in performance and fuel economy.


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