Whats up HT!

So here's the deal...

I picked up a CT icebox and filter + samco intake pipe for my ITR, and now I am considering replacing the icebox with the mugen intake...

First thing, the quality of the ct icebox is imo very very poor. The lid does not fit very well at all, actually it fits poorly, and the lid of the box is far from air tight, and the area around the filter also fits very poorly with a significant gap no matter how we try to correct it by altering filter position. The only way to fix the icebox filter gap is with a bunch of foam.

To top this off, the lid for the box has a very raw unfinished surface and came form CT with a lot of fine scratches, it looks dull and does not have any CT badge or logo like the early iceboxes. It looks very cheap.

The box whistles so bad, I removed it and am currently just using the samco intake and ct filter as a short ram, and the car not only doesnt have any annoying intake whistle (very little anyway compared to icebox) but the power/sound seem better imo.

I honeslty think the poor fit of the icebox was hurting my performance, again, my opinion.

So those of you after a ct icebox be warned, you might find yourself in the same spot I'm in.

So now I am looking at spending the bucks for a mugen intake, something I should have done in the first place

If anyone with the mugen can chime in, does the mugen intake whistle at all?

Jason

 

I'm using the CT Ice Box and I like it, although your review is pretty accurate in describing its flaws.
I've never had any whistle coming from the box though, and I don't mind that it doesn't look like a show piece. It looks good enough for me and does its job geting outside air to the filter. I'm using the stock ITR arm with the Comptech filter and box and the fit is better than what you are describing.

People in the market for a Mugen intake are not the same people considering the Ice Box; $500 vs $100. So for $500 you get something much nicer.
....For what its worth that's my .02

As for performance I don't think I've ever seen a dyno comparison of the two. Anyone have a sheet?

 

hmmm that's really weird. thought the CT icebox fit rather snug in my gsr w/stock arm.

hmmm.

 

I liked my old Comptech Icebox, and the CT Engineering one that I had in my possession for the ITR Expo raffle prior to the raffle was identical from what I could tell.

I modified my old icebox a bit though. I sealed it up with 100 mile tape where it closed to snug it up and such. It was actually a really nice intake and looked stock, which is the best part.

I have a Mugen on the new car, and it's fine too. I don't know if it's worth the extra $ though. With that in mind, I have a CT-Eng Icebox for my TSX now too.

From what I remember years ago, they both had pretty similar dyno results, so save yourself some money.

 

There is actually a dyno thread where these intakes were tested back to back, and the power acheived with both intakes was basically identical.

Now the one thing mentioned in the thread with the dyno test, was all the drivers and people involved with testing agreed that driving impression the mugen seemed to offer more power, and a superior quality of sound.

I cant find the thread again if anyone cares lol.

I am going to re-install the c/t icebox again tomorrow and give it another chance after I mod it to seal it up 100% and then see what comes out of it.

Jason

 

I use to have CT box and intake arm, didnt seem bad fitment to me install wise. Only thing that annoyed me with it was the top cover was a pain to put back on. never had any weird sounds though mugen def. nice but not justifiable spending IMO

 

the mugen whistles too

 

Well the top fitting like **** is a well known issue, most of ct's airbox lids dont fit well at all.

I cant believe ct wouldnt spend a little bit of time finding some sort of weatherstrip to take the slop out of the lid... oh well, tomorrows project!

 

i've had both on my R. {currently using the mugen}

i''ve been very pleased with both pieces. when i first switched from the CT i thought i felt a very minor difference but nothing to justify the extra $$$

the mugen whistles too. actually i think that most intakes on any integra will whistle.

if you can seal the lid up on your CT i would say to keep it. you'll get the the sleeper look and power gains..

thats my 2 cents

 

If you're concerned with fit and finish then sell your CT and get the Mugen.

No one will argue that the mugen is not a gorgous piece of hardware its just not high on the "bang for your buck" list.

 

I sealed mine with tape as well.

 

What always bothered me about the Comptech icebox was the quality of materials it used. The plastic seems porous and weak and the fitment was always 'close enough'.

None of that really matters all that much in terms of an intake, but for Comptech standards it was well below the quality of their headers, exhausts, etc. Heck, the OEM intake felt like a bank vault compared to the Comptech piece.

 

Mugen is a great piece, but if I didnt get a good deal on it I probably would not have bought one.

 

I have never heard one whistle. I have installed quite a few of them.

 

Interesting, well with the stock mugen filter on my stock intake arm, stock Throttle body etc it does whistle a little bit at about 15% throttle in all gears around 3K rpms. If you have a loud exhaust you might not hear it unless the window is down.

 

Ok so today I spent some time re working the icebox, and after a few different attempts at preventing the whistle and trying to get the lid to sit tighter, I came up with this

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber

I used a 3"ID 4"OD toilet to floor gasket and installed it behind the filter element, but inside the box, it was the right density to take up and of the gap that existed in the box and strached it out a little to the point that the lid was a much tighter fit.

I am MUCH happier with the way the box fits and sounds, simple solution... not I just have to figure out a way to make that cover look a little less matte...

...Black shoe polish anyone? lol



I know it's not the cleanest.. but you have NOOOOO idea what is what it was like when the rescue started...

 

no comparison in quality... look for a deal, they are out there.

 

I've heard both wistle.

Personally, the Mugen's finishing work is a joke at the pricepoint, but it is the better piece, if money is no object.

The Comptech is nice, but it seems to have been designed to be "easy" so the annoying top assembly was all part of that (no tools to check filter, etc).

The Mugen is, again, the nicer part, but it's also (at retail, mugen vs comptech w/ filter) 3.8 times the price of the comptech, for very similar performance. If the Mugen was $500 new, then I don't think I'd even suggest the Comptech to anyone... simply for the superior build quality of the mugen (although as stated before, IMO the finishing work could still be greatly improved, I've heard from more than one owner that it's ghetto for the price, and I agree).

 

Back in the day I bought a comptech w/ icebox for a 99-00 civic si. I saw a dyno sheet that they provided on their website that showed how though it didn't have the highest peak hp gain, it had the highest gains for the majority of the entire powerband. I decided to e-mail CT-engineering regarding the ITR. They don't have any dyno's of the ITR, but they sent me one of the GSR and said that it should be 'similar'. It doesn't however, compare to mugen or any other intake, only over stock.

 

ROR!!

Like Reyes, I too have had both intakes. I actually prefer my CT Icebox over the Mugen. When i first switched from the Mugen to the Icebox, i noticed the Icebox seemed to whistle a little more, but power/overall feel felt the same. I am happy with the CT Icebox. I prefer the way the CT looks as well. Very "OEM" looking, especially when running the stock ITR arm like me.

Both are great intakes and i would recommend both to anyone... just depends on what you're willing to spend.

 

when comparing my old Comptech icebox to the CT Engineering the finish of the old Comptech was more similar to a smooth hard plastic like oem, the CT engineering is very dull and textured. The lid on the the Comptech also had a tighter fit. When i used the Comptech i also used the K&N oem replacement filter as with the CT engineering i'm using a CT air filter. I suspect the K&N filter will have better fitment.

I remember when i dyno'd the Comptech vs Short ram i gained 3whp Peak 5whp midrange back to back dyno with my built b-series

 

What are the interior dimensions of the ct vs an oem air box. If I remember correctly they were very similar.

 

The Icebox is slightly larger and has a smoother air entrance.


I've owned both the Mugen and the Icebox, I've dyno tested them both back to back and the Mugen made a slight amount more. I prefer the Mugen. I have the Icebox in my Honda Challenge car, and I recently sold the Mugen off because I felt that it wasn't doing me a whole lot of good on my daily driver.

I never had a whistle from the Mugen, but I did have a slight whistle(not too apparent) with the Icebox, ymmv.

Austin