# CAI - To Whistle or Not to Whistle



## MeanGoat (Jan 4, 2006)

Got the K&N installed and wonder if someone could help me here.

You know how they say it's bad to have extra parts at the end? Well I had an extra gasket that was supposed to go on the mass airflow adapter that I accidentally left out.

For the first week, there was no whistle. While checking the hose clamps yesterday, I noticed a good amount of air seeming to come from the hose between the tube and MAF sensor. I moved the clamp to the end of the silicone connector tubes for a better seal due to some advice I read someplace else.

I think I got a better seal now, but now I notice a distinct whistle sound at about 1/4 throttle. Is this normal or should I take the whole assembly apart and put in the gasket I left out during the install?

Little help?


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## CrabhartLSX (Feb 12, 2006)

Dunno can't see it.

I'm sure this is completely unrelated but when i installed the airlid on my camaro, there was a definite whistle, even at idle. It was just a side effect of not having the fins all over the top of the stock lid. 

I'm sure the stock airbox in GTO's have a similar configuration, could be a side effect of that. Also K&N intakes regardless of model seem to make a lot more noise than they need to.


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## MeanGoat (Jan 4, 2006)

CrabhartLSX said:


> Dunno can't see it...


Good one.

My suspicion is that by the hoses not having a proper seal via the hose clamps for the first week, the air suction at the point where I omitted the gasket may not have been even enough to indicate that the gasket was absolutely required.

My fear is that since I've now corrected the hose/tube connections, the weak leak has shifted to the sans-gasket point where the sound may be created by this smaller concentrated leak.

I don't darnit feel like tearing the whole thing apart and inserting the gasket if someone can tell me a slight whistle normal. :willy:


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## S2kracka (Mar 13, 2006)

If you didn't install one of the parts you have to redo it. The whistle is probably coming from a small leak where the piece in question should be. Why mess around? You spent a lot of money on the car and on the intake, might as well make sure its functioning at 100%.


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## 3RDGENGTO (Jul 30, 2005)

:agree REMOVE AND INSTALL BACK WITH ALL PARTS!!!


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## 1BadGoat (Nov 28, 2004)

3RDGENGTO said:


> :agree REMOVE AND INSTALL BACK WITH ALL PARTS!!!


:agree However it is normal for a little whistle. I have cai's on all three of my cars,and they all have a little whistle.:cheers


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## StangStalker (Aug 21, 2005)

I think the whistle is normal. I hear it with my LPE CAI. since the filter is in the open instaed of being in the box, you can just hear the air getting sicked in. My buddy used to have a '78 TA with the 6.6 and shaker hood, and with the shaker off and the filter exposed you could hear that SOB whistle from idle to WOT.


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## BLACK05GTO (Feb 6, 2005)

04 or 05 GTO?

A slight whistle noise is normal on an 05 GTO. Most 05 GTO's make a whistle sound with the stock intake. I don't know about the 04s.


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## baron_iv (Nov 17, 2005)

I don't have a slight whistle, I have a turbo-like whistle with my CAI!!
Personally, I think it sounds COOL.


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## Good 2 go (Sep 7, 2005)

baron_iv said:


> I don't have a slight whistle, I have a turbo-like whistle with my CAI!!
> Personally, I think it sounds COOL.



:agree


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## MeanGoat (Jan 4, 2006)

*As Always, Thanks Guys...*

Thanks everyone for the responses on this one.

You will all be happy to know that I went a step further this weekend and ordered some heat shield matting as well.

I took the whole assembly apart, inserted the missing gasket and tightened it all down. Trump tight like a virgin.

Applied the heat shield to all non-filter sides of the K&N heat shield as well as the back of the air tube as well. Thing is mad scientist looking and keeps the heat out great.

And yes, as you all were nice enough to confirm I do still have a whistle. However it does sound much better and more consistent than it used to.

Thanks again for all the help!!!


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## GTODEALER (Jan 7, 2005)

It's supposed to whistle......


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## rushhour (Aug 3, 2004)

S2kracka said:


> If you didn't install one of the parts you have to redo it. The whistle is probably coming from a small leak where the piece in question should be. Why mess around? You spent a lot of money on the car and on the intake, might as well make sure its functioning at 100%.


Sounds like a leak - but GTODealer says it is supposed to whistle. I wonder why? Never had one with the 3 other CAI's I have used - but none of them were K&N's either.


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## MeanGoat (Jan 4, 2006)

rushhour said:


> Sounds like a leak - but GTODealer says it is supposed to whistle. I wonder why? Never had one with the 3 other CAI's I have used - but none of them were K&N's either.


Trust me, after having to take the whole assembly back apart for the missing gasket insertion I can guarantee you that there is NO, NONE, NADA leaks. Like I said, "trump tight". I've even periodically checked and re-checked the hose gaskets to make sure.

But I must say, the whistle is a little annoying sometimes. Guess I just have to attribute being annoyed to my audio anal tendencies....

While we're back on this topic, does anyone have an "air let back" sound when they shut the engine off? If I turn the radio off and open the door as I turn off the key, I can sometimes catch it. Am I being overly anal or what?


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## ITS BACK (Mar 9, 2006)

Have just installed an AEM on our '04 GTO and it also has an "air let back" sound when the engine shuts off.


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