How to make neat holes in airbox?

[Navin]

I just gutted my whole air box. If you aren't worried about off road, pod filter it and jet/tune for it.

The engineers knew best? Bah! The federal government designed the friggin intake and exhaust!

[Fictitious]

Originally Posted by It'sNotTheBike

Probably because the OP imagines the trained engineers who designed the air intake
botched the job, though those engineers had access to a dyno and more than likely spent
many hours making sure the airflow was optimized for the resonant cavity of the air box,
( think of Helmholtz and you will be on the right track).


How likely is it that the engineers did a bad job and someone who needs to ask how
best to cut holes in the air box will do a better job ? Sort of like leaving an orangutang
in front of a typewriter and waiting for the sonnets of Shakespeare to be produced
( don't hold your breath waiting for anything intelligible to come out of that typewriter ).
.

The goals of the engineers might differ from the goal of the OP. It is possible to tune the same engine differently to get different characteristics. I'm not saying going around drilling random holes in things is the way to go, but if you can manage to shove more air and fuel into an engine in the correct mixture, you will get a bigger boom and more power. Whether or not this produces undesired results by way of reduction of fuel economy, airbox noise, etc... is irrelevant; none of those things are (hopefully) the goal of the OP.

On the dyno comment, you do realize that the reason most people cut holes in their airbox is that they've purchased a jetting kit which requires larger airbox holes work properly? Most companies who make these kits such Dynojet or JD, also have access to dynos, and their results against the stock power curves can be seen.

Anyway, to answer the OP's original question, use a holesaw to cut out the corners then use a heated razor blade to cut nice straight lines between the holes. Optional is some sort of sanding wheel for cleanup after. You can see it illustrated here on a DRZ400S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtKWbs0N5lo

[H96669]

Originally Posted by Ricardo Kuhn

Regardless of been a good idea or not, like making holes on a piece of plastic just for fun..

You can use stainless steel mesh like this and some pop rivets to add effect.

Nice "effects" but I have never seen that screen in SS.I could use some. I sure have quite a bit of that in Aluminium, some of the old satellite dishes were made of it. Works great with Devcon for roadside repairs.

[kantuckid]

Originally Posted by It'sNotTheBike

Probably because the OP imagines the trained engineers who designed the air intake
botched the job, though those engineers had access to a dyno and more than likely spent
many hours making sure the airflow was optimized for the resonant cavity of the air box,
( think of Helmholtz and you will be on the right track).


How likely is it that the engineers did a bad job and someone who needs to ask how
best to cut holes in the air box will do a better job ? Sort of like leaving an orangutang
in front of a typewriter and waiting for the sonnets of Shakespeare to be produced
( don't hold your breath waiting for anything intelligible to come out of that typewriter




.

Are you a hotrodder by chance?

[Ohlinspro]

6552162+6

[seniorasi]

Can't we all just "Get along"?

[Smoke Eater 3]

I prefer a step bit. But if you use a hole saw run the drill in reverse for a cleaner hole. It takes longer because its not as aggressive.

[sledgegreen]

I have used auger bits to make neat holes in plastic.

[concours]

Hole saw works best, deburr with a Burr-Kwik sheet metal deburring tool. SOUND is the biggest compromise in airboxes. Intake noise can be louder than exhaust.
I'm with the "keep it intact as designed" group.

[anotherguy]

BTW making holes in the lid on the outside of the filter doesn't change the Hemholtz. But it does move the anti-resonance. Tread lightly.

[DirtyBlackIrish]

Originally Posted by groundrules

you don't sound as smart as you think you sound.

I second that!

[triplenickel]

All you guys swinging from the engineers nuts have never worked with one have you?

[itsatdm]

Before any one turns the air box into swiss cheese, consider that the next obstacle is the size of the venturi of your carb.

[Fixnfly]

I just can't believe there are now 3 pages on how to drill a hole in plastic

[concours]

Originally Posted by triplenickel

All you guys swinging from the engineers nuts have never worked with one have you?

Nope. No manufacturing exposure at all. Building custom machinery. At all. Ever.