Hybrid Racing Cold Air Intake for DC5/EP3/EM2 K Swap

Hybrid Racing Cold Air Intake - RSX, EP3 Civic Si & K-Swap

This is a real cold air intake, not a short ram with a long name. It runs a 3-inch tube feeding a high-flow velocity stack filter positioned to pull genuinely cool air instead of whatever is baking in your engine bay. We built it around the RBC and RRC manifold layouts and we run this same setup on our own cars, so the routing, the filter placement, and the hose clearance all come from actually living with it rather than from a CAD screen.

Read This First: What Your Car Needs

This intake has real prerequisites, and they're not optional. Check both before you order.

You need an RBC or RRC intake manifold. The intake is designed around those manifolds specifically. A factory PRB or PRC manifold won't work with it.

You need a 70mm or larger throttle body. Anything smaller and the geometry doesn't line up, and you'd be choking a 3-inch intake down at the entry anyway.

If you're already running an RBC or RRC with a big throttle body, you're exactly who this was built for. If you're not there yet, sort the manifold and throttle body first and come back.

Why A True Cold Air Actually Matters

The difference is where the filter sits. Pull air from inside the engine bay and you're feeding your engine air that's been sitting next to a hot exhaust manifold, and hot air is thin air. Get the filter out into clean ambient air and the charge is denser, your intake temps stay lower, and your sensors give the ECU readings that don't drift as things heat up.

That last part is what you notice most. Against a typical short ram we've seen 5 to 10 horsepower across the powerband, but the more useful gain is repeatability. Power that holds up on the third pull the same as the first, or lap five the same as lap one, instead of falling off as the bay heat-soaks.

Be Realistic About The Install

Straight talk, because this isn't a fifteen-minute bolt-on and we'd rather you know now.

You'll need to remove or relocate the washer bottle. Trimming the left-hand fender liner may be required to route it properly. And if your car has OEM Type R brake ducts or fog lights, those may need modification to clear.

Depending on chassis, there's more. RSX cars need to be without brake cooling ducts. EP3 Civic Si cars may need the battery relocated. K-swapped non-Si Civics may need both bracket work and battery modifications.

None of this is difficult, but it's an afternoon with the front of the car apart, not a quick swap in a parking lot. Plan accordingly.

About The Included Radiator Hose

The kit includes a replacement radiator hose to give the intake piping proper clearance, which saves you fighting the factory hose for space. One important limit though: that hose fits the K20A, K20A2, K20A3, and K20Z1. It may not fit a K20Z3 or a K24.

So if you're running a K20Z3 or a K24 swap, plan on sorting your own hose solution for clearance. The intake itself still works, you'll just need to handle that one piece differently.

Fitment

All applications require an RBC or RRC intake manifold and a 70mm or larger throttle body.

Who Should Run This Intake

This is for the K-series owner who's already done the manifold and throttle body and wants the intake side to keep up. Built RSX, EP3 that's seen real work, or a K-swapped Civic where you're piecing together a proper setup. You're getting a genuine cold air feed, not a filter sitting in hot air, and you're getting hardware we've routed and re-routed on our own cars until it worked. Confirm your manifold and throttle body, set aside an afternoon, and feed the engine properly.

Fits: 2002-2006 Acura RSX (without brake cooling ducts), 2002-2005 Honda Civic Si (EP3), and 2001-2005 K-swapped Honda Civic non-Si. Requires: RBC or RRC intake manifold and a 70mm or larger throttle body. Tube size: 3 inch. Filter: high-flow velocity stack. Includes: replacement radiator hose (fits K20A / K20A2 / K20A3 / K20Z1, may not fit K20Z3 or K24). Install notes: washer bottle removal or relocation required, LH fender liner trimming may be required, OEM Type R brake ducts and fog lights may need modification. SKU: HYB-CAI-01-14.