i got a CAI from PCP a while ago and same deal w/ no instructions, but the pipe should already have a heat resistant type of coating on it. you do basically everything you said. the intake works pretty good too, i acutally like it better than my AEM short ram, got the AEM cuz the CAI didnt have CARB #'s. my AEM pipe looks so small(diameter-wise) compared to the generic CAI..