You may have the 12v constant crossed with the 12 on/off If what your saying now is you took out the fuse for the radio overnight and your battery didn't die ? Leave the fuse in overnight and just turn the radio off with the power button see if it still kills the battery. If it's a new...
Have you thought about putting it back on just to see if it still does it ?
When you change the incoming air it also changes the air to fuel ratio and it could be just a bit more thirsty now and just not getting what it needs .a retune is possibly needed with this mod to get it really dialed in...
Last time I had a squeaky front end it was struts ...
When the car is stationary and you push up and down on the front end can you hear it ? If so my money's on shocks/struts
Why didn't it go so well ?
I like what your doing. Very cool
My parents had an embarrassing station wagon damn near identicle to that. Had it been supercharged I may have liked it a whole lot more lol.
The heater core is where I'd be looking. Good 1 second shot the next.
If the car doesn't get driven much it may be easier to bypass it for short term and fix over the winter