E-bay Cold Air Intakes

[Camurai]

The ideal stoichiometric ratio for gasoline engines is 14.7:1, and the ECU will attempt to make it that ratio all the time. It has nothing to do (at least directly) with emissions or engine damage. It's the ideal ratio for peak fuel economy.

[MyCord]

Buy the cheapest eBay intake you can find. Stick with the stock diameter 2.25-2.5 inches I believe. Anything more is pointless(I recommend short-ram)

The stock air tub tapers from 2.25-2.5? to 4inches. My AEM SRI is 2.25-2.5 inches the whole way. Again, I'm unsure if the diameter is 2.5 or 2.25 or maybe even 2.75 I don't remember.

Any air filter you buy will fit at least a 3inch tube, maybe even bigger, they have slits in the rubber so when you tighten it, it makes a perfect circle no matter what size tube. It may appear that the filter is too big but it isn't. (This is how the AEM filter works and from what I've read it's way better than K&N)

Install.

So, cheap eBay tube, AEM filter.

Don't do anything with your ECU.

[cornell25]

Buy the cheapest eBay intake you can find. Stick with the stock diameter 2.25-2.5 inches I believe. Anything more is pointless(I recommend short-ram)

The stock air tub tapers from 2.25-2.5? to 4inches. My AEM SRI is 2.25-2.5 inches the whole way. Again, I'm unsure if the diameter is 2.5 or 2.25 or maybe even 2.75 I don't remember.

Any air filter you buy will fit at least a 3inch tube, maybe even bigger, they have slits in the rubber so when you tighten it, it makes a perfect circle no matter what size tube. It may appear that the filter is too big but it isn't. (This is how the AEM filter works and from what I've read it's way better than K&N)

Install.

So, cheap eBay tube, AEM filter.

Don't do anything with your ECU.

why the short ram? i always thought the cold air was better. just wondering

[JohnD1079]

Short ram is the cold air...

wtf no it isnt. Do you even know what your talking about

[Camurai]

Short ram intake:



Cold air intake:



Note that in the cold air intake application, the intake tube turns downward behind the battery. The air filter is located underneath the car, just behind the front bumper, drawing in cold air from outside the engine bay, thus the name "Cold Air Intake."

As I stated in a previous post, short ram intakes will make slightly better low-RPM power, and cold air intakes will make slightly better high-RPM power. Cold air intakes also have a much increased chance of sucking up water, which will destroy your engine. If you live in an area that sees any decent amount of rain or snow, take the appropriate precautions: run a short ram or get an AEM bypass valve.

[aRaKNiD]

wtf no it isnt. Do you even know what your talking about

Hah...don't ask...have no idea what I was thinking at that moment in time...I blame the nyquil!

[bcjammerx]

god people will buy anything that has CAI attached to it...I'm going to start selling fuel additives with COLD AIR INTAKE APPROVED...it'll be water by the way...bet I can sell a shit load too!

I say that that way because just cause it's got a nasty big cone filter and big ass tubing does NOT mean it is actually a cai system...you have to know how to run it to get cooler than engine bay temps...btw...the temp differential isn't all that great ONCE your rolling...BUT either way...if your sucking air out of the engine bay it is not a true cai system and you just wasted your money...run it right to get the "cooler outside air than engine bay air" benefit.

you get what you pay for yes...remember that...it is ALWAYS true...unless a friend cuts you a deal...and they have to be a really good buddy...if they aren't a really good buddy...then that statement is always true...course sometimes its true even when they are a good buddy...oh well.

And cai is NOT THE BEST thing out there...you have to run it right in the first place...and even when you do...still...you get more from the size of the filter and tubing than you do the temp differential, this whole cai craze is just a gimmick and a fad mostly...because once you are rolling...the temp difference from outside to engine bay...is AT MOST 10 degrees...whoo hoo 1% power gain...and ebay is the prime perpetuator of it. any way it's been debated...not interested any more.

[aRaKNiD]

this whole cai craze is just a gimmick and a fad mostly...

Honestly...the MAIN reason I'm looking to do anything to the intake is for the looks, help clean up that engine bay. Just was curious on the HP thing.

[js593]

Just jerry rig it. i did it for 30 bucks, shipped to my hand at the canadian tire counter, came with a bag too.

[bcjammerx]

Honestly...the MAIN reason I'm looking to do anything to the intake is for the looks, help clean up that engine bay. Just was curious on the HP thing.

*slaps forehead

if you are going to do it at all...do it right...trust me...it will be clean. Plus you will get more respect from folks who actually KNOW what you are supposed to be doing...it's easy to get "MAD PROPS" from morons...and who cares what they think...I am only concerned with the opinions of my peers...the guys/gals who know about tuning.

either way...the right way always looks good and clean

[aRaKNiD]

*slaps forehead

if you are going to do it at all...do it right...trust me...it will be clean.

Well what do you define as "right"? I mean no matter what brand piping or filter I go with...it would be done right, I'm not gonna fabricate some self made piping and throw a filter on it if that's what you're getting at. However, I don't feel "right" is going with the most expensive setup I can find.

[bcjammerx]

Didn't mean to offend...you've got the right idea...I would add

...don't suck air from the engine bay, pull from the fender or from the front bumper (that would sorta make it ram airish)

If you pull from the fender area (where the stock black resonator box was) make sure the fender lining is intact or else you're going to get whatever the tires throw up on it.

DON'T LET YOUR INTAKE PULL FROM ANYWHERE NEAR THE GROUND...you could EASILY suck up a small puddle and hydrolock.

Get your intake to flow as straight as possible...this means the tubing...but ALSO the air coming TO your filter!

Don't cram a cone filter behind objects (battery)...that restricts flow.


Honestly though...the added power is from a more easily flowing intake not "cold air"...unless your teleporting air from the north pole the air isn't all that 'cold'.

Most ebay and autozone type kits suck from the engine bay.

Now you can make a good argument that pulling from the engine bay is sort of a big of a deal, because at a stop the engine bay temps skyrocket...but once you hit 20mph the temp in the bay and outside are only a few degrees different...so...does it matter? Plus you don't want your air to have to make a bunch of turns...the air pulling from the engine bay doesn't go straight into the filter...it rolls around components and parts...has to flow up and then over...if it were in the wheel well it wouldn't have to turn AS much...but who knows if the two are that different honestly...which is why I like the idea of as straight of a shot as possible from the front bumper...doesn't have to be ram air...but it'll get more of a straight shot. IMO...and there are plenty of opinions floating around so...yeah.

Now what does pulling hot engine bay temps amount to? Depends on the temps....dropping 10 degrees nets 1% hp increase...so...it can be assumed that RAISING 10 degrees will drop 1%hp...engine bays at idle get very hot...but you'll hit 20mph pretty quick...soo....it's really a never ending argument.

Really the more I read the more I think it might not matter...but...from a dead stop i can see a slight jump on the other guy, plus...air doesn't flow straight in an engine bay...the more straight the air flows...the better...just my opinion...feel free to disregard, it won't make you a bad tuner...I just knee jerk chuckle when I see a big filter in the engine bay...but more so...when it's RIGHT behind the battery...that IS terrible flow!

You aren't going to rob yourself of high amounts of power while driving if you pull from the engine bay, but again...remember...that's because any power gain is not from temp differential it's from tubing size, ease of air flowing, and filter flow...but it's taking off from a stop that you might think about because in that case there IS a temp differential...but...I think this is just a personal preference. It would be like thinking a louder car is better performing, you can show situations where a loud car is good and a loud car is bad...depends on how it's made loud...any hoo.

[onefastbunny]

the only advice i have is kinda the same you would notice the most from a long tube cai that pulls from a cooler spot cold air is more dense just watch how low you go so your not sucking water if you get a deep puddle

[Josh26]

Its all about the filter, not about the piping... You can buy a cheap ebay intake, throw a good K&N filter on there, and you have a good intake for a very low price.

yup thats what i did paid 20 bucks for a shortram and went to napa and got a k&n...which makes it a good intake now.

[aRaKNiD]

Didn't mean to offend...you've got the right idea...I would add

Not at all..no offense taken. Very well written summarization. Appreciate the advice and the info. Thanks!