Everything you need to know about the CAI Inc. V6 Intake!

[Sales @ CAI Inc]

Hello everyone,

It seems that we see more and more threads these days asking for information about our V6 CAI’s, compatibility between the 2010-2011 applications and the 2012-2013 applications, as well as just general info about our intakes. I think when these threads pop up by new members that it is easy for us as the ones who have been here for a long time to just say “Oh great, another V6 CAI thread” or my personal favorite “Use the search tool!” I’m just as guilty as the next guy, but I think we need to recognize and appreciate the fact that there are many new members who may be seeing this information for the first time, or perhaps is not familiar with search functionality and its use.

So here is some information that I hope some of you will find helpful regarding our V6 Camaro applications, I have put some significant time into this, so I hope you find it informative.

I think I will start with one of the most common questions that have been asked lately, regarding the difference between the 2010-11 V6 Camaro application and our 2012-13 V6 Camaro application.

Question: “What is the difference between the 2010-11 V6 CAI and the 2012-13 V6 CAI from Cold Air Inductions Inc.”

Answer: The ONLY difference in our CAI for the 2010-11 application vs. the 2012-13 application is the housing that your MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) connects to on our intake tube. There has been a little debate between members as to if there is actually a difference or not, I think a picture best answers that concern pretty clearly:



So to recap, there is a difference in the design of the CAI for the 2010-11 model compared to the 2012-13 model. Because of this difference it is important that you order the correct CAI for the model year that you have, the 2 are not interchangeable. As far as the CAI is concerned, this is the ONLY difference. The rest of the fit, finish, and components of our CAI are identical other than the variation in the MAF Housing. I think it is important to note that the information above only pertains to the Cold Air Inductions Inc., Cold Air Intake system, and that other brands of intakes may be different.

If you have a 2010-11 model V6 Camaro, the correct part # is 501-1036-10 (Near Chrome Finish) <OR> part # 501-1036-10B (Textured Black Finish).

If you have a 2012-13 model V6 Camaro, the correct part # is 501-1036-12 (Near Chrome Finish) <OR> part # 501-1036-12B (Textured Black Finish).

The units are priced the same, look the same installed, and other than the MAF Housing difference they are identical. Here are a few pictures of them installed, these both happen to be the 2010-11 models.





Okay, so now that it is clear (hopefully) on which application is for which model year and the difference between the two, lets cover some of the basics of our Cold Air Intake system for you. I think that it is interesting that even people who “know” about our product, still sometimes are unaware of some of the things we do any why we do them. Hopefully I can explain some of those things here for you, that way you have the knowledge readily available to you in the case that you are doing your research for which CAI is “best” for your Camaro. The features described below are pretty much incorporated into all of our designs, not just the V6 Camaro. Essentially, our entire design is centered on 3 main things, which are key to a good CAI, those 3 things are: Filtration, Airflow, and a low IAT (Intake Air Temperature).

Let’s start with the filter:

If you are anything like me, you would rather watch a cool short video to learn something as opposed to someone like myself rambling on and on about velocity stacks and filtration, so here you go:




A few main points that I would like to recap from the video:

- We engineer our own air filters which are specifically designed around your vehicle, its’ engine, and the CAI that we have designed for it. This means a custom filter to meet your vehicles specific needs and maximize filtration and flow.
- Our filters come pre-oiled ready to install, never need to be replaced, and can be “recharged” with a CAI Inc. recharge kit:
- Our filters include a built-in “velocity stack” as well as a “smooth bore tube stop” to reduce restriction and increase airflow.
- 8 layer interwoven cotton filter that can stop down to 5 microns

Moving on to the Airbox:

Our insulated airbox is an all-aluminum construction, which is TIG welded by hand, and features a removable lid. The airbox is enclosed so that it can pull the cooler ambient from outside of the vehicle, as opposed to sucking in the hot air found in your engine bay. Although it is enclosed, it features a removable lid that has a filter inspection window which allows for instant filter inspection and viewing without having to remove the lid. One of the things that really set our airbox apart from many of our competitors is that it has an added insulation barrier inside of it. What this insulation barrier does is helps to reduce heat soak from your engine bay. Essentially what our enclosed airbox does is pulls in the cooler ambient air from outside the vehicle, and then keeps that air as cool as possible with our enclosed and insulated airbox design.

One of the tools we use to ensure that are enclosed and insulated box is doing what it should be doing, is thermal imaging technology. This allows is one of the measuring tools that we use to see the difference between the temperature in the engine bay compared to the temperature and surface temperature inside of our airbox. I think this photo is a good representation of what I am talking about:



And then there is the Intake Tube:
When our engineers design the intake tube there are actually quite a few things that we have to factor in, essentially it revolves around reducing restriction, increasing airflow, incorporating your MAF housing, eliminating any CEL’s, and keeping that IAT as low as possible. Keeping that IAT as low as possible is crucially important in our mind, after all, your spending your hard earned money on a cold air intake aren’t you? Doesn’t it make sense to keep that air as cool as possible? We think so, which is why we ceramic coat our intake tubes in an additional effort to reduce heat soak. Since we started with the cooler ambient air from outside of the vehicle, brought it into an insulated and enclosed airbox, the airs path of travel through the intake tube and into your throttle body is our last chance to keep it cool, and our ceramic coating does just that. The ceramic coating keeps the heat on the outside of the intake tube, as opposed to soaking though and being pulled into the air traveling through the intake tube. Of course, heat soak cannot be completely eliminated, but our testing as well as data logging that many of our customers have done has shown our system to keep the IAT within 2 degrees of ambient air, which we are pretty proud of!

One of our sponsored vehicles belongs to Joshua Perrymon, winner of the NMCA Nitto Tire LSX 5th Generation Drag Racing Series (he is a member on this forum and has some threads floating around regarding the series). The main reason Josh approached CAI Inc. for his intake needs, he needed a way to maintain lower IAT’s during the heat of his race series. He did his own data logging and was very impressed with how our design and heat eliminating methods worked for his vehicle, and contributed to him taking 1st place overall in the series!

Fit and Finish:
All of our intake systems have a powder coat finish which adds excellent looks and added durability. We offer the powder coat finish in both a “Near Chrome” and “Textured Black” color. This powder coat is applied in addition to the ceramic coating on our intake tube, as well as to the airbox and lid. This makes everything match, allows for easy cleaning, and adds durability; after all this product does have a lifetime warranty! The fit of our intakes are second to none, they are custom made for your vehicles engine compartment, and they fit very “snug” and outline the contours of the engine bay very nicely.

The system includes everything you need to install it, requires only simple hand tools, is a 100% bolt-on meaning that you do not have to do any further modifications or changes to install it properly, and installs in less than 30 minutes even for the novice. We provide aircraft quality stainless clamps, custom made couplers and elbows that are very rigid and do not cave under high levels of vacuum, and detailed color instructions to assist you in your installation. You can also locate PDF’s and instructional videos on our website and through our social media sites.

A Proven CAI:
Everyone knows that there is a multitude of CAI’s available out there for your Camaro; we understand that and appreciate the level of competition that it brings to our market. We don’t get into why we are better than “company X” or what we feel “company x” does wrong or why there design may be faulted. All we can do is provide you with is the information about our product, show you why it makes sense to meet the goals that an effective CAI should be trying to accomplish, and let you make an educated purchase based off of that information.

CAI Inc. Dyno tests every application we offer, and we test with the hood closed to mimic real world driving conditions. We feel that by doing our Dyno test with the hood closed, and by advertising wheel HP numbers as opposed to inflated crank #’s, we are providing our customers with the most accurate information available.

Our system has been tested and proven by not only ourselves, but also from Speed Shops and consumers and shows a 16 RWHP gain over stock!


Some other things to consider:
- All Cold Air Inductions Inc. CAI systems come with a LIFETIME WARRANTY.
- Our CAI will not and can not void your vehicles warranty per federal Law (see the Magnuson Moss act)
- Our products are MADE IN THE USA, just an hour north of the Motor City.
- NO TUNE is required for our cai
- NO CEL’S will result from adding our CAI (CEL means Check Engine Light for those of you unfamiliar)
- We are a company that depends on our reputation, therefore our product quality and our customer service is extremely important to us. WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE POSSIBLE.
- We are not a “fly by night” company, we have been producing and shipping CAI’s for consumers since 2004
- We have many authorized dealers throughout North America that stand behind our product, and endorse it as a high quality performance driven CAI.

I hope that this information answers some of the more common questions that many of you have regarding our products, specifically for the V6 Camaro. Should you have any questions, feel free to contact us, we are always more than happy to help!

[Blues45th]

Great product. Love mine
I have a diy thread with instal pics step by step. And again great work guys. I love it

[craigk777]

If the only difference in the MAF connector on the tube, Why won't you sell just the new tube to us guys that have or might move from the 2011 V6 to a 2012+???

[Sales @ CAI Inc]

Originally Posted by craigk777

If the only difference in the MAF connector on the tube, Why won't you sell just the new tube to us guys that have or might move from the 2011 V6 to a 2012+???

Great question. We really do not like selling individual components, and here is why:

Everything we make is in large batches, done using CNC programs that are pre-written for grouping, and we make the same amount of parts to go together to match up complete CAI kits. For example we run pre designed programs and proccesses for 100 boxes, 100 lids, 100 tubes, 100 Installation packets, and 100 of each individual component that makes those larger items. For instance the lid alone needs 100 pieces of edge trim cut, 100 lids cut on the CNC, 100 pieces of glass cut and taped, 300 spring loaded fasteners assembled, etc. etc. Everything is done in an organized and planned approach to meet cetain productions schedules based off of pre-determined sales forecasts.

For us to to just a single tube, requires a different program, a completely seperate source of paperwork that follows it through the manufacturing process, and so on. Obviously as anyone can see, this takes more time, costs more money, and interupts our standard flow of proccess.

Additionally, we changed our coating and the color a few months ago, so if you had a V6 system in silver or black, it will no longer match what we are producing now in "Near Chrome" and in "Textured Black". So essentially you would be paying more per piece for the individual component, waiting longer to get it than a new system, and it will not even match the rest of what you have.

That being said, we can sell you a seperate tube (with you providing proof of your original order) but it typically costs more and has an extended lead time than what some feel it is worth. Therefore what most people do is buy a new kit, and sell their old kit, the difference often comes out in your favor costing you less time and money.

Unfortunately its not quite as simple as walking out to the plant and picking up a tube we have laying around and shipping it out, if that was the case I would gladly do it for you. Our manufacturing proccess and inventory management is far more complex than that, which allows us to produce more CAI's for a reasonable cost, doing 1 piece here and 1 piece there passed us up a long time ago due to the high demand that we are expected to meet in a timely fashion with our dealers and customers.

I hope that better explains our methods and why it is often an easier and less expensice option for you to sell your old kit and upgrade to the new one as opposed to just swapping out your tube.

[craigk777]

Thanks for the explanation.

[William.23]

Thanks was just looking for information on this, now It's a for sure buy (; Thanks.

[RubyCamaro]

Nice write-up & video. I still love my CAI inc!

[Apex Motorsports]

Great post Bill. I'll be sure to share it on our Facebook page. CAI Inc intakes are our go-to systems for both V8 and V6 Camaro applications because the quality, performance gain, style, and customer service is second to none.

[Sales @ CAI Inc]

Originally Posted by William.23

Thanks was just looking for information on this, now It's a for sure buy (; Thanks.

Awesome, I am glad that you found it helpful! Feel free to let me know if you have any questions!

Originally Posted by RubyCamaro

Nice write-up & video. I still love my CAI inc!

Thanks!! You know Ruby is one of our favorites!

[Sales @ CAI Inc]

Originally Posted by Apex Chase

Great post Bill. I'll be sure to share it on our Facebook page. CAI Inc intakes are our go-to systems for both V8 and V6 Camaro applications because the quality, performance gain, style, and customer service is second to none.

Thank you Chase I appreciate that, and our entire team appreciates your business!

[Sales @ CAI Inc]

A few PM's have been sent to me with the same 2 qeuestions so I have added the information into my original post as well as address them here:

Q: When you say your CAI will not throw a CEL, what does CEL mean?
A: CEL stands for "Check Engine Light", you will often hear the phrase "throwing a code" which can have the same meaning. Basically our CAI will not cause your dasboard to light up with any warning lights suggesting that there is a problem. There are some CAI's out there that will cause CEL's to be thrown, our CAI is designed properly so that does not happen.

Q: Will your CAI void my vehicles warranty?
A: No, our CAI can not and will not void your vehicles warranty. It is a federal law known as the Magnuson Moss Act, which protects the consumer from having there vehicles factory warranty voided due to the installation or use of aftermarket parts. The dealer does not have to warranty your aftermarket part or and damage caused by that part (in our case we have never had a single warranty issue and have sold thousands of Camaro systems), but the vehicles warranty remains intact and uneffected.

[Apex Motorsports]

Originally Posted by Sales @ CAI Inc

Thank you Chase I appreciate that, and our entire team appreciates your business!

No problem.

[Sales @ CAI Inc]

Originally Posted by craigk777

Thanks for the explanation.

No problem at all, glad I could help! Have a great Thanksgiving weekend everyone!

[Apex Motorsports]

On the right we have the always beautiful Apex Amanda. On the left we have the always clueless to the fact that his photo is being taken Bill. It is amazing to think that a guy that ugly knows so much about air intakes.