Roto Fab or C.A.I. Intake?

[L99CAMA2011]

Originally Posted by Bill @ CAI Inc

Ne need to PM on this one. This is good information that everyone could benefit from. To address cost of our CAI vs others (not just the brand you mentioned) I can answer that without even talking about superior design and performance and answer it simply from a manufacturing stand-point.

-Our boxes and intake tubes are aluminum and are each TIG welded by hand individually $$$
-They include a lid that includes a clear view window and spring loaded quarter turn fasteners $$$
-The filters are our own design which require their own tooling and manufacturing as opposed to a standard cone filter that anyone can just purchase $$$
-The intake tubes are ceramic coated inside and out which is a entirely different manufacturing proccess $$$

Basically we have more materials and labor hours (as well as more expensive materials) that goes into the manufacturing of these systems when compared to many on the market. The way we manufacture is based of our design, which is engineered specifically for optimal performance. I hope this answers your question.



Well first off thanks for purchasing our system. In reference to your post (which you are completely entitled to) I would have to respectfully disagree with a lot of what you are saying, and I would back up those disputes with many hours of thermal imaging, hundreds of dyno pulls, testing of intake air temps, flow bench testing, flow simulations on the intake tube, and some basic engineering principles. Let me address just a few things that you made mention to:

1. The whole "heat soak" issue and the metal being hot to the touch, and using metal as opposed to plastic that you mentioned...the intake tube is supposed to be hot to the touch because the ceramic coating that is applied to the inside and outside of the tube is stopping the heat from soaking through to the intake air! We don't care if the outside of the tube is hot, we care about the air traveling through the tube. Why do you suppose all of our intake air temps are low when the system is ever tested, it's because the heat is not soaking through the ceramic coating. All of the thermal imaging and intake air testing proves this theory.

2. Taking the lig of the system . The whole point of the design on our system is to block the hot air from the engine bay and pull from the cooler air outside. If you want to increase air flow, relocate the washer bottle, don't take off the lid. You can forget all the ceramic coating now because you are allowing the system to suck in hot air from the engine bay right from the start. The only time your car could ever benefit from taking the lid off is if the hood was open, which is irrevelant because you don't drive with the hood open.

3. The filters...I could write abook on this one but I am going to keep it short, well I would love to see the testing behind that filter vs ours for your Camaro. We designed that filter for the Camaro specifically, I can guruantee that our filter flows better than the one you put on there. We have hours of flow testing that will prove a oiled filter will flow better than a non-oiled filter. Not to mention we designed a smooth bore tube stop and velocity stack that greatly increases flow, and I can promise you that your filter does not have those features because it is our own design!

4. Coating it yourself with 3 additional coats of "ceramic paint" We use an industrial ceramic coating rated up to 2000 degrees that is baked on in an oven at 400+ degrees. Your black system was already ceramic coated inside and out and then received an additional powder coat over that! Once its ceramic coated properly inside and out the job is done. I doubt that a spray can of "ceramic paint" from the local autozone had the same results as our ceramic coating proccess.

Like I said, you are entitled to your opinion and I refuse to get in a back in forth on this one, but when someone reads your posts and has questions regarding why we do what we do I want them to realize we have a lot of engineering and testing that goes into and backs up our intakes other than just what people feel. Again, no hard feelings, but its my job to educate on our products and this one was needed.

Ok then explain 2 things, why is my setup offering me better performance and why is it that the interior of your intake tube was just as hot inside as outside when I took it off within 1 minute after driving my car. And don't get me wrong your intake offers better performance than stock and I personally think the black CAI is the best looking of them all in real life, ( internet pics doesn't do your intake justice). Also I give you lots of credit for making your tube with a very slight curve meaning the air flows easier intake the TB. I just don't like metal intake tubes no matter what's done to it. And as to the lid being on vs. off. remember 1 scientific fact, heat rises, if you allow the cool air to enter from the bottom and allow an free passage for the air to flow upwards then the cool air flowing in, upwards especially with an ADM scoop will better keep the heat away from the filter. When I was younger I had bad cases of asthma and being in a room with 1 window open did absolutely nothing until the other window on the other side of the room was opened allowing the cool air to channel through the room. And as far as the filter is concerned AFE stands for Advance Flow Engineering, and their products sell like hotcakes in the BMW world, and while their kits for American cars aren't too popular, their filters will put many other filters to shame when it comes to flow. I don't work for them at all I am just a former customer who literally saw 22 hp increase with their intake on my old 2001 330i sedan. The down side is that AFE don't make their intakes for the American car market as well as they do for the European car market. That's why that Mustang AFE intake was so hard to sell, look how narrow and restrictive their intake elbows are, however for my BMW their intake would make many intakes look like crap sorry to say, except your black intake which I love to see in my engine bay.

[Ocikat]

I had a CAI installed at Camaro fest definately made a difference. Sounds like everybody is happy regardless of brand, I chose the CAI for looks and I like the cover rather than have it seal on the hood and also dont get the filter wet if I wash my engine bay

[ZED SLED]

I'm totally shocked that the Roto-Fab guys all say Roto-Fab and the CAI guys all say CAI. While they're both awesome performance wise, you just can't do this with a Roto-Fab

[Sales @ CAI Inc]

Originally Posted by L99CAMA2011

Ok then explain 2 things, why is my setup offering me better performance and why is it that the interior of your intake tube was just as hot inside as outside when I took it off within 1 minute after driving my car. And as to the lid being on vs. off. remember 1 scientific fact, heat rises, if you allow the cool air to enter from the bottom and allow an free passage for the air to flow upwards then the cool air flowing in, upwards especially with an ADM scoop will better keep the heat away from the filter.

In terms of better performance, run your modified set-up against our original design on a dyno with your hood closed and I can guruantee you our design will come out better every time hands down.

In regards to the "scientific fact" of heat rising, lets remeber that this is not organic air flow, your engine is a pump and the filter is acting as a vaccum. It is going to pull the air that is their wthout having time to seperate hot air from cold air.

I am done now.

[fmster]

Originally Posted by Bill @ CAI Inc

In terms of better performance, run your modified set-up against our original design on a dyno with your hood closed and I can guruantee you our design will come out better every time hands down.

In regards to the "scientific fact" of heat rising, lets remeber that this is not organic air flow, your engine is a pump and the filter is acting as a vaccum. It is going to pull the air that is their wthout having time to seperate hot air from cold air.

I am done now.

Agree with Bill, from my understanding of heat transfer/thermodynamics (all theoretical since I have no field experience) your facts about flow are all valid if you had a laminar convection flow cooling your engine, I don't know much about thermal mapping for automotive engine but I can guarantee that you will see the hot air around your exposed filter. And like Bill mentioned that intake's job it to suck in air and nothing is preventing it from sucking hot air if you have it exposed.

[Big J]

You cant go wrong with roto fab. Love mine.

[L99CAMA2011]

Originally Posted by Bill @ CAI Inc

In terms of better performance, run your modified set-up against our original design on a dyno with your hood closed and I can guruantee you our design will come out better every time hands down.

In regards to the "scientific fact" of heat rising, lets remeber that this is not organic air flow, your engine is a pump and the filter is acting as a vaccum. It is going to pull the air that is their wthout having time to seperate hot air from cold air.

I am done now.

I actually set up an appointment to have my car dyno this weekend your filter will be run first with cold run and the other filter after. $75. 3 pulls.

[RubyCamaro]

I, like most everyone else on here, looked at both systems (as well as others) before deciding, read several threads like this one, listened to pitches from both thses & other companies. Both are good systems. I chose CAI for quality, appearance & performance. I love my CAI inc. You really can't go wrong. Get the one you like best.

[SixFive]

Originally Posted by RubyCamaro

I, like most everyone else on here, looked at both systems (as well as others) before deciding, read several threads like this one, listened to pitches from both thses & other companies. Both are good systems. I chose CAI for quality, appearance & performance. I love my CAI inc. You really can't go wrong. Get the one you like best.

I agree fully. I went with cai based on looks alone. Both systems rock.

[Jcobra]

I need a pic of the yellow roto fab.

[joes407]

had that same question. i got the rotofab and the wife got cai. hers sounds way betterdue to the metal tube. not sure about the gains as my rotofab has a way bigger filter.

[Jose]

CAI CAI CAI CAI CAI Love mine!!!!!

[L99CAMA2011]

Originally Posted by joes407

had that same question. i got the rotofab and the wife got cai. hers sounds way betterdue to the metal tube. not sure about the gains as my rotofab has a way bigger filter.

I just love 2 see hubby and wifey teaming up and getting the same type of car. What tune do you each have.

[joes407]

Originally Posted by L99CAMA2011

I just love 2 see hubby and wifey teaming up and getting the same type of car. What tune do you each have.

we are both stock. just have cai and muffler delete. im not sure what im gonna do as far as a tune yet but my warranty just expired by mileage. wife still has 14 k left on her warranty