Cold Air Inductions intake - disappointed

[topgun1]

I've always been K&N all the way and I kept hearing so much about the Cold Air Inductions intake and read up on independent testing by JRE and when paired with the ADM race scoop, showed the best hp and tq gains and 0 degrees temp increase over stock and my K&N was much lower in both these and a significant temp increase shown. I saw more and more people with the intake systems and I thought they looked good, but I was thinking that with the box being closed in, i'm not sure how it keeps the heat out and breathes and can generate the power it claims, but I decided to give it a try.

When I first got it, my first observations were that the "heat shield" around the intake is essentially plastic bubble wrap! Also, the aluminum intake tube would get fire hot and normal driving and the filter appears to be just a paper filter that is non-oiled.

So i've had it on the car a few months and finally got around the getting it on the dyno to see what it could really do. My car has the same HP dyno tune it's always had, same dyno, a/f ratio remaining the same...nothing changed except the new CAI with the race scoop. I was making 453 RWHP and 428 RWTQ SAE with my previous K&N typhoon with the black plastic intake tube. Air temps during this run were about 10 degrees warmer than today.

First baseline run today was a decrease of around 30 hp and 15 tq. We had the same set up all the previous times. We tried tweaking the a/f ratio, running with and without the exhaust cut-outs open, removed the engine cover, took off the top of the air box plexiglas cover and threw on a bag of ice on the intake tube. With all these changes over numerous runs, were able to only get it back up to around 447 RWHP and 418 RWTQ SAE, still a loss of 6 hp and 10 tq.

I paid around $440 for the Cold Air Inductions sytem and consider it money not well spent. I will be reinstalling my K&N Typhoon air intake system (which was only $275 by the way). It may not look as cool under the hood as the CAI, but it works and newer is not always better. K&N knows how to make an air filter and with the black plastic intake tube, it retains much less heat and dissipates heat much quicker than the aluminum tube. Metal is going to retain that engine heat much longer and the filter left alot to be desired. I learned my lesson.

To each their own, but I didn't see any benefit to this intake system. Does anyone with this intake setup show power increases?

[TornadoSS]

Hmm....Not sure why you would have a paper filter with that kit. The CAI kit comes with a special lifetime oiled media filter. That may be most of your issue right there. Look on CAI web site for the correct #, CF-8400, and a recharge kit for cleaning and reoiling.

[Higgs Boson]

there is only one test that compares them and you already read it..... I agree with you completely regarding that intake. everyone loves them and thinks they look cool but only have had a stock intake to compare it to..... otherwise, believe everything you read, lol. it must be good.....

[topgun1]

Tornado, good point, I need to check it out to make sure it is the oiled filter, it just doesn't appear to be out of the box. You're right, i just looked the system up again on the web and it should be the pre-oiled media filter. I suppose i'm comparing it to the K&N which has a darker filter color and definitely has an oil applied. Can't feel any oil with this CAI filter.

yeah Higgs, nothing to compare them to except stock. I'll stick with what I know - K&N

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by topgun1

Tornado, good point, I need to check it out to make sure it is the oiled filter, it just doesn't appear to be out of the box. You're right, i just looked the system up again on the web and it should be the pre-oiled media filter. I suppose i'm comparing it to the K&N which has a darker filter color and definitely has an oil applied. Can't feel any oil with this CAI filter.

yeah Higgs, nothing to compare them to except stock. I'll stick with what I know - K&N

I've ran the Vararam, CAI, and Halltech. CAI was my least favorite out of those three, but quality materials, build, and looks were the strong points. That foil covered bubble wrap (Reflectix) works very well insulating the box so don't discount it. K&N is notorious for over oiling their filters. The CAI filter likely has the optimal amount.

That independant testing...

[jameslk55]

Originally Posted by IndeedSS1

Owners are notorious for over oiling their K&N filters.

Fixed.

I am surprised that a lot of so-called cold air intakes are basically short ram intakes with some kind of heat shield or box covering the filter.

[topgun1]

i think i oiled any of the K&N filters no more than 1 time since I purchased any of them for my cars. K&N's is pretty much a short ram.
I may plan on adding a meth injection system to the K&N or may just leave as is once I have it back on. I eventually want to go turbo so no huge benefit with the meth until I go forced induction.

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by jameslk350

Fixed.

I am surprised that a lot of so-called cold air intakes are basically short ram intakes with some kind of heat shield or box covering the filter.

While owers may over oil what I said was correct. I can't tell how many new K&N filters I've opened and either oil was pooled on the plastic or soaked into the box.

As long as the box isolates the filter from the direct engine heat and the air is coming from outside then a short ram can be a cold air intake.

[topgun1]

Originally Posted by IndeedSS1

While owers may over oil what I said was correct. I can't tell how many new K&N filters I've opened and either oil was pooled on the plastic or soaked into the box.

As long as the box isolates the filter from the direct engine heat and the air is coming from outside then a short ram can be a cold air intake.

Now that you mention it, I remember opening the air intake boxes and having oil all over the place when it was shipped on at least one occasion.

[ssmike]

CAI was my least favorite for performance out of 4 I've tried, but my favorite for looks and build quality! Nothing has compared to the Vararam I have now for performance!

[jesserayjames]

what's wrong with just changing the stock air filter wit a K&N................................... JRJ

[edgehead2000]

Hmm... I like my CAI setup. Installed it this morning along with the and race scoop and Rotofab W/W relocation.

I've had the RX catchcan and breather on for 3 weeks now and the engine seems to breath much and idle easier with just those.

Overall, I'm satisfied and do notice a difference in my torque throughout the band. I don't even need to tap the gas to start rolling forward in 96° weather, mile high at that.

[topgun1]

how did this thread get moved to "off-topic discussions" when we were discussing a cold air intake in the bolt-ons/intake/exhaust forum? moderators, please explain the reasoning.

[RubyCamaro]

Don't feed the trolls. The CAI Inc is a great system, quality, performance.... Anyway, I love mine.