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Old 02-26-2013, 09:40 AM   #1
ShaunSS
 
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CAI Question

Hello all! In August I bought a 2010 black on black 2SS with 31,000 miles. With all the usual options, and of course sexier than Kate Upton naked at a nude beach in the middle of July. For those of you interested i'll post a picture too. My uncle is on this site and he suggested I sign up. I have been lurking ever since.

I am now considering some minor performance upgrades. One of the first things people usually say to get is CAI. I have been researching that and from what I've found Vararam has a pretty good reputation and turns out to have as much of a power gain as any other CAI, if not more. I am considering getting this and wondered if any of you folks have much experience with that and what you think of it. The other option is to get a different CAI (k&n, airraid, bkk etc) with the triangular cone that sits in the front of the engine bay, which as i understand offers almost as much power gain as Vararam. However, combined with that, I would get a ram air hood with heat extractors. The air itself would be fed through a slot that pushes the air directly into where the exposed air filter would sit.

So my conondrum is would the power gain from CAI + the ram air hood be worth the extra cost vs just installing Vararam and calling it done from there.

Thanks and I really appreciate any and all input for this matter!

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Old 02-26-2013, 09:44 AM   #2
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I wouldnt bother with changing the hood.
just go with a CAI Inc with a scoop or a Vanaram and be done with it.
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Old 02-26-2013, 10:00 AM   #3
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Something along these lines

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Old 02-26-2013, 10:01 AM   #4
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Agreed. CAI Inc. and a scoop would give you great numbers. Of course if you do want to get another hood the CAI Inc. is an enclosed intake and would render the hood useless besides the heat extractors. Either or is a good decision, not to mention aftermarket hoods look much nicer then the stock one.
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Old 02-26-2013, 10:02 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShaunSS View Post
Something along these lines

Style is in the eye of the beholder..
I wouldn't put that on my car.
but If you like it go for it!
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Old 02-26-2013, 10:03 AM   #6
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CAI + SCOOP
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Old 02-26-2013, 10:22 AM   #7
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I wouldnt bother with changing the hood.
just go with a CAI Inc with a scoop or a Vanaram and be done with it.
Is it the cost or the looks? Personally I like the looks, and though the cost is on a low end twice as much as CAI, If there is a noticeable difference between just the Vararam vs the hood + CAI, I would go for the hood + CAI. The extra air and heat extractors have to have some functionality.
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Old 02-26-2013, 10:23 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by jasonpope2003 View Post
Style is in the eye of the beholder..
I wouldn't put that on my car.
but If you like it go for it!
I probably wouldnt put that one on my car either. That was just one example of thousands that i found on the internet.
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Old 02-26-2013, 10:25 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by ShaunSS View Post
Is it the cost or the looks? Personally I like the looks, and though the cost is on a low end twice as much as CAI, If there is a noticeable difference between just the Vararam vs the hood + CAI, I would go for the hood + CAI. The extra air and heat extractors have to have some functionality.
The hood will not help with these closed systems.
It may remove some heat but that would be it.
And other than that yes looks.
Not my style especially since it would not be functional except for heat.

No need for it.



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Old 02-26-2013, 10:33 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by GB EB View Post
CAI + SCOOP
I've actually seen this. What is the scoop? I see it online but cant seem to quite figure out what this scoop is. Does it force cold air from the outside into the enclosed CAI under the hood?

The reason i was thinking ram air is having cold air from the front of the car, not having entered the engine and having a chance to heat up, but rather being fed directly to the air filter. I'm just a novice with this stuff so I am not really sure which method is more efficient just basing off physics.
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Old 02-26-2013, 10:36 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by jasonpope2003 View Post
The hood will not help with these closed systems.
It may remove some heat but that would be it.
And other than that yes looks.
Not my style especially since it would not be functional except for heat.

No need for it.



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Well If i were to get a CAI with a hood, I would have an open one, where the filter is out in the open with the air from the hood being fed through slots directly to where the filter sits. Is that still a closed system? My understanding is that it would be absolutely functional if the air from the hood is being rushed into the air filter, right?

My idea is for the air filter to be open like this



And there's a hole in the hood right above where the filter is, and that hole leads all the way up to the open slot on the outside of the hood. Am i missing something here?
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Old 02-26-2013, 10:40 AM   #12
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You specified vanaram or cai Inc. Both are closed.
And both are rated higher than some of the other open systems

Roto fab is nice too but not my first or second choice.



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Old 02-26-2013, 10:42 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jasonpope2003 View Post
You specified vanaram or cai Inc. Both are closed.
And both are rated higher than some of the other open systems

Roto fab is nice too but not my first or second choice.



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I tried to be specific in that I am trying to compare Vararam alone vs CAI + a ram air hood (by CAI i mean Cold Air Intake, not CAI INC, the company). There are many very reputable companies like k&n, bkk etc who make open systems that would work well with ram air hood.
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Old 02-26-2013, 10:48 AM   #14
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When you add a scoop to the CAI brand intake, the scoop mounts below the CAI box and feeds air from the lower grille to the bottom of the CAI box. You will need to relocate the windshield washer reservoir. I have done this mod to my car and am very pleased with the performance results.
I followed a DIY thread here on Camaro5 that demonstrated step by step how to complete this modification. I deviated from the instructions by leaving all four wheels on the ground. I was able to remove the inner fender simply by turning the front wheels.
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