nvynuke18

i did a search and found some answers, but nothing with the 06+ (i have an '07 Si). so, i was wondering if i could get your input between a cold air intake and a short ram intake. is there a significant power difference? i actually read on one of the other posts that the SRI actaully reduced stock power. think that was an older civic though. another concern is hydrolock. i do live in hawaii, so i see quite a bit of rain. i know AEM makes the bypass valve, just not sure how effective it actually is. thanks for any input.

invsta

The stock intake system is technically a CAI. It is just more complex. I've read about many adverse side effects with CAIs, one of which has to do with moisture. The filter must be kept in a safe dry space, and near the wheel-well is NOT the right place for it.

If you're going to do this, get an SRI, but re-route the stock air channel (from the driver side bumper) to shoot cold air to your new SRI. You can even build a custom heat shield...like K&N does. I have a Fujita SRI with the stock air channel pointed at it. K&N is probably the most professional way to go, if you care about proper temperatures.

.....................

If you are still interested in a CAI, just take the stock air filter out of the filter box, and replaces it with a more aggressive filter (that increases airflow).

nvynuke18

thats definately another option. i think i remember hearing k&n makes a good high flow filter for our box right?

FijiBlueFG2

Why would the stock system technically be a CAI? It much more resembling of a SRI setup.

DA9_DAD

iTrader: (4)

The cold air intake if you used by itself will only result in a net gain of 2-5 hp, and usually K&N or AEM will advertise and chart this in various auto magazines, i.e. Honda Tuning. You also have to realize that most fuel injected cars are governed by the ECU to take so much air into the IM. If the ECU reads to much air going into the IM, then it will compensate the mixture and try to lean it out or ultimately allow only for what is programmed, This is where changing out an ECU comes in (i.e. Hondata) so that you can change the maping and all that stuff. The stock air system is built differently, it has plastic tubes that run into the wheel well and under the bumper (CIVICS and INTEGRA for the most part are like this), so that you don't have to worry about gulping large amounts of water in case you drive through a huge puddle of water, unless your driving through a flash flooded river. The AEM CAI along with adding the air bypass valve, which is merely a foam medium that allows air to continue flowing through the upper part of the intake so that the water which is most likely inside the lower part of the intake chamber doesn't get sucked in..This set up does infact work, its just more of an added cost.
To obviously tap into the engine's hidden horsepower, it is recommended to apply an aftermarket Header and Cat Back Exhaust...and so on and so on. It really boils down to, how much money you want to spend or how much you have. G.L.

RICO_

No significant power difference between the two.....and depending on the amount of water you suck up the bypass valve may or may not be effective. Nothing is 100% effective.

The main difference between the two intakes is where you gain or lose power. With a SRI the intake piping is much shorter so you have a little better throttle response....but you lose a little power down low . With a CAI the air has to travel through much longer piping so throttle response is worse than that of a SRI. But you gain a little more torque down low as opposed to the SRI.

Another key point to understand is that even though SRIs sit inside the engine bay.....heat soak and power loss isn't an issue because when the car is in motion the engine bay is constantly bringing in cooler fresh air. And since quality SRIs use an open filter element instead of a drop in and closed box (like stock systems)....it allows for more air to be sucked into the intake system. That's why you still gain power even with a SRI.

RICO_

Because there is no open filter element to suck in air in the engine bay with the stock system.....so the air has to be entering from somwhere else.

COCA GROUND ASSAULT NY

I still got the stock intake, but i think its time to change the filter (pretty dirty).. I dont really wanna change the whole intake yet,but i need a filter ,, will a k&n filter do me any justice opposed to a stock filter, is there a subniifficant amount of difference??(power wise)?

FijiBlueFG2

Not a ridiculous amount, but it is definitely worth it.

However, the Evo X sees gains of about 30hp+ with a K&N drop-in. They must be doing something right.

FijiBlueFG2

My mistake, I was thinking of the EM2.

COCA GROUND ASSAULT NY

an em2 filter alone right ?? Nothing else??

COCA GROUND ASSAULT NY

Woops didnt mean to post that.....

COCA GROUND ASSAULT NY

Meant the k&n filter

hondatech2000

do you have numbers to back this up? I used my dash hawk and when the car is idle the intake temp gets up there when car is moving temp is about 15 degrees higher than outside temp. If you drag race with a short ram by the time the temp gets down youre already done with the run. id like to see numbers with a short ram intake with idle temp and driving temps.

FijiBlueFG2

Yes. I believe it was about 33whp after installation of nothing more than the K&N Filter.

COCA GROUND ASSAULT NY

im gonna get that .. thanx bro

RICO_

No testing that I've done myself....but a co-worker of mine did do a similar test on an old Honda he used to own.

How fast were you moving when you read that temperature and what was your idle temperature?

A drag race is one scenario because the car is sitting at idle for a while before launching....so heat soak is an issue. And the race itself is only 10-15 seconds or so (depending on the car obviously). So for that case a CAI would probably be a tad more beneficial...but after 6 seconds our Sis are already at 60mph and that air temperature inside the engine bay is rapidly decreasing..so it could still be considered a "driver's race"....

But if you're already cruising at 50mph on the highway or some side street (like most races happen) and are ready to race someone with a CAI vs. a SRI.....then the temperature difference between the two intake air temps is very minimal and nowhere near enough to be a deciding factor.

FijiBlueFG2

Don't count on getting nearly that much power out of your K20.

COCA GROUND ASSAULT NY

Im not just dont wanna put a whole intake system in yet... But i know my air filter is filthy , just dont wanna put a honda one , would rather put a k&n,, i changed to k&n filters for my bike and my girls bike and they actually ride alil better...

ejvcatalan

I've used K&N drop in air filter.
It was great. I actually got additional 3 MPG ever since I used this filter.
I recently installed CAI.
It sounds aggressive.
It is easier to activiate the VTEC because you accelerate faster.
I wanted the SRI before but thought I can use the CAI and if ever I get tired of it, I can just cut it to make it and SRI. I can always convert it back to CAI by using couplers.
I live in Bakersfield where we get very minimal rain so there is very little worry about hydrolock.
I wash my car myslef. If you bring it to a carwash, the air filter will get soaked because car washes nowadays have underbody water spray.

RICO_

I believe that's not accurate. If a full $500 + intake system w/ upper intercooler piping is on average only rated for about 28hp or so on the new Evos....how would a drop-in filter produce more power?

Outrun

For the majority of driving you won't see the difference except maybe in your wallet. The gains (if they are noticeable) will be in a high power environment (ie, track), but they are so small that they can be statistically insignificant if the driver is inconsistent.

Drop-ins generally don't make power. They basically have the restriction of a brand new paper but retain that flow rate consistently instead of the flow rate gradually decreasing as in the case of a paper filter.

07FG2

Also depends on time of day, I live in washington, and at night here, its still pretty cold so heat soak isn't a problem, we get a lot of rain here, so that could be a problem.

invsta

Uhm...Ok, I have a 2008 SI. An air scoop sucks air from the driver side bumper...into a tube, which is sent up to my filter box. From the filter box, it is sent into ANOTHER channel into my throttle body. Then of course...into the intake manifold.

DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A SHORT RAM INTAKE TO YOU? Nooooo.

A CAI will suck air from the exact same place your stock system does. An SRI will suck air from inside your Motor Bay.

invsta

Yes, K&N has a nice box filter that will increase the air flow and still filter properly.