So I heard everyone getting all excited about the noise change they experienced when installing their CAI. Well my engine's much quieter now than it was with the short-ram K&N Typhoon system I swapped out. Does this make sense? I also installed the ITR version rather than the LS version of the CAI, if that makes a difference. And I really don't feel any torque loss at this point, maybe its those few extra ponies keeping me from feeling it, but I did a little hill climb action last night and had no problem putting it in 3rd and getting good power at about 3-4k rpm.
Overall I'd say , and that putting a bent 3" pipe down into that little space was not the most fun thing I've ever done.

 

Usually the noise change everyone experiences is when going from stock to AEM. Did that K&N system use the stock intake pipe or its own pipe? If it used its own pipe, something tells me it was not a metal pipe. That would make it not as loud as a short ram intake w/ metal pipe. Now the AEM CAI is much longer than a short ram, so I'm not sure if that makes any difference or not. Maybe I just don't know what I'm talking about.

 

It's not as loud because now your intake sits low as opposed to before.

 

the K&N used it's own metal pipe, pretty similar to a CAI if you chopped it before the dip down to the fender well. so yeah that was much louder. gotta say after the screaming from that thing I kind of enjoy a bit more quiet. I could even hear my cd changer change discs when I was at a stop light last night, a first!

do you think I'll have any issues with the larger diameter pipe on an LS engine. I will be upgrading cams and all that soon so I'm hoping it will pay off then and sometime when I have like 500 to toss about I may get me a new TB so the joint there is a little better.

 

Well from personal experience the short ram intakes from AEM sound alot more aggresive. If thats what you want then stay with the short ram. I personally like the AEM cold air alot more because it adds a little more power. You also get this little whistle noise when excelerating. Me thinks its the bends in the CAI that causes this.

But to answer you question you do get more noise out of a short ram intake. Once you get an exhaust like Greddy or some other known brand you wont even notice the intake.

 

Short ram is louder because the filter is closer to the motor and absorbs a lot more of its noise as opposed to having it down by the front bumper.