Okay, so at my work (I work at an automotive supplier, but it's nothing fancy, just lighting), I was talking about the upgrades I wanted to do to my car. I showed him a picture of the AEM CAI online, like, "that's the part, etc.". I realized I showed him the wrong picture, though, it was their short ram, as he pointed out -
"That will just suck up air from the engine compartment, not any cold air". He said that real cold air intakes have some sort of box that cool the air before it comes into the engine.

When I showed him the real AEM CAI, I pointed out that it would suck air up from the bottom of the car (thus the problem of hydrolocking) and that the bottom air's temp would be signficantly cooler than the engine's air.

Basically, if I just bought an AEM CAI (and a bypass valve), the only thing I have to do is install it, right? He was talking about getting a box or something to block out the warm air, but the design of the CAI looks like it'll just get the air from the bottom. Is this true? Do I/should I do anything else to the intake to get more performance (since the bypass valve will restrict air flow)?

 

you should just put a filter on the throttle body... its not cold air but the air has to travel less thru the tubing so you gain tons of hp.

 

Could you elaborate please? Throttle body?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RYANR1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you should just put a filter on the throttle body... its not cold air but the air has to travel less thru the tubing so you gain tons of hp.</TD></TR></TABLE>

oh wow. i also put a ht sticker on my car and gained like 15 whp.

anyway, this is the ongoing debate if short rams and cai's really do that much. of course a cai will do more because it is pulling outside ambient air into your car, rather than underhood air in, which is what short rams do.

airboxes are designed to pull outside air in through the box, and seperate it from the underhood air.

so, in answer to your question, yes you can just install the bypass valve. and no, they really dont restrict airflow.

the only short rams that really do anything are the j's racing style intakes that use principles of fluid dynamics to help air flow.

ok, i think i spoke intelligently, correct me if im wrong.

 

The bypass valve is a must if you are getting a cold air intake, it saved my engine twice. And it will not suck any air (uses a rubber diaphram) unless there is an increase in vacuum, such as submerging the air filter in water.

 

well now I'm definitely getting an air intake no matter what. Saturday I was going to shop in the morning, and there was this wicked bad thunderstorm. On a main road (four lanes), suddenly everyone's in the left turn lane and I'm thinking to myself, "all right, suckers", so I speed up in my lane to pass them all as they all go to the left turn lane.

All too late I see this huge freaking puddle that's at least 6 inches deep and I'm the only car in the two lanes (the puddle is like a good 10+ feet across). I hit it going 45MPH and suddenly my car slows down to 15MPH, and I'm freaking out, I slowly drive across it and I make it out fine, but I kept thinking if I had a CAI and no bypass valve I'd've been sunk.

 

short ram or cai it wont make a noticeable difference, it sounds like your car is stock.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 8krdline &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">short ram or cai it wont make a noticeable difference, it sounds like your car is stock.</TD></TR></TABLE>

HP wise, not a huge gain, but no bolt on gives you a huge gain. Sound wise, HUGE difference, definately does not sound stock, I love the sound of my intake. It sounds better than any exhaust ever would IMO.

 

I dont care what any of these guys say.. cold air gives you bang for the buck.. Youll feel it trust me.. short ram.. no.. cold air yes. Worth the money... and if you hear any haters on cold air.. its prob cause they never tried one...

 

Thats what I am confused about. I want to see a dyno, for someone who has a car like mine, 2002 Accord EX 4 banger.

I want to know if spending 200$$ is really worth it for CAI, (Or more for diff. brands) Or just get an underhood intake. Because I would for peace of mind get the bypass or whatever that would keep it from sucking water. From what I found I can get an AEM CAI for 180 - 200+ 50$ for the bypass, drop 100$ or more off for a regular underhood intake.

Would $100 be worth another 2 or 3 hp, HECK NO.

Unless it can be proven with a stock setup, for a car like mine.

I am ready to buy something, I just got my Accord 2 weeks ago, I like CAI's, but to much mulla versus gain over a standard intake.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDMOrangeFever &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I dont care what any of these guys say.. cold air gives you bang for the buck.. Youll feel it trust me.. short ram.. no.. cold air yes. Worth the money... and if you hear any haters on cold air.. its prob cause they never tried one...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I had a itr cai, aem short ram, and now carbon fiber whale dick. All the same to me it's just an intake

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDMOrangeFever &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I dont care what any of these guys say.. cold air gives you bang for the buck.. Youll feel it trust me.. short ram.. no.. cold air yes. Worth the money... and if you hear any haters on cold air.. its prob cause they never tried one...</TD></TR></TABLE>


oh my hell, you must be feelin the effects of your butt dyno. loudness does not equal power.

 

IMHO, I wouldn't purchase another CAI.
Becomes a Pain In The ***..

Risk hydrolocking your motor over a couple extra hp?? Maybe 2-3 at the most.. It's an INTAKE

I'd get a short ram and call it a day

 

Would $100 be worth another 2 or 3 hp, HECK NO.

Maybe you don't realize you drive a Honda and as far a dollar per hp, were not exactly big blocks . So every Lil bit of hp we can get will cost an arm or a leg

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by veggiemaster &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

oh wow. i also put a ht sticker on my car and gained like 15 whp.

anyway, this is the ongoing debate if short rams and cai's really do that much. of course a cai will do more because it is pulling outside ambient air into your car, rather than underhood air in, which is what short rams do.

airboxes are designed to pull outside air in through the box, and seperate it from the underhood air.

so, in answer to your question, yes you can just install the bypass valve. and no, they really dont restrict airflow.

the only short rams that really do anything are the j's racing style intakes that use principles of fluid dynamics to help air flow.

ok, i think i spoke intelligently, correct me if im wrong.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i been looking for a j's racing intake....where can i find one?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vancoland &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i been looking for a j's racing intake....where can i find one?</TD></TR></TABLE>

get the powerchamber for half the price, I did.

Kteller.com and passwordjdm.com should have them

 

About the dyno thing I saw a website once that I cant rememebr the address but it did a test of all these different short ram and cold air intakes, and heres what I can remember; the short ram intakes only gave you like 2-3 hp above stock, the cold air intakes gave you more like 8-10 HP, and the DC Sports cold air intake gave the best increase. AEM's newest CAI I cant rememebr what its called, the V2 or something? got second.

EDIT; http://www.tprmag.com/issue/1/1_intakes.shtml
there ya go.

 

i heard the v2 was crap...and i saw the graphs for the j's, which expressed the best results...i also saw other graphs...which displayed the 3" itr aem cai to beat the j's...its probably gonna go with each individual car...so imma test some out on my own

edit: hey...hows the sound on the power chamber??...have you had any other intake?...does it sound deep?

 

the powerchamber is loud as **** compared to my aem short ram and cold air. It has a nice deep sound

 

Ohio, it would appear from those tables that short rams outperform CAI...