Many of you have it, and it is advertised everywhere. It looks extremely simple and it supposedly gives about 3-5% power boost from best I can figure. If this is true, then the engine must be performing closer to its optimum level. Then why don't the cars just come with it and we can get rid of all that plastic boxwork under the hood? Does fuel economy go down under the same driving habits? I think a small person can curl up in the space that the air cleaner and other crap take up.

 

OEM manufacturers are about a lot more than just economy and performance. Think about noise, manufacturing costs, reliability, etc.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bad Brian &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... I think a small person can curl up in the space that the air cleaner and other crap take up.</TD></TR></TABLE>

haha...

^^^ He called it. Just think of how many elderly (and/or wussy-***) drivers would be butthurt the first time they crossover into VTEC upon merging into the Interstate.

 

CAI and SRIs expose the filter element to more debris and rain than a conventional setup does, for one, along with a higher chance of being damaged. Cone filters are probably more expensive to manufacture than the flat style. I'm unsure, but I haven't seen disposable cone filters. I also think SRI and CAIs look kinda cheap, something no manufacturer wants. The more plastic trim and junk to intimidate people, the more likely they are to come back to get things fixed instead of doing it themselves?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ddd4114 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">OEM manufacturers are about a lot more than just economy and performance. Think about noise, manufacturing costs, reliability, etc.</TD></TR></TABLE>
:thumup:

I don't like cold air or short ram intakes. Been there. Realized they were a waste of money.

Anyway, they usually look really cheap.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thumper64 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">CAI and SRIs expose the filter element to more debris and rain than a conventional setup does, for one, along with a higher chance of being damaged. Cone filters are probably more expensive to manufacture than the flat style. I'm unsure, but I haven't seen disposable cone filters. I also think SRI and CAIs look kinda cheap, something no manufacturer wants. The more plastic trim and junk to intimidate people, the more likely they are to come back to get things fixed instead of doing it themselves?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Some cars come with cone like filters stock.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thumper64 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm unsure, but I haven't seen disposable cone filters.</TD></TR></TABLE>

ebay, dude
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...26483

that apc one is cheaper than an oem filter. probably doesn't filter as well or last as long though.

 

I guess they make it big so it seems like it sucks alotta air in...intimidation i guess.

 

that one on ebay probably could be adapted to your/my existing pipe using something from the muffler section of a parts store or the plumbing section of Home Depot/Lowes as a short connector or a step down or step up between the filter and the existing intake pipe. PVC would would do, heat is no issue. lol

does anybody know if this hurts mileage or emission testing?

 

Part of the reason for factory air boxes is for a few reasons. Care with OEM ducted air box run more consistently... that is a big deal for a consumer. I am sure many of you feel the effects of CAI between a warm day and a cool day...cooler day feeling like it has more power. So the car is more consistent with power delivery and MPG

Another reason is noise... OEM boxes have all sorts of little curves and spaces that look pretty useless. But they direct and manage all the mechanical noises that emit from the inside the motor. That is why alot of those short rams make so much noise

 

Mine do look very useless, they've been on the ground in the driveway all summer. I had to take them off to get at broken distributer screw. I have had my own special filter on the pipe since, the home is full of materials that air can go thru but solids can't. The sucking sound is just a sucking sound, I tolerate it.

Actually I like engine sounds. I am old school. My 63 Impala had no air cleaner or housing. That is why fire was coming out of the carb after it backfired. By the time the fire truck arrived my buddy had already put the fire out. He threw sand on it. No, it never ran right again but we did not blow up either. Not a joke. I never realized how good my 65 Impala sounded with the Thrush Muffler until I loaned it to a friend to go see a girl. While I was riding to McD's with somebody else my buddy came towards us going a nice easy 25-35 mph. Sounded like a tiger purring. You would have thought that my 283 was a 396, until you realized the purring was coming from under the trunk.

Anyway I did look inside the intake boxes. Felt around inside. A lot of space. I guess that is where the Feds should look for drugs in Hondas coming in from Mexico. Plenty of room for contraband in those boxes!

So, what do you guys think? CAI or OEM? Performance, mileage, emissions?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xci_ed6 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ebay, dude
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...26483

that apc one is cheaper than an oem filter. probably doesn't filter as well or last as long though.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sorry but im not putting a 3 dollar ebay filter on my car.

 

^

 

honestly with the way the scene seems to be going with more and more of us putting WS2s on our cars to make them quieter, i would think more people would convert back to the factory air box. to be honest i have a ws2 and a short ram on my car and i can't even hear the exhaust note over my motor. you hear every click of the injectors...every tap of the lifters, it can get pretty annoying and sometimes embarrassing IMHO. plus the HP gains are nominal if not nonexistent. hell some people may even be hurting their performance with a CAI/SRI.

 

Air box reserves air for the lower-end.

In fact, I switched back to the OEM air box. Feel better torque. :D