What is best? Stock intake? Short ram? Full cold air intake? AEM is probably best, but way too expensive for what it will actually do.

I could have a good deal on a ractive full cold air intake. It the fact that it takes air from down there actually worth it? Or would a stock intake be just as good?

Please advice...

 

cold air is worth the money over stock, the money you spend for the quality aem is worth it in the long run im my opinion. with headers/exhaust you will notice big difference in power. if you're thinking of going cheap, you should look into the home-made cold air intakes, they seem like they would work better than ractive or matrix-style brands, and theyre cost a fraction.

 

I have an ebay generic short ram and it works great! Really liking it. Personally I see no reason to go with AEM or any name brand other than the fact that that **** is all carb numbered. Heres a pic (yes I have DPFI on my ZC, lol)

 

Generic is fine...mine's run great...and even if the filter isn't great quality you can always step up to a K&N it's the hose part that you need...personally they all work the same...

 

although the CAIs tend to bog more

 

how do you know?
have you tried home-made AND ractive?

 

i built my cai for $13. flows better than an aem. aem tends to have piping that is too large in diameter and slows down velocity.

cais create more top end but have poorer throttle responce than short rams
short rams create better throttle responce and low to mid range power.



less bends
tubing doesnt get hot
pvc doesnt melt unless exposed to open flame especially when coated w/ a high temp paint which is heat resistant.


choosing the right inside diameter of piping is easy. slightly larger than tbody works great. smaller you kill flow. larger you kill flow. you can only move as much air as the tbody can squeeze in (in general, there are exceptions).

it is possible for the air to comrpess itself slightly with a larger diameter piping. however your motor much create a **** ton of vacume for this to happen.


[Modified by TorteX, 4:48 PM 10/29/2002]

 

Very nice Tortex. Are there any problems with the tube cracking? Does the PVC instead of the traditional piping feel like it helps?

 

ebay generic cai 40 shipped.

 

I have a ractive short ram, and I think it has served me well. the biggest difference between a brand name and a generic is the filter element.
How much filtering power it has and flow characteristics.

 

Make your CAI out of 2.5 inch exhaust piping ( a U bend is required). When all is said and done I spent 155 (cdn), including paint and grommets. And it should flow just as well as an AEM, and I used a straight piece of pipe that JUST fit with the stock battery location. No bends

 

Get a ractive, or any other clone, put on a K&N(filter is more inportant than pipe, as long as pipe is mandel.) then make, or get a air box to cover the filter. Then you can even get on or more other pipes/hoses and set up a "ram air" duct in you bumper someplace and feed the air box with this, its cheaper, and will do just as good as a AEM, and you dont have to worry about water.

 

i got a matrix
hahahahahahahaha
cheap
it works ok, but i really like that pvc look......that **** looks tight

 

tortex that is ABS and not PVC. problem with PVC is that it has a low melting temp. it will sag at 150-200 degrees.

u used ABS which is good because it retains its strength at higher tempatures.

problem with plastic is when it gets hot it holds the tempature. an aluminum intake would be optimum for heat transfer.

 

Im runing a ractive CAI with AEM bypass valve and K&N filter. AEM isnt going to be much better if at all. Its a pipe and the ractive is a copy. Anyways you can pay for the name if you want but im convinced that my ractive with the K&N filter is just as good as any AEM.

 

does a short ram really improve low-mid power?

 

im gonna make one till i can afford one or jus buy a cheap-o short ram

 

Haha, dude with the PVC intake!! You know PVC releases harmfull gasses when its heated right?

 

I've using the stock box on my '90 STD. (same box is on STD up to Si)

I managed to come across a EF8/9 SiR intake tube, which is atleast 1.5 times the size of the stock USDM Si hose. I've got a drop-in K&N filter, and I ran some 3" alluminum drier hose down where a CAI would be.

I used my Dremel to make the intake side of the airbox match the 3" hose, and that's it. Cost me like $4 for the hose from Home Depot, $20 for the JDM intake hose, and like $35 I think for the K&N from AutoZone.

It gave a definite noticeable difference, especially on top end. Other than this mod, all I have is a Thermal cat-back and LSD. And you see my times in my sig..

 

the longer, CAI will produce more torque....short ram, bit more hp...

 

i want to get that j's racing super dope big balloon looking thing... any one know what im talking about... they dont make one specifically for our cars but im going to see if maybe the type-r one will fit

 

Sorry to hijack your thread but your debate isn't really a debate:

Real debate is <U> whether to have your valve cover vented to your air intake pipe or to have one of those mini-filters.</U> I personally have it vented to my air intake but that's just because I don't know any better.

 

exactly

plastic = retains heat

bare metal = same as plastic

exhaust piping = bends shrink tubing

i would NEVER using anything other than a CAI with ceramic coating, PERIOD

 

i have mine vented into my CAI for two reasons. one, here in AZ, having the crankcase venting into the atmosphere violates emission laws, and two, you ALWAYS want there to be negative pressure in the crankcase for obvious reasons. if you just have one of those apc filters on it, you dont get negative pressure in the crankcase.

 

I have had a Homade ABS intake and an ebay short ram.... The aluminum piping on the ebay intake is always too hot for me to touch for at least 10 min after a drive. My ABS was always much cooler to the touch!!

I believe he was refering to the homade intake instruction website (I forget the URL) that shows you how to make it out of mandrel bent tubing ordered from JC Whitney. Therefore, no restrictions in the bends.

Which is why he's using ABS not PVC.

Besides, the "harmfull" gasses may be flamable and increase your horsepower.


IMO - ABS OWNZ!!!