against the aem cai, which puts out the most power? Does the comptech lose a few horses in the lower end?



[Modified by IntegraGSR, 6:46 AM 7/21/2001]

 

i believe the icebox puts out more power over the AEM CAI bit its 1-2 hp i think

 

I think that's right. There was a post a month or so ago with dyno charts if I remember right. And the icebox made more power by a couple hp. I don't think it loses any in the low end either.

 

Hey guys,

I think the comptech will give you much MORE low and mid than the Injen/AEM. It's very similar to the stock system, but with a fresh air outlet. However, the AEM or Injen would tend to make more peak power.

FB

 

hmmm...

$370 vs $150

 

ouch. i think i'll take the aem route. i also saw a post of an aem cai giving a '98 gsr with a 133 hp at the wheels and upgrade to 151 hp at the wheels. is that incredible or what? 150 bucks for the aem? Shoot imma have to get one right now. Anyone care to give directions on installing it with the bypass valve? or could link me to some sort of site where they have pictures and in depth directions? I've never modded a car before and i was wondering if installing the intake is something i should do or not.

 

I agree with Berkel. The Icebox will provide more down low then the AEM will (bear in mind I have the AEM). The AEM will beat the Icebox up top by about 1-2hp. The reason most people want to buy the Icebox is for peace of mind because unlike the AEM, you cannot hydrolock with the Icebox, and I believe that peace of mind is what I'm looking for. I will probably wait till winter before purchasing mine, but I believe that the peace of mind you get from knowing your cold air intake will not suck up water is worth the added money. Bear in mind you do not have to buy their entire system. You can hook up the Icebox to your stock intake pipe, so there is no need to buy the entire system which includes their short ram pipe.

 

area under the curve? peak hp? lowest ET?

here's how i see it. the comp ice is a poor man's mugen (or you're anti-comptech you would say it's a wanna-be mugen). most of us don't have $650 for the mugen. $370 (yes, read the fine print: their intake $200 + icebox $170) is just way too much considering what you could do by modifying your stock box with tubes and filters and more tubes and junk. i used to have an early akimoto tube with an early weaponR foam filter shoved into the stock box with some 3" aluminum dryer hose running down behind the turn signal. this is what i had in when i dyno'd at 166, fwiw.
but forget all the above junk. get an aem cai. if you're scared of some type of water incident get any shorty tube and save yourself hundreds. spend that on something else like throttle body...

 

What would be the gains if we hook up the ice box to the stock intake?

Btw any comparison between the sounds of Icebox and AEM? I heard Icebox makes less noise than AEM?

 

where do you get the AEM CAI for $150?
cheapest i have seen is $173!!

-siu lung

 

150 is the carparts.com 33% off coupon which i caught on time a long time ago....now theirs are only 20%

 

Here is a link to a post in the ITR forum. The dyno plot is mine!
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=53979

 

i paid like $165 shipped from groupbuycenter.com for my CAI for my 94 gsr

if i could do it all over, i'd get the Injen Race division CAI

 

I hardly see any difference besides that hump.. Where are the amazing gains these "icebox" is supposed to give?


For 1-2hp you guys are gonna spend 370 bucks??. Get a K&N and stick it on your your stock intake pipe.

My advice: Get something that is really gonna give you some horsepower..

 

If ANY of you pay anywhere close to 300+ bucks for the Icebox, you're idiots...
I got mine for 165 shipped and used the stock intake tubing, and it works MUCH better than the stupid AEM I had on there (rubbing holes in my AC lines, sucking up water, absorbing the wonderful AZ heat)

Don't BUY the comptech piping people, it's as simple as that......

Peace

 

That's also just a few HP without other modifications. Once you open you're whole system up (exhaust, header) you could expect see even better gains (in my opinion). Of course my opinion is slightly biased/hopeful since I have one installed on my gsr.

 

Fast94GSR~

I think the point here is that the AEM and Airbox offer similar results! How many posts have been made claiming the "AEM is better" or "Airbox is better". My dyno proves that performance is about equal.

The reason I do like the Comptech better is that it looks and fits more like an OE part than the AEM. Everyone knows the AEM rubs the AC lines even when adjusted to avoid them. Slowly your wearing a hole in it! The Comptech box bolts to the OE mount points and fits perfect in my opinion. Another reason I like the Comptech better is the noise level is reduced at WOT. Like my yellow car doesn't attract enough attention, all I need is bigger noise maker for fore-warn to cops I'm coming.

In the meantime, I plan to keep both intakes and test both as my hp climbs. One may affer a true advantage as I get closer to 200 whp. I also hope to test both at the track in the next few weeks, but we all know that many other factors come into play then.

Lastly, if you pay full cost ($325) your a fool. I bought the box used for $120 and traded my original AEM intake for a Comptech filter and $120. I got to try it for FREE! I'm using the OE intake tube as well.

 

Good points.

I ended up going with the Injen since a fellow DFHer with an all motor build up went with Comptech so I had to try something diff. Some had expressed the possibility that the comptech or even AEM didn't flow enough with big cams and whatnot (200+ HP). For example, Sakai uses a cheapie filter on a stick.

The peace of mind and less noise with Comptech are nice, and if you only get the important parts or get them for a deal it may be the best route. I'll have a dyno in mid August or sooner as a baseline so we'll see how the Injen does.

Thanks,

FB

 

I got a 12.4whp increase with the AEM if anyone is interested. Dyno'd the same day before and after. Went from 139.6 to 152.0 on my '99 GSR. No other mods on the car. Outside temp was 75deg.
I did see the Comptech intake finally at the last auto-x event. It looked pretty good and the filter was sitting much higher than the AEM's K&N right by the top of the radiator. I liked it. Looked like better quality materials too.

 

i gots an aem cai.... i mean it dont fit perfect, but its aitee... and for the rubbin against ac lines ****, i jus slit a big size hose from my hose kit, wrapped it around part of ac line rubbin against my intake, used the tie-it thing, and intake will never ever get scratched

 

I like the icebox, not only for the power, but it is QUIET

 

Where did you guys buy your COMPTECH ICE BOX and FILTER??? From the comptech website it all adds up to $257....that is way too much, do any of you guys know a place where I can get it for a lot cheaper???? thanks.

 

I'm not sure if this would appeal to you or not, but I have a low cost alternative to the Comptech Icebox and Comptech filter.

I have instructions for making your own "Icebox" intake, you can go to http://www.geocities.com/bretq/DIY_Icebox_CAI.html for further information. This will cost less than $10 to fabricate and is very easy to do.

You can also use a universal K&N air filter in the stock airbox. You can go to http://www.geocities.com/bretq/kn2820_airfilter.html for further information. This will cost less than $35.

So you are looking at around $45 for a comparable setup and you would save over $200. Just thought that I would throw this option out.

 

It is just the age-old argumentative method when they will pick the worst case scenario for Comptech ($320) and the best for AEM ($150).
Just like an ITR owner will look through mags and find the best 0-60 time printed and find the worst time for the WRX and compare both.