CAI Are Bad News!!!!!!!!

Agreed, but there are no stickys for CAIs, so we get daily posts of CAIs here and in the performance section.

We were all newbies at some point and we are all guilty of posting a question that has been answered multiple times, so the posts will continue until someone chimes in w a "please use the search function"

Just trying to help

 

You are an exception to the 99.999999% of us.

The rest of the newbies will just keep re posting

 

Agreed


Soooooo.......................no CAI sticky in performance section?

 

False! It is just engine dependant. For example, the mazdaspeed3 has HUGE gains with an intake and downpipe. Multiple dyno's show each to usually be worth 15hp and all in a useable RPM. I'm on my phone right now, but mazdaspeed forums has lots of dyno's for your viewing pleasure.

Nissan Juke is very similar with intake, downpipe, and even catback being worth 10-15hp each. See Juke forums for dyno's

Full exhaust on several bikes is worth quite a bit, even the little ninja250.

 

Maybe there should be a sticky for cold air intakes but this thread isn't it. Have a look at some of the comprehensive suspension stickies and see how they list many of the manufacturers, the uses for each, how they work, an explanation of the dampening types, etc. This thread is highly lacking as a comprehensive 'CAI for Dummies' sticky. Torspd started putting together a N/A thread which shows dyno results for various naturally aspirated Toyotas which includes CAI and exhaust info. If you wanted to expand and create a complete guide providing the various options and results for each, then I'm sure it could be stickied.

FWIW, there are GREAT stickied threads on suspension and we still get daily posts about 5100's. Stickies aren't always the solution, we will always have repeat topics (and they will likely always be the same topic).

 

Iver never seen paper in the filters I used to buy from the dealership it feels like cotton or some sort of synthetic cotton...so whats with all the paper talk

 

I always love the argument about the "restrictive OEM intake". What difference does it make that your "new hi tech super geek intake" flows 1000 times more than the "restrictive OEM intake"....ever look at how a throttle body works? Unless you have the gas pedal pinned to the floorboard, the throttle body is the main restriction in the line, NOT the intake or filter.

 

But your MAF sensor tells the computer how much air is getting in, an that is before the throttle body.

 

But the throttle body controls how much air goes in.

 

Here's the thing - and I'll refer to the LXForums testing that was posted.

The power increase will only be at WOT. How many Tacomas are running around at WOT all the time? In the case of the LX cars, which for comparison sake are almost as heavy as a 4dr Tacoma, every 10 hp resulted in approximately one tenth quicker 1/4 mile time. Anyone that claims they can "feel" 10 hp is either a pro drag racer, or on crack (or some other placebo). One tenth over a quarter mile is hardly a difference anyone can feel in the seat of their pants.

Oh - and there's only one guy on that forum that built a true CAI - and yes, it did work quite well. The rest of them that think just running the filter down into the fender never did any real testing. If they did, they would have realized they were still pulling in engine heat at stop lights and slow mph.

In the end - I'd choose protection over style on an N/A motor for my truck. The increase in performance is negligible - and would never be needed in my case. X-Runners that are built for performance would be better served with a higher flow filter. I chose a Dry flow AFE drop in not for any performance factors, but more for the easy cleaning after running in dusty conditions. I simply take it out, blow it out with the air hose, and drop it back in.

 

But the throttle response improvement is incredible.

That is truly irrefutable.

 

And thats why i use a trd drop in panel air filter...does anybody use a throttle body spacer with the stock air box on here?? If so how do u like it and whats the sound like, im concidering buying one lol

 

Understood

But the MAF sensor is telling the computer how much air is entering the engine and what the temp is of said air.

Now I know there was 300 toyota engineers that developed the airbox for this truck so the MAF would work properly w the air filter and etc..........(kidding)

So with a nonrestrictive and lesser filtered air, you have turbulence of said air. With that being said, I would like to say this next segment is from a Subaru STI performance website, and not from me. I think this is a good point on CAI's

Turbulence
In order to accurately measure the amount of air coming into the system, it is important for the air to flow smoothly across the MAF sensor. Any turbulence in this air flow will create errors in the amount of air measured versus what is actually entering the system.
In the factory air box, the Subaru engineers utilizes a smooth velocity stack style inlet and internal ribbing on the inner sections of the cases to dampen pressure waves and promote a laminar air flow into the MAF sensor housing. The MAF sensor housing itself is straight and smooth internally and positions the sensing portion of the MAF sensor properly in the air flow stream (ie: not offset to any angle left/right or up/down).
For aftermarket intake systems, turbulence across the MAF sensor is an all too common occurrence. Often times the MAF sensor is placed in close proximity to a bend, pipe joint, or weld. In the case of some hot air intakes (ie: Short Ram), the MAF sensor is mounted directly after a conical intake -- well before the air has a chance to smooth out.
When this turbulence occurs, the MAF sensor will suddenly see more or less air then it had previously. This will cause the engine management system to respond by making the engine run leaner or richer for as long as the error from turbulence occurs. The most noticeable driving characteristic associated with this would be a hesitation or flat-spot in the engine's power deliver. A worse case scenario would be the engine suddenly leaning out while under full throttle that resulted in engine damage.
Unlike the errors created by the different size of piping, there are no corrections one can make for an intake design that allows turbulence across the MAF sensor.

I know each vehicle differs and I am just an opinion, but with all that is said negatively about CAI's on this forum, I will not buy one unless I am extremely tuned(supercharged or twin turboed.....never gonna happen)

 

it's like cold fusion....

total BS.


OP throw a snorkel on your ride and call it a day. Nothing beats a ram air CAI.

 

Get a Sprint Booster if you want good throttle response

 

I have driven three different V8 Mustangs since I have been driving. They were all far from stock and they all had k&N filters on them. My first mustang was a 1991 coup LX 5.0 I sold it with almost 150K on the motor and I mean a hard 150K miles. I sold the car 10 years ago and that car is still going. It is not a daily driver anymore but the bottom end in the motor is still stock and still going. If K&N which I have the most experience with was bad at filtering I'm sure that one of my 3 stangs would have had some damage that I would have noticed.

I do not have much experience with the aFe filter other than I have it in my truck at this time. It's not the CAI just the stock replacement. I'm sure with any product you can find negative feedback about it. I am going to go pull the filter and see if I notice any "particles" past the filter. I will post back.

Also an advantage of using an after market filter is being able to clean it.

 

You mean... make the skewp functional?!?!?!