Supercharged: Deck plate or CAI?

Just supercharged the other day, wondering if the deck plate mod would suffice or if a CAI is a necessity when boosted. Any response is appreciated. Just seeing if i could save some $$ and not buy a K&N intake.

 

Headers? Catback?

 

Congrats on being boosted! CAI isn't a necessity so to speak, though it will help your SC breathe. As your charger tries to force more air into your engine, the easier it has access to that air and the colder you can make that air will all help in HP gains. On the back side, your stock exhaust restricts your charger 'breathing out' so to speak. Headers, y-pipe, and cat back can all increase flow, making your SC more efficient.

To answer your question, no you dont HAVE to have one. But it will be worth the $$ to have one since you are supercharged vs N/A.

 

Appreciate it, definitely getting headers and exhaust soon, i’ll probably just do the deck plate until i can buy an intake.

 

Easy enough mod. I did it years ago and have a writeup somewhere.
Ofcourse, I didn't feel any change because I'm bone stock. (Also different engine).

 

The airbox elbow mod has worked well for me. I'm getting 8.5 PSI of boost from my stock pulley supercharger.

 

Looks like you live in California? What headers will pass smog here? I almost bought JBA headers a few years ago but thought they weren't on the CARB approved list. I have a CAI but haven't done anything to my exhaust other than a Magnaflow muffler. Which does not sound obnoxious, thankfully.

 

Depends on how well you know the guy at the test station...

 

These Doug Thorley headers are CA compliant. Not cheap, but so far the only good option i’ve found.