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

All this Derp is making me a bit hot...

 

Not entering the debate on the merits of cold air intakes, but I can offer up this. Look for before and after dyno graphs, not just numbers, for the cold air intake you're considering. I chose a Volant for my other vehicle because the before and after dyno curves demonstrated a considerable gain in torque at 2800 rpm (15 ftlbs) yet only 7.5hp gain on the top end. User took the highest of multiple runs both stock, and with the intake. Being a manual trans, I did notice the difference in low rpm torque when driving. ymmv.

 

I did...and then I learned I'd much rather say, "I built it" than "I bought it", regardless of what it is.

Bottom line is, though...I'm married with two kids. Unless we share an address, I don't care who I impress. My Spongebob t-shirt that comes out when I'm out with my girls will attest to that...

 

Ran a CAI on another vehicle for over 180,000 miles. Never had an issue. Don't buy Ebay knock off CAI's and you won't have any problems.

 

I purchased mine simply for the braappppp

 

416.3 miles, 23.2 MPG!! Thank you CAI.

 

Once again, your engine has a blower so the benefits from a CAI are a LOT different vs. a stock engine.

 

Nope, it's braaaap and whoosh with a lot of wheel spin

 

LOL, nice try. This is the first full tank since the CAI was put on and it beat my previous best of 22.6. I have not driven any differently.

A little faster than that.

 

Clearly one isolated anecdote on an internet forum is cause for alarm and panic, given the hundreds of thousands of hi-flow intake systems that have been put into use in the history of automotive manufacture.

Stop, for fuck's sake.

 

A 22.6 to 23.2 could be a slight difference in how you gassed up. Different temperature, less A/C any number of reasons.

A different intake is not one of the reasons.

This study pretty much dispells the myth that an aftermarket intake/filters can increase mpg since it found a completely clogged filter had ZERO statistical change in mpg using 3 different controlled mpg tests. If anything the trend was toward better mpg with the clogged filters.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/pdfs/Air_Filter_Effects_02_26_2009.pdf

 

Ugh, god, I thought this was settled:

A quality CAI (basically TRD or it's AFe OEM) will give you a nice engine note and a re-useable filter. That's about it.

As far as filtering efficiency, if you properly clean and oil the TRD regularly like you are SUPPOSED to, the difference is so small as to be meaningless. Something else in your vehicle (most likely the transmission) is going to shit the bed before the microscopic dust particles that escape the air filter cause any meaningful changes. By the time it matters, you'll be looking at new vehicles anyway because putting that much money into a repair of something worth a few thousand at most makes no goddam sense.

What's to talk about here again?

 

Yeah, but it'll sound sexy as hell getting there!

 

+1

Any doubts, click my fuelly link, graph all fill ups, and look at the broad range from one tank to the next.

 

Anyone up for a regular vs premium thread?!

 

Sure, but be sure to use Royal Purple synthetic oil with a Mobil 1 oil filter

 

No! Don't you dare

 

What? no 2013 Mega thread?

 

How about a Tacoma vs. Colorado thread?