Short Ram or CAI

[Sarah]

Okay, so I know this has been asked a few times, but which one should I get? Todd is worried about the puddles with a CAI. What is the difference between the 2 in terms of power?

[djhah]

From my understanding the Cai gives you a little more top end as where the sri is quicker throttle response? I am positive though it has been covered before on this forum. Also I know that you can buy a bypass valve for the cai the keep water from getting sucked into the intake.

[Sarah]

I found the original thread...I couldn't find it before (shouldn't do anything before coffee)

What happens if you go through a puddle?

[djhah]

Supposedly it bypasses the filter to keep it from drinking the water puddle? I have a short ram on mine so I don't have to worry with it, still had noticable throttle response after installing it.

[dronesurfboards]

get a short ram. it's cheaper, keeps the filter cleaner, the water bypass doesn't work all the time, no hp difference to spend the extra money on.

[QnzMostWanted]

the bypass only works if the filter is completely submerged in water

[Reelax]

usually cold air intakes are "convertible" meaning the extension pipe that makes it a CAI can be removed and the filter can be attached to where the extension pipe went, making it a short ram. so if you get a cold air you have both options; it can easily be made into a short ram for extremely wet conditions and made a CAI again for fair weather. light rainfall will not affect a cold air (especially on a car that is stock height) but deep puddles that would submerge part of the filter could pose a problem. i have a AEM cold air w/ bypass in my 8G but i live in southern california where it rains heavily only like 3-4 times a year.

[Sarah]

It has been raining here most of this week and from what the weather says, most of next week too. It rains a lot here, snows a lot in the winter, etc.

[Rayth]

I had a Fujita CAI on mine for years, in all 4 New England seasons and never had an issue. I loved the sound and it felt like there was a better throttle response. More importantly, some short ram are prone to heat soak from the temperatures in the engine bay, effectively negating all of the positive effects. As far as the puddles are concerned, as long as you don't go through a puddle higher than your fog lights, you should be perfectly fine.

[keith6110]

I had a Fujita CAI on mine for years, in all 4 New England seasons and never had an issue. I loved the sound and it felt like there was a better throttle response. More importantly, some short ram are prone to heat soak from the temperatures in the engine bay, effectively negating all of the positive effects. As far as the puddles are concerned, as long as you don't go through a puddle higher than your fog lights, you should be perfectly fine.

This! I've had mine on for a year and hit plenty of typical puddles. Just don't go through flooding waters.

[Mattsubishi9g]

yeah, it was my understanding that the only way you would have problems with water is if you drive through deep water. Ive had mine for a couple of months now and never had a problem with rain. And from everywhere else that I've read, a CAI is superior to the SRI

[Skyforger]

I've had the AEM CAI on my 8G for a year now, seen heavy rains and some snow, zero issues. Wet roads aren't going to hurt it, but only when the filter gets submerged is when things get hydrolocked. For a DD, a CAI is just fine. Be mindful of puddles.

[Mattsubishi9g]

CAI is greater Imo. I've researched a lot about it and from my understanding you'd have to drive through a lake to actually have water sucked into it. Its better for performance also. I've had mine since April and zero problems with it.

[bgood12]

I didn't hit a lake, but like it was a puddle so big it looked like it was part of the pavement and when I hit it my wife was in the car and that bitch def died we spent 35 minutes of my having a towel in the rain drying the filter then starting my car and having my foot all the way down on the gas before it died again, short ram would be fine though, but that defeats purpose of cai as ur sucking in hot air. But for workin on the car it easier to take off to get to other stuff. So to each his own.

[M-Rod]

I'm still waiting for somebody with a CAI to dyno with and without the lower pipe, converting it to SRI. Then everybody else will realize it makes no noticeable difference on these cars. Even stock intake to aftermarket gains what, 2-5whp? If that?

[Gotti]

Short ram has better mid, better fuel economy
Cai has better top, MPG is lower. Cooler air= more air per volume = more fuel is needed for daily drivin
g.

Both are a slight gain over stock. Only major difference between them is the weather. Risk or no risk driving through puddles.

[9Ggts]

I'm still waiting for somebody with a CAI to dyno with and without the lower pipe, converting it to SRI. Then everybody else will realize it makes no noticeable difference on these cars. Even stock intake to aftermarket gains what, 2-5whp? If that?

Import Tuner magazine has already done a test on CAI and SRI on the dyno. Not much of a difference. I think it was on an Eclipse GT

[wetamup2k3g]

So no really large gains to be had between the two (on a stock motor I'm guessing). But which one sounds better?

[M-Rod]

Sadly they will get the same results, Greg. The best sounding intake choice would be short ram with a Diamante manifold, hands down.

[wetamup2k3g]

Thanks Matt, that's what I figured, the short ram would probably be closer to the driver so you'd hear it better. I may do that one day when I'm not trying to save for a down payment on a house!