much ado about intakes

[PDT1631]

I thought I’d try to contribute the little bit of knowledge that I have. I’ll go over some things that have already been discussed and then I’ll move on to some things that haven’t been talked about.

First of all if anyone is scared of getting a CAI because of hydrolock don’t worry. I live in Oregon where it rains constantly. I have done long distance interstate driving in torrential downpours and the intake has only gotten a teeny bit moist on the bottom. Hydrolock will only occur if your filter becomes fully submerged in water. So unless you are planning on taking your car for a swim then you should be safe . If you are truly worried Injen’s (and probably AEM’s) CAI’s can be converted into short ram for the rainy season (besides that just drive smartly). If your filter does get a little spray it will only decrease the air flow and shouldn’t get water in your engine because for one it has to be sucked through the filter medium and any droplets that make it through will just splat against the first turn in the piping if a small bit did manage to make it up the tube it would evaporate instantly.

AEM sells a bypass valve that will fit on just about any intake but it will reduce the benefit of the CAI because it can open when the filter is not submerged and can get stuck in the open position. If you want to make sure your filter stays dry Injen sells a really nice splashguard (just make sure you actually take a look at the installation diagrams). It also resonates like no ones business. Plus it’s shiny. There are these things like plastic mesh socks for your filters that will keep water and mud off of your car but no import shop will ever convince me that they do not decrease air flow. If they are waterproof than they have to be restricting and if they were just as good as the filter medium why aren’t the filters just make out of it.
Also some people have suggested that on hot days the air closer to the black pavement will be hotter than the air in your engine bay. Next time you think it is hot enough to fry an egg on the pavement, drive your car for a couple of minutes and then open up your engine bay and feel the heat radiating off of it. The same hot air outside is the air that is flowing into the bay the only difference is it is then being heated by the engine. Still don’t believe me stick your hand on the pavement and then on the block. See which one hurts more (or sends you to the hospital).

All this said it is debatable how much benefit CAI’s have over Short Ram. I have a CAI because it makes me feel good about myself 8) .

As for the AEM vs. Injen debate the only difference is the look. I like Injen.

Injens filters are made by K&N.
AEM’s new dry filters sound good in theory. Not having to suck the air through oil should aid air flow.
F5 Fugita makes a filter with an inverted cone that points into the intake to reduce turbulence and direct air into the tubing.

AEM’s V2 Technology is a mystery. The description on their site leaves much to the imagination, as they probably counted on.
Injens MR Technology seems interesting. While they promote it as safe their intakes are perfectly safe in the first place. It actually decreases horsepower over non MR intakes by a tad (negligible). But it might have potential for fuel saving capabilities.

I myself had concerns about emissions regulations before I knew but both AEM and Injen are compliant with California’s emissions laws (the most stringent).

As a disclaimer I can only speak from my personal experience and observations. If anyone has definitive answers about what I have speculated on I for one would like to know.

I don’t think we can do this but it would be nice to actually test different intakes and filters to see which are really, truly, the best.

[RollinBishiStyle]

I dont agree about the bypass valve. Atleast here in florida i think you need one. You dont have to drive in a lake to submerge your filter, what about a puddle. Here when it starts raining its going to fill the streets(i dont think we have the best drainage) and it usually come out of nowhere.i know atleast 3 people that have hydrolocked with a cai. I would get it just in case or go with short ram caus there really isnt much difference. Good info

[Fishboy55]

Agreed about the heat issue. The heat inside your engine bay will almost negate the advantage of a CAI. I proved this myself by constantly monitoring my IAT. On a 90 degree day, the IAT measured about 123 degrees with my CAI. That's to be expected with the heat in the engine bay surrounding a metal intake pipe. Since the IAT is measured at the MAF, it stands to reason that the IAT continues to increase as the air flows past the MAF to the intake. (More metal pipe and closer to the engine)

Someone on here converted their stock intake to a CAI and a lot of people flamed him for being ghetto. But it got me to thinking that plastic doesn't conduct heat as well as metal, so it's probably running cooler. So, to prove it, I wrapped my lower intake tube with header wrap. I have a Falken intake and like AEM and Injen, it's all aluminum. Drove normally on another 90 degree day, and my IAT never went past 107 degrees. Still hot as hell, but at least 15 degrees cooler with the header wrap.

As far as the bypass valve, I have always thought it's a waste. If you submerge your filter, it's either a) too close to the hot pavement to be effective, or lack of common sense to drive through puddles when your filter is that low. My filter on my CAI sits right behind my foglight. If the water on the street is up to my foglights, I have to wonder what the f*ck I'm doing driving in the first place.

[PDT1631]

Well I was actually saying that no matter what the air in the engine bay is always going to be hotter than from close to the pavement. The reason the intakes are aluminum is because it looks cooler but for the best performance plastic is the best. Header wrap is a good idea. My reasoning with the bypass valve was the same.

[alexvr]

i read sumwere that if u get ur aluminum pie and paint it with high temp ceramic paint and alsoo spray some inside the pipe and let it dry, making sure u dnt leave any drips inside, it will help the air stay cooler inside, is that tru, i mean wont it be cautious sukin up fumes from the paint??

[PDT1631]

well it might help a little but I dont know for sure. I have always wondered if the optional powder coating would help with the heat issue. you could try the paint and test the temperature and see if it is reduced. There should be no problem with the paint fumes. Just make sure the paint is dry before you bolt it back on.

[Fishboy55]

If I recall, Mante painted the inside of his intake a long time ago. A few months later he removed it and found paint chips in his throttle body. I'm sure he or Pinoy can remember that. I wouldn't advise painting the inside.

As far as the outside goes, I'm not sure high-temp paint is going to act like much of a heat barrier. The purpose of high-temp paint is to prevent it from coming off at high temperatures, like on brake caplipers and BBQ grills. I don't think it's meant to be a heat shield. Same thing with powder coating. Ceramic coating or header wrap are probably the most effective choices in my opinion.

[alexvr]

yea thats wut i thought about it chipping off and fukin up my throttle body or sumthin else but i read it on a tutorial for custom intake piping, even if it was able to be ppainted lik u said u doubt it would mak a difference....ill test everything once i have money

[PDT1631]

keep us updated.

[pinoyesv6]

some high temp paints do contain a small amount of ceramic for heat dissapation. which is a good thing. but its not gonna do much.

if you've ever painted bulbs before with high temp paint and touched the paint while the bulbs are still hot. you'll notice that your fingerprints are now on the bulb. meaning the paint got soft. observation 1. although i don't know how hot a bulb gets compared to an intake. observation 2 is that you'll also notice that if the place you put the painted bulbs was enclosed, that place would be the same color as the paint, as if the paint was emitting colored fumes due to the heat. not sure how that would effect your engine.

carbon fiber is another option you guys might want to look at. it doesn't conduct heat as much as a metal intake and since you guys like the look of many cf parts, many times its not as ugly a plain black plastic part. its costly though.

[DOHCstunr]

hot cold, it dosn't really matter.

yoru ecu determines timing by what the mas meters.

if its 100 degrees at the mas, then it increases to 15 degrees by the time it enters the engine, then it woudl be almost completely the same as it woudl be if it was 100 entering the engine.
in all truth, it might be a little better, cause if the temperature increased letting the air get slightly thinner, and with the increased timing from a cooler temp from the mas before the air got hot, you would end up with increased timing, and leaner a/f... which would make more power. then increased timing with a rich a/f.

but either way you are talking 1/2 hp there, 1/3 hp there, maybe on a great day 2-3 hp over there.
you just aren't going to gain much from an intake. the gains are so small its definatly not worth the money for a name brand one.

its just not.
cause at the end of the day, all you get is more sound. and a little more fun, but you can get that for 40 bucks on ebay.

[alexvr]

thats were i got mine, as foor the pipe i heard it doesmt matter, wut matters is the filter..tru??

[milo111000]

i had a question a while back about short ram vs cai.. if the cai reads 107 degrees, how bout the ram.. from what i know, the only purpose of putting in an after market filter is for better breathing for the engine.. now the types of filter or names will only determine how much more are the engine will take in on what the filter is made out off. like k&n makes them little wire mesh things vs the injens and aems that makes thin paper like materials.. really only a little difference.. all matters is how fast they get dirty and how often you clean i guess..