I'd like an honest opinion.. Does a cold air intake really do anything??

Be honest now..

Thanks in advance..

Steve (k2we) Dobbs ferry, NY 10,824 miles since Sept 17th...

 

It makes a bad-@ss noise at 5K RPM. Is that worth $250 to you?

 

I think the stock cold air intake works very well indeed.

JMS in TX

 

If you are in for the show or the sound, it is worth it. Performancewise, nope, but the k&n intake has potential. With maybe FI in my future, I don't plan on doing anything on the intake side of the equation.

 

as far as I've heard, a cold air intake is really only effective (as far as power gains are concerned) when you actually HAVE COLD AIR. In otherwords, cold air intakes are really only useful when you are in a continually cold environment, or have an intercooler which, hence the name, makes air cooler than the current outside temperature. But whether or not you have an intercooler, like droideka said, it will still bring some better sound from the engine. So if unless you have an intercooler, or live where it's cold...you'll be paying for a cold air intake that is only taking in air from the atmosphere/wheels, which is definitely not cooled.

-drew

'03 DB Performance

 

Yep, kinda funny isn't it? HP gain is a myth, but the sound does change and sometimes thats enough. Even a drop-in K&N filter changes the sound for more intake roar. Sounded good on my 91 MR2T, so I thought it was worth the $44.95 I spent. If I wanted more, I would buy an cat-back exhaust system, not an intake, but its up to each person's taste.

 

The title should have been: Fact, Fiction, or Opinion?? lol. The CAI's bring in cooler air than short rams, because they are away from the engine's heat and they are closer to the ground where cooler air is. Am I right???

 

There's another advantage to CAI vs Short Ram Intake (SRI). It's also in the length of the tubing. Have you ever noticed that many of the Dyno charts show gains of CAI over SRI mostly in the midrange and about the same or slightly more HP in the upper range? I believe it's due to the resonant frequency inherent in the long tube design of the CAI that allows it to achieve this advantage over SRI. With this frequency, the air gets "rammed" into the intake runners much more, almost like an SC effect. This frequency usually occurs in the midrange. The SRI can also achieve this too, if designed properly. However, if not, then its resonant frequency may well be above the engine's redline, thus negating any HP gains that it was designed for.

Now, after all that rambling, I would say yes, CAI can add HP in the right condition and if designed correctly.

Anyone else would like to add to this?

 

I don't think it's about COLD air. I think it's about COLDER air. Meaning, the air under your hood is probably hotter than what's outside b/c it's so close to the engine. Therefore, if you take in air that's closer to the outside, it'll be colder than what you were getting. that's the thought, anyway...

 

Just like what I said.

 

I think the intake system on the "Z" is just about perfect. Leave it alone. On my "G", the only intake change I made was to put a "Z" tube between the airbox and the manifold.

Lou

 

Yep the stock system is very good. Restriction costs more HP than heat. That is a benefit of a CAI in most cases when intakes are restricted on cars. The Z is not restricted at all. And if you want the aftermarket sound, just remove the silencer at the frontmost end of the system. The parts that goes through the frame. It pops out.

 

the intake is already in a cold spot just behind the bumper at the top, so it is pulling in air roughly at outside temperature.
if you could drop the temperature of the incoming air a bit you would gain some hp, but only slight. the k&n filter reduces the resistance to flow, so a bit of gain there too.
the intercooler works also- gets rid of some heat, but not really much effect unless you are compressing the air- otherwise it is just keeping the air at the same temperature as the intake (might actually heat it if the intercooler is under the hood...)- so no effect (too bad). however, an intercooler looks cool under the hood...

 

Good advice, I'll try it, PH. Boomer

 

No, I said it.

j/k

yes, what you said.

 

The Injen CAI gave me 1 MPH in the 1/4 mile and a couple of car leghts with stock running cars, but that was me...

 

Me Too!!!

 

 

unless dynos lie, then i'd say it is worth it for the sound and the increased performance.

 

Off topic, but before Borla's exhaust came out, their dyno's lied.