Why is there no clear answer about CAI's?
 

I've been doing a search and can't seem to get a clear idea if I wanna get the nissmo CAI or not. Some people say CAI's "lose" HP because you lose the "vacuum" at high speeds. Some people say they gain power. I don't know what to think, get it or not? Is it worth $250? I don't want to spend money on "sound" upgrades. How can there be dyno sheets showing gains but we got people say that you would lose power?:icon11:

HELP!!!:confused:

Its just like every other mod for this car . . .some people claim it helps and some people say it hurts (both having proof).

But hey, the stock setup is not losing power is it? I would put that money towards an exhaust or something that has less deception (power wise).

My suggestion is stay away from AEM, its the only one I have personally seen lose power on back to back dyno runs. (AEM owners please dont flame, like I said above, some of you may have seen a gain.)

yup; I see better places to spend 250$; plenum and test pipes come to mind as items that cost that much; also pulleys are around 300; all are proven gains. cant say the same about the CAI so much...

What they said. CAIs are basically designed to perform ideally on dynos. When else are you going to make your engine compartment hotter than by churning 6600 rpms while standing still?

At speed, it comes down to the... "reasonance" (for lack of a better word) of airflow through the twists and turns of the long pipe. If it's incredibly well-tuned, it will provide peak airflow at the strongest part of the powerband at most speeds and air temperatures. But if they just threw in whatever pipe gets from point A to point B, it's a total roll of the dice when and whether it helps, and under what outside circumstances.

Given the relatively low expense on these mods and the occassional problems people have with them (e.g., Injen CAI causing stalls), I suspect Nissan spent alot more time tuning the intake than the aftermarket guys. It's pretty obvious from the way they set it up that they put some thought into it. Guys at the dragstrip are impressed that it's stock.

"Injen CAI causing stalls" did not occur, but routine drop in RPM's did. Removed Injen CAI and reinstall OEM intake with two exception. Kept Injen CAI chrome tube and added K&N filter. Also had to cut 1" off chrome tube to make it fit and drill hole on bottom of tube for breather fitting that I got a Pep Boys. My butt dyno says it is performing equally as well if not better. My eyes no longer see RPM drop.

If you are going to go CAI go with the NISMO. It has the water diverter.

Now, The INTAKE is mainly noticed in upper RPM's (5000 and up) when WOT... The car will pull harder as the engine craves more air... Your engine bay will also ROAR more...

Now, With the CAI, the filter (where the sound is) is down in either the wheel well (aem / nismo) or infront of the radiator (injen ((really bad positioning))).

Good place for the filter is actually where not much air is being pushed directly on to the filter because the filter needs less presure to suck air easily into it. there is more of a vacume that can take place in the wheel well...

OR where the inlet of the STOCK AIR BOX is... Just like the Plenum / Stock Air Box, there is a reason things are designed the way they are on the Z...

Putting a dual stack velocity filter like the JWT in place of the stock air box alows for optimal air intake... As well as since the filter is closer to the cabbin you hear it suck in air more, which means more of a ROAR at WOT and more of a PSSSSSP as the throttle is tapped.

Same with the K&N... If you are a believer in the CAI systems the K&N intake offers you the best of both worlds.... I sugest thermo shielding the "cold air box" of the K&N before install.

I relaly like the tubing on the K&N because it uses one tube that houses the OE MAF sensor rather then the OE MAF sensor and housing.

I know people who have experimented with honda's... taking an intake, making the tubing longer, (loosing power) tubeing wider (loosing power) tubing slimmer and longer (make power)... the more direct the air flow in a N/A application the more power gained. More room in the tubing the more the air can swirl and loose direction (plenum). This is why I belive the larger Plenum mods are best for FI application like ATI / Vortech super charger, the air has more force behind it and flows into the intake like the flowbench they were designed on.

All intakes discussed above are available at http://www.performancenissanparts.com under 350z and ENGINE.