Upgrade to Cold Air Intake?

thewoahna · 07-08-2002, 10:34 PM

OK, I have an APC Short Ram intake with K&N Filter. I also have DC Creamic Headers, Catco HF Cat, and DC Catback. Would I be better off upgrading to a CAI? Now much of a differance will it really make? Anything noticable? Thanks!

JasonAccord98LX · 07-08-2002, 10:50 PM

Yes you should upgrade to a CAI. Some short-rams can actually hurt performace because they are actually sucking hot air from the engine compartment into your engine. They simply arent long enough to get away from the heat given off by your motor and manifold. Of course, this all depends on how your engine bay is set up. You will notice a difference, but dont expect anything drastic.

Rgacke · 07-09-2002, 10:11 PM

Agreed. Especially in older accords, exhaust is to close to filter.

GSteg · 07-09-2002, 11:07 PM

during some RPM, short ram intake gain more power than CAI. personally..i would go CAI though..

crxlvr · 07-10-2002, 08:57 AM

does anyone know where i can get just the lower half of the cold air intake system, i dont wanna have to buy a whole new piece.

thewoahna · 07-10-2002, 10:05 PM

I know that DC Sports sells somthing like that

ViGGa2LO · 07-12-2002, 02:33 PM

short ram is worthless, sorry i had to be the ne to tell you this but after your rngine gets warm the short ram does as much good as a cone filter on a stock hose.... the cold air is much better to go, and i have even heard people saying that the stock box with k&n filter is better than cold air... but i dont know, just saying short ram =waste of money

Rgacke · 07-12-2002, 09:38 PM

according to me, the most efficient way to get cold air to a hot air intake is not to spend big bux on a fancy name brand 90 degree bend. thats all it is, a piece of pipe that is bent, so you can either buy a mandrel bend and clean it up and paint/polish it or you can go ghetto style like me. I used 2 straight/adjustable air ducts from home depot. There these tin pipes with angled section so you can twist different parts to shape it how you want it, 1.50 a piece. I then used heat reflective/bendable dryer duct and put that over my entire intake as a heat shield. I was bored and those three parts didn't cost 10.00.

****remember to re-set your ECU******

crxlvr · 07-12-2002, 10:38 PM

yeah but a custom intake wont have those bend marks in them which slows air travel into ur engine.

Silvia2NR · 07-17-2002, 10:08 PM

i heard that if you get a CAI and add the air-bypass valve that you will end up with the same performance as a short ram.

what do you guys think?

NuEra · 07-18-2002, 05:43 PM

the air temp difference from the engine bay where the short ram is and the wheel well for the CAI is amazing on a car with a hot engine. CAI is soo much better.

so-cali · 07-20-2002, 01:55 AM

In response to Silvia2NR...

"i heard that if you get a CAI and add the air-bypass valve that you will end up with the same performance as a short ram."

This is only half true. The bypass valve is not engaged the whole time. Only when the intake begins to suck water up the tube is when it begins working. If your not driving with your filter taking on water, the bypass valve will act just as another part of the pipe leading to the intake and there will not be a loss in power because the cooler air is still being drawn from down by the wheel well and out of the hot engine bay.

Once water begins to be pulled up the tube, the bypass valve will activate and the suction of the water by the intake causes the tube to be closed off so that it cannot take water into the engine. At this point, the air is drawn from within the engine bay. It will continue pulling air from here until the water goes back down and out of the tube. After the water is gone, the suction on the bypass valve will cease and it will go back to pulling air from the filter down by the wheel.

The performance of a CAI with a bypass valve only drops down to that of a short ram when the intake begins pulling up water because the bypass valve will be pulling air from relatively the same place as the short ram filter would be located.

So basically, you wont see a decrease in performance from your CAI after adding a bypass valve unless u drive through a big puddle. If you live in a place that takes on a lot of water and you crave maximum power while driving through deep puddles, then i could see your concern for performance.

And also in response to NuEra, i believe that you will see a 1% hp increase for every 11 degrees cooler the air is that goes into the engine.

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD