Question on CAI vs. WAI.

[animosic]

First off i'm new to this forum.

Anyway, I have a 99' Cavy with a WAI system installed.

I've been looking into a CAI for a while now, but I have a few questions.

First off, I wanted to really know if there would even be a difference between the two regarding performance (HP / Torque) that would actually be noticable.

Secondly, I can't actually seem to figure out how a CAI would fit into it. In other words, I can't see where it would go. Where does the path actually lead it? I know I know, that's noob of me. But hey I just got into cars.

Thirdly, as of where it is right now, I have a chrome pipe going into a black ripple tube which is connected to the filter. I wanted to change it to where it was all pipe, so I did. After I changed it however, I noticed my car was shaking noticeably more, and when I would press on the gas the pedal would kind of have a pop to it. I don't know if it had something to do with that the new pipe was resting on the engine or anything like that? I changed it back to the black tube and the problems went away, so I guess I was also wondering if there is a significant difference between straight chrome tubing and the black ripple bendable tube. (Sorry not very good with terms yet.)

Phew, that was a lot of questions for a first post.

[Schister66]

What the hell is a WAI???

Also, when it comes to intake systems, most people really over-analyze them. There are minute differences between the styles, but they arent large enough IMO to switch from one to another. As long as you have something other than stock, just leave it

[jakegday]

warm air intake, like a short ram intake, it gets its air from inside the engine bay, where it is warmer (due to the engine heat) as opposed to a cold air intake, which gets its air from outside the engine bay, where it is colder (due to less engine heat)

you might notice a hair more power with a true cold air intake as opposed to the warm air intake

[DeadBlade89]

Originally Posted by jakegday

warm air intake, like a short ram intake, it gets its air from inside the engine bay, where it is warmer (due to the engine heat) as opposed to a cold air intake, which gets its air from outside the engine bay, where it is colder (due to less engine heat)

you might notice a hair more power with a true cold air intake as opposed to the warm air intake

by the time the air enters the CAI and gets into the throttle body, the air temperature is only about 2 degrees cooler then if you had a WAI.

[jakegday]

i dont believe that, stick your hand by your muffler and feel how fast air is coming out, that is exactly how fast air is goin in your intake, say its 50 degrees outside and 150 under the hood, air moving that fast, that short of a distance, is NOT gonna gain 100 degrees, especially if it goes through the heat resistant alluminum intakes are made of

[Schister66]

Testing both of them on a dyno is the only way to know whether one of them is better than the other. It isnt all about air temp...you're not even taking into account the flow of one vs the other (volume and air velocity)....also, since this is on a stock car, it isnt going to matter 1 bit

[Lefix]

yeah it doesnt really matter.. lets say a CAI gives you 10 horsepower and a WAI gives you 5-7, that 3-5 horsepower difference isnt gonna matter on a car that has 115 horses... or my car which has 140 horses when it was stock..

[Schister66]

neither of them is going to do a ton...just put one on and forget about it

[Dr.Mambo666]

if you really think about that one there is no diferance what so ever. Say your driveing down the road on a hot day the pavement is putting out heat from the sun.The heat from the pavement is going up(seeing as heat rises)into your engine bay the air traveling through your intake system is going to be hot.Vise versa for winter(or when its cold outside)Make sense???? And by the way lefix find an intake system that give you a 10hp increase on a cavy/sunfire because i cant??? ull get 3-5whp max.

[muff34]

Originally Posted by animosic

First off i'm new to this forum.

Anyway, I have a 99' Cavy with a WAI system installed.

I've been looking into a CAI for a while now, but I have a few questions.

First off, I wanted to really know if there would even be a difference between the two regarding performance (HP / Torque) that would actually be noticable.

Secondly, I can't actually seem to figure out how a CAI would fit into it. In other words, I can't see where it would go. Where does the path actually lead it? I know I know, that's noob of me. But hey I just got into cars.

Thirdly, as of where it is right now, I have a chrome pipe going into a black ripple tube which is connected to the filter. I wanted to change it to where it was all pipe, so I did. After I changed it however, I noticed my car was shaking noticeably more, and when I would press on the gas the pedal would kind of have a pop to it. I don't know if it had something to do with that the new pipe was resting on the engine or anything like that? I changed it back to the black tube and the problems went away, so I guess I was also wondering if there is a significant difference between straight chrome tubing and the black ripple bendable tube. (Sorry not very good with terms yet.)

Phew, that was a lot of questions for a first post.

Stick with your warm air intake as you live in Green Bay Wisc. I`ve been there in the winter ,holy crap it was cold. Your car will run better with the warm air in the winter time . That is likely why it has one now. If you want ponies you`ve likely bought the wrong car. Just my

[Lefix]

Originally Posted by Lefix

yeah it doesnt really matter.. lets say a CAI gives you 10 horsepower and a WAI gives you 5-7, that 3-5 horsepower difference isnt gonna matter on a car that has 115 horses... or my car which has 140 horses when it was stock..

Didnt i used two words: "lets say" ???

I agree with Schister, just put one on and forget about it lol..

Get a damn $20 one from ebay, they are all the same..

[yhandor]

Yes but. RDFABS makes true cold airs for the 2.2 and the 2.4, I have a 2.4 myself, and have an ebay Short Ram. Works fine, love the sound, but when you have a True CAI, it sounds great when your flooring it, you can the air rushing in, kinda makes a whistling noise, sounds veryyy nice...and also RDFABS CAI's are Stainless Steel, which looks better and stays cooler than an aluminum intake........I am thinking of dropping $250 the switch, just concerned about sucking up water and f*cking up my engine, and winter time with it..................my 2 cents.