since adding my CAI i've noticed (or at least it seems) that the car doesn't have the phenomenal pull in 2nd gear and doesn't accelerate as quick to 60mph as with the stock air box. I does sound a little better tho!

i'm using the stock intake tube, with an aftermarket conical filter. (This will shortly be replaced with an alta filter and I'll be adding the CF heat shield that just arrived). eventually hope to replace the oem intake tube with an alta or samco as well.

but, am i experiencing this decline in power b/c the ECU isn't fine tuned to the CAI? or am i just imagining things?

 

The MINI's ECU is super intelligent it adapts to change on the fly. CAI gets the ECU happy since it has a very low restriction on the air but I would get the silicone hose as a good measure because its a better flowing tube.

 

definitely gonna get a samco or alta intake hose or just clamp the alta filter directly to the oem TB

 

There may be other cause for the perceived power loss. Is it possible that something else (unintentional) occurred coincidentally with the CAI change? For example, MINIs have been known to (on rare occasion) back out spark plugs over time, causing a potential loss in compression.

There are many possibilities. Is it possible that you accidentally changed anything else during the install? Could something be blocking or partially blocking the intake, for example?

Just brainstorming. Good luck. Hope the rest of the planned mods yield better results.

 

That is a great point actually check the plugs and they also could be fouled.

 

i'll take a look at the plugs however the car has good pull late in 2nd gear and thru all the other gears and it doesn't misfire at all.

i didn't remove anything else when I installed the CAI filter, but have wondered if maybe the oem intake hose isn't perfectly sealed around the small bit of alum tubing running between it and the air filter - guess i'll check that.

 

go straight to the throttle body . i'm using the k&n 1540 and it sounds awsome . skirts get sucked right off!!