the CAI is a traditional mod, a classic, if you will, and thus, vendors put their versions out for the people to choose from. That's the great part about it, we get to choose which one we want. May one be swayed by looks, function, cost, etc...
All I know is, the AGS was a beast! I truly wish that a new one would come out.

 

Randy at M7 called it a new from the ground up design......that's what's up dude.

If it was a new design I wouldn't have stated it was a knock-off. The Craven was a new design, unlike this one.

 

And this means what? That none of them actually do anything?

 

YIKES! It looks like I spoke to soon.
Yes, technically this is a velocity stack. BUT - a true velocity stack will induce a venturi effect. This is not an optimal design to allow a true venturi effect to form. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venturi_effect

Here is a nice adjustable animation that allows you to play around and see how it should work. http://home.earthlink.net/~mmc1919/venturi.html

I was expecting to see a smooth bell shape like what COBB, HKS or even Jim Wolf Technology uses for their intake velocity stacks. This squared off pipe with no bell and only a minor change in diamater is upsetting.

I'm going to go ahead and say that I feel VERY MISLEAD by M7's language, I'm glad that they had the pictures on their website so I do not buy this intake.

Sorry if someone gets offended by my harshness but this is a joke. Don't tell me something has a velocity stack and then show me a pipe with a diamater reduction. No bell = NOT a velocity stack.

 

This entire CAI intake (including the velocity stack) is made from fiberglass. The velocity stack goes from 2.75 and expands to 3.50 nice and smooth. The filter is from UNI. The whole thing is just trick .

Longboard

View from the bottom

 

Wow I had no idea that this thread would generate so many posts but as the result is more phone calls I really do not mind Ok I said that we designed this from the ground up , I lied. The ground had nothing to do with it as it was designed from a blank screen on our Rapid Prototype Machine system. The drawing showing the connector is actually a JPG generated by the design software. I don't know how much more ground up a design can be if it starts with a Stanley tape measure and ends up at the fab shop. If someone has a problem with the fact that it looks like the majority of other CAI's out there it should. It goes in the same place , does about the same thing and costs about the same price. So much passion for such a product is rather comical but I can't complain about the exposure. Please keep up the posts but lets try to keep it to the item at hand.

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

That is a great looking piece, how much is it ?

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

Thanks for the support but its really not a problem. What most people on NAM have learned to do it just check the " all posts " button under certain members screen names and are able to note a " trend " shall we say. Based on that the value of some opinions can be judged more correctly. Sometimes it is hard to keep threads on track but that is part of fun on the net.

Thanks,
Randy
M7 Tuning

 

What! that thing is sick, looks way better than mine.did he charge you extra for custom paint work.think i paid $245 for mine give or take about a year ago.it was a good deal at the time and didnt have to pay shipping.

 

A velocity stack will do little for the SC cars. If you take a look at most systems there is a reducer type design incorporated into many of the filters. Only GTT uses a real velocity stack and from what I have seen the others (including M7) use a reducer in different degrees.

GTT uses a velocity stack and slides a filter over it and then that pinwheel you reference goes at the end of the filter with the springs holding it in place. Since the velocity stack goes half up into the filter, I'm not sure how much of the filter is actually functional. Assuming that the velocity stack is not a tight fit inside the filter then it would be drawing air from behind the stack and pulling it around the stack and then into it.

What all CAIs have in common is freer flow design, mostly accomplished via filter. I think the M7 piece incorporates the successes of the generally accepted CAI designs out there - the back is open, freer flow filter & lid.

If a velocity stack really made "the difference" then at the very least all of the big HP guys would be running one.

 

Randy,

can you tell me what the advantages to your system is over the pipercross? numbers are nice but the theory will be just as helpful for me.

as many people have obviously had issues with the length and so on i am curious as to what gains are made there or the theory on it?

i noticed on the site, and thanks to jaynicholson, i also noticed there is no rolled lip or exponential curve aiding the flow of air. theory?

i'm not worried about water, my dad was an old school mechanic and he still takes care of his carburetors in the austin healey that way from time to time. my question here is should i get a scoop for my vents to aid/force the flow?

thanks Randy... your help is appreciated

Brian

 

A ground up design means that they designed each piece and then had it manufactured to their specs.

Cravenspeed did the same but opted in their design to eliminate using the bottom of the stock box by replacing it w/ their own and instead of a metal top used plexi. Oh and they made it lighter than their previous version.

so one qualifies as a new design and the other a knock-off.

so transparent.

 

Thanks to every body for the replays

 

Why? A velocity stack has "a radiused inlet end" -- meaning as you had first stated that it has a curved entry to smooth in the airflow. I don't see that here.

 

That voltage CAI is nice....where can i get it ??

 

it's not a velocity stack. That's a bit of abuse of vocabulary. All it does is allow for the diameter of the stock TB tube to match up with the slightly larger standard diameters of aftermarket filters.

Matt

 

nice to see you taking your pot shots as usual

actually I have made 250whp on the stock JCW box so go ahead and bash Mini for their AWEFUL design

 

Incorrect. The Helix intake extends past the cowl, using a cloth re-usable filter which has a lifetime warranty. It'll be around long after a foam filter disintigrates.

 

Longboard,

Does that voltage intake still use the front grill intake duct? Or does it strictly use the cowl for the air supply?

 

Trick doesn't even begin to describe this things eye appeal. Do they have a website? Any contact other than an AOL email?

 

And they used a very successful intake to copy. Congrats to M7!

The Voltage would be considered a new design. This one would not.

 

Tell that to all of my dirt bike buddies.........

 

Ahh...there you are. I figured you would have been here earlier, must have been doing some testing.
You've made 250whp with just about every stock MINI part there is. Are you ok today? I don't recall doing any MINI bashing in this thread.

 

jealous aren't you?

unlike most on here... I actually test mine

 

Uhh...no.
Good.