I have a brand new '10 MCS with no modifications to it as yet.

I know that there are lots of options for air boxes out there but at the moment I am primarily interested in people's thoughts/experiences with the stock MCS CAI v.s. switching it out for the JCW CAI.

Are there significant advantages? I'm thinking of the actual stock JCW CAI...not the one which comes with the stage 1 kit...which I'm led to believe is not exactly the same either?

 

I think that the factory JCW CAI may be the same as the MCS CAI. They both have panel filters unlike the stage 1 JCW CAI which has the cone filter.

 

The MCS and JCW Factory intakes are exactly the same. The JCW just has a more rigid tube between the turbo and MAF.

 

No the JCW has a larger upper housing some strut bars wont work with it, and some have a cone filter inside instead of a panel filter. That is the best one.

 

That's what I was kind of thinking...and since I believe what Jan says that with his tune he is getting the best performance improvements with stock CAI (not wanting to start the debate again that locked the other thread)...your advice would be don't bother swapping out for a JCW CAI?

 

Thats a great question, and the only way to really know is to have both intakes at a dyno on the same day and same car and see. But I asked Jan personally and his response to me was that the stock intake was showing the highest numbers the only exception being the JCW intake is showing slightly higher numbers. However it is impossible to know if those slightly higher numbers are not caused by other internal differences?

He did tell me, if you have to spend the money and upgrade, get the JCW intake.

Oh and when he told me that I had a $400 carbon fiber intake on my car

 

I have heard the same thing...and a JCW CAI would cost me about the same as what you paid for your carbon fiber...so I'm not sure that I'm convinced that it's really worth the money.

 

Incorrect. The Stock JCW and the Stock MCS intake boxes are the same. The JCW stage 1 is the larger topped box.

 

Good to know

 

It is good to know But also doesn't really answer my question about whether either of them are worth spending any money on?

Although I think that it sort of does...I think that I'll stick with my stock MCS CAI...and save my money towards a Helix FMIC. There has been a lot of debate recently about that mod over stock also...although somehow it still makes sense to me that it should really improve performance.

The one thing that I'm sure of is that I'm glad I didn't spend the money for a stage 1 kit. I am becoming increasingly convinced that the only bang from that at all is in the tune...and one can get a much better result in that regard for much less from Jan (which I AM doing).

 

For the record, I am using the Alta drop in foam filter in the stock box, Helix FMIC, and Jan's tune... Only thing I may try is swapping the Alta out for a K&N to see the difference. I also debated on getting the Stage 1 filterbox and think that I have now settled on keeping the stocker on.

Bottom line, GET THE HELIX and keep the stock box!

 

+1

 

FWIW....

With all this intake talk lately, I put my stock intake back on today...and it does seem to perform better than my DDM street. The car is much much smoother, but soooooo quiet! Even the exhaust sounds quieter now.

Typically with things that sound "fast", you are given the perception that they are adding power. However, given that the stock intake is silent and the car still feels as powerful (even slightly more so)...its really sayin something.

 

I appreciate a throaty car sounds as well...but honestly...I'm not interested in sound for the sake of sound...I'm more interested in mods that improve performance...at least to start with...

 

Agree. Noisy doesn't equal to Fast.

 

If you insist on changing anything about the CAI, keep the stock housing and install a better performing aftermarket filter inside.

I ditched my DDM street and installed a JCW stage I CAI.

Sometimes less is more....


Mark

 

An update to what I wrote a few days ago....

Had to put the DDM back on tonight....the car started running like complete crap with the stock intake on...lol.

I attribute this to the fact that my tune is specific to my DDM. The MAF location is completely different than stock, and therefore the air is going through it in a completely different fashion and my tune was done specifically with that as a factor. The MAF sensor is extremely sensitive to differences in how the air travels through it.

On a stock tune car, I'm sure this would not have been an issue.

 

I'm running the JCW Stage One intake with a MINI Madness High flow replacement cone filter (Filter element is the same as a K&N filter). It was a noticable difference when I swapped the filter elements.

 

So, would replacing the filter element in a stock intake to a K&N filter provide the same results as a JCW Stage 1 intake? The only difference seems to be a (little) larger topped box and a cone filter. Thanks.