OK, so I am on the process of selection of a CAI to go with my 15% pulley...and I realized that not one of the CAI's in the market use the current ram air the stock box uses.

So by design some use the air coming from the grill by the windshield (DDM Craven), but others seem to be more of a HAI (ALTA). Why is it that none of the aftermarket CAI's are using the ram air?

Craven is the only one that show a hose going to it, and their box has a cut out, but I can't find that hose anywhere...what gives?

 

I use the Dinan intake. It uses the factory bottom of the box, where the 'ram air' comes in, and they give you a new filter and top box. the part of the top box is cut out near the windshield and they include everything you need. it looks very slick... weather-stripping and everything. if you want pics, let me know.

not sure if you can still get them. i think they were on clearance when i bought mine 2 years ago. it sounds great too, so much more 'whine'.

 

Check out M7. High in price but pretty cool.
I personaly have the NM Engineering CAI (alias - HAI). But my take on it
is it still has great air catching capacity over the stock with the little air
duct in the lower front grill so with the NM you do get hot air from the
engine but I still think it helps due to greater air flow capacity. I also put on
the NM heat shield and it really
does hold the temps down.
Soon to install my intercooler.

 

312 Pics would be great!!!

Dr. Thanks for the M7 reminder..I had not really looked at their design, and I can see that they use the original ram air as well as the knockout back panel for more air from the cowel. I'll have to really reconsider my options.

AS for NME, they don't make anything for the Supercharged models, only turno (from the website)

 

So Craven, DDM, or M7...Which one would you get???

 

They all are about the same set up (basically).
Go with the best price or whichever one looks
the neatest to ya. .
I don't care for foam filters. I wonder if you can
replace them with paper/pleated?
I didn't really read anything on them either, are they
all oil treated?

 

As requested....

 

The Dinan kits are nice, but last I checked were pretty much impossible to find. Good luck scoring one! It's about the same as the JCW intake. (See the DIY option in my signature for something remarkably similar but about ~1/5 the price and ~5 times the DIY fun.)

To say the few CAIs use the stock "ram-air" intake is false, though: almost all that I've ever seen retain the stock intake tube. In fact, I think the K&N version is the truest version of a "ram-air" intake, but it's also probably not the coldest at the intake manifold. (I've had both, and I think my DIY version is better; I still have the K&N intake if you're interested! It's certainly the sweetest looking.)

 

The Alta CAI retains the bottom half of the OEM box and the original 'ram air' tube from the radiator support. I have only used Alta (twice actually) can not compare to others.

Good luck!

 

312 thanks for the pics

Apple...have you measured the performance of your CAI. I did find it last night and seems intriguing to say the least.

Thanks. The thing that bugs me about Alta is that you have to pay extra for the cover BS is my book

Thanks for the replies

 

I have not. I got my Scanguage after swapping intakes, and I won't be swapping back anytime soon, I don't think; really, for the cost, I can't see how one could beat my DIY version. Not to toot my own horn, but as far as the air that it draws, it's identical (depending a bit on the filter you choose to fit) to the JCW box, which outperforms everything else. (Alta might tell you otherwise, but the JCW box I'm pretty sure has been unanimously received as the best; it certainly has the best research budget behind it!) I can't remember exactly, but including a handful of tools, I spent less than $100 on it. And you don't even have to buy a special box-top for it! Sweet-coloured silicone hose is optional, of course.

I have no idea how the stock box performs relative to ambient air temperatures here, either. As I bought the car last August, I've now had it in more winter than summer, and EVERYTHING is a cold-air intake at -20° C. I would like to wait for the hottest day this summer (likely 20°, if last summer is any indicator...) and swap all three, drive them hard, and take readings off the manifold... But I have a life! I'd rather be riding bicycles, or at the very least driving through the mountains with my bike on the roof.

 

There's also homemade.

- Andrew

 

Gruppe M?

 

I modded my stock airbox using instructions I found here on NAM. I even posted pix on the how-to thread of how I did mine.

The mod provides 90% of the benefit of a $250-300 CAI, still uses the little "ram air" intake from the front of the car, adds a bit of extra top-end breathing via the extra cowl air, gives a nice dollop of extra supercharger whine goodness, and cost me about $10 for the weatherstripping I used.

Plus, I get to brag about DIY'ing it....

My next airbox mod will be updating the top of the airbox to make it able to use a cone-style filter, similar to the "Dave F Mod". All the parts I need should be available at Autozone or O'Reilly, too, which means that apart from the filter, I should be able to get it done for about my typical "beer and a mini-pizza" happy hour bar tab....

HTH!

C ya,
Dutch

 

What the heck???

Where did you get that??? or is that a DIY porject??? Either way...very nice!

 

That's what I've done. Still need to open up the stock intake into the cowl but I've been putting it off. It will be very much like a Dave.f intake when it's done.

- Andrew

 

FWIW, Dave still has about 1/2-dozen left from his February batch.

 

It's a darn good intake, one of the best IMO. But mine is almost done.

- drew

 

Not to toot my own horn...again... But my DIY intake, posted here, is the "Dave.f" airbox. Just cheaper. And funner, cuz you do it yourself.

 

I completely missed your post right above my first post.

Can you post a link to your thread? I have signatures disabled. I'm sure i've seen it before but I need to bookmark it for when i take another crack at finishing mine.

Thanks and good work!

- drew

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ir-intake.html

Seems like there have been at least a few spare OEM airboxes and intake hoses in the classifieds lately. I've been thinking I'd score one just to experiment further...but I'm perfectly pleased with mine as it is! Been thinking I'd spruce it up with a red or blue Samco hose, too, but can't warrant the warrantless $100 for something I totally don't need.

 

thanks! I'd like an extra divider/cowl piece to practice with...hard to find those in the market though.

 

A very expensive Japanese Cai... (1450 USD)
For those who are interested; http://gruppem.co.jp/matching/produc...?goods_id=1315

 

That is an astronomical waste of money.

 

Holly Cow, for that price I can get a full stage1 setup including CAI, exhaust, pulley, plugs, and cables, maybe even a coil...

I am really beginning to consider the DYI CAI listed above....I'm just not sure I want to muck up the stock in case I have to reverse for service (Dealers are a pain sometimes) for to sell it.