Hey folks, just a quick one:

Am considering three brands of intake for my '02 MCS:
- Alta, which I like due to Webb's reported 7hp gain.
- Helix, which I like because I'm having Eric do a pulley for me soon, and since it's there why not?
- Madness Intake/Mod-Cowl combo, which I like because they report (I know, I know) 9.3hp.

Does anyone have experience with any/all of these? Madness "9.3hp" to be trusted? Pretty nice note out of the Alta? Anything else I should know?

[edit: Madness says 9.3 not 12. My bad]

 

don't do anything yet wait for the AGS Dyno results then decide.

 

Some help deciding on the Alta here: Link

Dyno results

 

Prof Pat--saw the thread below, but this looks like a little bit more work than I'm willing to do. If it's some wild HP gain, I'll consider it, but I'm thinking that looks like quite a project.

MDS--thanks on the Alta--I'm leaning hard--but the link you provided goes to a page w/broken image links, no dyno results. Hey, just noticed your location--I'm in Hanover. /waves

 

Darn ESE just loaded up a new website. In doing so I can't find the dyno results they posted on the Alta intake.

 

Basically the Madness intake, the Helix intake and the Pilo intake are all the same. The real difference is the filter, but they are essentially all the same.

Why pay more if you don't need to?

Plus, all you need for the cowl mod is a Dremel or a hole-saw...

 

I've said it many posts before, I'll surely say it again, I have the Alta, and absolutely love the Alta, and therefore recommend the Alta.

If you cannot get enough supercharger whine, this is one of the loudest intakes you can buy. Like a jet engine, I tells ya! Helping that is the removal of the cowl piece, letting you hear even more of the intake sounds.

Some say it expensive, but I say it is worth every cent. Yes, I felt a bit more power, but the SOUND, that glorious sound has to be worth a good 15 perceived horsepower!

 

Well that's settled. Ordered an Alta from Webb today. No diss to the Madness box/filter, but that open right side seemed to have significant gappage, whereas the Alta's box seems--at least from the pictures--to effect a better seal. Also, the number of people with Alta intakes on the board is fairly substantial, and I'm a sheep.

Plus the red hose is gonna look boss. Thanks for the feedback, guys.

 

Why not just take the entire cowl out so that if you ever want to return your car to stock you can out it back in without needing to buy a new part?

I have the ALTA and I'm pretty happy with it. The fit of the heat shield is quite impressive and the silicon hose looks tha shiz.

FWIW have a read of this:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=48498



Either way I reckon you shouldn't get too carried away with a few hp. Just go for the one you think you will like the best, someone will always tell you that you should have gone with a different option, so don't stress it!

Also, my only experience is with the ALTA, but I assume the other CAIs provide a similar gain in throttle response and with the ALTA the car certainly feels stronger after 4000rpm. Much better than I was ever expecting anyway.

Good luck with it.

 

well i got my alta put on last tuesday and i love it. the sound is great, but not only that the install is very easy and the fit and finish is great.

 

Bummer, it appears that I came in late, but I would throw out the Rogue Engineering (madness) intake! Two thumbs for it!I still have trouble getting past the foam filter... Call me old school, but I will stick with the traditional filter element...

 

i have the alta and i like it alot looks good sounds great, the hp i cant give a realistic number for hp.

 

Personally, and obviously, I'm not fussed about the foam filter. What I do find to be an interesting observation is that the car enthusiast types seem to generally prefer the cotton/gauze style filter and the off-road enthusiast types seem to generally prefer the foam filter solution. So there must be something there to make both a pretty decent solution IMO.

I think it's a matter of being aware of the pros and cons of each setup and tailoring your maintenance accordingly.

 

Interesting comment about the two different applications. I first heard about the K&N filter in the mid 70's from reading about the Baja 1000 off road race. All of the volkswagon based cars were using the K&N filter.

All of my ATV's have K&N filters, mostly used in the sand dunes. I had always heard that foam clogged up too easily.

To each his own I guess.

 

Foam might indeed clog faster--OFF ROAD, where it is exceedingly dusty and/or muddy. I'm not sure if there are any true comparisons out there, but for a street car, I think it is much less of an issue.

Both your cotton gauze filters like the K&N, as well as your foam filters like Alta, need to be cleaned at least once a year, realistically, (perhaps even more).

I just don't think you should base your buying decision soley on foam versus cotton gauze, because you'd be missing out on a lot of great CAI's from either camp.