I understand what you are saying. It seems like a difficult thing for someone else to test objectively though. Any ideas? Like your example of the pedals, it wasn't until after you personally had enjoyed them through a year that you were certain that it was a good purchase, how could someone else have convinced you that the pedals would meet all criteria though all variables?

 

On the Dyno you get slightly better numbers. Maybe even on a drag run or two because of the slightly higher flow rate. Once it gets hot under the hood, you'll get more oxygen to the engine by giving it more dense air than just more air.

 

I'm hard pressed to see how your intake differs from any of the others currently on the market. I make one (for another brand) which is unique in a lot of ways. Come up with some unique approaches to distinguish yourself from the pack!

My system (for VW's and Audis) is insulated (which is very effective at scrubbing off heat) and incorporates a Velocity tuned style inlet. Most of the mini stuff I've seen (including yours) is just more of the same...a filter with a heat shield around it...

 

I do not have that kind of equiptment, anyone? The good news is, I know where the trade-off is. The foam filter is more expensive and requires more maintenence than the the paper one that comes stock. The foam filter works best when it is clean and oiled. It is the oil that removes the particles from the air, not the foam. The average car owner is not interested in performing the necessary maintenence to keep that kind of filter working properly, even though it takes minutes per month. The paper filter is safer for the factory to ensure proper function with minimal maintenence.

 

I wouldn't mind a Canadian mule at all! I do think a stock setup would be best for others to compare to, you've already done some good work.

 

I know what you mean. Clearly there are SOME noticeable differences though. Our CAI will only show minor differences from the competition, no matter how innovative. From the input we have all seen in this thread, it seems clear that some important factors are extremely difficult put a realistic value to.

The point is that I just want everyone to know that our CAI exists, it is competitive, well made, and that we will stand behind it (It is also priced to sell). I am not worried about controlling the data that gets released because we already know how it performs. It would be a death sentance to release untested products.

So, once everyone reaches some agreement on what is most important, and reasonable to test (Hopfully soon). Then, with your help, I'll find someone (or a group of someones) who is prepared to offer the community some real data.

 

you said "reach agreement"

 

Alright, so it's a little idealistic. We are getting somewhere though.

 

I'm driving out of town with my wife for the weekend!

I'll play catch-up on Monday morning. Have a good weekend!

 

Hey this Canadian spoke up first! LOL!

 

My main reason for ditching my stock pedals was because they are extremely slippery when wet. So my #1 concern was how they would grip my shoes in any weather. Second on my list of criteria was better pedal communication. I felt like the stock pedals really isolate you from brake & clutch feedback. I also thought that the brake & gas are way to far apart in the stock configuration.

Initially I bought the pedals because they were created by someone with a background in functional design. Not some race shop that decided to put out a pedal set. They looked very well done from the photos provided. The product description was well written and described them perfectly. At the time they were an introductory product. Normally I wouldn't buy from a first run but based on the vendor's reputation I went for it.

Had they had been a product that was established on the market I would have sought out the experiences of other users. I'd go to MINI meets and find people with the product installed. I find that people tend to give you really great feedback (positive & negative) when you are there in person. I am always interested in both the positives and negatives. There is no car mod that I know of that doesn't have some sort of trade off. So I like to know what I'm trading for. I gave up cushioning on the pedals & occasionally in really bad traffic my clutch foot wishes I didn't. But the overwhelming positives were completely worth it.

I did an in depth write up on the pedals on my website. I'm getting ready to go back and give my 1 year follow up impression soon. You can read the article here: http://www.russellcory.com/blog/?page_id=19

I've been really influenced by the long term car tests in Car & Driver that I read as a kid. I loved to read the sidebars that had peoples impressions of day to day life with the car. They kept a log book in the car & let anyone write stuff in it. I don't keep a log book in the car now but I do keep one in my head. Although, I would go buy one tonight if it would help someone else in their decision to purchase a product.

 

If there is a good power increase in low to midrange and the cleaning/reoiling can be accomplished easily, I'm willing to do that once a month. But I want CLEAR instructions on how to do the cleaning/re-oiling (i.e. a little video), as this is also a matter of some debate. Being the case, I'd like to see the empirical filter data on a freshly oiled filter and one that is let go for say 3 months.

I can think of some ways to test this that would be lots of fun, but the time and materials would cost more then you system. LOL. I'm thinking you hook up the filter to one of those water based vacuum cleaners (i.e. like a Rainbow), and use an exact amount of distilled water in the reservoir. You then modify a power source that varies the motor speed/suction to roughly emulate the range of suction the mini would produce during normal driving. Four points would probably be sufficient, low, two mid ranges and a high. Devize a timing device that sequences the motor at some reasonable interval with weighting toward the low and mid range speeds.

Now comes the hard part. You have to create a test environment to use this in, that subjects the filter to a known amount of airborne particulates of a known size for a known time. Total, PITA. You'd have to make some sort of wind tunnel enclosure that spins the particulates reliably. At the end of each test, you evaporate the water from the vacuum and see how much made it in. The alternative is to stick the vacuum unit on a little trailer and drive around a course in Baja for a known time/duration with each filter and do the same. Maybe design the trailer to actually "kick up" extra dust. Not really empirical, but maybe realistic, and defineately more fun. LOL.

I'm sure there's some scientist out there who could devize a better way, but it's fun to try to solve these kind of puzzle/experiments.

Cheers!
Lee

 

There HAS to be a Wikipedia entry somewhere about air filter testing…

 

what about filter life, nobody has mentioned this, although i am sure the filter would be inexpensive, i have seen filter elements dissolve and break down on other cars, i would not want to have to keep ordering filters myself. the only way to really test this is with a long term test though... with people from many areas / environmental conditions, and report back... i am from south carolina and live around a lot of dirt roads... but i think filter life would be important... which is why i bought a steeel mesh filter for my maxima when i had it... rinse it off and keep going.

 

Reasons why you should send me your CAI:

1. My 04 Cooper S is my Office. I put over 2000 miles a month on the od. With no mods. So there it is a platform that has fewer variables to sort through. No reduction pulleys by this manufacture or that.

The whole reason I have not bought one, CAI, already, is my concern with sound levels and tones. As I am continually on the phone while driving, the sound level and tones that the car generates are ALWAYS noticed. I never have moments where I am in that "unaware state" simply because I have gotten used to it. Therefore you are going to get an honest straight forward answer as to the pleasantness or lack of as it may be, in the tone and decibel level.

2. My driving consist of ALL the roads in Alabama. Everything from dirt/chirt backroads in North Alabama, the sandy crushed sea shell roads of North Florida and all of the roads that connect them. Interstates, Highways, rural back roads and anything in between. So you will get a clear answer on durability, accesability, cleanability, and performance.

3. I wear out tires. QUICK! I drive this thing fairly hard all the time. Its just wrong to not drive it that way isn't it? I am always looking for that grin factor and it is not hard for me to find it. Someone on the first page mentioned 3rd Gear pulls. I about laughed out loud. 3rd Gear. I cant get out of 2nd! 3rd would be awesome if I could get there as I usually go from second straight to 4th or 5th if not 6th.

4. I come from a Volvo 240 Turbo backgroud and a Triumph TR6 too. Air flow has always been an issue with both of these and since there are virtually NO Aftermarket Suppliers for either of these I have always had to do it myself if I wanted it done. Your idea of letting some of us test your wares almost seems too good to be true! What?!? Something I do not have to fab up myself! WooooHoooo!! More importantly here though is the reality that in a boosted application airflow is king. Or should that be "King!"? Yes, I think it should. And not just any "airfolw". Airflow without that critical drop below ambient is worthless. The innercooler should never bear the sole responsibility of this. The "cold" or "cool-ness" has to start with the Intake...well, I ramble. Suffice to say here: I think I can give you a good idea of performance. Maybe better than most...or, maybe not. If you are specifying track driving thats a little different. But then again, whos putting 2000+ miles a month on their Track Car and that behind every 18 Wheeler known to mankind?

5. Access to a dyno. Numbers prior to install and post for those who like to "bench race".

6. Lastly, I could have my running mates post their perceptions of the performance gains. An '04 Mitsu EVO currently at 419 all wheel hp, a new BMW 335i at over 400hp and a myriad of 740 and 240 boosted Volvos pushing over 300 wheel. So far I have managed the title of "deceptively quick" among these gear-heads. Will your CAI make that little difference? Who knows. A couple of runs at Munford Speedway in Talladega may silence some chatter. It may also lead Craven to some new business among the Volvo 240 crowd and the likes.

Thank you for your consideration!

Kent

 

Sorry Kent, but if this statement is true, I hope you spend most of your time on back roads with no traffic. Because I don't want to be there when you do slip into that "unaware state" one day and come across the center line at my family and I. Seriously, if your spending this much time talking and driving, you should consider a getting someone to drive you around. ;-)

I'm not saying this to be unkind. I admit to talking on the phone in the car on occasion. In fact, I am 40+ and got my one and only "speeding" ticket of my life going through a school zone at 35 while the "special" 15MPH speeding limit was in effect, because I was "unaware" when I shouldn't have been (normal speed limit was 40). Oh, I have some other excuses, but it didn't change the fact of what I did. Fortunately, all I got was a ticket, a pinch in the wallet and humiliation. I would have been devastated if I hurt someone.

Now when I do have occasion to be on the phone while driving, I use a "Jawbone" handsfree ear set. I had two Miatas and a Midget before the cooper and wind noise is a big problem. The "Jawbone" works very well and eliminates much of the background noise for your caller. But PLEASE people, drive "aware" all the time whether your on the phone or not. I don't want to hear about the demise of any NAM members or anyone else because of this issue we all need to pay attention to, CAI or no.

Cheers!
Lee

 

The Jawbone is the best evah! But I still prefer to drive with my knee. I just cant get a good grip on the steering wheel and if I do it only takes a few minutes before my hand starts to cramp. Most of the time though I need my other hand to type with. Nothing worse than getting home from a week on the road and having to update all of my excel files! They are alot easier to take care of while on I65 @78mph.

I am now hoping that MoMo will offer a free sterring wheel next. One of the fat comfort grip type!

Nah, seriously Lee, I really appreciate the kind words! Life as a road warrior is certainly a challenge. Thank you for your concern!

Kent

 

Kent:

Jawbones are da bomb, but I wish it where more convenient to switch ears. I wear mine at work all day and one ear can get sore after a bit. My old Jabra was easy to swap ears, but sounded like kaka.

While I'm glad you have a sense of humor and did not take offense. Sorry if I come off like a prude, but I really do worry about these things. I guess the ticket was a wake up call, because I always thought, "I was paying attention". For the most part I was, but it proved to me, it only takes a short lapse of attention behind the wheel for something tragic to occur.

Now that we're done with this message from the National Ad Council, back to Billy Mays and the "Amazing New Craven CAI", order now and we'll throw in not one, but TWO fantabulous foam filters, but act in the next 365 days and you will receiver our unsurbassed Bullet Antenna for your prized Mini-cooper for freee (plus $39.95 for shipping in handling), with FREE lifteime replacement ($39.95 in s & h applies to all warranty replacements) LOL.

I really would like to hear more about the capabilities of these various types of filters. I "heard" specifically that "foam" filters are not as good at filtering as cotton/fiber based re-oil capable filters. I do use one of these in my Tundra (just a TRD Filter, not a full CAI). It only needs to be cleaned every 6 months or so, and is never really grossly dirty. I don't go out 4 Wheelin though. ;-)

Cheers!
Lee

 

I have a foam air filter on my atv that has two foam elements, when you take it apart to clean it the second element is never that dirty and with all the dirt and dust I ride in that is amazing. Maybe a dual element filter for automobiles would be the ticket, some added protection, of course I try not to drive down too many dirt roads.

 

Use a Magnehelic gauge to measure filter restrictions, and Temperature dattaloggers for improvements there...

 

I drive a lot. around 1500 to3000+ per week. Drive all kinds of elevation and changes, Al so can compare the JCW intake vs. your product.

 

Ooooo, that looks like fun. LOL. What's it do? How's it work?

 

Any engine bay pictures of this intake installed?

 

Not a problem Lee. Tell ya what, Vote for Ron Paul and all will be forgiven! even the Billy Mays impersonation!

 

Ah, I'm a good Republican and believe the punishment must fit the crime. Ron Paul's over the edge for me. Not that I'm happy with ANY of the pathetic offerings on either side of the isle. The way things are going, I may vote for Ron Paul just out of spite.

FYI, I can do Billy Mays much better in person. LOL. I think Billary should get into this line of work. They ALL sure know how to sling the B.S., well, maybe not Ron Paul. LOL. Where's Ross Perot when you need him?

Now back to our CAI discussion, since I've digressed WAY too far.

Cheers!
Lee