what is the best CAI for the money for my MCS?

i notive that they vary in price..

thnaks

 

Most of the recent hype seems to be coming from the HDI. I don't know any specifics about it though. They all do pretty much the same thing.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=75215

 

your choices start with just replacing the stock filter with like an ITG or even going the HAI route. But in the CAI category - you have two "first" decisions -
1) paper or foam filter.
2) open or enclosed CAI.

make these decisiones and the field will narrow.

Buy what you can afford.

 

What's the fun in that!!!

[quote=Bahamabart]
your choices start with just replacing the stock filter with like an ITG or even going the HAI route. But in the CAI category - you have two "first" decisions -
1) paper or foam filter.
2) open or enclosed CAI.

make these decisiones and the field will narrow.

Buy what you can afford.
[/quote]

 

something used....clean the filter or get a new one

 

Alta is a pretty good CAI, and it's not too expensive.

Webb's HDI looks great too.

Bot are in the low-200$.

 

What are you looking to gain from upgrading your intake? Also how much or little are you willing to spend? -- Johan

 

i wouldnt mind finding a nice used set up ...money is not an issue. id like to get something that is funtional and also looks good. ive seen a few on ebay but i know you get what you pay for. id be willing to spend 200 bux on one if i had to but if i can get a cheaper one and it does the same thing i might as well...eventually here is what i plan on getting along with a CAI:

15% pulley
plug wires
header
cat back
maybe an aftermarket intercooler

i have what 167HP right?

what would the above mods give me? id like 180whp...is that realistic?

 

I've got the same question (and I don't even have my MINI yet!). Bahamabart, any guidance on how to make those two decisions?

I'm hoping to get increased horsepower, slightly better gas mileage and what I'm told will be reduced strain on my engine without a big noise increase. Don't know if that provides any useful info re: your questions.

Evil_2, thanks for posting the question!

 

no problem man. i would also like increased fuel economy....today i got 113 miles on a 1/4 tank could i expect around 400 miles on a full tank?....seems pretty good..im intersted to see what it will get with mods.

 

***WARNING***

MINI drivers typically notice reduced gas milage after making performance modifications due to the corresponding increase in weight to their right foot!!!

 

haha..so true..

 

I'm happy with my Pilo. Simple design, easy install, and inexpensive.

 

I've got an Alta and like it, but it had to be insulated and covered before I really started feeling any throttle response and/or gas mileage difference.

If I were shoping for a CAI now, I would be seriously looking at whether their airboxes are metal, whether they are insulated and/or whether they are plastic or another naturally insulating synthetic (ie: carbon fiber).

If your CAI's airbox is metal, it will almost immediately transmit heat from the engine bay to the filter whether it is sealed or not.

Plastic will insulate for a while, until it is heat soaked, then it will hold the temperature high in the airbox, radiating its heat to the filter element.

Carbon fiber will do the same, but it takes a lot longer to become fully heat soaked.

In my experience, sealed airboxes with insulation layers inside seem to work the best. Metal, Plastic or carbon fiber all have their own drawbacks alone. Separate layers of insulation makes the difference.

With insulation, we are talking about a significant difference in inside temperatures -- a difference of 20 to 40 degrees (f) cooler than the outside of the airbox, measured on the filter is average, but the differences can be much greater. It is worth mentioning though, once ambient air temperatures reach 100 degrees(f) or greater, a CAI's efficiency diminishes tremendously with or without insulation.

Btw, CAI insulation can also signficantly decrease the well-known SC whyne. That can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on what you are wanting to get from your CAI.


My Alta CAI with insulation.

Best,

-- Don

 

Only true when sitting still. At speed (over 25mph) the underhood temp are not critical and if the CAI is open to the cowl vent, all the cool air it needs is available.

 

Plug wires, header and cat back exhaust by themselves are usually considered a wash for hp. Things may run more smoothly, be prettier or be more fun because of them, but unless something is wrong, they won't generally increase hp by themselves.

Your biggest easy hp gain will be with your pulley. Most of the dyno graphs that I've seen show about 10 to 15 whp increase with a 15% alone. Add a CAI or similarly enhanced intake and/or an aftermarket intercooler or intercooler enhancement and you may get 5 to 20 more.

In a recent collection of dyno graphs that I've seen for cars with just a 15% pulley and a CAI, the highest run was about 178whp (compared to a stock MCS in that same group at about 152 whp). So roughly a 26 whp difference with these mods together, keeping in mind that environment and different drivers at the dyno may (and probably do) also make some difference here.

We have some experts here who may be able to better represent this and I'll bow to their wisdom, but to my knowledge your header, enhanced cat and cat back exhaust will only really work for more horses if you get an aftermarket head. Then you can get bigger intake and exhaust valves and your new exhaust system will help everything breathe better. Of course, at that time you will probably also want to get bigger injectors and an ECU remap so you can feed more into your now hungrier engine. When you start working on the head, you get into real expenses.

Ultimately after you do the simple intake and pulley stuff, and after you do the head and intake/exhaust systems, unless you go with turbo or enhanced supercharger, getting another big whp increase is going to be much more difficult.

Best,

-- Don

 

Replacing the spark plug wires won't give you anything but different color insulation, no matter what the bogus advertising claims.

 

It has been stated a bazillion times on this forum and elsewhere, the quantitative effects (power and torque) of various aftermarket engine modifications are not additive! IMO, the person contemplating engine modifications should address some very basic issues: 1) What will that extra power be used for?, 2) What is the budget?, and 3) How about some approximation of a cost-benefit analysis? Finally, caveat emptor...

 

In our testing it was demonstrated that once you get past stop and go traffic to freeway speeds, or if you're doing whole track work and not 0 to 60 or 1/4 mile timed runs -- and if it isn't too hot of a day -- you will eventually reach a speed where having a hot filter won't matter, it will get cooled down by the air passing through it.

But in stop and go traffic, twisties, in timed runs or even at speed on warmer days, insulation will dramatically help prevent your filter from getting hot in the first place.

You do have it right though, once the filter gets hot, everything passing through it also gets hot, but only until the filter cools down.

If you're interested, a good thread on the testing we did for this is here in NAM at
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=71139

Best,

-- Don

 

wow guys.. thanks for the info..ill def. take your wisdom into consideration.i understand that some mods will not add power, and im pretty familiar with tunning and building srt-4's and mustangs (5.0)..but the MC's are new to me as are superchargers. im used to nitrous and turbo's. i guess with your advice you have saved me some money until later down the road when a catback and header are actually needed. so, with that in mind, would a CAI, Pulley and aftermarket intercooler be my best choice? also, what about a C02 intercooler sprayer? i know alot of forced induction guys are doing this and seeing some nice gains especially on top mount intercoolers (like ours and subaru's)...ill make another post about this..

 

Sure...I went with the K&N just because there's a chance that I'm going to be moving to CA in the future. It has a CARB #, Plus I've had K&N on every vehicle I've owned since 16. BUT if a CARB # is not an issue for you I would FOR SURE go with the High Density Intake (HDI). I've thought many times about getting one. Obehave has one and he insulated it with outstanding results. If my memory serves me correctly he made more power over his old Alta. He made a thread on it, but I'm too lazy to look it up right now. Now if you want ALL OUT POWER m7 Air Gain System (AGS) is no doubt the way to go. However it's more costly at $469 with the heat sheild. Hope this helps -- Johan

 

Man - O - Man I wish it was all that simple

 

THis is the truth some will not want to hear it

 

How 'bout this?:


Costs the price of the filter (AFE cotton filter that came with a HAI for a Cooper) and couple bucks for a piece of PVC. I had to slightly sand down the PVC to fit into the OEM boxtop (see my gallery). Clamped the filter on the other end and it all fits into the OEM box. I also cut open the back of the box and firewall so it gets more cowl vent air. I eventually bought some weatherstrip to go between the box and cowl area, as I was getting some hot engine bay air coming into the box.

 

i like that idea...now what size PVC? can you give me a rundown on what you did exactly?

thanks
Trevor