CAI vs AI

[oh96s]

Another noob post. What's the difference? As in pros VS cons. From my understanding, the CAI is routed towards the outside of the car to inject cold air instead of hot air from the engine? I was looking at the Greddy air intake but should I invest in a CAI? Will there be much difference? I also plan on lowering the car about 2.5 inches so will that be a problem with the CAI? Water or puddle getting into it. Etc. I do live in California however.. so maybe I shouldn't worry about water getting into my intake if I decide to go with the CAI lol

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Just get a drop in filter (pick your favorite brand). It'll give almost the same amount of gains as an intake replacement.

[oh96s]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Just get a drop in filter (pick your favorite brand). It'll give almost the same amount of gains as an intake replacement.

What exactly is that? Sorry.. like i said.. I'm new at all this.

[Teclis]

Originally Posted by oh96s

What exactly is that? Sorry.. like i said.. I'm new at all this.

Hi, and welcome to the forumes
And for drop in filter check here: http://www.ft86speedfactory.com/inta...62315aa681d2fc

You will just replace your OEM filter, for a new one which will allow for better air flow

[chaoskaze]

our car stock has cold air intake. so just replace filter = profit.

[oh96s]

Originally Posted by Teclis

Hi, and welcome to the forumes
And for drop in filter check here: http://www.ft86speedfactory.com/inta...62315aa681d2fc

You will just replace your OEM filter, for a new one which will allow for better air flow

will that be the same thing? I seen replacing the air filter to something like the TRD or Greddy can give me up to +10 hp. Will this do the same?

[Packofcrows]

Originally Posted by oh96s

Another noob post. What's the difference? As in pros VS cons. From my understanding, the CAI is routed towards the outside of the car to inject cold air instead of hot air from the engine? I was looking at the Greddy air intake but should I invest in a CAI? Will there be much difference? I also plan on lowering the car about 2.5 inches so will that be a problem with the CAI? Water or puddle getting into it. Etc. I do live in California however.. so maybe I shouldn't worry about water getting into my intake if I decide to go with the CAI lol

For this car, you wont notice a change on a CAI... I havent from the TRD and K&N filter anyways. Drop in filter is best bet. If in CA, have it (CAI) covered in a box or else you can get ticket.

In short, CAI=colder air into engine, might be louder than stock and may help mpg.. read on forums by 2-3.

Drop in=cleaner air=better for engine overall. Cleaner combustion chamber?


BTW, El Nino might come in... depending where you live...might get floods

Originally Posted by oh96s

will that be the same thing? I seen replacing the air filter to something like the TRD or Greddy can give me up to +10 hp. Will this do the same?

Real world numbers are probably 6-8hp from TRD exhaust and intake.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Unless you like the look of a cold air or short ram intake, just get a reusable air filter. Like the person after me said, refer to that thread. Where abouts Cali are you from?

[oh96s]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Unless you like the look of a cold air or short ram intake, just get a reusable air filter. Like the person after me said, refer to that thread. Where abouts Cali are you from?

so basically keep the intake and swap out the filter?

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by oh96s

so basically keep the intake and swap out the filter?

Correct.

[oh96s]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Correct.

So why do people swap over to the Greddy intake or the TRD? Is there anything that does? Can I do both? Add the Greddy and buy a nice drop in filter? Also, I seen some filters are cone like and some are flat.. what's up with that? Again thanks so much for your help!

[WGMGR]

Originally Posted by oh96s

So why do people swap over to the Greddy intake or the TRD? Is there anything that does? Can I do both? Add the Greddy and buy a nice drop in filter? Also, I seen some filters are cone like and some are flat.. what's up with that? Again thanks so much for your help!

Sound. youll notice a sound difference on the TRD, but no more gains than a drop in.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by oh96s

So why do people swap over to the Greddy intake or the TRD?

They believe the hype.

Aftermarket intakes sometimes have an advantage on other cars that don't already have cold air intakes from the factory. Because of that, some people just assume that a CAI always provides an advantage, and the manufacturers are willing to create a product to sell to those people.

When you see claims of horsepower or torque gains from a manufacturer, always take those with a grain of salt and look for independent testing instead. If I recall correctly, independent testing by one of the car magazines showed a modest gain with one of the aftermarket CAIs, but I don't remember which one it was. That gain had to do with smoothing out airflow and not with providing colder air. I didn't jump on it because the gain didn't seem to justify the cost.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by oh96s

So why do people swap over to the Greddy intake or the TRD? Is there anything that does? Can I do both? Add the Greddy and buy a nice drop in filter? Also, I seen some filters are cone like and some are flat.. what's up with that? Again thanks so much for your help!

Also... Some people like the appearance better. An intake change usually also includes a sound tube delete and some pretty coloured parts. The delete certainly does clean up the engine bay and the pretty parts can wow people at meets. Like any car not every person's prime purpose is increased performance so some go for form over function or just plain looks cool.