What are the advantages to having a cold air intake?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/96-97...em370036746948

seems pretty good to me

 

the benifit of having a cai is that u r drawing colder air from outside the engine bay into the engine which helps better atomize the fuel/air mixture and give it a better burn. it is a MUST tho for a heat sheild. to have an effective cai u have to block out the engine heat. the ebay cai's r decent u just either have to get one w/ a heat shield or build one ur self (there is a how to thread on here just search).

 

I have an AirAid intake in mine, and I love it. Sounds aggressive, and I can feel some performance gains. However, you are right that I should improve it by adding a heat shield.

A couple of weeks ago, I was in Home Depot for an unrelated issue and was walking through the aisle where they sell home heating vents. They come in many shapes and sizes, and I had an idea to buy one and fab it into a heat shield. Didn't have the time or money to do it right then, but I may still do it. How's aluminum for a good shield material? Anybody know?

 

The material really doesn't have that much of a bearing as far as heat sheilds go. Typically the sheild isn't going to be tight fitting around the filter so conduction/radiation of heat into and through the material isn't that big of an issue. The #1 purpose of a heat shield is to isolate the filter from engine heat.

 

Whatare the performance gains from one?

 

That would most likely depend on the actual filter used and how well the heat shield works.

The K&N intake has a 7hp increase at like ~5500rpm. The AEM intake I think claims 11hp at a similar rpm. The intake tubing follows a nearly identical path in both the K&N and AEM. Themain differences are the heat shield and the filter. The AEM uses a 9" un-oiled filter while the K&N uses a 5" oiled filter.

 

I was having the same predicament. I'd narrowed to down to K &N for junking the whole pipework & Air Raid, just coz they wereeasily avail. My local tuning shop recommended the latter. So I emailed Air Raid as to Why the stopped their kit at the mass flow sensor. thinking that the fluted Rubber hose was going tocause problems. They replied saying in their tests it made no difference using a whole pipe. He even went as far as to recommend the cheaper option using the bottom pan of the standard airbox. which included side plates to turn the airbox into a cold air damwith P seals up to the bonnet lid. this was afurther saving and is said to give the same airflow as their std kit. With the money I saved. I bought a power spacer too and fitted the whole lot in under an hour. There is a definite improvement in low speed running and more urge when you boot it.

 

i can take some pics of mine i have the K&N kit i can take pics of the heatshield in and pull it out so you can see the design of it if that helps anyone?

 

I have the Airaid Quick Fit system. I was always wondering about the differencebetween replacing all the piping or just stopping at the MAF.
thanks for the info boppinbobby.

 

Here'ssome pics of my K&N for comparison