Short Ram Intake versus Stock Intake

[Chris Crash]

So I decided to experiment with my car since my USB scan tool showed up yesterday. (I guess you could say I'm an automosexual... )

Anyway. Since my second engine swap I had an Injen SRI installed. I always was trying to blockade the filter from the hot air, and I successfully dropped the temperature a couple of degrees but nothing drastic. So today I figured I would do a little research.

With the car at normal operating temperature I hooked up the scan tool and read the temperatures. With the SRI installed I got this :


This seemed a little high to me. I then removed the SRI and re-installed the stock intake, being careful to make sure the filter box connected to the black tube that runs through the fender. I then hooked the car back to my laptop and let it run and get to the same operating temperature and then I got this :


There's a 20 degree difference! I'm hoping this will help with my MPG as well. I'll miss the sound of the intake, but I don't like the fact that I put $10 in last night and after driving to school and back today I am on empty again.

So in short, SRI is pointless. Don't bother, it kills your mileage. The stock airbox breathes well enough, so just leave it UNLESS you're making a custom CAI then you might get even lower temperatures, maybe I'll try that experiment another day!

Hope I save someone some money.


KEYWORDS: SRI Short ram intake intakekit hp performance intake better CAI

[2wickedtoyz]

very good read

i think i'll be doing this on my intake setup also.

[projektvertx]

Cool! That's good to know, and at least it's good to know Toyota's design isn't half bad! Did you let the engine run for a couple of minutes after re-installing the stock intake?

[Chris Crash]

Originally Posted by projektvertx

Cool! That's good to know, and at least it's good to know Toyota's design isn't half bad! Did you let the engine run for a couple of minutes after re-installing the stock intake?

I should have looked at the MAF sensor's numbers to see if there was a difference in air flow... oh well. Maybe another day.

But yes I let the engine run probably 5-7 minutes with the stock intake. It had cooled off a little and I had to get back up to the same coolant temperature (for control consistency's sake).

I'm hoping to see a difference in mileage is the main concern. If I keep getting crappy mileage then I've got more work to do! It might also be my knock sensor problem putting the ECU in fail safe mode...

[Chris Crash]

Originally Posted by 2wickedtoyz

very good read

i think i'll be doing this on my intake setup also.

Yeah. I figured it looks and sounds cool and all, but it's not gaining anything and it might have even been hurting performance due to such high temperatures, as we all know that cooler air is better.

I also think that the SRI being metal makes it heat up a lot too, because I can barely even touch it when I took it off the hot car. But the stock one being rubber/plastic Probably helps. I wonder if you could wrap the rubber tubing in some kind of heat wrap to lower the temperature. I was also considering wrapping my headers because those heat shields don't do a damn thing.

I just can't find the wrap anywhere!

[bigbird]

not that this isnt good info...but it should be common sense. An SRI is not intended to take in cooler air then the stock intake, thats what a CAI is for(which the stock one sort of is). its there to take in more with less restriction. whether or not it does that would be a better test to perform.

most of us will tell you that it has NO real performance benifits anyways unless your running boost and need the lower restriction and larger diameter filter. thoes who install an SRI for mileage are almost always wrong about it's benefits unless the set it up right (see ASG14's setup). the facotry tests several setups and find a system that takes in the coolest air with the least amount of restriction, effect on the performance and cost goals of the car.

[THEARCHITEK]

yeah i deff think the cai will help in not much in mileage but in performance i think thos SRI sucks anyways

[Chris Crash]

Originally Posted by bigbird

not that this isnt good info...but it should be common sense. An SRI is not intended to take in cooler air then the stock intake, thats what a CAI is for(which the stock one sort of is). its there to take in more with less restriction. whether or not it does that would be a better test to perform.

most of us will tell you that it has NO real performance benifits anyways unless your running boost and need the lower restriction and larger diameter filter. thoes who install an SRI for mileage are almost always wrong about it's benefits unless the set it up right (see ASG14's setup). the facotry tests several setups and find a system that takes in the coolest air with the least amount of restriction, effect on the performance and cost goals of the car.

My next test was gonna be a MAF test. But I really just wanted to post up numbers so people could see why SRI sucks. That's all.

[RU2CHKN]

Holy crap that bad huh? Good to know some great info

[P3VZ]

wow i was just gonna buy a SRI too. good thing i ran into this thread. So basically SRI is useless unless your going for sound and better throttle response but in the flip side your MPG will be killed. But for ppl on boost who need low restriction will benefit from it....

[TCam01]

yea dude keep us posted im curious to see what a cai temperatures at and whether or not it helps mpg versus stock. also the airflow would be a pretty cool thing to figure out as well...interesting stuff

[iovaykind]

Not to threadjack but I can't seem to get MAF readings from my Scangauge II.. I have a 96 camry, anyone else with this problem?

Earlier back I was going to switch to a SRI but my dad warned me saying I'd be getting hotter air which is not as good for the engine. I think the performance gains are negligible while the downsides are just numerous..

[fenixus]

well, yeah go figure, SRI pulls air from the engine bay (because it's short) while stock air intake pulls air from behind the driver head light - that is if the seal holds on air cleaner box by fender (mine doesn't)

i think only a true CAI with long pipe running across the engine bay (behind grille) can make this number go down significantly below stock intake.
with my stock setup (bad seal before filter) on hot days (air ~90F) and after idling with close hood i'm getting close to 125F anyways ...

so you are saying that kills the MPG ? interesting, never thought of that ... will try fixing that seal with some silicone/RTV (have huge amount of left over from valve cover job) and see if it improves my IAT significantly and if it impact my poor MPG (22 MPG @ 70% highway for 5S-FE sucks, doesn't it?)

glad to see you've got your obd2-usb cable from Hong Kong so fast mine took longer

[Chris Crash]

Originally Posted by P3VZ

wow i was just gonna buy a SRI too. good thing i ran into this thread. So basically SRI is useless unless your going for sound and better throttle response but in the flip side your MPG will be killed. But for ppl on boost who need low restriction will benefit from it....

SRI will give you a noticeable sound, and it's pretty sweet once you get to like 4k. Also a bit better throttle response, but MPG sucks and you are just sucking in hot, hot, hot air.

I think boosted people would run best with a CAI but I don't know if that's still too restrictive.

Originally Posted by TCam01

yea dude keep us posted im curious to see what a cai temperatures at and whether or not it helps mpg versus stock. also the airflow would be a pretty cool thing to figure out as well...interesting stuff

I'll definitely get the MAF numbers tomorrow some time, I don't know when or if I'll ever get around to making a custom CAI. But if I do, I'll test it the same way!

Originally Posted by iovaykind

Not to threadjack but I can't seem to get MAF readings from my Scangauge II.. I have a 96 camry, anyone else with this problem?

Earlier back I was going to switch to a SRI but my dad warned me saying I'd be getting hotter air which is not as good for the engine. I think the performance gains are negligible while the downsides are just numerous..

Is it one of those handheld scanners they use at like Advance and stuff? I couldn't figure out how to get any data from those other than codes. That's the main reason I bought the USB scanner. It was like $15 on eBay and plugs into your laptop and you use your software of choice.

Unless you're boosted, there's really no performance gain. At all. And you're just wasting money because a new Injen is, what, $150? And then all the money you lose in gas being wasted.
I'd rather just spend $20 making a PVC CAI!

[Chris Crash]

Originally Posted by fenixus

well, yeah go figure, SRI pulls air from the engine bay (because it's short) while stock air intake pulls air from behind the driver head light - that is if the seal holds on air cleaner box by fender (mine doesn't)

i think only a true CAI with long pipe running across the engine bay (behind grille) can make this number go down significantly below stock intake.
with my stock setup (bad seal before filter) on hot days (air ~90F) and after idling with close hood i'm getting close to 125F anyways ...

so you are saying that kills the MPG ? interesting, never thought of that ...

glad to see you've got your obd2-usb cable from Hong Kong so fast mine took longer

Yeah. I knew it was pulling in hot air, I just wanted to see how much of a difference it was.

You're definitely right about the CAI bringing down the temps, but I don't know if it really needs to go behind the grill. That would make so many complicated bends that it would become real restrictive. Even though it would be getting nice cold air!

I had the scanner hooked up while the SRI was still on. It originally read ~135 degrees or so after driving home from school. After I opened the hood that number dropped to about ~108.

...I wonder what a hood scoop would do for the engine bay... I was also planning on wrapping the headers to try to lose a little more heat under there. It's ridiculous how hot it gets. My old camry I had removed the rubber weather stripping across the top and my current camry I still have it on. I can say that it really does make a difference. BUT it gets annoying to see the heat coming out of the gap when you're at a stop light because it's all wavy and makes you feel like you're on acid.

I was very surprised at how quickly the scanner arrived. I ordered it like Mid last week and it arrived on Monday.