quick question for you all...what is the main diff. in cold air intakes, i see them on EBAY for $20, $40, $75, $300......can there be that much of a difference in quality?
And does adding a cold air intake make a big performance diff?
I see lotsa people add them, lotsa people don't.....
the more expensive ones are CARB certified, california emssions BS stuff. it costs money to get that label so if you go to a smog shop you wont get "nabbed" but you usually do anyway. just becuase they're retarded and they make yo go to the REF or something. ebay ones that are 20 bucks are basically the same just no certificaion
if worse comes to worse just replace your CAI with the stock airbox and you're fine. unless you get pulled over...
Also there is a performance difference between a short ram and a CAI, Short ram will make it sound cool but won't make much diff, in performance, and is less expensive. Also look at what materials it is made of the piping should be Aluminum as not to hold the heat from the engine and defeat the purpose of putting on thye CAI.
You will only have to worry about CAI's being legal or not if you go to an emissions test. Just switch the stock airbox back on, it's not that hard. and then switch to your cai after emissions. If you get pulled over, most likely they won't make you pop your hood. Most cops wouldn't know if your car sounds loud or not. Even if you were to receive a ticket for it, which you wouldn't, then you could just put your stock airbox back on and the ticket would be thrown out. Don't let the legal aspect stop you. It is not a problem. Definately make sure you get a true CAI and not a short ram. After that, price doesn't really matter, you're just paying more for the name for most of them. Just buy a cheap one and stick a K&N cone filter on it.
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If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough- Mario Andretti
Its not how fast your car goes...its how much nerve the driver has to push it that fast.
There is a big diffrence in a Short Ram and a CAI.
1: A Short Ram is located generally right next to the motor. It sucks in warm air.
2: A CAI is located under the motor generally in the front bottom corner of the front bumper. As it being under the motor and behind an opening it is sucking in colder air than the Short Ram. As cold air being denser than warm air, it causes more pressure to be built in the motor chamber. This causes more fuel flow--hence more power.
3: An SR or CAI Intake makes a big diffrence in performance and who ever tells you otherwise doesn't know there cars. A Stock Closed Box Intake consists of a load of cheapass equipment. First you have a plastic tube that raps halfway around the car to the silencer located under the front left fender. The silencer quiets the sound of the intake and also dulls the air going into the Box intake. From there the already thin air moves throught the next tube into the intake manifold. A Short Ram has been known to give from 5-10 hp increase and a CAI a 10-20 hp increase. Every little bit of power counts and if I were racing a CAI is best road to take.
4: Price generally tells you the quality of steel that makes up the intake and the quality of air filter. I have no idea how emissions got into the conversation since emissions deals with exaust and the quality of cadillytic converter you have. If you have a good converter and clean exhaust you don't have to worry about a thing.
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Joseph Street
98' Black Corolla VE
To get into emissions, all emissions deals with is chemicals going into the air out of yor exhaust. the converter acts as a filter. I live in nashville with a custom CAI and exhaust with a switch to open and close my converter bypass valve around the converter to increase hp. No one has ever stopped me and an intake no matter a SR or CAI will make a big enough diffrence in emissions. Plus when I get pulled over and a cop wants to look under my hood, I just tell him no because he has no warrent to or reason to search your vehicle. And if he does he can't give you a ticket, a SR or CAI is just a premium engine upgrade and as long as you car dosn't pass 512hp,the federal law for the amount of hp allowed in a car yopur good. And how is he going to know that unless he puts it on a dyno in the emergency lane.
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Joseph Street
98' Black Corolla VE
im thinking of getting that since it fits my budget... since im a beginner at this, i dont think an expensive CAI is that necessary. what do you guys think? is that decent enough for my 05 rolla? also, will it make my car sound decent/good or horrible ? thanks
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