I have the stock intake that ends at the fender, i also have a spectre CAI sitting in my living room. My fender is rusted to hell so fresh air goes into the intake tube to a K&N filter. Would the spectre CAI that would sit inside the engine compartment give any improvement or would nothing change or would it hurt performance? The stock intake getting the air from outside seems better to me but im no professional

 

If it's drawing air from the engine compartment, then no, it will not help and might hurt. Cold air intakes are basically snake oil anyway and mislabeled if they indeed draw in hot engine compartment air. Those should be referred to as hot air intakes...lol

 

I actually had the same question and judging by their design it seems like they just suck in the hot engine compartment air as well. It's weird that certain people online actually claim that using cold air intakes actually decrease their mpg instead of helping it like most people online claim it does

 

Most of the 'cold air intakes' marketed for our trucks draw air from the EXACT same place as the stock system. They may flow a little better at 5K+ RPM, but, since these aren't racing trucks, 99% of them never see it.

According to theory, the box at the end of the tube is supposed to be sealed up against the fender, and on top when you close the hood. If there isn't some variety of cover on top, then it's just drawing engine compartment air. Pointless.

I think the claims of 'worse mileage' with them has more to do with driving style, than it does the CAI..... they tend to be a bit louder than the stock system, and when first installed, folks like to hear that, so they step harder on the go pedal.

In all reality, for our trucks, installing a good, high-flow air filter is the best bang for the buck.

 

Ditto ^^^^

Chances are you're better off saving the money for track bar, ball joints, steering gear, tires, plenum repair, dash replacement, heater core/ac evap replacement, etc. or any other major repair that is common on these trucks. If you want to bad enough, I'll ship you my old 14x3 Eddy cleaner setup that I used for awhile when it was the thing to do. Just pm if interested. It was definitely louder but I don't remember any improvement.

 

My spectre had a box (some walls) to separate it from the engine heat, and I ran a tube from behind the grill to the box to get direct cold air when driving.

The thing I noticed most with the CAI was that the increased throttle response was dramatic.

 

Ive had several CAI intakes including the spectre. Also went high end and got a Volant with the scoop that gets the air from the front of the truck. While they look good and fancy any improvement in mpg or horsepower would probably be from the newer better efficiency filter and not really the system itself. The stock rectangle filter sucks, even a replacement k&n filter didn't fit right. Cone is the way to go.
Ive tested extensively fresh air vs hot engine air and there almost no difference. i did notice that the fresher the air the quicker the filter gets dirty, consider that.

 

imo unless you have a high end built p@ped engine running boost its a waste.

1- they allow more air by filtering less, exposing your engine to a possible dust out conditon
2- any engine that uses speed density metering is ok but if you use a maf sensor an oil coated filter will crud up the hot wire of the maf
3-some newer models have resonator boxes in the air duct to improve airflow by reducing a baffling effect that sets up from incoming air hitting a closed valve. removing the oem box and installing a cai without a resonator would actually reduce air flow

 

This is similar to the spectre but they have lots of options.

http://www.ramairbox.com/product.html

 

Edit: I realize this is an old post I just wanted to set the record straight for future readers such as me. I'm currently looking into how penstars respond to the extra CFM and if I need to step up to 89octane since the compression is 11:1 or 10:1 (can't remember) and 87octane is called for but I think it's because the stock air filter is a measly 30square inches and can't provide more than 180CFM at 6000RPM when 380CFM is needed.

I've put a short ram intake on a 2013 Elantra, 2015 Altima, and later this week I'm putting one my 2018 Grand Caravan with 3.6L penstar.

Yes they do improve performance in a way. You will lose low RPM torque but your throttle response will become much quicker, by that I mean your engine will rev up to the 3000-4000RPM range much quicker and that is the range of peak horsepower. So while not necessarily creating a significant improvement in HP or torque (likely less than 20HP or ft lbs of torque) you will get where you want to be in your power band much quicker. Your mileage will suffer, BUT THE SOUND, oh the sound. The stock air box kills a bunch of sound that you get fed back up the intake. With a pod near the engine you will get all that glorious powerful sound.

That said I have never installed a "Cold air intake" which is where the pipe is really long to the bottom of the vehicle and the filter is under the vehicle. A short ram is when the filter is near the engine. As others indicated you need to buy or build a box to contain the cool air that your stock pipe used to bring up the your stock air box. The cheapest way to do this is go to a junk yard and buy a stock air box. Cut a hole to bring in whatever pipe you have going to your intake. Get some rubber weather stripping (melting point above 500F should be more than safe) and put it in the box around that tube, and between the top of the box and the hood or make a top for the box. Then you are sucking the air from the outside just as usual.