I prefer Plastic as it resists heat better.

 

I have that one, its not to bad. Its a metal intake tube and it transfers to much heat for my liking. It also sits inside the engine bay to much, i wanna move the filter closer to the edge of the bay. The filter that comes with it isn't the biggest either. Works fine i got aout an extra mpg and there is more jump to it when you kick it down! But I think i'm gonna build a pvc one shortly, it'll allow for more cold air.

 

A CAI alone won't help you much. It's when you start adding other things to it, like exhaust and such where it starts to benefit.

 

My Dakota with the 2.5 engine has a big crazy looking air intake in an S shape tube this thing sucks and probably slows down my intake air.

So I want to fix it but in my own way this will not be cheap.

First I noticed the V8 air box inlet cap is centered so this got me thinking I want to get as straight an air path as possible and with no couplers also so this is as far as I can get for now till more money comes my way.

My A/C lines are in the way I’m thinking of getting a custom rerouting of my A/C lines I know a shop that can do this for me but $$$$.

I’m getting some cool straight silicone tubing to go from the throttle cap to the air box no fittings at all to slow down the air
.

Link for cool tubing here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/82mm-PERFO...item3a48d3ff34

You can get this stuff in all sizes and three colors

 

You can keep your old lid, just remove the Air Hat (The thing thats on top of the engine that connects the S tube to the air box). After you do that you could easily fab up some PVC pipe to the air box. Just get the diameter you need in piping and couplers, and maybe a couple 45 degree elbows.

 

The hat is not made like that, have you see one up close?

If I could find a new Hat that clamped on like the original it would work.

It’s kind of an odd attachment for the 2.5 engine off the throttle body if I use an elbow off the throttle body just maybe it could work.

For stability the hat is attached to the throttle body by clamp and attached on two sides to the Valve cover.

 

Yeah. There's only one way to attach it. A rubber fitting and secure it to the engine. Mine was basically the same when I took mine out and replaced all my intake stuff. I was meaning for you to take an elbow off the TB and connect it to another elbow to get the pipe going where it needs to go to connect to the air box.

 

My understanding is the straight 4 kind of vibrates or waddles in the engine bay compared to a V6 or V8 that’s why the hat is secured by two bolts on the valve cover and a clamp at the throttle body if I use just an elbow off the throttle body it just may pop off on me all too often besides I like the Hat it has a big air chamber to help with acceleration the Hat is a big plus in my book I want to keep it.

 

Okay. Then getting a CAI is a worthless mod for you. The air hats are designed to slow down and quiet incoming air, so you won't really be gaining anything at all.

 

I may gut out the Hat I’m thinking on that move those hats are $160 I know I had to buy a new one the dealership snapped off one of the mounts some lazy pig of a fat mechanic leaned on it and broke it but the dealership refused to replace it said it came like that.

My *** it came like that they refused to replace it even talked to the head honcho no go (it came like that) go away.