I have 175K on my stock plastic intake, and nothing is broken. The reason folks say it is just as good as most of the CAI systems you see out there in the world is because said CAI's draw air from the SAME place as stock. The stock system is a bit more restrictive, due to the design, but, that's about the only difference.

Most of the CAI's are dead easy to install. Headers are a bit more interesting..... if you have a torch, makes it a LOT easier. If you don't, just hit all the bolts/nuts with chemicals for a few days before you actually want to do the header install.

 

what kind of chemicals and what do the chemicals actually do to the headers to make them easier to install?

 

Penetrating lubricant. PB Blaster, Kriol, CRC Freeze off, and a host of others. They break down the rust that has the bolts basically welded in place, and makes them MUCH easier to get off, without snapping them off.

 

ill keep that in mind, if i went professional install route any idea how much that would slam the bank account?

 

When I worked at the shop, we would do it for under 100 bucks... but, for exhaust work, we were ALWAYS the cheapest place in town...... price varies dramatically just from block to block... let alone state to state.