i haven't heard much more noise with my AEM CAI and it has a metal tube that goes right to the TB....i didn't like the ebay CAI i had, rust started showing up on the filter less then a month after i had it

 

What chapped my *** about the whole thing is that I had a K&N cone on my eBay intake. Anyway, went to Advance and bought a different cone filter, an APC Turbo filter, it was on clearance, and I'm planning on putting the stock intake back on as soon as I get a couple of parts I've seemed to have misplaced. Anyway, the new filter looks good, it has a built on heat shield, I did have to take the last turned tube off of the setup to get it to fit, the new filter will not fit behind the passenger headlight like the K&N. The good thing about this is that I can no longer hear the EGR anymore, plus it looks pretty sporty, so I may just leave it on the truck for now and see how the filter holds up. Here's some pics::

BEFORE:








AFTER:









Again, the filter was on clearance, that's why I bought it, $15 is all I'm out on it...

 

My K&N has fallen off once. Also, the chrome end of the cone rattled BAD at every stoplight, so I got one of those felt pads you use for furniture and stuck it on....NO RATTLING! Also, the A/C condenser hose( or whatever it connects to) that comes from the firewall to the end of the intake is NOT long enough, so you might have to fix that also...but it sounds GOOD when you get on it, it whistles like a turbo (ive been asked about having a turbo before)

 

you mean, taking off the CAI and going with the stock air filter? why?

 

It's just my personal belief that unless you're going to do some other more intense engine mods, the only thing a CAI does is add more noise. There is no noticable power improvements, and no mileage improvements. Plus after much reading, and closer inspection of the "Hemi Hat," the stock air box and resonator are NOT as restrictive as everyone makes it out to be. The Hemi Hat pretty much directs air directly into the throttle body from the airbox, it does have some small holes in the air tube inside that allow the sound to decipate throughout the hat to quiet the noise, but it is not a restrictive design. The airbox is also a good stock design, the air opening is plenty big enough and draws cold air from the fender well away from the engine heat, also no restrictions. The biggest downfall of the stock air intake system is the filter, and you can take care of that with a K&N or Trueflow drop in.

If I had paid a lot of money for my CAI, I'd keep it on for just that reason, but I don't have a lot invested in the one that's on my truck, and since I've come to the conclusion that is not adding any real value to the truck, I'd rather have the stock parts on my engine that were designed for it in the first place...


Again, this is just my opinion, if you think your CAI is helping your truck get from 0 to 60 faster, then so be it, to me, it's just not worth it...