Don't know if I'm going to like the CAI
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Veteran
Joined: Mar 2009
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Don't know if I'm going to like the CAI
I bought a Airaid CAI, model 300 220 If I remember right, and put it on last night.
Drove it around today and noticed a few things; before the intake install shifting in the first three gears was inconsitant and sloppy, after the intake install it seemed to even out the inconsitant shifting. Maybe a very small increase in low end torque.
The truck before the intake had no low end whatsoever but, when I hit the highway and got into the higher gears you could really feel the power of the engine. The truck cruised incredibly smooth at 85-90mph. With the intake installed it is MUCH noiser inside the cab so much so that my wife instantly noticed the noise and said "what is that noise"? I said, exhaust. She said, "no its coming from under there" and pointed towards the dash. It was loud enough to drown out the radio and we had to talk loud to hear each other.
Lastly, the smooth top end power seemed to disappear. It sounded like the truck was struggling to get up to speed and didn't feel anywhere near as smooth as it did before the intake. There also seemed to be a LOSS of power during acceleration. From a dead stop and when getting on the highway.
I realize the resonator is gone and it was going to be a little louder but didn't think it would be that bad. Also, noise without performance is not a trade off I'm going to make. If I got all that noise and my top end power is gone that thing is coming off and the stock box is going back on.
Going to try and give it a full tank of gas to try it out to get a real feel for it. Just judging by the digital meter the mpg's haven't changed at all. If my hand calc mileage after a tank is the same or less and I truly don't have the top end power like I did before the intake then I am definately going to take it off. Going to call Airaid tomorrow and see what they're return policy is.
Drove it around today and noticed a few things; before the intake install shifting in the first three gears was inconsitant and sloppy, after the intake install it seemed to even out the inconsitant shifting. Maybe a very small increase in low end torque.
The truck before the intake had no low end whatsoever but, when I hit the highway and got into the higher gears you could really feel the power of the engine. The truck cruised incredibly smooth at 85-90mph. With the intake installed it is MUCH noiser inside the cab so much so that my wife instantly noticed the noise and said "what is that noise"? I said, exhaust. She said, "no its coming from under there" and pointed towards the dash. It was loud enough to drown out the radio and we had to talk loud to hear each other.
Lastly, the smooth top end power seemed to disappear. It sounded like the truck was struggling to get up to speed and didn't feel anywhere near as smooth as it did before the intake. There also seemed to be a LOSS of power during acceleration. From a dead stop and when getting on the highway.
I realize the resonator is gone and it was going to be a little louder but didn't think it would be that bad. Also, noise without performance is not a trade off I'm going to make. If I got all that noise and my top end power is gone that thing is coming off and the stock box is going back on.
Going to try and give it a full tank of gas to try it out to get a real feel for it. Just judging by the digital meter the mpg's haven't changed at all. If my hand calc mileage after a tank is the same or less and I truly don't have the top end power like I did before the intake then I am definately going to take it off. Going to call Airaid tomorrow and see what they're return policy is.
Champion
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,687
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From: Northern Virginia
I won't be popular for saying this, but then I'm not popular anyway... lol
The airaid intake is all placebo effect for our truck. It pulls the same hot air from the same location as stock. It doesn't free up enough restriction to make a difference and it is NOT a cai. To be a cai, you actually need to get cold air. You could get the same results, without the noise, by adding a drop in filter to the stock set up.
I know some guys love it and swear their truck is faster, they're fooled by the noise. These same guys never have any track times to back it up. I know plenty of guys that take their truck to the track and none of them are running an airaid. There are only two intakes that actually increase performance- the BFI and the Vararam. Flame suit on.
The airaid intake is all placebo effect for our truck. It pulls the same hot air from the same location as stock. It doesn't free up enough restriction to make a difference and it is NOT a cai. To be a cai, you actually need to get cold air. You could get the same results, without the noise, by adding a drop in filter to the stock set up.
I know some guys love it and swear their truck is faster, they're fooled by the noise. These same guys never have any track times to back it up. I know plenty of guys that take their truck to the track and none of them are running an airaid. There are only two intakes that actually increase performance- the BFI and the Vararam. Flame suit on.
Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 452
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From: Atlanta
cold air intakes are for looks and sound. dont expect any difference accept fort mabe a little more throttle responce! im with rubberfrog on this one! the temperature sensor will make the change for the colder air anyways. but they do sound nice. and i made a heat shield for mine to get rid of the droneing.
Record Breaker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,998
Likes: 1
From: Shreveport Louisiana
Did you reset the computer after the install? If not it may take some time for the computer to relearn the paramaters of the add on. I dont agree with the others that CAI's dont work. Any time air flow is straightened or resistance is lowered, it makes engine potential increase.
Engines, in most basic language, are air pumps. The more air that can be introduced, the more combustion potential you have. Notice I said potential. Air must be allowed to flow freely completely through the system, so adding more air in without increasing exhaust flow is somewhat counter productive. The intake and exhaust must work in concert with each other. More air in, more exhaust out.
The goal of any CAI is to 1)smooth airflow, laminar flow is much more efficient than turbulent flow, Laminar flow will increase velocity. 2) introduce cooler,more dense air into the combustion cycle. If your CAI meets these requirements, there is no way to loose performance with A cai. Even if the CAI is pulling hot air from the stock location, it is still smoothing the air flow into the throttle body, increasing velocity, and thus creating the potential for more efficient combustion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laminar_flow
Engines, in most basic language, are air pumps. The more air that can be introduced, the more combustion potential you have. Notice I said potential. Air must be allowed to flow freely completely through the system, so adding more air in without increasing exhaust flow is somewhat counter productive. The intake and exhaust must work in concert with each other. More air in, more exhaust out.
The goal of any CAI is to 1)smooth airflow, laminar flow is much more efficient than turbulent flow, Laminar flow will increase velocity. 2) introduce cooler,more dense air into the combustion cycle. If your CAI meets these requirements, there is no way to loose performance with A cai. Even if the CAI is pulling hot air from the stock location, it is still smoothing the air flow into the throttle body, increasing velocity, and thus creating the potential for more efficient combustion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laminar_flow
Last edited by Horseapples; May 8, 2009 at 08:21 AM.
3rd gen Ram, Newbies
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,815
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From: Chicago
Did you reset the computer after the install? If not it may take some time for the computer to relearn the paramaters of the add on. I dont agree with the others that CAI's dont work. Any time air flow is straightened or resistance is lowered, it makes engine potential increase.
Engines, in most basic language, are air pumps. The more air that can be introduced, the more combustion potential you have. Notice I said potential. Air must be allowed to flow freely completely through the system, so adding more air in without increasing exhaust flow is somewhat counter productive. The intake and exhaust must work in concert with each other. More air in, more exhaust out.
The goal of any CAI is to 1)smooth airflow, laminar flow is much more efficient than turbulent flow, Laminar flow will increase velocity. 2) introduce cooler,more dense air into the combustion cycle. If your CAI meets these requirements, there is no way to loose performance with A cai. Even if the CAI is pulling hot air from the stock location, it is still smoothing the air flow into the throttle body, increasing velocity, and thus creating the potential for more efficient combustion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laminar_flow
Engines, in most basic language, are air pumps. The more air that can be introduced, the more combustion potential you have. Notice I said potential. Air must be allowed to flow freely completely through the system, so adding more air in without increasing exhaust flow is somewhat counter productive. The intake and exhaust must work in concert with each other. More air in, more exhaust out.
The goal of any CAI is to 1)smooth airflow, laminar flow is much more efficient than turbulent flow, Laminar flow will increase velocity. 2) introduce cooler,more dense air into the combustion cycle. If your CAI meets these requirements, there is no way to loose performance with A cai. Even if the CAI is pulling hot air from the stock location, it is still smoothing the air flow into the throttle body, increasing velocity, and thus creating the potential for more efficient combustion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laminar_flow
yes laminar is more EFFICIENT, but not necessarily more effective. Laminar flow will increase velocity given a certain amount of 'pumping power', you will never have laminar flow in your intake. You'd be better off using extra hp to pump more (turbulent) air in because the benefits will outweigh the losses (blower/turbo anyone??)
In fact, flow becomes turbulent as you increase velocity, so trying to keep it laminar to get higher velocity/more air in is chasing your tail.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,686
Likes: 21
From: South Georgia/East Florida
I had an interesting conversation with an engineer from one of the leading aftermarket camshaft manufacturers a couple of years ago at a car/truck show.
He basically stated that a CAI was generally useless by itself, sometimes even degrading the performance slightly. It is a mod that basically worked in unison with other mods such as TBs, headers and an over-all aftermarket exhaust re-build.
When combined with other mods, it DOES benefit the system, so much so, that he stated some of his company's higher profile cams spec a CAI and exhaust headers as a prerequisite.
I agree with Rubberfrog to the degree that most of these commercially available CAI's are NOT true CAIs, they do nothing to cool the air, but they do allow for greater airflow. I also agree that of themselves, they are of little benefit to the average truck owner. But, if they had NO benefit, why would a cam manufacturer spec them for their higher end cams? I firmly believe that in combination with the right components, they become a necessary asset...
He basically stated that a CAI was generally useless by itself, sometimes even degrading the performance slightly. It is a mod that basically worked in unison with other mods such as TBs, headers and an over-all aftermarket exhaust re-build.
When combined with other mods, it DOES benefit the system, so much so, that he stated some of his company's higher profile cams spec a CAI and exhaust headers as a prerequisite.
I agree with Rubberfrog to the degree that most of these commercially available CAI's are NOT true CAIs, they do nothing to cool the air, but they do allow for greater airflow. I also agree that of themselves, they are of little benefit to the average truck owner. But, if they had NO benefit, why would a cam manufacturer spec them for their higher end cams? I firmly believe that in combination with the right components, they become a necessary asset...
3rd gen Ram, Newbies
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,815
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
I had an interesting conversation with an engineer from one of the leading aftermarket camshaft manufacturers a couple of years ago at a car/truck show.
He basically stated that a CAI was generally useless by itself, sometimes even degrading the performance slightly. It is a mod that basically worked in unison with other mods such as TBs, headers and an over-all aftermarket exhaust re-build.
When combined with other mods, it DOES benefit the system, so much so, that he stated some of his company's higher profile cams spec a CAI and exhaust headers as a prerequisite.
I agree with Rubberfrog to the degree that most of these commercially available CAI's are NOT true CAIs, they do nothing to cool the air, but they do allow for greater airflow. I also agree that of themselves, they are of little benefit to the average truck owner. But, if they had NO benefit, why would a cam manufacturer spec them for their higher end cams? I firmly believe that in combination with the right components, they become a necessary asset...
He basically stated that a CAI was generally useless by itself, sometimes even degrading the performance slightly. It is a mod that basically worked in unison with other mods such as TBs, headers and an over-all aftermarket exhaust re-build.
When combined with other mods, it DOES benefit the system, so much so, that he stated some of his company's higher profile cams spec a CAI and exhaust headers as a prerequisite.
I agree with Rubberfrog to the degree that most of these commercially available CAI's are NOT true CAIs, they do nothing to cool the air, but they do allow for greater airflow. I also agree that of themselves, they are of little benefit to the average truck owner. But, if they had NO benefit, why would a cam manufacturer spec them for their higher end cams? I firmly believe that in combination with the right components, they become a necessary asset...
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Champion
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,687
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From: Northern Virginia
I agree with Rubberfrog to the degree that most of these commercially available CAI's are NOT true CAIs, they do nothing to cool the air, but they do allow for greater airflow. I also agree that of themselves, they are of little benefit to the average truck owner. But, if they had NO benefit, why would a cam manufacturer spec them for their higher end cams? I firmly believe that in combination with the right components, they become a necessary asset...
and colder air (in the case of the vararam).