Cheesy Ebay CAI
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Captain
Joined: Aug 2005
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Cheesy Ebay CAI
Thought I would give you some input on a so called CAI I bought off of Ebay. Understand something, through all of this post, this cost LESS THAN $45 which is a good price for experimenting.
Obviously this is not a true CAI as it only replaces the factory breather box and will absorb heat from under the hood but not anymore than the stock set-up would. It's an aluminun tube connected by a couple of rubber sleeves and hose clamps. The filter is a cotton gauze filter. It's not K&N but more of the Air Raid style or any cone filter you would see on a ricer.
This is a view looking straight down. It does draw air a little lower than the factory set-up does. The filter has to be installed from the bottom. It was such a tight fit, I actually had to turn the hose clamp on the bottom radiator hose so it would slide by.
From experience, I'm not a person who subscribes to the idea a CAI actually adds power but I believe it allows more air flow and quicker throttle response letting your engine access it's power curve quicker. With that being said, I have not had a chance to try it out. My wife drove it today - understand she is the most non-upgrade person you could ever meet and sees no need in doing anything to a vehicle but driving it - and when I asked her how it felt, all she would say is, " it felt like the truck kept trying to go faster". It is a poor fit but managable. You see the zip ties holding it to keep it from jumping around. Still, because of the price I would rate this about a 6 on a 10 scale. Personally, I would save up and get Nicks set-up but for $45 you cant hardly beat it. It's about the quality of something you would expect to get at Wal-Mart or a chain auto parts store, OK but not fantastic. I'm thinking of wrapping it in header tape. What could it hurt?
Obviously this is not a true CAI as it only replaces the factory breather box and will absorb heat from under the hood but not anymore than the stock set-up would. It's an aluminun tube connected by a couple of rubber sleeves and hose clamps. The filter is a cotton gauze filter. It's not K&N but more of the Air Raid style or any cone filter you would see on a ricer.
This is a view looking straight down. It does draw air a little lower than the factory set-up does. The filter has to be installed from the bottom. It was such a tight fit, I actually had to turn the hose clamp on the bottom radiator hose so it would slide by.
From experience, I'm not a person who subscribes to the idea a CAI actually adds power but I believe it allows more air flow and quicker throttle response letting your engine access it's power curve quicker. With that being said, I have not had a chance to try it out. My wife drove it today - understand she is the most non-upgrade person you could ever meet and sees no need in doing anything to a vehicle but driving it - and when I asked her how it felt, all she would say is, " it felt like the truck kept trying to go faster". It is a poor fit but managable. You see the zip ties holding it to keep it from jumping around. Still, because of the price I would rate this about a 6 on a 10 scale. Personally, I would save up and get Nicks set-up but for $45 you cant hardly beat it. It's about the quality of something you would expect to get at Wal-Mart or a chain auto parts store, OK but not fantastic. I'm thinking of wrapping it in header tape. What could it hurt?
All Star
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 852
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From: EULESS TEXAS DFW
RE: Cheesy Ebay CAI
ORIGINAL: stump_breaker
Thought I would give you some input on a so called CAI I bought off of Ebay. Understand something, through all of this post, this cost LESS THAN $45 which is a good price for experimenting.
Obviously this is not a true CAI as it only replaces the factory breather box and will absorb heat from under the hood but not anymore than the stock set-up would. It's an aluminun tube connected by a couple of rubber sleeves and hose clamps. The filter is a cotton gauze filter. It's not K&N but more of the Air Raid style or any cone filter you would see on a ricer.
This is a view looking straight down. It does draw air a little lower than the factory set-up does. The filter has to be installed from the bottom. It was such a tight fit, I actually had to turn the hose clamp on the bottom radiator hose so it would slide by.
From experience, I'm not a person who subscribes to the idea a CAI actually adds power but I believe it allows more air flow and quicker throttle response letting your engine access it's power curve quicker. With that being said, I have not had a chance to try it out. My wife drove it today - understand she is the most non-upgrade person you could ever meet and sees no need in doing anything to a vehicle but driving it - and when I asked her how it felt, all she would say is, " it felt like the truck kept trying to go faster". It is a poor fit but managable. You see the zip ties holding it to keep it from jumping around. Still, because of the price I would rate this about a 6 on a 10 scale. Personally, I would save up and get Nicks set-up but for $45 you cant hardly beat it. It's about the quality of something you would expect to get at Wal-Mart or a chain auto parts store, OK but not fantastic. I'm thinking of wrapping it in header tape. What could it hurt?
Thought I would give you some input on a so called CAI I bought off of Ebay. Understand something, through all of this post, this cost LESS THAN $45 which is a good price for experimenting.
Obviously this is not a true CAI as it only replaces the factory breather box and will absorb heat from under the hood but not anymore than the stock set-up would. It's an aluminun tube connected by a couple of rubber sleeves and hose clamps. The filter is a cotton gauze filter. It's not K&N but more of the Air Raid style or any cone filter you would see on a ricer.
This is a view looking straight down. It does draw air a little lower than the factory set-up does. The filter has to be installed from the bottom. It was such a tight fit, I actually had to turn the hose clamp on the bottom radiator hose so it would slide by.
From experience, I'm not a person who subscribes to the idea a CAI actually adds power but I believe it allows more air flow and quicker throttle response letting your engine access it's power curve quicker. With that being said, I have not had a chance to try it out. My wife drove it today - understand she is the most non-upgrade person you could ever meet and sees no need in doing anything to a vehicle but driving it - and when I asked her how it felt, all she would say is, " it felt like the truck kept trying to go faster". It is a poor fit but managable. You see the zip ties holding it to keep it from jumping around. Still, because of the price I would rate this about a 6 on a 10 scale. Personally, I would save up and get Nicks set-up but for $45 you cant hardly beat it. It's about the quality of something you would expect to get at Wal-Mart or a chain auto parts store, OK but not fantastic. I'm thinking of wrapping it in header tape. What could it hurt?
SPEED SAFE, =AIR=RAM=> [sm=hia.gif]
All Star
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 878
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From: Ann Arbor, MI
RE: Cheesy Ebay CAI
I've got the same set up, except that it attachess directly to the throttle body so you can remove the intake plenum all together. I like mine. It cost me $60 shipped, and gained me 1 to 2 mpg on the highway. Can't beat the price, especially when K&N wants $200+.
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Captain
Joined: Aug 2005
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RE: Cheesy Ebay CAI
you could hook this one up direct to the TB I guess but then it would be drawing air from under the hood and that would defeat the whole point.
I forgot to mention, The directions come in Engrisch.................................
I forgot to mention, The directions come in Engrisch.................................
Rookie
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 62
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From: Central MN
RE: Cheesy Ebay CAI
motorhead,
You have a cai that cost you $60 and got you 1-2 mpg gain?? Can you tell me what you bought, I drive enough that you'd be saving me literally hundreds of dollars every year.
You have a cai that cost you $60 and got you 1-2 mpg gain?? Can you tell me what you bought, I drive enough that you'd be saving me literally hundreds of dollars every year.
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 356
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From: Southeast Ga. USA
RE: Cheesy Ebay CAI
I was wondering why you attached the CAI to the upper air bax and not to the Throttlebody? If you look inside the box there is a big chamber inside so the incoming air just bounces around instead of a smooth turn into the throttlebody. I have one of the Ebay CAI and did some simple mods to get it to work right on my 4.7. I'm having problems posting pictures to the blog but if you want to email me at my other emai address ninja_1313@yahoo.com I'll be more than happy to share them with you or anyone else Unless someone can tell me how to post pictures to the blog that would help too.
Stay Cool, H-
Stay Cool, H-
Joined: Jul 2006
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From:
RE: Cheesy Ebay CAI
I've been looking at these on Ebay as well. As stated earlier you can get a set-up for $50-60 shipped that connects to the throttle body. That particular one sits about where the filter box does now though. For about $100 shipped, you can get one that goes to the throttle body and the filter sits where the one pictured earlier in this post does. It has a K&N filter with it as well. If all you are looking for is MPG gains, these might do the trick. I'm far from an expert on these though. I think I've seen someone who know a whole heck of alot about CAI's wandering around these forums though *points up a few posts.*
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Captain
Joined: Aug 2005
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RE: Cheesy Ebay CAI
Yeah I'm aware of that. This is not a true CAI but just a filter replacement like I said earlier. I could modify it but I'm lazy and don't really give a poot as long as the dirt stays out. If I buy another one it will be the Aair Ram setup but that will be awhile from now.
Joined: Jul 2006
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RE: Cheesy Ebay CAI
It's probably a good thing that it goes to the plenum, not the TB. At least if it does suck dirt in it might get caught in the plenum instead of going into the engine. Thats really my main concern on the cheapos, you might save $100-$150 bucks at the start but what if that thing starts sucking in dirt?