What is the best CAI to buy? I've seen where the K&N claims an additional 21 HP. Is there really that much difference in them?

Thanks

 

I personally think you will be hard pressed to get 21 real HP out of any CAI system. I think they are all extremely similar from a performance perspective, it just depends on if you are more partial to either of the manufacturers. I opted for the AirAid CAI. A published dyno sheet shows 11-12 real horse power gains, but you would really need to know what other mods the car had to know if these numbers are truly accurate.

http://www.airaid.com/intakes.asp

 

Kuzer,
I have researched this before... Some even did a Dyno with different Manufactures of CAI to track results. The bottom line was get whichever one you want, they all performed about the same. There was one that I liked because it didn't require Oil and you could just Wash it and Dry it and be done. However, be sure to do the Superchip Mod first if you want to gain anything from your Mods. Even though you will increase your HP from a CAI or Exhaust Mod, you will only have it for a coule of days, as your Computer will De-Tune your car to the original HP...

Essential Mod List:
[ul][*]Superchips(Performance & Temp.)[*]CAI[*]Exhaust[*]Spings[*]Z Rated Tires[/ul]

 

It's all very good info. I am partial to the Dubair. I like the 4 sided intake box.

[IMG]local://upfiles/20755/47E5ED9C54A54271A80E745670BADAC4.jpg[/IMG]

 

Thanks everyone.................I'm learning!

 

the AFE stage II and the AirHammer are the only two that made a real increase in horsepower. i would buy the AFE stage II intake.

 

Volunteers tested CAI's on 5.7 Hemis in LX and found essentially no gains at all:

Before spending considerable money on a cold air intake,
read what the volunteers found independently testing
KN Air Charger, KN drop in, Volant, Mopar and Airaid 360
aftermarket air intakes against the stock factory airbox
on 5.7 V8 Hemi's in Chrysler LX's

http://tinyurl.com/2j4gx3

To save everyone some math
the average of three runs
of the stock factory airbox and paper filter dyno'ed:

280 HP with a standard deviation of 3.75
(corrected to standard pressure and temperature)

The only cold air intake testing better
was the KN Air Charger at
281 HP with a standard deviation of 4.15

Since the average of all 18 dyno runs
where an air intake design
was tested after a standard PCM reset was:

279 with a standard deviation of 3.24
(runs number 4 to 6 plus runs 10 to 24)

you really can't say with certainty that the
extra 1 HP for the KN Air Charger was 'real'
because even a well designed wheel dyno
that is well maintained
and has a great operator
can't be depended upon to repeat that close.

279 HP with a standard deviation of 3.24
means in simple terms
that if you ran exactly the same engine exactly the same way
100 times, then
98 of the runs would 'scatter' between
a high of 285.5 and
a low of 272.5
(which is 279 plus and minus two times 3.24)

1 HP gain for the KN Air Charger versus
280 for the factory air box
is below 1% difference
and this rear wheel dyno
seems to be varying over a range of 12.96 hp
which at a bit less than 5%
is actually admirable for repeats on a wheel dyno.

What can you say with certainty?

You can say:

1) CAIs have fancy colorful paint jobs

2) CAIs make much more noise than the factory intake which gives many buyers what they want

3) 50% of the buyers who check their next tank of gasoline
will 'by chance' find a higher MPG than the last MPG they remember.

Of the other 50% who 'by chance'
find their next tank of gasoline's MPG is lower,
a considerable number will think something like
"the computer is still learning" or
"I must have been driving with a heavy foot"
and will go on to give the CAI another chance
and watch future tanks of gasoline
for their wishes to come true to justify their purchase.
Since MPG improves on vehicles as they age,
(because their pistons' ring tension wears looser
and their tire tread depth wears down and gives lower rolling resistance
.....the well known 'break in' effect)
these buyers will eventually find their MPG has gone up,
and they give the credit to the intake for the increase.
Very few will ever take the CAI off for awhile to check to
see if the MPG stays the same, or goes down.

 

that testing was done before there was an Airhammer or AFE stage II. they have shown on average 10Hp gains on a stock motor.

 

you will not find a better CAI, performance wise, than the AirHammer.
There isn't one more tested or built with more pride in existance.

 

At nornal daily driving, none will give you anything, IMO. The stock system provides all that's needed.

Don't expect anything other than sound or "Bling".

At WOT, there may be some difference. I can't run there more than about 5 seconds, untill I exceed all local speed limits.

If you plan to race, OK. If not, worthless.

I've found no MPG increase over a controlled multiple highway run of 110 miles.

Ditto on the cat back system. Blastin Bobs sound just as good for a whole lot less, for daily commutes. IMO.

I'm not being negative, just factual, for what I've found with my 5.7.