CAI vs. SRI articles

[AutoBox]

simply put a cai isnt the best for a high output motor......ram air is a different story......if ur oost stock or close too it...play with what u want......a n/a motor with high amoutn sof power is not gonna benifit from a cai just like a turbo motor...the turbo motor doesnt need to rev to get the extra air but a n/a one does.....simply put ur post made no sense? either way....if ur slapin a cai, cat back andboostin the stock t25 to ur hearts delight enjoy ur cai...i rather follow engineering

 

[03MSPRO]

A turbo engine also demands a lot of air because of the turbo, specially at high boost levels at LOW rpm's. A turbo engine does not need to rev to 8.5k rpm's like a Honda Type R to demand lots of air. So which intake is better for a turbo engine boosting 10 psi? There you have it!!

can't you read? It is not engineering!! It is called marketing!! Do you really believe that every company that has an intake spent thousands of hours researching and testing it like they say, specially the small companies? Believe what YOU want, spend the money on what YOU want. It is up to YOU. Afterall I don't even know you. I am only trying to help people ny telling them about these articles, which IMO, are very informative.

 

[Dr.Sound]

can't you read? It is not engineering!! It is called marketing!! Do your really need that every company that has an intake spend thousands of hours researching?

K&N and AEM do........
i've seen K&N test their cars......they tested mine.......and they did spend a lot of time.

i'm sure APC doeant spend much time researching, but then again i dont buy APC

 

[BinaryRotary]

OK then, since you know so much, share your vast weatlh of knowledge with us.

Sorry, it came out that way, I totally agree with you. An SRI will always be better for a turbocharged engine. It doesnt matter how high an output the engine is producing, be it an HO motor or an LO motor, the results will be the same.

The common arguement that most people come up with against an SRI is that it takes in heat from the engine bay, therefore having air introduced into the engine with molecules that are moving very quickly, and are not as easily compressed. This is 100% true, but people are missing the whole point here.

On a turbocharged engine, air will ALWAYS be heated. BUUUUUUT, listen here, this is the important part ... the air will always be super-heated because it passes through the turbo, which is BY FAR the hottest part on the engine. Even if you have a CAI putting cold air into the engine it DOESNT MATTER, as soon as it hits the turbo the air is heated, then it is introduced into the intercooler and then the engine.

On an FI engine thats turbocharged a CAI does nothing. Its the effeciency of the INTERCOOLER, that you guys should be looking at. By having an SRI on the car, you ingest more air into the engine which overcomes it having to be cool. Keeping air cold is not the intakes part, its the intercoolers. An SRI with an effecient intercooler will always be more productive than an CAI with an effecient intercooler.

This debate should have never started in the first place. A CAI is useless. Now, dont get me wrong here. A CAI will be an improvement over the stock intake system just because of flow, but an SRI will always produce more power, no argument.

 

[ELEmental59437]

I read the thread, I was already a member of that message board because my friend just got a GSR. Its a really nice write up, and the people on there are really nice.

 

[Dr.Sound]

tell me this my friend.....

K&N dynoed my car
1st 5 runs - stock - average 153.9whp
2nd 5 runs - SRI - average 142.3whp
3rd 5 runs - CAI - average 171.1whp

why the results?

 

[BinaryRotary]

tell me this my friend.....

K&N dynoed my car
1st 5 runs - stock - average 153.9whp
2nd 5 runs - SRI - average 142.3whp
3rd 5 runs - CAI - average 171.1whp

why the results?

So they totally removed your air intake tubing from the intake side of the turbo and just stuck a short pipe w/ a filter on it? All they did was remove your stock airbox and put a filter on the end. Thats not a real SRI.

 

[Dr.Sound]

So they totally removed your air intake tubing from the intake side of the turbo and just stuck a short pipe w/ a filter on it? All they did was remove your stock airbox and put a filter on the end. Thats not a real SRI.

bah! u right
i'm a n00b, forget what i said.

 

[03MSPRO]

tell me this my friend.....

K&N dynoed my car
1st 5 runs - stock - average 153.9whp
2nd 5 runs - SRI - average 142.3whp
3rd 5 runs - CAI - average 171.1whp

why the results?

the car was not moving was it?
what was the wait in between every run? If you dyno a stock MSP without letting the IC cool off, it will also lose HP after every run.
the intake was also designed for a stock MSP at stock boost levels I am sure so what happens after you raise the boost level to say 10-12 psi like many of the members on this board. I'd like to test the CAI then vs. a REAL SRI with enough fans to simulate the car moving.
did you read the articles?

like you said, I don't think APC or Ractive can afford to do much R&D on their products.

 

[Dr.Sound]

like i said, i was a little (stoned) at the moment
i appplogise

 

[BinaryRotary]

bah! u right
i'm a n00b, forget what i said.

Lol, np dude, I'm doing a lil (smoke) myself.

 

[AllJuicedUp]

I'm new to turbos but not performance vehicles. I see the benefits of an SRI over a CAI but I was wondering if the temperature output from the turbo would be lower with a CAI as the intake air is cooler. If it is then wouldn't that reduce the work from the intercooler and in turn lowering engine intake temp. I know that the intercooler in our MSP is useless and I will be having a custom made FMIC soon but I am now running a CAI and I did have power gains. I guess I'll do some dyno testing. I am trying to get AEM or APC to supply an intake for dyno testing and I'll let you know what the results on the MSP are.

 

[03MSPRO]

like i said, i was a little (stoned) at the moment
i appplogise

I want some!!

 

[03MSPRO]

I know that the intercooler in our MSP is useless and I will be having a custom made FMIC soon but I am now running a CAI and I did have power gains. I guess I'll do some dyno testing. I am trying to get AEM or APC to supply an intake for dyno testing and I'll let you know what the results on the MSP are.

It is not that the IC is useless. It does work, but it is not efficient. It heat soaks rapidly. It is just not designed for racing, but you can make a quick run and then let off the gas pedal and let it cool off.

 

[BinaryRotary]

I'm new to turbos but not performance vehicles. I see the benefits of an SRI over a CAI but I was wondering if the temperature output from the turbo would be lower with a CAI as the intake air is cooler. If it is then wouldn't that reduce the work from the intercooler and in turn lowering engine intake temp. I know that the intercooler in our MSP is useless and I will be having a custom made FMIC soon but I am now running a CAI and I did have power gains. I guess I'll do some dyno testing. I am trying to get AEM or APC to supply an intake for dyno testing and I'll let you know what the results on the MSP are.

The volume of air taken in by the SRI out weighs the less, denser air, you get from the CAI because the volume of cold air in the CAI isnt enough to offset the AMOUNT of air you get with the SRI.

 

[4001]

The air being used by the SRI is from the engine bay and can be considred "tainted," it has already been heated. Denser air in most cases should yield a better result.

 

[Zray]

heh, y'all are squarely split on this debate, looks like =)

 

[acidbug]

Binary Rotary Has brought up some very good points about the turbo being the hottest part of the engine...and such..

But i do not agree w/ him saying an SRI is more efficient than a CAI...

I have a 3" CAI going to the turbo to maximize the amount of air coming in as well as keeping the cool air!

Now when dealing with a mazda speed..with it's problems...such as..running really rich...and also w/ the heat soak from the intercooler...

I would defintely suggest running a CAI...for Many reasons...

1. A CAI will give cooler air..which..as anyone knows..cool air...is denser..
2. The MAF and IAT (Intake AIr Temp) will read colder air..wich will help to lean out(a little) that fatty rich mixture..
3. When i had an SRI on my non turbo'd car..i alwayz had problems with the fact that...as the car would heat up...the intake was pulling allot of hot air into the TB...and whenever the Engine FAn would kick on..my idle would drop..and rise..and drop...
4. Since i have the CAI on my turbo...I have not experience problems like #3...

Just my 2 cents
Chas

 

[AutoBox]

i think this debate will never end....no one is gonna say either is wrong, i suggest that future ppl lookin into a intake read the facts on this thread and choose....good luck if u guys plan to continue fighting over this matter.....

 

[boostaddict]

The volume of air taken in by the SRI out weighs the less, denser air, you get from the CAI because the volume of cold air in the CAI isnt enough to offset the AMOUNT of air you get with the SRI.

Huh?

*** RANT- ON ***

Amount?

I've asked this before on these debates but I just can't understand the pro SRI logic so here goes: If, at maxium boost, my engine is getting say 7psi of manifold pressure that is governed by the wastegate how on earth can you think that there is magically "more" air going into the engine based on what is before the turbo? What do you mean "more"
Especially if we know that same 7psi is going to be colder and denser with a CAI.

Please explain

*** RANT - OFF ***