CAI vs SRI: PLz Vote!

CAI vs SRI

  • Cold Air Intake

    Votes: 73 64.0%
  • Short Ram Intake

    Votes: 41 36.0%

  • Total voters
    114
wow...another SRI vs CAI thread.

Im converting my CAI to SRI very soon and I have a way around that hot air in the engine bay thing everyones talking about. Im gonna get the "power series" air duct from corksport and find some pipes to draw fresh outside air into the engine bay right next to my filter. From what I understand the SRI will give you better performance because the compressor doesnt have to work so hard sucking up air. But there is another problem...our crappy "innercooler" :( when you compress air it heat up anyways...the point of the innercooler is for cooling air given off by the compressor...so drawing Cold air from the bottom probally wont have much of an impact after a long drive. just my $0.02 and everyone is entitled to there opinion...all I know is that alot of performance turbo cars have SRI because air flow and how well your turbo breaths is important for performance. And saying that our engine heat is a reason for not using a SRI...look at a RX-7. Rotary exhaust is super hot (been known to melt wastegate diaphrams) and heats that engine bay up real fast and they still have SRI...but they also have a real innercooler and hard pipes.

heres a pic of the duct: http://www.corksport.com/content/00/01/06/61/73/shop/products/images/840362.jpg

Im my opinion you get the same gains from SRI and CAI. You just get a btter response from the turbo with a SRI as AEM demonstrated with there dyno. Again wish I had proof but no one exactly makes CAI for reall turbo cars like the GT-R or Supras. But someone should seriosuly dyno their car with CAI and SRI and put this to rest. Another example is taht most bolt on turbo kits also come with SRI. I dont think greddy, HKs or apexi make CAIs. Again most are sold on CAIs for our cars. Hell, I say screw filters...filters are for pussies. Im sure our MAF sensors would love that idea.
 
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pretty much....all turbo cars benefit from a fmic...thats obvious....like i said...no point in throwin ideas and opinions without proof.....i do know aem cut the sri project because they would make more sellin a cai...even tough the gains were pretty much even with the cai.....all about the money guys.....
 
I vote custom mount shop vac duct taped to throttle body.. Forced induction and it's got a huge filter inside, woo!!!
 
AutoBox said:
pretty much....all turbo cars benefit from a fmic...thats obvious....like i said...no point in throwin ideas and opinions without proof.....i do know aem cut the sri project because they would make more sellin a cai...even tough the gains were pretty much even with the cai.....all about the money guys.....
there you go proof behind what I said a page or so back.
 
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Would someone please put up some numbers? How about some of those vendors who are out there do three dynos, one stock, one w/CAI, one w/SRI. Or how about we see at what the exact temperature difference is between the air delivered to the turbo (after the intercooler) by a CAI and SRI. Or maybe the increase in airflow by both. And all of this arguement over something that will maybe result in a 5 hp gain (and that's pushing it). All of you guys putting up arguements about cold air = denser air I'm glad you passed basic physics. Let's move on to the world of engineers where everything doesn't work in a perfect environment. Engineers use data to back it up or they don't get paid. Tell you what, a CAI and SRI are both upgrades from the stock air box, both look better at car shows, and in my opinion the CAI sounds better. Until someone comes out with the numbers that's why I'm getting a CAI.
 
check out turbo magazine this month.......they are currently featuring a project msp........and just upgraded the intake.......they used the ion performance and give stats to back it up.
 
binary, have you looked at the stock airflow? They design the stock airbox to eliminate noise. Your statement is like saying, if there was more power to be had in the exhaust, cams or engine tuning they would do it. Give me a break
 
look about the dyno...AEM did a dyno (stock MSP that was flashed I believe) but hardcore CAI fans are skeptical. Search it up and see for yourselves...same gaines...just at diffrent RPMs. If it was riged why would they give the better performace to the SRI and decide to make the CAI instead? The answer was that most people wanted the V2 CAI (sold on CAIs) and that the heatsheild would cost some $$...but others have said its not nessisary to put a heatsheld.

And someone explain to me what an innerCOOLER does? off topic...where can I get a CAI for my FD RX-7? Always wanted to get colder air for the rex. Cant seem to find one...everyone makes SRI. The only companies taht make CAIs are injen, AEM, reactive and etc...most other tuner companies that cater to turbo vehicles sell SRI...why is that. Is there an HKS CAI, Greddy CAI, or Apex CAI? And I've never seen a turbo kit that comes with a CAI...it comes with a "turbo inlet." If so please skool me...but im still an advid believer that flow and how well your turbo breaths is more inportant. think of the gaines you get by removing the stocka airbox and getting a test pipe. Think of why most harcore dragsters run without a filter or put it rignt next to compressor. And from what I understand its not really called a SRI...its called a turbo inlet...whatever taht means. Anyways your dyno lies in the search button uner keyword: AEM SRI...many threads and one contained the dynos. I'll post it up on here when I have some more time. The truth is that an intake doesnt really do much of a performance gain on a turbo car (SRI or CAI) if you dont have better flow for your turbine...get rid of your cats...then your intake will really work.
 
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A possible reason for a SRI working better on a dyno is the way it's set up. We all know Weapon R isn't the best for quality and performance when it comes to product selection. They had a dyno test for their SRI and got way better than Injen.. Well, when they tested they had the hood popped open and a fan directed straight at the intake.. Which is how most dyno runs are made from what I've seen, when it comes to testing performance.. Anyways, it's not much of a real world test because there's no heat soak from sitting inside the engine when the hood is popped open and a fan is blowing on it..
 
I understand but how else are we suppose to test it out...people are sold on dyno numbers. What im saying is that alot of turbo kits and companies dont really make CAI for turbo cars. I've personally never seen a CAI on any turbo cars besides SRT-4s and WRXs. either way I would assume that they had the same environment for both intake...heat soak isnt really a problem if you have a good innercooler on a turbo car. Charged air is going to get cooled when moving through the innercooler. Not the thin diesel innercooler on our cars. I just think of the few mspeeders running SRI...insidious and discreetspeed (I think). The way I see it is that when you compress air it heats up. The couple degree diffrence in intake temp isnt going to matter once it is compressed...I'm willing to bet the temp are pretty similar before hitting the innercooler. Maybe I should find a way to slip a temp sensor in (any suggestions)...cuz I will be converting mine CAI to SRI soon.

I will continue to search more on this topic and will inform you guys. I want to put this debate aways...just like the "turkey" debate. so stay tuned...
 
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I'm not SURE but I want to say that one of the reasons you don't see cold air intakes on turbo'd and IC'd cars is because there's already a bunch of piping, and it'd just be even more.. It's possible that there just isn't room for it in some applications. My friend on here, DragonEye, has a cold air intake on his GTI 1.8T.
 
I know thats the reason why they are on SRT-4s because the turbo is by the firewall so they are going to have to bend due to the fuse box. And VWs becasue of the turbo being located by the firewall. Other then that I cant really think of any turbo cars that have a CAI...silvias, GT-Rs, supras, RX-7, Noble M12 (heee twin turbo V8) and etc. Even that twin turbo Lambo diablo at the tokyo autosalon didnt have CAI...just two huge as top mounted innercoolers.
 
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oh yeah...sorry. But isnt it a kit...meaning you can put whatever you want in it....if it fits. The site doesnt give much info on specs. Or am I thinking about some other european car...the Attack kit.

here is the pics
DSC05863.jpg

dont see a CAI but a nice innercooler.
DSC05861.jpg
 
I haven't looked into the Noble, but I have heavily looked into the Attack. Best option there is using an H22A.. And this thread has gone way off topic now. :)
 
the noble is designed around fords duratec V6 engine-
weather or not they will use the new 3.5 version out next year is still up in the air.

I was actually the one who tipped lee off to the availability of the 3.0L engine used in the newer 3R and GTO.

(In the US it comes in Kit form - in Europe it is a car like anyother)
 
That's weird how that's done. The Attack is going to be the same way. First it was a kit, but soon it's going to be just another car you buy in Europe.. It's going to stay kit form though here stateside.
 
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