Final Showdown - 2.0L Intake Setups

[Bala]

I love my K&N. Top notch fit, finish and hardware - t-bolt clamps and relocation brackets. The instructions are easy to follow with a lot of nice details (I can't even get through the instructions that came with my Injen Intake for my MSP - they refer to the coolent overflow as the windshield fluid tank among other things). I installed it at the same time as my RB cat back so I can't comment on it's contribution alone. Sorry, No dyno time in the future either 'cause this P5's going Turbo.

 

[buttthrax]

^ That header looks nice. All of that looks great actually. (thumb)

 

[wipedawg]

The injen black powder coated cai is pretty hot.. but is it worth the price they want for it? There are obviously going to be quality issues when compared to the generic ebay cai, but are the differences going to impede performance or sound of the intake? In the end it is just a.. pipe with a filter on the end.. ?

I have the black powdercoated Injen CAI, and it does look sweet. It came with the car when i bought it so i didn't have to fork out the 250+ for it. I'm probably gonna end up selling it and throwing the stock airbox back in, since i'm most likely selling the P5.

My opinion on the matter is.... if you want better sound, get a intake system. If you want power increase.. just get a drop in filter, and kick back and enjoy the 2hp increase you MIGHT get. For heaven sakes this is one of the weakest motors made, you can't even boost over 8 lbs without running into huge problems. I ran 14psi on my 98 prelude on the fmax turbo kit and all i had was engine management and bigger injectors. Ran it for 25kmiles with ZERO issues.

 

[jonlong]

Cold Air Intake:
Louder than SRI
Cooler air = better power
Chance of hydrolock
More complicated install

Short Ram Intake:
Easier to install
No chance of hydrolock
Quieter than CAI
Hot air can become an issue if the car isn't moving (Hot day, stuck in traffic)

Brand Name Intake:
Expensive
CARB Sticker
Nicer silicone couplings
Higher quality filter

Ebay Intake:
Very inexpensive
Cheap quality filter
Lower quality rubber couplings (no loss of performance)
No CARB sticker

K&N Typhoon Intake System:
Best of all worlds, but very expensive.

My reccomondation: Unless you live somewhere that does vehicle emissions testing, I'd say get the Ebay CAI with a K&N Filter.

 

[RaiderMS3]

Amen!

 

[gregrego]

Will do sir, thanks for the input!

 

[o.g.sk8er]

(peep)

I voted stock with aftermarket filter. I invite everyone who's had their intakes installed for awhile, to remove it and put the stock box back on for a week. Then, if you dont like the way it drives, put the aftermarket one back on. It's easy enough. hehe I have recently removed my Injen CAI, and installed my stock box with a K & N panel filter. Turns out the car drives so much better now. Not as boggy, more low end torque, and my idle is still crap, but is a little more stable now. I have had my Injen intake for about 3 years, and since I have removed it, I will never look back. Myself, and some others are looking into modding the factory air box for better flow.


(peep)

 

[Firewired]

(peep)

I voted stock with aftermarket filter. I invite everyone who's had their intakes installed for awhile, to remove it and put the stock box back on for a week. Then, if you dont like the way it drives, put the aftermarket one back on. It's easy enough. hehe I have recently removed my Injen CAI, and installed my stock box with a K & N panel filter. Turns out the car drives so much better now. Not as boggy, more low end torque, and my idle is still crap, but is a little more stable now. I have had my Injen intake for about 3 years, and since I have removed it, I will never look back. Myself, and some others are looking into modding the factory air box for better flow.


(peep)

Amen !



I bought a Ebay SRI and never liked it.

I had it on for a week. It gave the engine more midrange torque. But it also became alot harder(trickier) to launch the car. And IMO it sounded like crap. Yeah it was louder... but this engine just does'nt make a pretty noise IMO. And there is also the fact that the intake system hits the brake MC even with the pipe cut. Sorry guys...but I think its a crappy system.


I went back to the full stock system with the MAF screen punched out and never looked back. The car now revs alot easier, it doesnt buck when you launch it. And make just enough noise.

You can see in the picture how I have the grill cutout.


With that being said...I also breifly drove another P5 with a K&N typhoon and RB exhaust. That intake system is MUCH better than the eBay one. If I had to buy an intake again....I would go K&N. But im happy with my car just like it is now

 

[jonlong]

Does removing the MAF screen really do that much? The stock intake system is already very restrictive and horrible for air-velocity. It seems like taking out that screen wouldn't have any effect. I'm guessing that all the gains you notice are of a placebo effect.

 

[RaiderMS3]

Wow, I love my ebay sri. Of course, I got the K&N filter on it, maybe that is why it works so well. I have no loss at all of power. Of course, the gains are minimal. If I had to do it again, and was going to spend a lot, I would do the Typhoon. Only because K&N made it, and they simply have decades of experience with intakes.

 

[Firewired]

Just removing the MAF screen stopped the bucking that my mom had in her P5.

RaiderMP5: you should do like o.g.sk8er said. Just give it a try with the stock piping back on. It only takes a couple of minutes. Worst case, you put you eBay one on. Ohh...and I had a K&N on mine too !

 

[ke20sprinter]

I also have the stock system w/K&N filter...I did the hole mod also (removed the left bottom half of the grill), & I drilled holes in front of the grill too...Don't know if it makes that much of a difference.

WiL

 

[ProtoType5]

Without any "real" numbers to evaluate the difference between the intakes it is impossible to judge which is the best....Basically if you're willing to lose a little in the low end, the Cold Air is the best...if you want to get the quickest throttle response, the Short Ram is the best....if you want the stock snorkel, then you don't really care and want you're car to be slow and quiet...which worked for me for years in the P5....I'm not going to convert anyone to the K&N, but I'd tell anyone it's the best...You can convert from SRI to CAI without any probs...It's well made and fits like a dream...but it is over $200 buck...so you decide..

 

[guerrilla]

check out everybody i got a plain old mazda protege 03 2.0l manual(not a mp3 or msp). my ? what is the best cai to get for my baby that well give her the most hp?what do u guys recomend since aem and injen dont fit(so they telll me)thnks to those that can answer my?

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

There are variables in environment & other mods that make none of these the answer for all.

 

[Kansei]

There are variables in environment & other mods that make none of these the answer for all.

Not only that, but it isn't like these aftermarket intakes really do too much other than make noise. Injen, AEM, Ractive, K&N, eBay.. personal choice.

 

[RaiderMS3]

I got like eleventy mouse power with my ebay SRI.

 

[Rac3rX]

Injen CAI hands down.

Almost 2 years with it, the quality is stunning.

Keep in mind, unless you have an exhaust + headers the power increse is hard to notice, but the throttle responce is incredible.

The sound out of the Injen is great, and last year At the track I got compliments on its sound all the time, even by other Protege owners with AEM intakes.

For best Sound, Performance, and most important QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT Injen cant be beat.

Its been said before

Injen = Your paying for Premium Quality and Premium Perfomance Product + CARB Sticker

AEM = Your paying for a Name attached to a Good Quality and performing Product + CARB Sticker

E-bay = Cheap working product + No CARB Sticker

 

[Rac3rX]

6 inches of 3" Pipe makes the Injen CAI a SRI in 5 min for those worried about Hydrolock, there is also the AEM bypass valve, but its will take away some of the gains.

but with the placement in the bumper its not a big issue like it in in some cars. Take the Integra for instance, you can see the filter by looking under the hood, and its so close to the ground and fully exposed that it must get wet all the time, and any puddles would scare the crap out of me.

 

[Kansei]

Correction:

e-bay = knockoff of injen CAI. Same gains (after filter replacement), basically the same looks (the piping is an exact replica).. a few rough edges here and there (literally, some sharp burrs inside the piping left in there sometimes).