intakes...?

[yourworstmemory]

i am planning on putting a new air intake on my protege...should i go cold air intake or short air intake? i have seen alot of both on here and im not really sure which id rather have...what are the benefits and dissapointments that you have all had with yours and what are your recommendations?

thanks...
steve

 

[cbcbd]

Most popular ones I've seen here are Injen cold air and AEM ram air. I guess a bunch have Ractive too.

Performance-wise they both seem to provide the same gain, which is not a ridiculous amount.

Looks it's really up to you, but many agree that the Injen just looks way better.

Price is a major thing for most since the Injen goes for $195 and the AEM goes for $140. Not a big difference, but it's there.

I think everyone's been pretty happy with whatever choice they made, except for those very few who happened to drive through a deep puddle while using a CAI. There is a bypass valve you could get to solve that problem but most people don't really drive through puddles that deep and it seems to cause no problem during downpours. Plus, some claim the valve takes away some of the performance gains.


Other than that it's just personal preference. I got my Injen because I love the way it looks and know I won't be fording streams. Some are more practical and chose to build their own or get a "generic" one from Ebay or something.

There are plenty of other choices for intakes, like the K&N Typhoon CAI (for a cool $400!!) which looks like the Injen, but in the end it's really a personal preference.
And I have to say that the ones that get CAIs are the ones that are more confident that they won't drive into a puddle and cause havok.

 

[cbcbd]

Oh yeah, I'm not disappointed with my choice

 

[mazdadan]

Back when I got my intake I wound up going with the HKS, because the Injen was still in testing phase and the AEM wasn't available. Like said above, all of them work just about equal in terms of performance.

 

[yourworstmemory]

thanks...hmmm...im not sure which i want now...

 

[KYREDP5]

I very satisified with my E-bay one.....No sence on spending $200 on an intake if you plan on going F/I eventually.

 

[yourworstmemory]

well...after reading some posts on here...im planning on doing a custom one...but im not sure which yet...anyone have a suggestion on which would be easier, cheaper, etc...i would assume the short ram type would be...but not positive...

 

[TwitchFoot]

www.adventon.com has the AEM SRI for 140 and the Injen for 200. Honestly, the gains won't be different. There might be a slight bit of difference between them, but the gains are going to be so minimal anyways, don't even worry about it.

 

[MinnowGT]

I don't know what the emissions law are in New York
but you may have to get a carb approved one if you
live in a strict state. Or else switch back in your stock
exhaust everytime you have to check emissions.

 

[tonkabui]

instead of worrying about custom fab-ing one, just get the ebay one if you are concerned about cost. it takes the headaches away from finding properly bent tubing and the like. if you are custom fab-ing one that is a CAI, then.... i don't know... never thought of that. i know big ben had a custom one for sale on here a while back. with our engines, CAI or SRI makes very little to no difference. i do believe the SRI gives you more growl though. i got the injen during a group buy, so the price was right. i don't plan on turbo, so spending $195 for an intake is worth it, especially in the looks department. i live in tucson with its flash floods and have yet to hydrolock my engine.

 

[KzA]

There is NOT A QUESTION oin my mind...

COLD AIR!!!!!!!!

I just installed mine yesterday..and let me tell you..it sounds sooooooooooooooo sweet! As soon as you get on the gas your hear the deep vacuum, then as you creep up the RPMS it gets louder and louder..Really sounds trick!

 

[KYREDP5]

There is NOT A QUESTION oin my mind...

COLD AIR!!!!!!!!

I just installed mine yesterday..and let me tell you..it sounds sooooooooooooooo sweet! As soon as you get on the gas your hear the deep vacuum, then as you creep up the RPMS it gets louder and louder..Really sounds trick!

Yeah, all of them have about the same sound....

 

[haig]

CAI problems

yourworstmemory,

what part of New York do you live in? do you get a lot of snow?
if so, I suggest getting a SRI. it's the safest and cheapest alternative to your question.

I live in Montreal, Canada and know many people who get the CAI, then when winter comes, have to take the filter and the second pipe off, in order to reconnect the filter after the MAF to make a SRI for the winter.

do you really need that hastle?
go SRI, best price, performance, ease ratio.

**********
on a related topic, those here who have the Ractive and the AEM, what is the real difference in preformance, since the AEM is much more $$$. I can get the Ractive SRI for 80$ Canadian...pretty cheap solution eh?

 

[cbcbd]

But have you had any problems or known of anyone that has had problems because of the snow? Or are you doing this just as a precaution?

 

[andy_guerriero]

Since no one has mentioned this I'll chime in:

One of the main differences among intakes is the quality of the filter. If you buy a cheap-ass one, you are most likely getting a crappy filter. You will not notice the difference short term, but over the long term you are sucking all kinds of particles into your engine that will significantly decrease engine life.

Caveat emptor.

 

[yourworstmemory]

thanks a ton for all the info...i think im going to go with an sri...just seems easier...again...thanks a ton for all the info...btw i live about a half hour south of buffalo...

 

[haig]

both

But have you had any problems or known of anyone that has had problems because of the snow? Or are you doing this just as a precaution?

I've heard about maybe a couple of guys having problems due to the snow, but there are not that many, since most the people I know don't even drive those cars in winter.

Personally, mine is a daily driver even in winter, so I'm doing it as a precaution.

Also, I'm getting married next year:wtf: :'(, so don't have that much spare $$$ lying around. This was the best option to get some kind of an intake, without major problems nor major moulah...