The never ending question…

[jlocurto]

so right now i have the cp-e nano on my car. but i got a really good deal on a cp-e cai that i just couldnt pass up. i also plan on getting a cp-e turbo inlet once i get time to work on my car.
when i put in the inlet should i bother putting on the CAI? or should i just stick with the nano?

what would be a better combo nano+inlet or cai+inlet?

 

[coyfish]

Doesn't really matter. The gains of a CAI over an SRI are minimal if at all. I would keep the SRI if I were you. Don't have to worry about rain or snow which is nice.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

I will say a SRI is easier to maintenance but like the sound of the CAI over the SRI. try them both.

 

[jlocurto]

what would the sound difference be like with the CAI?

i might just keep the SRI cause it is a lot easier to maintain

not too sure though, i have a month ofso til i can go with the inlet, just gonna see what others have to say

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

The CAI is a little quieter and smoother sounding. The SRI intakes are loud.

 

[jlocurto]

but i also heard that the cp-e inlet is more quiet than stock? so that could balance out the sound of the SRI?

 

[AutoEuphoria]

no.

 

[Wurf]

Why are you concerned about it raining with the CAI anyway? Are you planning to go puddle hunting with your left front wheel and see how deep the water needs to be to hydrolock? It's not an issue unless you try to cross a creek with the car.

 

[derspi]

The CAIs are probably quieter but after putting on the Cobb SRI & inlet this past weekend, I'm happy to report that the wooshes and sucking sounds are not nearly as bad as I thought they would be. It's obviously louder than stock and the sucking sounds at part throttle around 2,500 - 3,500 rpm is a bit annoying but with the radio on (which is practically all the time for me), the SRI barely makes a peep as it's mostly drowned out by the radio and exhaust. It's only when you really get on it that it unleashes a turbine-like sound at the higher rpms and actually sounds quite menacing and appropriate.

I'd say keep the SRI, if anything, for just the peace of mind if you live in a wet climate and also for ease of maintenance.

 

[coyfish]

Why are you concerned about it raining with the CAI anyway? Are you planning to go puddle hunting with your left front wheel and see how deep the water needs to be to hydrolock? It's not an issue unless you try to cross a creek with the car.

Semi true. Not many people have the terrible luck of ending up with a hydrlocked engine but a few have. For instance if its raining really hard and you can't see puddles / potholes. All it takes is one unlucky splash and your screwed.

 

[coyfish]

So whats the verdict on the sound?? Not really getting a straight answer.

Seems like the air sucking noise is slightly reduced while the turbo spool is slightly louder / cleaner??? Is this correct??

 

[martyxcore]

i chopped my injen cai to a sri for convience and it seems quieter to me in sri form then it was when it was a cai. i dont think the intake temps matter between a cai and sri because that airs just going into the turbo wheres its going to be heated and sent to the ic

 

[SubieKiller3]

i chopped my injen cai to a sri for convience and it seems quieter to me in sri form then it was when it was a cai. i dont think the intake temps matter between a cai and sri because that airs just going into the turbo wheres its going to be heated and sent to the ic

good point

 

[matsuda]

i dont think the intake temps matter between a cai and sri because that airs just going into the turbo...

Really?

The ECU thinks that intake temps matter (there is an IAT sensor).

 

[Wurf]

Semi true. Not many people have the terrible luck of ending up with a hydrlocked engine but a few have. For instance if its raining really hard and you can't see puddles / potholes. All it takes is one unlucky splash and your screwed.

All I can say is when I look at the area where the CAI intakes put the filter, it's in front of the driver side front wheel. It's surrounded by plastic covers and the wheel well liner. I just can't imagine what kind of puddle you would have to hit and how much throttle you would have to giving it to suck enough water all the way up the CAI piping into the motor to make this happen. Seems pretty extreme to me but I suppose anything is possible.

 

[derspi]

^^

Yes, it's definitely a rarity and I've run CAIs on previous cars before without a problem and I live in the rainy Northwest. However rare it may be, it does happen to some very unlucky people and it would just suck if it ever happened to you.

 

[Wurf]

Well officially I'm still stock, but uh.......well I have this friend of mine who just got a CPE Xcel CAI and I'm er... I mean he's looking forward to installing it this weekend. I guess he ain't skeered a no hydrolock.

 

[coyfish]

All I can say is when I look at the area where the CAI intakes put the filter, it's in front of the driver side front wheel. It's surrounded by plastic covers and the wheel well liner. I just can't imagine what kind of puddle you would have to hit and how much throttle you would have to giving it to suck enough water all the way up the CAI piping into the motor to make this happen. Seems pretty extreme to me but I suppose anything is possible.

Well I don't mean to scare people but its definately possible and has happened to a few unfortunate souls (yeah little mermaid popped into my head). The only thing that seperates my CAI filter from the outside is that plastic splash guard which has slits in it. You can see my filter through the plastic. During a hard rain your constantly pelting it with water so your filter will be getting wet. A big puddle + damp filter = game over.

No need to be scared though. Just by a hydroshield and drive carefully in the rain.