K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

I'm looking for opinions on the differences between the K&N drop in versus the cold air induction. If someone has experience with both would be great. Basically I'm trying to determine if the impact of the CAI is worth the additional $ and effort to install over simply putting the K&N in the filter box.

Thanks

RE: K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

i have no experience in the k&n drop in, but i know that the gains are exaggerated. the really restrictive part of the intake is the air box. if you want to get out cheap, i would recommend just modifying the stock air box. if you want to do it the right way, i recommend a full intake. i have used Injen and AEM and i like the AEM best so far. the only thing about it is that it inducts from behind the fans at a low point in the engine compartment.

RE: K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

Thanks wsoape.

It's not so much that i'm trying to get out cheap, i'm happy to put the dollars to get the performance, just want to make sure to do it right and not over do it with marginal results. I'll take your word for it on the CAI.

I'm also assuming you went with the AEM cold air versus the ram air.

RE: K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

mine is the cold air.

RE: K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

if ur is the cold air, wouldnt the filter be outside the engine compartment? i have a injen intake and my air filter is sitting in the fender in front of the front driver side wheel, actually nevermind i see what ur talking about. what size is the piping on the aem? i know with the injen u might have to get a new maf sensor for a 2000 toyota celica gt-s. the piping on the injen is 2.5" and the stock maf only reads up to 2.25". the toyota one is just like the stock one but it reads 2.5".

RE: K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

mine is 2.5". i just have to use a reducer to drop the size down. the main things to consider with an intake are how many bends, how sharp the bends are, and little things like that. everything loses velocity when it turns and is always faster in a straight line. air has mass, so it has no exception to these rules. you also have to remember that even though an intake could draw air from behind the bumper where the air is cooler and denser, the intake is probably a rolled aluminum which heats up quickly. it may also cool quickly, but as long as there is heat there, it will stay hot. if you do long tubing, i recommend a wrap from DEI. these are fairly cheap and they keep the tubing temps down a little. my intake is a short intake tube, so i don't need to worry about this as much until i start to dyno and need that extra couple of horses.

RE: K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

o yea i wanted some but i liked the way the chrome piping but now that its looking kinda crappy ill get some. u can wrap headers in that too right?? whats a reducer??

RE: K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

exhaust wrap and intake wrap are two different things. exhaust wrap holds heat so that it doesn't get expelled into the engine compartment and intake wrap sheds heat to keep the intake cool even under the hood. both are a good idea if you are looking to go higher horsepower and need to squeeze that last little bit out. a reducer is just a little rubber sleeve that is one size on one end and another on the other.

RE: K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

thanks for that, i was about to wrap it all in the same stuff like a idiot.

RE: K&N drop in vs. CAI
 

honestly a cai isnt worth the money. I put one on my integra gsr, actually lost power on the dyno. Then I put my oem box with a k&n drop in back in and gained power over stock. Cai's are a waste of money and power.