Cold Air Induction Kits (CAI)

[xxx_mojo_xxx]

Any advice/recommendation on cold air induction or panel filter upgrades?

Seen a PiperCross one so far http://www.fastcar.co.uk/2011/02/28/pip ... ir-filter/

[spr0cket]

I have the pipercross, sourced it from Awesome.

Toying with adding the APR pipe from filter chamber to supercharger as think that might be an area of a little restriction with baffles contained.

[xxx_mojo_xxx]

I have the pipercross, sourced it from Awesome.

Toying with adding the APR pipe from filter chamber to supercharger as think that might be an area of a little restriction with baffles contained.

Does it change the sound of the car? Does it make the engine sound more aggressive? Also, was it the Pipercross Universal Rubber Neck cone Filter or a direct OEM replacement?

[spr0cket]

No audible difference that I could discern.

[550superfast]

So what are the benefits? Better breathing so slight increase in power? Anything else?

[spr0cket]

Not truly sure there are but was having remap and figured why risk limiting for what's a consumable anyways.

[Doug_S2]

If you replace the filter you do get more charger noise - and if you replace the accordian intake (that has the resonators) with a silicon intake pipe you get a bit more induction noise again.

The ECU has a pressure sensor on the intake so you can measure the gains of the aftermarket setups to see which is the least restrictive - there are measureable gains to be had.

If keeping the stock box, the only inlet is the snorkal on top - its awkward to add a neat cold air feed as thre are not flat faces on the underside to get a cold air feed to the box.

[adsgreen]

So what are the benefits? Better breathing so slight increase in power? Anything else?

Cold Air feeds in general do not add power (unless there are other changes to the induction system style and shape)

The prevent the ignition being backed off as the intake air charge increases in temperature from ambient engine heat.
So you get to keep what you have for longer.

Also with forced induction cars utilising any form of charge cooling the benefits of cold air feed can be reduced - not to say it's pointless but the charge cooler will be doing a more effective job than the cold air feed in itself.
Varies from install to install though and as doug says the only real way is to log the changes in temp

[535dboy]

So what are the benefits? Better breathing so slight increase in power? Anything else?

Cold Air feeds in general do not add power (unless there are other changes to the induction system style and shape)

The prevent the ignition being backed off as the intake air charge increases in temperature from ambient engine heat.
So you get to keep what you have for longer.

Also with forced induction cars utilising any form of charge cooling the benefits of cold air feed can be reduced - not to say it's pointless but the charge cooler will be doing a more effective job than the cold air feed in itself.
Varies from install to install though and as doug says the only real way is to log the changes in temp

So both 550 and I have the TRD box ad filter on our exiges (both running c275bhp)

Did that have no real benefit. Tbh I struggle to tell the difference to the noise but that could be the tubular drowning everything out!

[RIV]

Cold Air feeds in general do not add power (unless there are other changes to the induction system style and shape)

Cold air feed on my b7 has made the car pull stronger for sure, I reckon this does add power

[adsgreen]

Cold Air feeds in general do not add power (unless there are other changes to the induction system style and shape)

Cold air feed on my b7 has made the car pull stronger for sure, I reckon this does add power

How then?
When the car starts up both with and without a cai the engine intake charge will be the same temp - ambient.
As such by definition the engine out put would be the same.
As the cars run engine bay heat will radiate out and heat the intake system slowly but surely raising air intake charge.

A cold air feed simply reduces the impact of this by collecting air from a source not directly affected by the heat.
It isn't a magical source of pixie hp - it isn't cooling the air under ambient... It simply means the engine doesn't have to back off timing as quickly as it would if it was sucking up hot air. As such it doesn't add any power what so ever. It stops power being lost as the heat builds up.

If ram air is mentioned I will scream.

[RIV]

Stoping power being lost?? Well if that's the outcome it's a gain in power over standard

[adsgreen]

Stoping power being lost?? Well if that's the outcome it's a gain in power over standard

That's a very bad way of putting it. It implies (as by the comment that you can feel the difference) that you are gaining power. You are not. You are losing it slower.
Whilst better than standard, there's no way you can say you are gaining power.
Fwiw, I have cai.

[RIV]

No it's a fact it improves performance

[RIV]

Look as air gets colder it gets denser, this means more oxygen within a smaller volume, more oxygen = more power FACT