JUST released CAI

[ZEEROLLA]

so basically a cai without and exhaust system gives little power gains ~5kw

by exhaust system r we talking about cat back? or full system?

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I think they all give very similar gains of a few kws each mod, not enough to feel it in the pants. Best bang for buck is still some aftermarket ECU tuning like Unichip or Apexi Power FC or Motec, you get increased power and torque throughout the entire rpm range and optimised AF ratio and ignition timing.

[DANZZT231]

N/A modification is always not valuable to the cash. However, if power is what you seek, all parts in the end becomes important.

Say you buy ecu such as power FC, it is a great item, however I do believe ecu should come last, because in the end, you will want to upgrade the intake system and the exhaust system.

I'm not saying money is no object, however its the only way. Nothing is cheap. I was reading US forum the other day, i think its newcelica.org. In the beginning they thought this ebay intake is less than AEM, but then someone give it a shot and because it is a direct copy, its the same as AEM. So hunt around if you want bargain, and just the other day BanGn got his Injen for $240 landed, 2nd hand but no matter. It screams like biach.

So stage your modification, don't work backwards.

[CAP]

Exzakery, Spot on Danz.

Car modification isn't cheap, Do things in stages and it's only if you take your time and do real research into things yourself ( Not just what you mate told you ) that you'll:

a) Find some bargains; and

B) Actually find things that Work and deliver what they promise.

[lucio_libre]

If you want cheap things and you have no connections its very hard because everyone is out there to make a buck. The value of these items is not woth shiet, not worth it, they increase the depreciation of your car, and make it harder to fall, not to mention it destroys your warranty etc etc. Apart from lowering my car which improves handling and aesthetics, i would not waste another cent, spewing i put the CAI in coz it cost me $330, and apart from the noise there is just no performance. By buying a K&N for 80 bux and modifying the air box, i would have achieved the same result. Petrol has shot through the roof, and its hard enough to keep this thing on the road as it is, with insurance, rego etc etc....spending all these hundreds of dollars for items that make bugger all diff doesent justify it for me anymore...tops i would pay for a CAI setup is $150..anything more and it aint worth it.

[DANZZT231]

aww come one man, don't be like that :) Sure it may not seems worth it, but then there are enthutiast around, and I guess for them who wish to do it, everything is worth it. I meant, it is what they're looking for right?

Personally, if you wish to upgrade the power of the car, this intake is worth it. Ok, maybe $350 doesn't justify few kw gain, but then this is the only way to further increase the power of the car :) I supposed there are those who wish to increase the power of the car right?

I meant, I spend $350 for my AEM and another $650 for my full exhaust, that's a total of $1000, and I got 21-22 percent gain, right from 75kw at wheels to 91.2kw at wheels. Not bad at all isn't it?

[spec_black]

thats a pretty good gain

i heard from various people that to increase power and keeping the engine na

the only big things that make a noticable power gain is clutch, flywheel, extractors, and ecu.

there r also other things such as exhaust (excl extrators) and intake which gives little gains.

you can also buy light weight products. correct me if im wrong but i dont think these give power gains however acceleration is improved.

or if you dont want to buy, you can take ur subbies and spare tyre out

[ZEEROLLA]

thats a pretty good gain

i heard from various people that to increase power and keeping the engine na

the only big things that make a noticable power gain is clutch, flywheel, extractors, and ecu.

there r also other things such as exhaust (excl extrators) and intake which gives little gains.

you can also buy light weight products. correct me if im wrong but i dont think these give power gains however acceleration is improved.

or if you dont want to buy, you can take ur subbies and spare tyre out 

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The killer to N/A performance is weight.. so the lighter the better because torque is so precious in our little screamers, but would you justify paying people money to reduce the car's weight? Well maybe yes, like the C-One carbon fiber bonnet, looks hot and also loses 10kg i think off the front end of the car -> less understeer, also better acceleration and braking ;)

Z

[JCTurbo]

Hello from the States, I've been combing through your site for sometime now, looking for any little thing you guys might have access to that we don't. but one thing I keep noticing that trips me up......everybody loves the TRD CAI right? the TRD intake is built by Injen, just relabeled like most TRD parts, it was actually the first run intake aswell, later on Injen redesigned and that's what you get when you buy one now, but the TRD is still the old design. just a little food for thought.

Live for LIFT

[Woody]

Hello from the States, I've been combing through your site for sometime now, looking for any little thing you guys might have access to that we don't. but one thing I keep noticing that trips me up......everybody loves the TRD CAI right? the TRD intake is built by Injen, just relabeled like most TRD parts, it was actually the first run intake aswell, later on Injen redesigned and that's what you get when you buy one now, but the TRD is still the old design. just a little food for thought.

Live for LIFT

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Go Injen CAI ;)

Just jokes, I'm sure there's like 0.000001 kW difference anyway.

[CAP]

That's Interesting, surprised no-one from here knew about the TRD being an outdated Injen.

They're all still over priced for a piece of Aluminium Tube though.

[Pippy]

Hello from the States, I've been combing through your site for sometime now, looking for any little thing you guys might have access to that we don't. but one thing I keep noticing that trips me up......everybody loves the TRD CAI right? the TRD intake is built by Injen, just relabeled like most TRD parts, it was actually the first run intake aswell, later on Injen redesigned and that's what you get when you buy one now, but the TRD is still the old design. just a little food for thought.

Live for LIFT

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thanks for the info dude! :D

coz i think it'll come at no surprise that the intake was made by someone else and resprayed! :D (i was kinda disppointed in the TRD sticker they put on the car... could have atleast make a bit more effort... :D haha!)

anyway... just like the TRD street/race suspension kit, the shockies are actually KYB made to TRD's specs, which i believe you can probably buy from KYB anyway... :D

[DANZZT231]

Business wise, in this case TRD, to ask other manufacturer to build an Intake for them instead of manufacturing one themselves is a better decision. In the end, it does not matter who produce this, because in the end the spec is made by TRD produced by Injen.

The same like Cusco, made by KYB. Why? Because KYB is the big suspension manufacturing company, its better for Cusco to send their spec for KYB to produced a coilover specifically made for them, instead of opening a factory and producing themselves.

This way, cost are less, KYB benefit, Cusco benefit and most importantly, customer benefit.

[Pippy]

Business wise, in this case TRD, to ask other manufacturer to build an Intake for them instead of manufacturing one themselves is a better decision. In the end, it does not matter who produce this, because in the end the spec is made by TRD produced by Injen.

The same like Cusco, made by KYB. Why? Because KYB is the big suspension manufacturing company, its better for Cusco to send their spec for KYB to produced a coilover specifically made for them, instead of opening a factory and producing themselves.

This way, cost are less, KYB benefit, Cusco benefit and most importantly, customer benefit.

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OMG bro! you sound like my lecturer!!

but spot on! haha~

[lucio_libre]

Also worth mentioning that these CAI are designed with cost in mind not just performance gains :D

[DANZZT231]

Also worth mentioning that these CAI are designed with cost in mind not just performance gains  :D

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Well if they want to make it to a higher quaility, not bothering about the cost, I supposed no one would buy it. Besides, the bending of the pipe and the length are all perfect fit for the USA model, and that is high quality bolt on product.

[lucio_libre]

What I was referring to was, they make a product that would cost jack sheit to make but be priced high to make a descent profit out of it, as far as performance, in this case it wouldnt matter on the design. The whole aliminium piping thing im not sure about man, they heat up quick, sure its light, but i think stainless steel keeps cooler and would be a better material to use. But stainless steel costs too much compared to alluminium and its harder to bend im guessing. So performance isnt always first.

[MR22ZZ]

Stainless steel does heat slower but would be marginal at the thickness we are talking... But the downside is the Stainless also dissipates the heat slower...

It heat flow is your concern then get a plasic one!!!

[Pippy]

Guys,

Stainless Steel heats up slower but also cools down slower, it retains heat better than alluminium.

Hence, in terms of the amount of air that is also passing though your engine bay at considerable speeds the pipe would not heat up that much, or at least the alu. pipe would definitely cool down faster.

;) eitherway i don't see the material being an issue, as all would be hell if its just slow city driving... :D

[Mintos]

But stainless steel costs too much compared to alluminium

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hmmm, someone correct me if i am wrong but:

*is not aluminium more expensive than stainless steel?

*stainless steel is heavier

*stainless is not as durable, more difficult to bend (also as stated by lucio)

But anyhows as Blue_Stivo said, the material is not really a concern, unless you are using forced induction. It is the shape/diameter/length of the pipe that determines the airflow.

Eg, even after hard driving i can touch my AEM intake pipe (aluminium) and it is hardly warm...even though when driving it sounds like a military vacuumn system.

[CHA54]

the cost of the piping is not really worthwhile taking into accout, as it's $10 max for the length needed to do the pipe in stainless or alu. Stainless is more durable.

[lucio_libre]

"Eg, even after hard driving i can touch my AEM intake pipe (aluminium) and it is hardly warm...even though when driving it sounds like a military vacuumn system."

Mate you havent obviously driven the car hard enough. My old TRD was hot after driving, not untouchable but definetly hot.

As for stainless being heavier, whats your point? is the car's performance gona suffer by an extra kilo?

My whole point is that stainless would be a better material to use, lasts longer and is better towards being heat resistant, but because its more expensive and harder to bend, these "performance" places dont use it because they have to keep their costs down.

[Danthuyer]

Mate you havent obviously driven the car hard enough. My old TRD was hot after driving, not untouchable but definetly hot.

your CAI pipe itself was Hot to the touch????? hmm

[lucio_libre]

Hmmmm :) Its hot under there man

[Mintos]

Mate you havent obviously driven the car hard enough. My old TRD was hot after driving, not untouchable but definetly hot.

As for stainless being heavier, whats your point? is the car's performance gona suffer by an extra kilo?

My whole point is that stainless would be a better material to use, lasts longer and is better towards being heat resistant, but because its more expensive and harder to bend, these "performance" places dont use it because they have to keep their costs down.

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Actually, it doesnt matter how much you rev the car or use full throttle, so long as the car reaches optimal temperature, the way you drive the car will not influence the temperature of the intake pipe...That was the point of my previous statement.

The intake has not yet sampled summer weather but thus far i can definitely say, the intake pipe does not get "hot" - warm, yes, but not hot.

If your old TRD intake was getting anywhere near untouchably hot you did something wrong on the install lucio. That, or there is something wrong with the temperature receptors in your nerves.

Anyone else's CAI's get "hot" ?

So as you stated, performace parts manufacturers do not use stainless for cost reasons, aluminium is cheaper to produce and mould. My reference to weight was a general analysis of aluminium vs stainless although again, weight will influence production costs, freight, etc.

For an AIR INTAKE pipe, stainless steel simply is not practical. The durable attribute of steel is redundant for something that channels air. For something like an exhaust system it is more applicable as the piping is being exposed to chemicals, weather, etc. Also, aluminium is not exactly the metal that starts rusting, especially if it is just sitting in the engine bay.

So that is why aluminium is superior to stainless for a CAI :)

[BanGn]

Anyone else's CAI's get "hot" ?

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my injen gets hot all the time