My homemade cai

Dodgeramqc · Aug 13, 2016

This is my homemade cai.

K&N universal filter: 45$
Elbow 3" ans: 4$
Rubber joint : 10$
K&N valve cover vent filter: 12$

Total : 71$

I need your opinion. With or without air box cover? And the K&N vent filter, it's ok? I keep the airbox to make a kind of heatshield. Thanks!

Dodgeramqc · Aug 13, 2016

With airbox cover

Dodgeramqc · Aug 13, 2016

And the vent filter, sorry i'm not able to put all the pictures in the same post.

Bullitt5339 · Aug 13, 2016

What kind of benefit do you think you're getting from that setup?

What advantages do you think it's giving you over the stock setup with a K&N filter?

Ajwalk2008 · Aug 13, 2016

There is going to be a few people chiming in on this calling it a warm air intake

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dodgeramqc · Aug 13, 2016

What kind of benefits you think you're getting from a cai anyway. A stock system get already cold air, no? An open cai don't get cold air to your intake. I want more air and maybe some tips and not sarcastic comment.

Dodgeramqc · Aug 13, 2016

So it's better with or without the airbox cover? I tought the airbox cover can create a heatshield.

THETANK · Aug 13, 2016

no sarcastic comments to this point. I dropped in a K&N filter for the same price as your set up, not sure you will see any benefits over the drop in filter over your set up.

Dodgeramqc · Aug 13, 2016

So, connecting piping direct to the TB is more effective? Less restriction? I need tips or suggestions. Not comment like 'your system is a crap'. Thank you for your help.

Bullitt5339 · Aug 13, 2016

Dude, you're getting way too defensive and no one has even said anything yet. Don't ask for opinions and then get defensive before anyone has actually offered an opinion.

The truth: Unless your intake tube is a restriction, no CAI is going to do anything. That's not going to happen with a stock-ish engine and especially without a tune.

You're gathering air from the same place as the stocker with the cover on with a filter that likely has less surface area than the panel filter which is a greater restriction.

You're gathering hot air without the cover on. The ecu can adjust for the most part, but it's not gaining anything.

Hot Ducer · Aug 13, 2016

I'm curious too, what is the purpose of the resonator on these engines?

2003 1500 QuadCab 5.7 4x4

Bullitt5339 · Aug 13, 2016

Hot Ducer said:
I'm curious too, what is the purpose of the resonator on these engines?

2003 1500 QuadCab 5.7 4x4

It's supposed to slow down the harmonics of air pulses caused by the valves opening and closing. When the valves slam shut, there can be a pressure wave going in the wrong direction, causing interference and restricting incoming air. Somehow, the resonator is supposed to help this.

Or at least that's the theory behind them. I think the main reason is to reduce intake noise for the average commuter mainly.

Dodgeramqc · Aug 13, 2016

Ok thank you. So if I put tubing direct from TB, what's the best place for the filter, down on the passenger side to collect most fresh air? And I have superchip tune with 91 octane, headers and Flowmaster muffler.

Bullitt5339 · Aug 13, 2016

Dodgeramqc said:
Ok thank you. So if I put tubing direct from TB, what's the best place for the filter, down on the passenger side to collect most fresh air? And I have superchip tune with 91 octane, headers and Flowmaster muffler.

I have mixed feelings about tubing direct from the TB, but most of them come from the material most commonly used: metal

I think that any slight gains that you see by straightening out the airflow and having less bends is negated by the heat introduced by the metal tube. Of course, there's always a debate on whether the air is in the tube long enough for it to really make a difference anyway. I guess the best option would be a plastic tube in the end.

The best place for the filter is behind the front bumper, but that's pretty much impossible on these trucks. At the least, impractical.

In the end, I guess I'm a believer through my testing on multiple vehicles that there is so little difference between any cold air setup that in the end, the person should go with the one that they like the looks of the best. There really is very little difference on a vehicle that's naturally aspirated especially once the vehicle is moving.

dexter · Aug 13, 2016

Bullitt5339 said:
The truth: Unless your intake tube is a restriction, no CAI is going to do anything. That's not going to happen with a stock-ish engine and especially without a tune.

There are probably a lot of 'Mods' that are left over from the carbonated days.

A CAI won't do anything for a modern truck with a computer.

If you are thinking of a mod to improve mpg, increase power or something you have to ask 'why didn't the mfg do it if it worked'.

Bullitt5339 · Aug 13, 2016

dexter said:
There are probably a lot of 'Mods' that are left over from the carbonated days.

A CAI won't do anything for a modern truck with a computer.

If you are thinking of a mod to improve mpg, increase power or something you have to ask 'why didn't the mfg do it if it worked'.

I always get a kick out of throttle body spacers that "swirl" the air. Modern fuel injected cars have super long intake runner lengths, that 1/2" isn't going to do anything and what effect does swirling plain old air that has to go through about 2ft more of twists and turns before it reaches the combustion chamber have?

Now, I have a fancy and expensive intake spacer on my race car, but it's carburated and only has about 8" of intake runner length which carries both fuel and air, unlike modern engines that are just carrying air.

I don't get it, but they're obviously making a lot of money off of them.

Dodgeramqc · Aug 13, 2016

Thank you, it's more clear for me now.

Hot Ducer · Aug 13, 2016

There is a mood to cut a hole in the bottom of the sir box and run a tube down behind the back bumper to get fresh air in the box.

2003 1500 QuadCab 5.7 4x4

Dodgeramqc · Aug 13, 2016

Yes, the airbox have already a square hole at the bottom, maybe just connect a tube to collect fresh air. Like Bullit 5339 said, I will not win 10hp with that but It's not expensive and it can no hurt.

justin13703 · Aug 14, 2016

I'm pretty sure that most everybody knows by now that cold air intakes don't give you this big horsepower increase. Everybody always gets stuck on the "it doesn't give you any more power" argument. What they do, and the reason most people buy them, is they look good and sound good. That's the only reason I have my s&b. It looks good and sounds good. I didn't buy it for power. Same reason as why people put different mufflers on their trucks. No it doesn't give you any more power. But it sounds good.

As far as your intake Dodgeramqc, you are very likely losing power with it. With the cover off it will be pulling in nothing but very hot air. This may help your mileage, but not power. With the cover on, you will still be pulling in hot air from around that cutout, and now you have a filter in the stock box that has half the surface area of the panel filter that was in there in the first place. Yes, aftermarket cold air intakes are expensive. But usually the home brewed ones don't get you anything. You don't have the looks of a nice aftermarket intake, you probably aren't getting much for sound with that cover on, and you definitely aren't making any more power. At this point you've got almost 100 dollars wrapped up into something that is very likely making you lose power.

My homemade cai

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