CAI: Are they worth it?

stargate160 · Jun 17, 2005

I plan on removing my K&N Air filter and putting back the stock airbox. It simply did not work correctly. The CEL never came off and the car drove sluggish at times. It may or may not be a defective CAI, but my question is - are they really worth it? The horsepower gain is not significant to even mention. The noise they make can by annoying. I did not see any improvement in gas mileage. And from what I've read about CAIs, people just put them in for looks - the rest is just crap.

Wouldn't it be better to simply keep the stock airbox and maybe get a better air filter instead?

Note: The K&N CAI was designed for my model mustang and it was installed correctly. When called K&N, they said that some cars may not react properly when installing a CAI and nothing I can do about it, sounds like BS, but whatever. A wasted $200+.

zincyellow03 · Jun 17, 2005

CIA are mainly just for looks(and sound) and people do them because it's cheap and easy. It's most people's first mod. Personally I don't like them and I won't get one for my car. Try selling yours on ebay and if you want get one off of ebay.

OxMox · Jun 17, 2005

stargate160 said:
The horsepower gain is not significant to even mention. And from what I've read about CAIs, people just put them in for looks - the rest is just crap.

Wouldn't it be better to simply keep the stock airbox and maybe get a better air filter instead?

Note: The K&N CAI was designed for my model mustang and it was installed correctly. When called K&N, they said that some cars may not react properly when installing a CAI and nothing I can do about it, sounds like BS, but whatever. A wasted $200+.

HHMMM ...Sounds like something I just said not to long ago. Yeah, a regular K&N drop in air filter with the air snorkle removed will work just about as good as a full aftermarket CAI (if you'r car isn't to heavily modded of course). And about the wasted 200$ . You can always return it and get your money back, or try to sell it to a friend that has the same car. AND ONE MORE THING, CAI's are not a good first mod! Here is what you should do.

1) Remove intake snorkle
2) K&N drop in filter
3) UD pulleys
4) Short shifter
5) T-lok
6) Cat-back exhaust

Those are what you should be doing for first mods.

Give Me TP · Jun 17, 2005

stargate160
What year is your car? We put a K&N FIPK on my wife's '04 V6 and it's worked fine. The plastic intake tube is pretty easy to deform when tightening the silicon hose clamps, allowing unmetered air in to affect performance. A CAI should help performance some if used along with a true dual exhaust and gears I would think.

OxMox · Jun 17, 2005

zincyellow03 said:
CIA are mainly just for looks(and sound) and people do them because it's cheap and easy. It's most people's first mod. Personally I don't like them and I won't get one for my car. Try selling yours on ebay and if you want get one off of ebay.

...Everytime corkey comes over to visit he always leaves a **** the size of a bread basket in our front yard...

zincyellow03 · Jun 17, 2005

worked v6 said:
...Everytime corkey comes over to visit he always leaves a **** the size of a bread basket in our front yard...

That's funny. Where's that from?

AndyG47 · Jun 17, 2005

Another one.....

pony ride · Jun 17, 2005

stargate160 said:
I plan on removing my K&N Air filter and putting back the stock airbox. It simply did not work correctly. The CEL never came off and the car drove sluggish at times. It may or may not be a defective CAI, but my question is - are they really worth it? The horsepower gain is not significant to even mention. The noise they make can by annoying. I did not see any improvement in gas mileage. And from what I've read about CAIs, people just put them in for looks - the rest is just crap.

Wouldn't it be better to simply keep the stock airbox and maybe get a better air filter instead?

Note: The K&N CAI was designed for my model mustang and it was installed correctly. When called K&N, they said that some cars may not react properly when installing a CAI and nothing I can do about it, sounds like BS, but whatever. A wasted $200+.

Yeah, a waste of money.. not really worth it... that's why almost every high performance aftermarket built mustang on the planet has some kind of modified induction system... because they don't work....

OxMox · Jun 17, 2005

zincyellow03 said:
That's funny. Where's that from?

Envy

OxMox · Jun 17, 2005

pony ride said:
Yeah, a waste of money.. not really worth it... that's why almost every high performance aftermarket built mustang on the planet has some kind of modified induction system... because they don't work....

I never said they don't work, I just said it shouldn't be one of his first mods... seeing how they don't do much for HP. He should just get a K&N drop in and call it a day..'cause it's more or less the same as a CAI on a stock, lightly modded V6.

OxMox · Jun 17, 2005

AndyG47 said:
Another one.....

Spray some on my ass, 'cause I just **** my pants!

pony ride · Jun 17, 2005

worked v6 said:
I never said they don't work, I just said it shouldn't be one of his first mods... seeing how they don't do much for HP. He should just get a K&N drop in and call it a day..'cause it's more or less the same as a CAI on a stock, lightly modded V6.

Well, you're right about a CAI not being the first mod anybody should do to their Mustangs. One of the first mods on a V6 stang should be on the suspension (sway bar, springs, sfc's). The stock ride is way too soft. Most V6 owners would enjoy their rides a lot more (even with the stock power), if the car was made to handle a little more like a sports car. It makes a world of difference in driving pleasure and performance. Even if your V6 was modded to the hilt (with gears, t-lok, chip, cam, forced induction, etc), it would feel like ***** making a normal turn in an intersection on the stock suspension/tires.

OxMox · Jun 17, 2005

pony ride said:
Well, you're right about a CAI not being the first mod anybody should do to their Mustangs. One of the first mods on a V6 stang should be on the suspension (sway bar, springs, sfc's). The stock ride is way too soft. Most V6 owners would enjoy their rides a lot more (even with the stock power), if the car was made to handle a little more like a sports car. It makes a world of difference in driving pleasure and performance. Even if your V6 was modded to the hilt (with gears, t-lok, chip, cam, forced induction, etc), it would feel like ***** making a normal turn in an intersection on the stock suspension/tires.

Yup, yup, yup. I agree. Suspension, t-lok and pulleys or exhaust should go first.

stargate160 · Jun 17, 2005

I have a 2000 Mustang V6 with 93k mileage. I can't return the CAI where I bought it from because my 30 days return period as expired. If you recall my other thread regarding the installation of the CAI, it was done by LineX. So it was installed professionally. The guy said he installed hundreds of them doesn't know why this one was not working. I later took it out and reinstalled it myself, no hope. I needed a new air filter and decided to simply buy a CAI, now I'm thinking I'll just get a new air filter instead of the CAI.

AndyG47 · Jun 17, 2005

worked v6 said:
Spray some on my ass, 'cause I just **** my pants!

I'm going to ask you,Worked V6, the same thing I asked Zinc Yellow.

What the h ell are you talking about?

OxMox · Jun 17, 2005

stargate160 said:
I have a 2000 Mustang V6 with 93k mileage. I can't return the CAI where I bought it from because my 30 days return period as expired. If you recall my other thread regarding the installation of the CAI, it was done by LineX. So it was installed professionally. The guy said he installed hundreds of them doesn't know why this one was not working. I later took it out and reinstalled it myself, no hope. I needed a new air filter and decided to simply buy a CAI, now I'm thinking I'll just get a new air filter instead of the CAI.

Don't know about that one. Might just be defaulty... I'd have to actually look at it to know, sorry.

Seriously. Get a K&N air filter for your stock intake, put that in, remove the snorkle (or silencer, whichever you say). Then, look to see if you can get a different MAF sensor for your stock intake, that doesn't requier you to use different injectors, get a 65mm polished T-body from a GT for 160$ www.rpm-mustangs.com and then your intake is done. All of that might be a little more than a regular CAI, BUT it'll perform a whole heck of a lot better and it wont give you any problems.

OxMox · Jun 17, 2005

AndyG47 said:
I'm going to ask you,Worked V6, the same thing I asked Zinc Yellow.

What the h ell are you talking about?

Nothing in perticular. That's the beauty of it. Whenever something funny pops into my head i'll either say it or post it. Whatever comes first. You should try it sometime, just something random, something you remember that was funny, etc.

ZeroCulture · Jun 18, 2005

thats why you dont buy the cheap plastic ones ... go for the MAC Kit ... it fits, works, and sounds awesome. It's also nice and shiny.

Here's Mine...

tuffmustang19 · Jun 18, 2005

i noticed power gain when i added a CAI....my 98 wouldnt even chirp in 2nd gear and now it does a pretty decent burnout in 2nd

east_sidaz40 · Jun 19, 2005

worked v6 said:
Here is what you should do.

1) Remove intake snorkle
2) K&N drop in filter
3) UD pulleys
4) Short shifter
5) T-lok
6) Cat-back exhaust

Those are what you should be doing for first mods.

I have to add this though FRPP 3.73 or 4.10 should be within that list

CAI: Are they worth it?

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