Engine Cold Air Intake, Worthless add on?

[Brian Teel]

Hi guys. I am super new to this kind of stuff. I was planning on doing a CAI as my first mod on my 2001 GT, I was looking around on the internet and found This youtube video. They say it is not going to make any difference. It seems the people who have them like them, but now I wonder if it is worth the money, or if I should instead spend on something else?

 

[DJ Fury]

Depends on your budget. How much money are you going to throw at upgrades and how quickly are you going to throw it?

 

[earleys94gt]

If you are only going to do a cold-air, just don't. For the price they are just not worth it.

If you are going to tune the car, add some exhaust, and other modifications then perhaps a cold-air would help.

However, for a street car, possibly daily driven, and at or near stock I would save my money.

 

[Brian Teel]

Thanks guys. My plans were/are CAI, 70mm throttle body, Intake Plenum, exhaust (slp LM2?), sway bar, Tune. Not necessarily in that order. I want a quick daily driver, maybe a little stoplight to stoplight action with the guy in the next lane.

BTW, I am bone stock right now.

 

[COramprat]

Worthless without other mods. IF you are building in steps then it is a worthwhile mod. An engine likes to breathe and a CAI will benefit but you won't feel it. I think a tune is worthless without more mods than you are considering. If you want a good first mod get 3.73 or 4.10 gears. Is your car manual or auto?

 

[Brian Teel]

It is automatic.

 

[trinity_gt]

Consider just removing the inlet snorkel/silencer from the airbox in place of buying a CAI:

 

[WrenchThrower]

As long as it isn't one of those tine little filters.
Normally improvements are seen with a smoother pipe with less bends or heat transfer and or a bigger filter of the same filter level or just a filter that filters less. I Just use a different tube from a cheapo ebay CAI and attached it to stock air box silencer removed. I may try a large KN short ram one day if I get bored...All I know is the little filter going into the fender to me felt slower than stock.

 

[Jhussey1280]

I wouldn't call it a worthless bolt on, but it's definately not an OMG bolt on. If you combine it with other bolt ons of course you'll get more out of it. If you just plan on sticking with simple bolts ons then go for it, but if you want to go FI then just save all the money you can and forget the CAI.

 

[WrenchThrower]

I'm sure many people get them b/c they look so much better. I personally like the K&N set up with the black plastic tube and the attempt at a heat shield. Been thinking about it since my stock air box has warped and getting the clamp on is getting harder and harder.

 

[joshjwc9]

It's 90% cosmetic. Combine it with throttle body, Plenum and exhaust and you'll be amazed with the seat of the pants dyno results.