I'm sure this has been posted tons of times before, but I searched and couldnt find any specific topic. What I want to know is mainly this:

Sound - Is there a big difference in sound between the two?
Performance - I know CAI is better, but how MUCH better?
Brands - What is the best sounding short ram/cai? Best performing short ram (aem has CAI cornered imo)?

Anything else that you could add would be helpful. I just want a LOUD, great sounding intake that adds some horsies that will tide me over till I turbo. I was going to do the whole NT buildup, but decided turbo was my best route after all... so I just want the basic, cheap engine mods (gs-t exhaust, intake, motor mounts).

TIA!

honestly, if you're gonna turbo later on, get yourself some 2.5" PVC, some fittings, hose clamps, a conical bolt-on universal filter, and a breather filter. For about $40 you can make your own CAI or short-ram or both..just make yourself an extension that lowers the filter to the air dam underneath the engine. It works..trust me. A little paint and no one can tell the difference. IMO performs better than AEM.

...or for about the same price you can get a nice shiny, no-name, chrome ram like I have(see picture) on ebay. The performance difference is 1-2 horsepower between the CAI and the ram - that is a neglegable difference. Also, don't get CAI with those bypass valves in them, they just restrict the flow - you'd be better off with the ram. I don't personally know about the CAI sound, but my ram sounds AWEsome.

Ram it! :thumbsup


95 Eclipse RS : 5 speed
Gude cams : test pipe : AFX UDP : ram air : Thrush glasspack : Dual air horns : Kenwood KDC 5000 : AutoCommand remote start
incomming - lower strut bars

forgot to mention it has a deep, throaty tone at 4K+..check it out:


Haven't gotten around to fabbing brackets yet, but that's next.


I used the TB fitting from the stock intake to bolt it up. I'm sure you can find a suitable fitting so you don't have to cut up your intake.


This is the extension to make it full cold-air. Just plain ol' PVC. I use it on the track only - you definitely don't want water in that filter.

Thanks, guys :)

Do you think there is much of a sound difference between, say, a injen or aem short ram vs an ebay one? Cause I can get aem short ram for about $80 shipped.

where can you get an aem new shipped for 80 the cheapest i heard was 120 shipped

I have a friend in Cali that decided to go CAI after all, so his short ram has never been used. I dont know of any stores that will go that low, though.

Oh man, if you can get the CAI for that much - go for it! I've heard that the ram is louder, but I have no idea about that. I do know that CAI gives a couple more ponies :)


95 Eclipse RS : 5 speed
Gude cams : test pipe : AFX UDP : ram air : Thrush glasspack : Dual air horns : Kenwood KDC 5000 : AutoCommand remote start
incomming - lower strut bars

I have had both the AEM short ram and the AEM CAI...There is absolutly no doubt that the CAI makes more hp...They both start to growl as you approach 4k, but the short ram is slightly louder...Frankly, the extra hp makes the CAI a no brainer.

i will have to pop in and put in my input... i recomend the ICEMAN CAI.. its made by afx and can be found at Howell.

ya i like the cai looks coo

Especially with no front end on!! Yeah CAI!!


Black '98 GS auto
I-vers intake
Custom (home made!) ram air conversion
Front & rear strut bars
OBX fog lights w/ fog light mod
Illuminated tail mod
RSR rear section
JVC cd player
Kenwood components
Sony XM-250 amp
10" Polk DX sub

The CAI is undescribably better. Do not waste money on those short rams they are not worth the hassle and if you decide to go turbo later you can sell a CAI easily on ebay or on this site. and dont waste your time with a pvc homemade thing if you want to be cheap order a nice shiny one on ebay for $30-40.

97 Eclipse GS
Aem CAI, Obx 2.5" Stainless Cat back, Tomm's coilovers, Blown stock struts :-) , Black housing projectors, Blitz Body kit, Dark blue metallic paint, Alpine cva-1005 head unit (6.5" indash monitor), Playstation 2, Alpine ai-net 6-disc changer, Alpine type-R 6.5" component set, boston acoustics 5X7" in the rear, 2 alpine type-r 12"s Pheonix gold sub amp and eclipse 4 channel.

Forget buying an intake. Take that $$$ and put it towards a down payment on an NER turbo kit. If you want the sound, which you really seem stuck on, just remove your airbox silencer.