It gets really hot and humid here in the summer and I'm wondering if a cold air intake would help or hurt my car? Cold air intakes are made of metal that conducts heat and I'm concerned it'll get heat soaked even worse. Or could I put some insulation around the CAI piping?

I'm doing this mostly from a 'I want to negate the effects of hot summer air' and not from a 'I want a race car' point of view. Also, are the cheap ebay CAI's any different from the name brand ones?

Sorry for the n00b questions. TIA

yes, a CAI will help.

thermal wrap will reduce initial startup temps, but will also limit cooling once you are actually driving. remember that insulation keeps heat out, but also traps heat in once the temperature equilizes. dont bother with it.

edit: so a search for somthing like "Ebay CAI". the views seem to be mixed, some are happy and some have their CAI fall apart. the major issue is fitament around the battery.

buy an iceman, its made of non condutive plastic... i have one on my car, its rocks

if your concerned with intake temps i also suggest getting rid of your EGR system. no use in spending $100 for a CAI and having exhaust gasses poured into your intake mani heating things up again. also corbin spacers help immensley with keeping intake mani temps down.

Get your CAI, and take out the front little plastic piece that sits right in front of the filter and you'll have a mini-ram air setup....it feels a little torqier to me when compared to the plastic piece on. my butt dyno could be off tho. :thumbsup

Originally posted by JWoodley
Get your CAI, and take out the front little plastic piece that sits right in front of the filter and you'll have a mini-ram air setup....it feels a little torqier to me when compared to the plastic piece on. my butt dyno could be off tho. :thumbsup

Not that this has anything to do with the post, but everytime I run across your post, I stare at your avatar for at least 30 secs. I've seen it like 59,684,805 times, and I still stare....boobies, ubuhh...

Originally posted by 96eclipse2nr
if your concerned with intake temps i also suggest getting rid of your EGR system. no use in spending $100 for a CAI and having exhaust gasses poured into your intake mani heating things up again. also corbin spacers help immensley with keeping intake mani temps down.

what do you mean by getting rid or your egr system.I did the coke can mod by jusy blocking the the EGR into the TB.Are you saying you can that the hole theing off pipe and all.

P.S. sorry I know this is off topic

There's more thought put into the design of the name brand intakes. The cheap e-bays ones, in my opinion, are just that.

The air you bring in can only be as cool as the air outside. once the car warms uop the engin bay temps will always be higher than the ambient temp, so you'll be bringin in cooler air than you would from the engine bay. In hot humid weather there's only so much you can do.

Yes it's worth it, and yes the EGR system is crap.



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people seem to overestimate the heat transferring properties through the CAI material as air is constantly flowing through it. the heat absorbance by the air is minimal.

CAIs definatley have their differences. there is a lot more research and dynotesting into say, the V2, vs the cheap ebay kind. mind you since we are talking about CAI's the difference is only a few hp at best.

Think about it, if it's hot and humid outside, It's THAT much HOTTER under the hood.
CAI > short ram