Cold Air Induction for the 2.2, Is it worth it? Options

[GriffGirl]

imo on these cars having a cai nets you any more power then a sri. just more risk of picking up water. if i wanted to i'd run no intake at all. just some wire mesh over the TB.

Could you tell me more about this rick of picking up water please?

If you run a long pipe with a filter at the end of it toward the front of your car to where there's less stuff in the way to impede air flow, there is also less stuff in the way to impede the splashing of water. So say you drive through a huge puddle. CAI increases your chances of sucking that water up into the intake, and hydrolocking your motor.

There are ways around this— you can put a special filter cover thing over your filter that is made specifically for cone filters. It functions like Gore-Tex does; it lets the air in but keeps the water out. You can also get—I forget what it's called—this like collector box thingie that IIRC goes on between the filter and the intake pipe, or maybe it's the intake and the TB, that collects any water that might get sucked up into the intake. But considering the nominal difference between CAI and SRI for our cars, all that expense is unnecessary IMO when you could just get an SRI and be done with it.

[ZGear]

Think of it this way. If you suck through a straw that's placed on top of a sponge soaked with water, would you be able to drink all of the water? No, due to air pockets in the sponge (filter) that releases pressure. If the straw was fully submerged in a cup of water then yes it will take all the water, due to direct contact causing the pressure to build and cause suction. So if the filter is fully submerged it increases big chances of hydrolock, hence avoiding "big puddles" that will eat 1/3 to 1/2 of your car from the tires up.

This post has been edited by ZGear: Jul 17, 2009 - 11:26 AM

[jimmykay]

Shouldnt you avoid puddles that are deeper than the bottoms of your door frames anyway?

[Liquid_Smoke]

ya i was wondering the same thing too. how much water are we talking about here, a couple a drops, 3-4 gallons? I just bought one of those chrome intakes too.

[xIIscrapsIIx]

Remember the faster your car looks the faster it REALLY is... lol j/k

[zonz540]

Just get a bypass valve if you want a CAI. Theyre easy to install and itll be worth the $50 if you do end up being stupid and taking your car into a puddle the size of the great lakes.

[rave2n]

Or, run a SRI like this.....

[Demios]

I felt no difference with it when i had...so i put back the airbox with a good cotton filter (BMC)...

[deputydad]

Hello all,

I have a 1996 GT-S Convertible. I am looking at getting a cold air air induction system (with a K&N filter) on E-Bay. I am wondering - has anyone added CAI to their 2.2 and if so, what kind of return did you get? The web says is will add 10-18 HP...

[cyberblader1130]

Either way those chromeintakes CAI's aren't CAI's.
Ive had one on and i noticed right after i put it on that the intake tube ran near the header between the cruise and battery. After driving with it on for awhile(motor at running temp) I could feel the heat from the header had heated up the intake piece.
So basically a waste of money unless your getting it for looks. And the filter being under the battery might be a half decent place to get cold air, there are other ways of getting to that area.
My intake tubing goes by the battery down through the stock location into the fender, 90 deg turn and sits right above the splash guard in the middle of the front of the car. Ive driven in rain storms and havent had a single issue, cept for traction.