Short Ram Vs. Cold Air Intake

[BoyBlue4You]

So like I've mentioned before I am new here...to MSP's and all but I personally have the Injen CAI intake..how is that for performance wise...because if i think about it it makes since that yeah cold air= better air for the motor to increase hp's but if you have the short ram it would be quicker turbo spool no? does anyone really know the difference in power spool and sound and all that which is really better?

[joesmazdaspeed]

So like I've mentioned before I am new here...to MSP's and all but I personally have the Injen CAI intake..how is that for performance wise...because if i think about it it makes since that yeah cold air= better air for the motor to increase hp's but if you have the short ram it would be quicker turbo spool no? does anyone really know the difference in power spool and sound and all that which is really better?
i have a short ram but i cant say i can tell you the difference because i have never tried the normal ones

[69RMSP]

ahhhhh don't bring this up lol.... If you get some guys going they wont stop

run while you can!

from what I understand....

CAI better for cold air
SRi better for throttle responce

aslo.... Don't quote me on this but I thnik they are pretty much useless with our small turbos maybe 3-5 whp

[BoyBlue4You]

lol...probably ... but yeah i knew about the basics i was jw if it changed for our cars or made a difference is there already a big thread on this?

[69RMSP]

massive.... I fear it...


lol...probably ... but yeah i knew about the basics i was jw if it changed for our cars or made a difference is there already a big thread on this?

[micahlarson]

yeah right? I don't even want to ask one of the guys at work.. cause I"m sure he'll start making crazy hand gestures and start drawing and everything else.. but just 69rsm said.. CAI for mass HP and SR for throttle response in most situations, although in are situation with small engines.. low boost.. and an already semi tuned car.. I don't think it should be the first thing you do unless you plan on getting your car tuned.. then get it done right away after exhaust

[frosted]

Never 3-5whp. Especially for a short ram, you won't gain anything and might even be losing some power as it is taking warmer air from the engine bay vs colder air from the CAI and the stock setup. But all in all, it's more for the sound than the performance. Especially for the price of the Injen CAI.

[zumzumzoom03]

I've had both Injen CAI and AEM SRI. Didn't notice a difference between the two. I stuck with SRI because the risk of hydrolocking your engine is less and that out weighs any hp gain.

[reg_2004]

yea but what are the chances to hydroloc anyways - you got to run through a decient sized puddle to do that, plus with the splash gards its got to be hard to do that

[Knox Joe]

^^^^^^

I just don't drive the MSP in the rain ever, but I also have the luxury of having other vehicles to drive.

I'm starting to question why I have a FWD car as my secondary "fun" car though.

[Luni]

I'm starting to questiong why I have a FWD car as my secondary "fun" car though.


QFT..

Mazdaspeeds are great cars. But your fun car should be RWD or AWD!

[Knox Joe]

QFT..

Mazdaspeeds are great cars. But your fun car should be RWD or AWD!


I'm thinking of givin the MSP to the fiance (leaving it a little hopped up), and go trade her Mitsu Mirage in for a new Evo X....


...though, there is a matching titanium Mazdaspeed Miata down the road, they'd make a cute couple. Do em both with bronze rims, and a few minor mods.

[Kypatrick]

I have heard problems with the CAI, like water in the intake or the piping rubbing the body (in that whole). I think alot of people on here hav converted their CAI into SRI.

[RenzoMSP]

I never felt a difference between sri or cai.

[BoyBlue4You]

well thanx guys anymore info is welcome i just wasnt sure if i should convert to the sri from my injen cai

[dirtysouth_msp]

I went short ram because I have a FMIC and live in GA where weather is very unpredictable. I made a "baffle" to keep the hot air from the fans off of the filter. Simple? Yes. Functional? I would have to say so, at least to some extent. Using a diagnostic scanner I monitored the IAT readings with and without the baffle and there was a average difference of about 7-8 degrees, lol.

[Bala]

I went short ram because I have a FMIC and live in GA where weather is very unpredictable. I made a "baffle" to keep the hot air from the fans off of the filter. Simple? Yes. Functional? I would have to say so, at least to some extent. Using a diagnostic scanner I monitored the IAT readings with and without the baffle and there was a average difference of about 7-8 degrees, lol.
That is clean - Well done. (thumb)


*Edit - both my Pro's have CAI's

[dirtysouth_msp]

That is clean - Well done. (thumb)


*Edit - both my Pro's have CAI's

Thanks!

[FlyinMSP]

Stock box is the best

[jdm4lyf9]

To be honest I think I was getting more hp out of the stock air box with my K&N filter in it. The injen CAI sounds really cool but after a while it gets boaring. I would like to try a SRI but I don't know where to get one for the MSP.

[dirtysouth_msp]

To be honest I think I was getting more hp out of the stock air box with my K&N filter in it. The injen CAI sounds really cool but after a while it gets boaring. I would like to try a SRI but I don't know where to get one for the MSP.

If you have an Injen, then you already have a SRI. Just leave off the 2nd piece of pipe.

[Kypatrick]

I went short ram because I have a FMIC and live in GA where weather is very unpredictable. I made a "baffle" to keep the hot air from the fans off of the filter. Simple? Yes. Functional? I would have to say so, at least to some extent. Using a diagnostic scanner I monitored the IAT readings with and without the baffle and there was a average difference of about 7-8 degrees, lol.


Baffle??? Genius! Im gonna copy, K?

[Swerny]

To be honest I think I was getting more hp out of the stock air box with my K&N filter in it. The injen CAI sounds really cool but after a while it gets boaring. I would like to try a SRI but I don't know where to get one for the MSP.

Not flaming, but I disagree.
I take my Injen off for the winter, when I run the stock air box witha K&N drop in.

I just put the Injen on a few weeks ago and right away I noticed an increase in power according to my butt dyno.

(canada)

[Swerny]

I went short ram because I have a FMIC and live in GA where weather is very unpredictable. I made a "baffle" to keep the hot air from the fans off of the filter. Simple? Yes. Functional? I would have to say so, at least to some extent. Using a diagnostic scanner I monitored the IAT readings with and without the baffle and there was a average difference of about 7-8 degrees, lol.

If you want to make me one, I'd pay you for your troubles.

That's schweet!

[Kypatrick]

Not flaming, but I disagree.
I take my Injen off for the winter, when I run the stock air box witha K&N drop in.

I just put the Injen on a few weeks ago and right away I noticed an increase in power according to my butt dyno.

(canada)


LOL, butt Dyno!!!! I argued the whole stock airbox thing a few months ago, Dont see how it would be better, its restrictive.

[Kypatrick]

If you want to make me one, I'd pay you for your troubles.

That's schweet!


Ditto, say a price!!!

[kicker22705]

i'm getting my laptop back soon. i'll hook it up to my microtech and see what the IAT is for both CAI and SRI.

[dirtysouth_msp]

Lol, I would not know what to charge and I'd probably want to make a slightly more advanced design if I were to try and sell them. It's not too hard to make just use cardboard to make a template. Trace you template to some reasonably thick sheet metal (too thick and you have a hell of a time cutting and bending). Cut out your design, make the necessary bends and drill your mounting hole. Paint it whatever color you want (gray was the only thing I had handy at work when I made it). I used split vac line, zip ties and drilled a bunch of small holes for the zip ties to go through to make the edges look nice. You can use one of those cheesy little creditcard letter openers to split the vac line, it works great.

[FlyinMSP]

LOL, butt Dyno!!!! I argued the whole stock airbox thing a few months ago, Dont see how it would be better, its restrictive.

It (the stock box) may look more restrictive but it isn't. When I had my AEM CAI I put it beside the stock piping and checked it's lenght, the degrees of the elbows and it actually turns out that the CAI had more bends (it has an extra 45 degrees) than the OEM box! And it'a also longer.

Since I've lost the Calloway elbow ages ago, I've put a longer flexible aluminium tubing that goes right to the headlamp, there's a lot of high pressure cool air coming from there. I also use a flexible heat-shield (a Termo-Tech shield for a cat converters) on the left side of the box and over the tubing to cut the hot air coming from the fans. It's very simple. :)

I did quite a bit of testing (also with SRI and such), and I use a short "test-strip" (in an industrial area, when nobody's around) and regardless of butt-dyno feeling, with the stock box I get a higher speed (130 Km/h, 3rd gear, compared with 125 Km/h with other setups) before my braking point (there's a fire hydrant that I use as a mark). I've done many passes and it's consistent. Maybe at high RPM the CAI is better, but it seems to lose some torque at the bottom. That's my guess. First and second gear have more torque with the stock box, I'm quite positive on that

[dirtysouth_msp]

It (the stock box) may look more restrictive but it isn't. When I had my AEM CAI I put it beside the stock piping and checked it's lenght, the degrees of the elbows and it actually turns out that the CAI had more bends (it has an extra 45 degrees) than the OEM box! And it'a also longer.

Since I've lost the Calloway elbow ages ago, I've put a longer flexible aluminium tubing that goes right to the headlamp, there's a lot of high pressure cool air coming from there. I also use a flexible heat-shield (a Termo-Tech shield for a cat converters) on the left side of the box and over the tubing to cut the hot air coming from the fans. It's very simple. :)

I did quite a bit of testing (also with SRI and such), and I use a short "test-strip" (in an industrial area, when nobody's around) and regardless of butt-dyno feeling, with the stock box I get a higher speed (130 Km/h, 3rd gear, compared with 125 Km/h with other setups) before my braking point (there's a fire hydrant that I use as a mark). I've done many passes and it's consistent. Maybe at high RPM the CAI is better, but it seems to lose some torque at the bottom. That's my guess. First and second gear have more torque with the stock box, I'm quite positive on that

Makes sense, intakes are usually designed for upper rpm power.

[ViDeo^_^kiD]

it does not come to a 45 degree. It is mandrel bent....obviously. Which does not deminish airflow. Personally I don't think they could have done better job w/ that particular location. There are definitely better locations to put it.

I can start to understand why some say stock airbox is better, because temperatures are more consistent and helps w/ the tuning of the car. Just depends what your looking for I guess.

A short ram would be ill concieved unless there was a shield blocking heat from the engine.

[McBadass]

Living in mountains I'd much prefer more power from higher rpm's due to the stress of gravity (sucks with 130hp). I'd like to stay away from 3500 rpm or higher in 4th or not enough power in 5th to keep up with traffic (yes uphill). But heres a new question..... would an exhaust or cai be more effective for hp gain for the $$$?

[Metallic36]

I would say exhaust.

[McBadass]

thanks I'll check one out

[SoCalRyder7]

What about if you remove the air box and just put a filter in the MAFS? Thats what i did. No extra piping just pure air intake. Imagine the stock airbox but with holes all around it taking in more air. (I havent tested it because my tranny is out for an LSD replacement.. but cant wait to!)

[Metallic36]

Yeah, I've done that before.. it works too. The only thing with that is there's a lot more length to the piping than if it were a real sri.

[GoFast]

holy old thread thread revival!

[JasonBourne]

where did you put the IAT in the SRI, mine it's haggin near the air filter.