Celica Forums General Discussion Exterior Intakes, short ram, CAI, WHY?

Why bother? Really I mean this whats the point? With all the problems that could happen (check engine lights, hydrolock, holes in the tube from rubbing on other engine parts, so on and so on) is it really worth 4hp. Why not put in a TRD or K&N filter and be done with it?

If possible I would like to see positive feedback that includes dyno numbers, otherwise TRD filter here I come!

Sounds like you never had an intake before.
Try it, you'll like it!
I find my short ram accelerates quicker, good hp increase on the freeway.

here are your dynos:

http://www.newcelica.org/other/dyno/

Check out NewCelica.Org - there is data on just what you want - dyno results for lots of stuff from different people. Intakes may not give much but when added to exhaust -i think it's worth it. Hope this helps,
Robert

I checked out the dynos, I am not impressed,
AEM and Ingen CAI got 1hp more than the stock box. BTW I am talking about a 5speed GT. It may have done better on the GTS but I didn't look yet.

But fot the GT this is my point "1hp" seems like a waste of $230!

But thanks for the info

I looked into the GTS results and they are much better, so for GTS owners I see why and they should use this mod, but for GT I will just wait for a Turbo or Supercarger kit

I think I'm talking to my self here but, I looked at more of the GT results and it looks like only the one guy "bybybaby" was getting the 1 horsepower gain, all the others (3) got around 6hp more that the stock baseline. But not with just the CAI they also had exhaust and one guy had the AEM pully, think his run was 1hp higher.

So I still don't get it, $200 to $300 intake, $500 to $700 exhust = 6hp. Around $1000 and only 6hp thats great

Sorry still waiting for the turbo

well intake and exhaust are the basic/1st mods you get. there is an unwritten rice rule out there that says so..ha,ha . but for all the people who do not want to bother with the wear and tear of N2O and turbo would do to the engine(and they want performance rather than looks) then i guess people (like me ) go for the intake/exhaust choice. i had a K&N drop in filter , which is the same as a TRD, and since changing to a short ram (not even a CAI) i feel a big diffrence (especially after i got the trd exhaust and aem pulley). i know, i know i don't have dyno numbers to put up but even people who are in the car feel a diffrence.

i was thinking about DD's turbo kit but...i just don't have 3100 to burn as of yet...plus i'm real worried about the accelerated wear on my engine

My situation...

5/2001 - $450 TRD Exhaust... NOTICEABLE Gains
6/2001 - $40 TRD Drop-in... NOTICEABLE Gains
9/2001 - $80 Fuel Rail Modification... NOTICEABLE Gains (Car now quickly takes-off without hesitation)
9/2002 - FREE Cleaned the TRD Drop-in... NOTICEABLE Gains
2/2003 - $200 ShortonRam Intake... NOTICEABLE Gains (but then again, I also had a Carbon Fiber hood installed around the same time - so that might be where the extra power was comming from )

All the while... the sound also improved and got much deeper

[ 04-18-2003, 09:49 AM: Message edited by: isaac ]

dude, if you drive a car with a CAI vs. stock you would understand.. most of the improvement is in ballancing the torque, not so much peak torque (which doesn't really matter IMO anyway). What's important is how much power you have across the band, and your throttle response, and intake may not give you huge torque PEAK gains or give you high RPM torque (which could increase max HP), but for the celi it gives you torque across the power band. (an increase of almost 7 at 3000 rpm) and what it does for throttle response in a celica is worth it BY ITSELF.. plus most people with intakes never have any problems.

so if it increases torque at 3000rpm it may not push it above 125 so your peak won't change, but 120lb -ft vs. 87lb -ft at 3000RMP is pretty frickin nice.. I have always thought average torque is what dealerships should post, not peak.. peak HP is fine with me, but average torque would give you a much better understanding of a car's real power.

engine check light is fromm an INCORRECT installation, hydrolocking if from driving into a lake... if you get one, just have someone who knows what they are doing install it, then don't drive into a creek.

[ 04-18-2003, 09:56 AM: Message edited by: FX-MAN ]

WHOA!...fuel rail modification...never considered that..where'd you get it from isaac?

My point is for the GT the band across the graph is almost the same with a CAI against the stock box (samples also had exhaust mod), for me its not enough to spend $300 for a CAI or even a short ram.

I am not saying a short ram or CAI is worthless, the engine is more efficent with than without. The balance of price vs gain is not high enough for me to blow $300. There are other mods that do as much or more for about the same money if not less.

Hell you could get that much gain just from taking out the back seat (only joking, but it helps)

Right now, after all this information, i'm going with the TRD drop in and waiting to see how the Turbo and Supercharger market comes along. If that dosen't happen then maybe a short ram as a finishing touch because a CAI isn't even an option for me. I drive 120 miles a day in all types of shit and its not worth the risk. For that matter nor is a short ram because sitting in traffic will only heat fload a short ram.

i have had my injen cai for 30k miles and havent had one prob. i drive between two colleges and work. i live in the midwest so everything is spread out and we get all sorts of weather here. i have never had one prob, nor have i had a check engine light(i installed). if you are worried , purchase the splash guard and tape the holes in your wheel well. in my opinion the mod is worth it.

OZZ78 the CAI dyno is NO WHERE NEAR the same.. the max power band is widened by almost 1500RMPs from the stock peak, 3000 rpm torque increase is very impressive on dyno almost 10fp -tq (although it doesn't bring it up to above peak at that point, but it used to be around 90 and after CAI installed torque at 3000rpm is over 100)torque is leveled out across the band, it's MUCH higher in the high end (where it dips below 90lb -ft on stock intake). the ONLY place where it doesn't increase torque is right at around 1000rpm. to say it's "close" is totally wrong, just because it PEAKS at only 3-7lb -ft higher.. plus like I said before, you can't dyno throttle response. I PROMISE you, drive a car with CAI before you pass judgment.. there is a reason this is the first mod everyone does (and it's not for sound, or popularity).
YOU CAN'T LOOK AT PEAKS ONLY, you have to look at what it does across the band. Torque peak is worthless if you don't look at the entire torque graph, a car (like the GT) can SPIKE to 125, but only be above 105 between 4000 and 5000RPM (also like the GT), with a CAI installed that 1000RPM max powerband widens to 2600RPM to 5000RPM (in other words you have good power for a 2400RPM range instead of only a 1000rpm range) ... that is a HUGE difference it's WELL worth it.

[ 04-18-2003, 06:57 PM: Message edited by: FX-MAN ]