I decided on an AEM cold air intake for my first upgrade. After a bit of reading and talking to several mechanics on the issue, I decided that the whole hydrolock thing wouldn't be an issue, and decided against a bypass valve.

WHERE: Ebay, brand new AEM CAI to my door for $180. Well packaged, to include instructions, all necessary hardware, and an AEM license plate holder, if that's your thing.

INSTALL: Two hours from beginning to end. Removed stock airbox, resonator, splashguard, right wheel, and right wheel well liner. I had a few hangups as this was my first time doing any type of work like this on a car, but I could do it in less than an hour now.

ISSUES: The air sensor didn't quite reach to it's intended grommet too well, so I had to cut the wire from the wiring harness and give it a bit of slack, then cover with electrical tape. This was my only major hangup during installation, but everything works perfectly so far. (1000 miles since CAI install).

THE RIDE: I didn't notice the loss of low end power, at all. Our cars are already hurting so bad in that department, what's a few more HP, eh? Definitely improved feel through the RPM range and in between shifts. Very nice sound above 4,000 RPM, and very audible at wide open throttle all the way to redline. You'll definitely turn some heads screaming down the freeway with a CAI at high RPM, believe me.

Gas mileage is equivalent or better than before the install, as I'm getting the exact same MPG as before, except I ride it A LOT harder now. If I could do it all over again, I would have gone with polished silver; I don't like the powder coated silver at all--it's extremely bland looking.

I've been through some major rainstorms with no issues, and my car is definitely much more fun to drive now. I highly recommend an AEM CAI!


Eliminates tons of bukly plastic:
[IMG]local://upfiles/5814/9EC01BAC3F664CC0AA484D62C94118AA.jpg[/IMG]


The air sensor wiring harness split:
[IMG]local://upfiles/5814/E7392C6A15A5439FA439059414DD3276.jpg[/IMG]


Down into the wheel well, to suck up some cold air:
[IMG]local://upfiles/5814/BBA2E9A6E41247FFB218043A0402D19C.jpg[/IMG]


The end:
[IMG]local://upfiles/5814/A3B195C562B14A61A797F82E5381B8F0.jpg[/IMG]

 

nice review...and thats dirt cheap, what was the company you got it off of on e-bay? you have a link?

 

Sounds pretty good. I plan on getting one very soon althought I was told CAI was for low end power gain and SRI was for high end power gain. Is it the other way around?

 

Thanks. No, I don't have a link, but if you do a search on ebay you'll see a boatload of CAI's in the same price range.

 

xoopiter

I think u have that backwards

 

lookin good

 

Actually I was going to get the polished becuase I had my choice of the powder coated red,polished,and blue,picking red,because all my buddies SRI's that were polished turned blue despite he running cold air in from the wheel well. The heat from the engine bay actually turned it blue.

 

I have a blue one, but I was just wondering how easy is it to suck up some water with the CAIs? I am wondering if I should get a bypass valve also.

 

Dude, you need to do a search. This question has been asked so many times

 

i have a polished AEM short ram intake and it hasn't changed color...