[BlazinJack]

Bigbob:
Glad to see someone else is speaking out FOR CAI's!! ive felt very alone about posting for them when everyone else hates them. im starting to think the main difference in how people feel they work may have to do with the IAT sensor being in the tube instead of the manifold. (mines in the tube)!!!

[jr1966]

Originally Posted by sierraclimber1

I did a lot of research figuring out what to get and thought I would write a quick review in case someones interested.

In JP magazines April 08 issue. They test 10 different CAI units and dyno test the results compared to stock. Almost every CAI actually added 10 hp and 10ft pounds of torque over stock.

When I started shopping for CAI's I thought it would be a good idea to leave the option open to add a snorkle down the line. Volant is the only one that makes an enclosed air box on their CAI so you can attach a snorkle later.

If you don't like the look of the Volant snorkle it would be pretty easy to hook up ARB's instead.

The kit installed in about 15 minutes and used the old airboxes bolt holes through the fender. The air box, filter element and ducting are all way bigger than stock.

Is there more power? Not until you go over 2,000 rpm and are really heavy on the skinny pedal. Also when you floor it there is more engine noise, but in a good way. Like a custom exhaust has been installed.

I like driving fast and appreciate feeling a little more power during acceleration. I also tested it going up hills that I am used to driving and the jeep didn't need to downshift as much.

Below 2,000 rpm and under normal driving conditions there really isn't any difference.

Mine cost just under $300 so its on par or cheaper than the other brands. All in all it works and I would recommend it!

Happy jeepin!

I have the Volant CAI & Snorkel installed in separate occasions. If you liked the Volant CAI, you will love it with the snorkel.
I have the same feedback as yours, but with the snorkel, it's even better.

Originally Posted by Unlimited04

Update:

I've been monitoring the IAT via my ScanGuage vs the ambient temp via the auto dimming mirror. I've got the horn removed on the stock airbox. So far the past 2 weeks, the highest temp I've seen out of the IAT has been around 80*F - with an ambient temp of about 50*F, and that was when idling at a long stop light. The faster the vehicle travels, the colder the IAT gets - even down to 30*F on the highway when its ~15*F outside. So far on the street the actual intake temp seems to run at twice the ambient at the hottest while idling. As soon as you start moving it drops.

I installed my Scan Gauge after installing my Volant CAI. The Volant CAI still sucks hot air from under the hood as a divider to block engine heat from the intake is not included in the kit (but can be easily made) and the intake in still under the hood.

The outside air temp in where I live is constantly 90-deg during the day. With the Volant CAI, start-up temp, as shown on Scan Gauge's IAT reading, shows on average 135-deg. and warmed-up engine is usually around 180-deg. With the snorkel, start-up temp is at 90-deg. with warmed-up temp average at 120-deg.

Just posting this as a contribution for everyone's reference based on my experience.

[Unlimited04]

Originally Posted by Bigbob

A huge key is to insulate the intake system under the hood and have the IAT sensor in the tube not the manifold and insulate it as well. Definately makes for a snappy Jeep.

I played with my CAI vs stock and drove it over 30k miles. I saw ZERO difference in power, performance, seat of the pants or otherwise. If you read the rest of the thread, I had an AEM with the divider. Only thing I saw was the radiator fan flings lots of junk onto the divider to the element got extremely dusty and clogged very quickly. I had to clean the element frequently, or the jeep would idle rough and high and I saw excessive black carbon buildup inside the throttle body. Over a few thousand miles with the stupid vacuum sound, I could actually hear the difference in flow as the element got clogged. In fact, the Jeep runs smoother and gets better mileage with the stock tube!

Originally Posted by jr1966

The outside air temp in where I live is constantly 90-deg during the day. With the Volant CAI, start-up temp, as shown on Scan Gauge's IAT reading, shows on average 135-deg. and warmed-up engine is usually around 180-deg. With the snorkel, start-up temp is at 90-deg. with warmed-up temp average at 120-deg.

Just posting this as a contribution for everyone's reference based on my experience.

I'll observe more intake temps when it gets hot in the summer here. But based on what you're saying I think I'll see similar results. This pretty much shows a CAI is still sucking in the same air as the stock tube - which so far shows air temps twice that of ambient at max. Based on what you're saying, the location of the IAT doesn't have much impact. I would think the IAT in the manifold would show warmer temps, but your numbers show what I would expect on my end.

[Bigbob]

Yeah, I need to get a scan gauge. I am pretty sure my air temps are lower at the tube mounted IAT sensor. I do have a good air source and my intake tube is insulated.

A under the hood air cleaner calling itself a CAI is not gonna improve things. It still gets the same warm air from the same source the stock set-up does! That dirt and junk getting flung off the fan is carried to the filter by hot radiator air. There has been no one I can think of who has the CAI I have who is not impressed with the power difference or I guess it's driveability more than actual power. And when you say CAI vs Stock I am presuming you are comparing stock to the AEM CAI which is available? I am pretty sure the AEM CAI is not a CAI just called that as a sales pitch. If you are getting the air source from under the hood it is not a cold air intake.

[Unlimited04]

well i got to watch the Scanguage during 70-76*F ambient temps (gotta love Colorado weather) and I saw IAT temps of 90-120*F. Driving conditions were mostly congested stop and go, 20-50mph highway commuting.

[Jerry Bransford]

I'm not going to say anything in this thread other than these few things.... Personally, I don't believe a "cold air intake" does enough for a Jeep engine the way Jeeps are driven to benefit enough to notice. Butt-dynos aren't exactly accurate. Then, you'll never see an automotive magazine do a review of products made by their advertisers where they won't find nice things to say about them... they are advertisers afterall. And the way dynos work, the gains they write about are down in the noise level and I personally believe are "tweaked" to show something was gained.

Our Jeeps aren't racers and packing more air in because it's denser because it's colder isn't going to make any difference unless you're driving at extremely high rpms and at wide-open-throttle regularly.... not how many of us non-younger aged guys drive our Jeeps.

Personally, I wouldn't install a cold air intake if one were offered to me for $1.98. And if it had a K&N air filter on it, I wouldn't install it even if you paid me.

[UnR00ster]

Originally Posted by Theboogieman

People just have their own opinions and some factsHere's the best quote on them.
"The added dust and fine particulates a K&N has been found to pass when compared to a paper element filter like from AC-Delco makes the K&N a very poor choice in my opinion. Beyond that, it won't give better mpg or performance despite what their wild marketing claims say. This has been well proven in studies that have been shown and discussed here before. One study shows the K&N passed 18X more dirt & clogged up 3X faster than an AC-Delco paper air filter if I recall correctly."

For some facts check out Bob is the Oil Guy website...

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm

[van1]

Like the articles...

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by UnR00ster

For some facts check out Bob is the Oil Guy website...

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm

The other well known air filter test that was done more scientifically can be viewed at http://duramax-diesel.com/spicer/index.htm

The most telling chart and text accompanying that chart from that test is this one...

"In the chart (below) it’s important to note the different test durations for each filter. The AC Delco filter test ran for 60 minutes before exceeding the restriction limit while the AMSOIL and K&N tests each ran for 20 and 24 minutes respectively before reaching max restriction. In 60 minutes the AC Filter accumulated 574gms of dirt and passed only 0.4gms. After only 24 minutes the K&N had accumulated 221gms of dirt but passed 7.0gms. Compared to the AC, the K&N “plugged up” nearly 3 times faster, passed 18 times more dirt and captured 37% less dirt." (end of quote from the air filter test)

[Ridin' Around]

Just for fun let's look at some of the new testing from Amsoil. The test result posted by Jerry is not accurate as far as the Amsoil filter result. The TS filter in that test was an oiled foam style filter. In 2006 Amsoil introduced it's Nano-Fiber Synthetic media filters. The EAA filters are a dry media that can be cleaned with low pressure air or a shop vac, no oiling. It is guaranteed for 4 years or 100,000 miles The nano fibers can actually catch smaller particles than the Cellulose (paper) media. It also holds more of those particles without clogging. Amsoil partnered with Injen technologies to use those filters in a line of cold air kits. There are over 150 applications, gas & diesel, including the TJ's & KJ's.
http://www.amsoil.com/redirect.cgi?zo=1468345&page=storefront/injen

Not trying to "stir it" with this post, just presenting more information for everyone to look at. Hopefully this will help someone.

[roadkill]

Originally Posted by jr1966

I have the Volant CAI & Snorkel installed in separate occasions. If you liked the Volant CAI, you will love it with the snorkel.
I have the same feedback as yours, but with the snorkel, it's even better.



I installed my Scan Gauge after installing my Volant CAI. The Volant CAI still sucks hot air from under the hood as a divider to block engine heat from the intake is not included in the kit (but can be easily made) and the intake in still under the hood.

The outside air temp in where I live is constantly 90-deg during the day. With the Volant CAI, start-up temp, as shown on Scan Gauge's IAT reading, shows on average 135-deg. and warmed-up engine is usually around 180-deg. With the snorkel, start-up temp is at 90-deg. with warmed-up temp average at 120-deg.

Just posting this as a contribution for everyone's reference based on my experience.

thanks for the temp #'s. I haven't read this whole thread but I will relate my experiance with the stock air box and some properly placed hood vents on my 06 LJ Rubi. I have had the vents on my jeep for the last 18 months but have only recently installed the scan gauge. I have noticed that my IAT are about 5-10 degrees higher than outside air temps at highway speeds (50 plus). I am comparing the IAT on my scan guage to the air temps on my mirror. when I stop or am traveling slow they rise much higher; around 20-40 degrees higher. my findings have been pretty consistent from 30 degrees up to near 80 degrees. my start up temps have been typically just under or at outside temps (when cold) to very near outside temps (when warmer). from what I have seen anyone looking for a CAI will probably benefit more from some hood vents then they ever will from a CAI.

[Unlimited04]

Originally Posted by roadkill

from what I have seen anyone looking for a CAI will probably benefit more from some hood vents then they ever will from a CAI.

i agree 100%. heres a good write up on hood vents: http://www.oman4x4.com/hoodventinstall.htm

[tj70]

k and n are fine so long as your not in very dusty or muddy conditions or submerging your jeep in pools of muddy water but then again why have a jeep for any other reason.

[Panthers89Fan90]

Ok guys, I am looking to get a jeep soon. My current car is a 2003 hyundai tiburon GT with some mods done to it, but I have no room in the thing. It is one of the smallest 2 door coupes you could ever fit in. That and the fact that the trunk is filled up with 2 12" inch sony xplod subs.

But enough with the rambling, cold air intakes are very useful. For one, they do add a slight horsepower gain, obviously you will notice the gain more on a sports car than a jeep. And you don't have to worry about hydrolock unless your driving through a river. My car is barely off the ground(1-2 feet) and I drive with my cai in ANY type of condition. Now the cai pulls out cold air to the engine from the bottom. The air gets sucked in pretty close to where your left front tire would be. This makes it away from the engine compartment so it doesn't suck in hot air instead.

And yes, I think the whistling sound it makes and the swooosshh! sound it makes when sucking in sounds great. It's like a cargasm! lol.

I know this is a jeep forum, but here is a little vid of what my cold air intake sounds on my car:
Note: please disregard the exhaust sound in the background.
[YT]WdHYGiOhtvg[/YT]

[blackattak]

Some good info, thanks.