NA intake question...

[Kptrk06]

I was working with my friend on his car the other day, installing a cai and an underdrive pulley. As I was installing the CAI, he hit me with this....

The purpose of getting a CAI is to reduce the length and amount of turns that the air has to go through to get to the throttle body...After installing a CAI, you might get like 5 extra hp, but the air still has to travel through a filter and the slight bends in the new pipe before reaching the TB...So what if you just take off the intake altogether? the air would be going straight into the TB without having to go through the filter/pipe...would you get any more power?

I never thought about it before, and it kinda makes sense, but of course you couldnt go driving very long without getting water or dirt or something in the motor. That ends the question of taking it off for normal driving...but then what about if you just take off the intake right as you're getting ready to race at the track or something? Would that squeeze a few more horses out of his motor? Then when we head home, we could slap it back on...Feedback is greatly apprieciated...

[sdtouge]

what about your afm? does your frined have a honda orosemtinhg


also, cold air is uslaly longer, the aiur is colder, thats why is makes up for the extra length

[Kptrk06]

He has a 97 mirage...he used to be more into looks and spent all his money on a body kit, chameleon paint, 18" rims, stereo, etc, but he got tired of having his *Censored**Censored**Censored* handed to him by all these cars that look totally stock but have tons of power. the first time we were at the track and he tried to race, he did like low 12's in the 8th mile. He literally started crying when he came back to the pits after his run and he saw everyone was laughing at him, telling him to get off the track. Now, with my help, we've taken off the body kit and repainted the factory kit to match the new paint he has, taken off the 18"s in favor for the stock 14"s with slicks, taken out the stereo and alot of interior is outta there too. Engine wise, he only has an intake, pacesetter headers, straight pipe, no cat, megan underdrive pulley, and some new NGK plugs and 8mm wires...and he has the valve cover painted chameleon too =/ He's running mid-high 10's in the 1/8mile now...

[markeese180sx]

the car wont beable to start with the intake completely off..you need the air fuel sensor which is located on the intake..and a harness plugs into it. and if there was no intake, the car would just be sucking in hot air thats created by the engine. no more cold air for you.

on my skyline, i took the air filter off and im putting an aluminum laundry machine hose around the intake and routing it to an opening in my bumper...wish me luck.

[Kptrk06]

Originally Posted by markeese180sx

the car wont beable to start with the intake completely off..you need the air fuel sensor which is located on the intake..and a harness plugs into it.

Umm...did you mean a MAF sensor? well, for some odd reason, his car doesnt have one =/

The only thing that connected to the intake was a small vacuum hose...other than that, there was nothing else that was connected.

Originally Posted by markeese180sx

if there was no intake, the car would just be sucking in hot air thats created by the engine. no more cold air for you.

This brings up another point...the throttle body is literally one of the closest things to the front of the car...the intake manifold is on the front of the motor, and so that makes the TB right there too. With the CAI, the tubing goes up and over the motor, and down fairly close to the exhaust manifold, where I expect that it gets fairly hot down there. im trying to think....here, ill try to make a mock up on here


FIREWALL
\/
------------------------------------
|-------------- E FFFF
|--------------EE FFFF
|------------- EEE CAI
| ---------- EEEEEE CAI
|--------- EEEEEEEEEE CAI
|--------MMMMMMMMMM CAI
|--------MMMMMMMMMM CAI
|--------MMMMMMMMMM CAI
|--------MMMMMMMMMM CAI
|----------IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII TBTB
|----------IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII TBTB
| ______________________________

I dont think I really need to explain what the symbols mean, but I will...

I - Intake manifold
M - Motor
E - Exhaust
TB -Throttle body
CAI - cold air intake
F - Air Filter

So yeah, the CAI ends up being caught literally inches from the exhaust and the firewall, not leaving much room for fresh air to come in. i think it probably draws alot of hot air....whereas if there was no intake whatsoever, the air would just come right from the front of the car, where the TB is...Let me know what you think...