i did not have any issues, all youa re doing is basically replacing the stock filter. also suggestion; remove the charcol filter its in the top portion of the airbox.

don't expect a huge HP gain, however you will notice a smoother responce and a little growl from the intake, its pretty cool......if you want to eliminate the heatsoak issue that actually robs your performance build an intermediate pipe between the box and the motor, I did and i noticed better performance then from just the filter.

 

does anyone actually use the oil that comes with the filters? i've have friends that have messed up they're sensors because they oiled the filter too much

 

Wouldn't removing that charcoal filter and putting in a new filter basically be a similar benefit as installing a CAI?
I hear that the CAI gives like 6-8hp or so, this would give 4-5ish. Am I right about this and saving the few hundred dollars?

 

should I replace my stock air filter because I am getting a CAI installed?

 

I believe that a new air filter comes with the CAI

 

Someone plz correct me if i'm wrong here, but thinking about it, it seems that removing the charcoal filter and replacing the stock air filter with a high performance air filter is almost (but not quite) as good as getting a CAI. There should be a 4-6hp gain (supposedly) with the filters and 6-8hp (supposedly) with a CAI.

Am I right here? Getting more air to the engine faster and with less restriction is what this would all do.

 

drop in filter will give you 1 hp, maybe...

 

jrv is right its about 1hp....the point of the drop in is to allow somewhat a better airflow. if you want to make more HP there is other stuff you need to do if you do the drop in, such as run a pipe into the bumper down to the fender similar to a CAi, comptech does this and it works.........

just a drop in will not do much

 

Ah ok, I thought that the removal of the carbon filter would do a lot. My reasoning for thinking this is b/c all of the CAI are not CARB legal b/c none of them have that filter. They don't have it because it is too restrictive. So therefore by taking out the carbon filter that we have now would be beneficial for hp. Guess i'm wrong..thats ok, thats why i asked!

 

So then what does the removal of the charcoal filter do? as suggested by kilo

 

it helps the car breathe.....the charcol filter is adding restrictions, not alot but some restriction. The reason CAI are not carb approved is that nobody has put up the money to have them CARB certified, some CAI for some cars are CARB approved......just nothing for us yet, however just because its CARB approved does not mean it will pass smog, emissions wise and visually, atleast that is how it is inc cali

 

Right, I hear ya. Removing it doesn't harm anything nor will it affect passing of any emissions tests, so that sounds like a good thing to remove to help it breathe. It doesn't seem like there is much negative that comes out of removing it afterall. Thanks for the help!

 

I have the TRD got it as a present. it didn't come with the cleaning kit i bought that later on.

I didn't feel any difference in sound/perfomance.
the filter is hard to clean...even with TRD's cleaning kit.

the filter just drops right in but the lid doesn't just go on like the disposable/paper filter. The lid becomes really tight.

honestly, i wouldn't get it. but if you are planning on it, i just get K&N cuz it's just a reusable filter. and K&N cost less, and i'm sure it's the same quality. my .02

 

go to comptech's website and look at there cold air box, that is basically what i have fabricated. Here is my issue with the CAI, it really does not bring in cold air. It uses the air in the fender, you need to pull air from a direct source. so if you run a CAI remove the little cover to the left of the center. You will not get a major gain but you will get a colder charge.
Also those number of 6-8 are inflated. Also you tend to loose low end horsepower with a CAI, that is why i dont use them. I make a cold airbox....

this is all my opinon, it is not fact nor is it dyno'ed.

 

Bingo! its just "cooler" air...only a couple degrees at that. Plus, when the car is at speed, A LOT of cool ambient air is flowing up into and thru the engine bay to the stock intake system anyway. So the only time a CAI actually draws cooler air (than stock) is at low speeds--and it loses power/tq on the low end anyway, so whats really the point??

Plus, with the long piping of CAI's there is a noticeably pressure loss which results in the loss of HP and TQ in the low end. ALso, though the CAI draws in cooler air, by the time the air reaches the intake manifold, heat soak has raised the temp almost to what it would be with stock intake.

Also, theres always the risk of Hydrolocking. Is it really worth a loss in the low end to add a couple horses to the top?

CAI's are a cheap fad that manufacturers use to entice tuners/ricers to buy by claiming inflated HP gains (which are usually conducted in a controlled experiment on a dyno which allows for much manipulation and such) which will probably not even be around (unless significant design changes are implemented) in 10 years.

I think also people like the "look" of CAI's..how the piping disappears into the fender well, reminiscient of turbo/intercooler piping.

Basically very expensive noisemakers.

 

Interesting 2LoTc! Let me ask you as a follow up.

What do you then recommend, just the drop-in air filter for whatever benefit that might add (if any) for a much cheaper price?

 

just buy the drop in, its cheap and then figure out for your self if you can tell the difference, even if you cant you will never have to pay 15.00 every 8 monthes or so to buy a cheap replacement filter.
if anything the TRD and K&N allow you to reuse it....its not really a performance part unless you moddify the rest of the system. I agree with 2Lo its a expensive nosiemaker that sounds like a riced out civic, it does not do anything worthwhile......IMO

 

Exactly!! And I got one because I like how it looks and sounds.

 

to each his own......

 

Injen CAI:

Although I myself don't have a CAI because I prefer to have a enclosed system for durability as well as preventing the elements from entering the engine bay.
Its true TO A POINT that HP gains aren't too great, however its NOT TRUE what these people are saying about CAI's being "fake/fad/noisemakers"...
Around +/-5 HP gains are average depending on the intake, however when its utilized with headers and a exahaust, it'll definitely beat the items potential without a CAI.
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=92108
I think I'll just sit back and let the facts speak for themselves... Argue amoungst yourselves.