AFE Cold Air Intake, YES OR NO?
 

Im searching for a CAI. I hear its not worth the money but I really want to finish all my bolt on parts. And Ill be getting the car chipped so I believe it would be benificial of I had the intake to squeeze out as many ponies as possible.

I cant find anything out there really other then AFE intake with the shield for 280 shipped.

Any other companies that have proven results?


Thanks

There is a lot of info out there on this subject.

First.

You want a cold air intake correct?
- You bought a car that came equipped with a already built in as good as it gets cold air intake. Heck, the car has a hole in the side of it just of the intake.

Maybe your looking for a better flowing intake?
- Cone filters have only one type of filament. At first it will flow more air than a stock filter but the second it gets dirty all that went out the window and the stocker outflows the fancy crap filter. Yes you can clean it non stop if you would like.

Maybe your looking for that sweet growl the cones give you?
- De snork the car and get a drop in filter like a bmc or a k&n. They still both only run a single filament. Good sound, still needs much attention.

Say you do the cone filter and fancy pipe. You get the growl and the better flow. It will come with that nice piece of bent abs plastic that is supposed to shield the intake from the engine heat. Take some readings and realize that you will be no where near the stock intake air temps. In fact you will be running a bunch hotter intake temps.

You don't have to believe me. But if your anything like myself, you don't want to have to service a expensive filter and worry about over oiling it and blowing out MAF sensors. Also the numbers don't lie. Intake temps are are good for the extra ponies. The lower the better. Our stock box completely shields our intake source from the engine heat and is routed perfectly to our intake hole in the side of the car. If you want some more noise de snork it and get a aftermarket intake pipe or make one. This will get rid of the inline resonator and give a smoother flow.

Like I said you don't have to take my advice. I have experience with both setups though and this is the conclusion I have come to. If your wondering where my intake temps came from - I bought a scan gauge.

My .02

Hey jaay. Thanks a lot for you extensive response. I've continued my research and now convinced myself that there's no point. BMC filter will do just fine.


Thanks again!

I am looking at the Pedro intake mod, that kinda makes sense to me and is dirt cheap and easy to do.......

A good dry pleated paper filter is best. I change mine annually on all my cars and motorcycles. The lawn mower is the only one I neglect. Go figure !

I looked into CAI's for some time and was well aware of all the pro's and con's listed above. So with all this in mind, I designed my own intake to be as good as it possibly could be. This is what I came up with:

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4334031_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...4_352245_n.jpg

Made completely from carbon fiber, heat soak was no issue (no was weight!!). I used a BMC carbon enclosed cone filter capable of flowing 650hp (no restriction there!) and I use a carbon ducting piece to seal completely onto the factory opening in the rear fender.

Gives brilliant performance, incredible sound, no heat soak, no sucking hot air from engine bay and filter maintenance is negligable.

Sam

That for sure is a nice piece!!!!

Thanks! Also has another carbon elbow at the throttle body end which is not in picture. Certainly looks a treat to be hiding under all those layers of engine covers!!!

Sam

P.S. Also not pictured in this early mockup is the AFM. That was cut off original airbox and is placed between the filter and first elbow in these shots.

The sound just behind your head is intoxicating. It is worth whatever you pay and whatever additional trouble it might take, IMHO. The only downside is decreased mileage using the accelerator as a radio :)

It looks like a work of art. You should consider mass producing it, so other boxster enthusiast can purchase one . :)

Stunning! I am now too embarrassed to post my little piece. How did you seal the inlet mouth?

I am running a BMC CDA airbox as well, but with the X51 3.8 in my car, the only place I could fit the actual filter canister was wedged up by the intake manifold, so I ran SCAT hose up to a scoop from Kokeln. From the CDA up to the throttle body is all AL hardpipe and silicone elbows/ joiners.

That carbon work is SEXY, however.

Thanks guys, appreciate the kind words. I just sealed that angled piece off with stick on foam and tape.

I have more straight carbon tube, elbows and 80mm silicon hose if anyone is keen. (Just fit your own filter to the other side of the MAF) being all carbon though, it ain't cheap!!!

Sam

Everything in my setup is 3.5"(89mm) until it necks down at the throttle body to 3.25" (83mm).

Yeah that might be better on the big motor. On my 2.5l the intake was 80mm that was reduced in a few places. So to keep the MAF measuring right I used a mix of 80mm and 75.5mm gear.

Sam