Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

I am going to get some kind of better air flow in my car. I am just hoping somebody can answer some of my questions before I do the wrong thing. I have a 92 Maxima SE Auto and I live in Las Vegas. It's really hot out here right now (110+F). In the winter time it gets in the 40s to 60s. Every performance shop in town thinks they don't make a CAI for my maxima. So, they are trying to sell me an adapter and filter. I know I can get one from PR and WPS. I just don't know who to listen to when I ask a question about a CAI and POP. Here are some questions:

1. What do you think about a CAI in Las Vegas heat?
Do you think the CAI would really help me in the heat? in the winter?

2. What do you think about drilling a hole in your wheel well? As far as water getting in it and structure strength? Is there a way to not drill a hole and still have a CAI? The people at the shops think it's a really bad idea to drill into your car.

3. If I do decide to get a CAI, I can ONLY get it from WPS and PR, right?

4. If I get an adapter and filter from the shop in town, how much less power would I be getting out of it compared to a CAI?

5. Where is the cone filter for the CAI? Every picture that I see shows just the pipe going into the wheel well and I don't see a filter.

6. If I look under my front left wheel well above my tire, what exactly would I see? a splash guard? a filter? a 3" hole?

I believe I could install a CAI myself with the help of my brother. I just don't know enough about intakes to really make an accurate decision on what to get. Thanks for your help.

Chris91SE

iTrader: (1)

1. If the CAI is your only power mod it's gonna suck at Low RPM in 110 degree weather but up top you'll be happy with the results. and once the temp gets to 75 on down you'll be very pleased and the results are worth it...

2. the only way to put a manufactured CAI in is through drilling a hole. you can custom make one without the hole but you won't reap all of the benefits. structurally it's fine (there's 2 layers of sheet metal there) i guarantee there are hundreds of CAI owners lurking these boards so it's not that bad....i had no qualms about drilling the hole...

3. you can get one from www.cattman.com it's basically PR's tubing and cattmans hardware for connecting everything...

4. a couple horses

5. because the filter is in the wheel well....

6. right now? a splash guard. behind that is open space. once a CAI is installed you won't see it because of the splash guard. if you took the guard off you would see the filter basically...

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

I am also thinking about getting a cat back exhaust. I think that includes the pipe coming from the cat to my new muffler and out the back of the car. I got a quote of $270 installed. That is for a universal exhaust and a performance muffler. Is there a certain size pipe that I should get? I know too big of a pipe means loss of power. What's the right size?

Also, with my new exhuast, will it help my CAI more than it would without it? If so, how would the accleration change? Will I get better low end or just more of the same mid to high end?

On the CAI, how close is the splash guard from the tire if you have stock everything? Will my tire ever hit it or sling water up in it? If water does get up there, it will rust the inside of my pipe, right?

Also, do I keep the same Air Flow Sensor? Will all the hoses bolt right onto my new CAI? Cause I see that my stock air tube has a couple of hoses coming out of it?

Thank you Chris for answering my questions.

Jon91SE

aaron arron arron, these questions and more can be found by simply performing a search ....... to the question about which is right for you , a CAI is going to be more practical in city driving, ESPECIALLY in a hot climate, i can tell you right now that with a pop charger on a hot day your cars going to be slow, i cant wait to get my CAI this florida heat kills me performance on stoplight day races......

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

I have been using the search function for the past 2 weeks trying to get answers about intakes. Many of my questions have been answered because of search. But, it doesn't go into any detail or it's not exactly answering my questions. I am only asking questions that I couldn't find the answer to. Thanks for your help.

dmontzsta

iTrader: (8)

Go for the CAI.I hate my pop charger I think you are going to lose a little bit of low end anyways but the mid-high end will make up for that.You will also lose low end by putting exhaust on too.

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

My car already comes off the line very slowly. I don't think I can take it if it gets any slower off the line. I still have those questions above that I can't get answered. I have asked a few performance shops in town and they don't know anything. They only know stuff about Civics. Please help.

dmontzsta

iTrader: (8)

I know how you feel aaron.I couldnt get an intake for my car for $hit.Until I found this site and found out there is a ton of mods for our cars.It is just that the shops push honda/acura parts because they are popular.My car is slow off the line too.But that would change tremendously if you got a Torque Converter.I have the same car as you and I know how you feel.But my car has gotten much better on the take off the more I have modded it and learned how to use the auto more effective.Dont give up dude you have a great car they are just tricky!

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

Dmontzmax, so how much worse did the low end get? How much better did the mid-high end get? When could you really tell the difference?

dmontzsta

iTrader: (8)

Well with my pop charger.If my car is cold it screams like a bad out of hell.But as soon as the car heats up it lags under 3k rpm then it pulls hard all the way to redline.And also on the freeway it really roars it feels strong.I wish it would run like it did off the line when it was cold everytime.I can peel hard off take off...Dont get discouraged I am here to help you if you need me too.Like I said I have the same thing as you and have and went threw the same with my car.I live in So.Cal so not too far from you.

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

That's exactly what my car does right now. It's slow as molasses in the winter time until 3K rpms. Then, it puts your head in the seat. On a cool night, (85 or below) it will chirp the tires without power braking it. It will launch must faster in cooler weather. Maybe I just have to wait until the winter so I can have some fun with my car.

What difference did the POP and exhaust make to your acceleration? compared to stock.

dmontzsta

iTrader: (8)

I noticed more torque on the take off with the Y pipe.That was honestly my best mod to date.I could tell a difference and I am not lying WSP has a good Y pipe and CAI for cheap I suggest going threw Dallas @ WSP for any of the 2 mods.My car is very strong on the top end.Just the other day I took a porsche by about a car length(It was an older longer coupe style porsche) We went all the way up to about 120mph and I had him all the way.When you mod the exhaust and intake you will dominate on the top end.It really starts moving after 100+mph

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

All the driving that I do is from stoplight to stoplight. I want to feel the power off the line. The fastest I have ever gone in my car is 80 mph. I don't have a reason to go faster than that. What mod do you suggest if I just want more power from 0-60? If you can't think of any, I guess I am just out of luck. I might want a different car unless there is something practical I can do to make it faster from 0-60. Thanks for your help dmontzmax.

dmontzsta

iTrader: (8)

If you want takeoff I highly suggest getting a torque converter they run about $500 but they are sick.You would take off just like if you were to power break but without doing it.Imagine it you did power brake with one.Next I would say advance your timing,then Y pipe,intake is kind of tricky because you do lose low end but gain mid-high.But if any I still say CAI is the best.And for the biggest 0-60 bang of course would be NOS with a JWT-ECU.That is kind of weird you have never went above 80 above 80 in our car is the biggest rush.I have been up to 141 mph before and that was scary.Also get some good tires that grab well...Damn I wrote alot I didnt know now I will be punished

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

Where would you get a torque converter? How would you advance your timing? Where would I go to get that done and what consequences would I suffer? Reliability go down? High end goes down?, etc... I can't do NOS, I still want my car to stay a practical car that I can drive to college and work everyday. I just want to feel the wrath of my powerful VE off the line. So, if I get exhuast and intake, I will regret it unless I want to go faster than 60 mph? Is this right? I really appreciate you helping me out.

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

Thanks

dmontzsta

iTrader: (8)

You can get a torque converter from www.protorque.com they are a little expensive but worth it for the down low power.And as far as advancing the timing I am not a pro at this but on a VE it is tricky it has to deal with turning the crank angle sensor.You might want to search or ask exactly how to do this.But it wont effect nothing you will just have to put higher octane gas in from now on so your car wont ping 91 octane is fine.And Dont get me wrong an intake and exhaust is a great way too go it is just that it wont give you the initial off the line punch you want it is more aggressive beyond 3k rpm when everything is flowing.Why our cars our slow is just because it is an auto the 5 speeds are faster off the line.I have instructions at home on how to do the timing but I dont have a computer at home.I am getting ready to leave work now so I wish you luck I can talk more with you if I go online at my GF's house but I dont know if I will be on there tonight.So if not I will talk with you on Monday have a good weekend.

djslinkyz

damn, those torque converters are sweet. hmmmmm do i smell a group deal?

dmontzsta

iTrader: (8)

Im down for a group deal if the price is right and I am sure I can get atleast 1 more member.I have heard that having a TC is just like power braking just by pushing WOT regularly on the take off.So you can power brake all the way to like 4k rpm I think.So power braking would be twice as sweet.

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

4k without a SERIOUS rebuild not matter if you have a TC or not, say bye bye auto trans ...you'll need major trans internals(clutches, bands, planetary set, etc.) to hold a 4k torque brake!!! when I talked to Protoeque last year, they said simply floor the car and thats it....no need real to torque brake...it'll probably give off too much wheelspin anyways!

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

So, let me get this straight. With the intake and exhaust, I will not feel it until I rev 3K rpms. Right? That is what happens right now, stock. With the mods, if I stomp it to the floor, will I really start to feel the extra power at 3000 plus in every gear? 1st , 2nd, and 3rd? So, if I can feel the extra power in the high end of 1st gear, then the mods will be well worth it for me. It seems like if everybody else likes it, I will like it as well. I will just jump on the bandwagon.
As for the torque converter, that sounds serious. I still want a practical car that is use for city driving. I think I might stop at intake and exhaust. Thanks for you help.

Mizeree_X

iTrader: (9)

Another mod not mentioned is the underdrive pulley. According to the forums, it seems to yield a bit of power throughout the rpm range and is only about $120+belts for the VE.

dmontzsta

iTrader: (8)

True I was justing thinking about the UDP that is also good for off the line.And as far as your question aaron yes you will feel the pull of the mods beyond 3k rpm no matter what gear.And a torque converter would still be fine for daily driving your gas mileage might go down a couple of gallons but that is it.And your take off would make up for that I am sure.

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

Me and my brother just put an APC cone filter on his 2000 Accord V6. We just made an adapter. It works great and he said he can really feel it after 3K rpms. I am going to make one for my car. I did a search and found that I can use the piece of metal found in my stock airbox to adapt the APC filter. I am thinking about getting the arc welder out and making one out of metal. That would be the best way to do it. Thanks for your help.

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

just commending you for using the SEARCH function!!! we need more newbies like yourself, good luck with your project!!!

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

WOOHOO!!!! I just finished my Custom Intake w/ an APC filter (PEP Boys for $25, thanks James92SE). I took that metal ring thingy out of my stock airbox. Instead of cutting that flare off with a hack saw, I just bent the curve up with pliers. It looked kinda ugly because it rippled up so bad. But, when I put the filter over it and tightened it with the hose clamp ... it looked great. I started my engine and the idle sounds normal....then I pushed the gas. Awesome! When I rev over 3 or 4,000 RPMS, it sounds strong. Thanks everybody for your help. Next mod on the list.... Limo Tint to set off my White SE.