Final direction question, please chip in on your thoughts:

I purchased an ebay CAI (in fender) about 6 months ago, am now at the point to install a 'Y' along with either the CAI or a hacked airbox, wondering which intake solution has the least downside. I have heard that a CAI install has great sound but can lead to low-end loss, does the hacked airbox have any performance drawbacks? Is the sound similar? Please comment if you have experience with either setup. Thanks!

 

I noticed the biggest improvment w/my CAI in throttle response & low end torque improvment!

 

Thanks! Is yours an in-fender type?

 

so you're going to either keep the cai or use a hacked air box and put a "y" in it to ad some additional type of filtering?

If thats the case, i wouldnt do it, it would just be money thats wasted, however if you just want to be different then wth go for it

 

The Y-pipe will happen regardless, hoping to get some more of the VQ sound on WOT by doing the CAI or the hacked airbox. Just wondering what intake method has the most trade-offs.

 

The loss on the CAI is at the high end. If high-end is critical for you, then go with the hacked setup and do your own cool air setup. You can use the pipe from the CAI itself, you might have to cut down the pipe a bit. Use a silicon reducer and cut a 2" hole on the side of the air box. Then connect the CAI pipe with the hole you just cut. Then the other end of the CAI pipe will go thru the usual hole that you will be cutting out of the metal surface next to the battery plate. And there you go, CAI w/o high-end loss. Add the Y pipe and you'll have a kick-*** setup.

BTW, which CAI did you get from ebay?

 

Just the bargain basement one, blue and chrome, in-fender, cheapy cone filter. $20 neighborhood I believe.

Do all 4th gens have the ram-air design that has the scoop design on top of the grille?

 

They have the cool air scoop from the factory but most people ditch them. I did mine before but I'm putting it back. But that scoop does very little for directing cool air into the intake however, little is better than nothing IMO.

 

CAI baby, my mind is made up. Will have to teach the wife to steer clear of puddles from now on (which is a problem she has).

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=302634

 

heh, i like my CAI, but its no cheapy. Bought it new from Cattman performance.

but, anyway, puddles wont hurt anything at all, you just cant drive through water that will completely submerse the end of the CAI. this is when hydrolock occurs.