Install

I was bored today so I decided to take apart my CAI. I was involved in a flood a while ago and was lucky my car didn't hydrolock. Regardless, my CAI filter was FILTHY. I was very surprised. So, as I am looking for cleaner, I see my old popcharger sitting on the garage racks. I thought it would be cool to make a hybrid setup. So, I did it. I used the back portion of my cattman CAI, and my 'ol $50 popcharger (jet engine style). The chargers bolts don't fit up right, so I was only able to screw it in from the top and bottom diagnally. But it fits secure enough. I cleaned out the intake tubes, the MAF filter-screen, and the outside of the popcharger. To my surprise, it was MUCH cleaner then my CAI filter. They both were on my car about 6 months..I was worried before today that my CAI filter might be filthy and unfortunatally it was. Anyone with a CAI, I suggest you get down there and check it immediently.

After all was secure, I plug in the MAF sensor and get ready to ride. Car started up fine. I can't tell if theres a problem becuase my check engine light is already on from the 5spd conversion.

Sound impressions

I TOTALLY forgot the sound this thing makes!! It is much deeper then the CAI after 3k RPMS under WOT. I love the change in sound. BUT Keep in mind people I have a very loud exhaust system, so I couldn't hear my CAI anymore anyways. This gives deep depth under WOT, and, under normal driving becuase of my exhausts, I can't tell the difference between the two intakes. (sound wise)

Low End Grunt, Low RPM acceleration, and City Driving

As I am pulling out of my neighborhood in first gear @10mph, I give it 3/4ths throttle. The tires screetch like mad and I was totally shocked by the throttle response. (just as good/better then the CAI)As I performed more tests such as dropping it into lower gears while moving, fast launches, ect., I have some interesting things to conclude. First, the launch: I felt NO lag in off the line throttle response what-so-ever. This is very strange b/c when I was auto I could feel the lag of the HAI. I doubt the midpipe had alot to do with it, because regardless of that the intake still sits in the engine bay. Mid-range power shocked me as well. The car seemed more torquey and picked up quick. What I REALLY like is that it pulls harder around 4k RPMs and I am SURE of this. I love the new response. My low end power suffered no loss.


Highway Power

I get onto the interstate up to around 70mph in 4th gear. The first time I punched it the intake made a DEEP sound that caught me off gaurd. I was used to my quiet CAI. I noticed a slightly faster pull. The CAI felt just as torquey (or maybe more), but my RPMs climbed faster and I felt more of a rush in my stomach. Didn't pull any harder, but slightly faster. The main thing I like is the deep sound I get when I punch it. I didn't drop it into 3rd becuase I never have (on the highway) and am too scared to do so.


Overall Impressions

I really like this new hybrid of mine. The best feature is my newfound power after 4k RPMS. Man this thing pulls hard to redline! Like I said with my CAI the power would start dropping off around 4k rpms and finally die around 5k. This intake pulls hard after 4k and even HARDER after 5. The new depth in sound is great becuase passangers will be woo'ed by it.

I plan on keeping it like this for a long time to come. I guess we'll just have to put the CAI piping in the closet .

 

Isn't that pretty much the Frankencar?

 

All the frankencar is is a midpipe with a popcharger. My half CAI is the same thing. My filter style is different from the Frankencar however.

 

Yes.

And Craig all this time you told people to go CAI, CAI, CAI. Now you see why it's important to try both before judging. BTW I have a FLP midpipe on the way.
-Cyrus

 

I knew someone would bring this up. Remember, when I first got my CAI I was automatic with no exhaust. The CAI sounded WAAY better then my popcharger. I also didn't have the midpipe for the popcharger either. Now that i have dualies, I can't here anything unless I floor it.

 

For most of us we get power mods to add power rather than just sound good From now on remember that what you have/like isn't always the best for everyone.
-hype

 

all that butt/ear dynoing

put it back together and do a before and after dyno.

 

I usually donot credit little bolt-ons to give people more "feel" of power. I didn't feel my intake adding power when I was autotragic. The main thing here is the pull I get about 4k rpms..and THAT I can feel.

I dont know what the hell i'm saying but woohoo my intake sounds good and I gotZ mE mOre POwaH baby!

 

i agree. i went from pop to cai to hybrid. the pop was nice on the highway but it sucked when launching - car car didn't get up and go until ~3.2 rpm. when i had a PR CAI, the low end was real nice but i could feel the car choke after 4k.... i then did the hybrid and the choke at 4k is no longer present. there seems to be no noticable low end lag either. although this is all done on the butt dyno, the low end is VERY evident with the pop and the high end is VERY evident with the cai. there was no evident loss in power anywhere with the hybird. i had 2 of my friends drive the car too without telling them my impressions of the setups and they concluded the same. my .02.

 

So your conclusion is hybrid/pop for 5speed and CAI for auto?

 

you gotta clean those intakes every couple months

 

LOL... few years back, PRCAI used to be the s**t... when you had a PRCAI, you were a hardcore guy. This was before the hybrids(frankencar) came along..

Maybe I should convert my PRCAI into a hybrid and see how I like it.. But I like the real cold air setup because it cleans up the engine bay.

And oh, thanks for the long and informative anaylysis.

 

Fellows, not to rain on the parade but this has been kicked back and forth for a long time. I am with my buddy Nismo2020 on this one. Butt dyno's are off by as much as 100%. You also have to remember one thing that someone brought up in the last thread that this was debated; the ecu maps the fuel, spark, timing, etc based on readings from several sensors. The readings and changes do not happen instantaneously. Therefore, someone has suggested and makes sense to me, that sometimes when people go from one setup to another and notice immidiet improvements, they may notice this before the ecu has remapped the curves to accomodate the new item. In other words, your ecu may still be running the same setup as the CAI it was used to.

The way to really tell is to go to a real dyno. Test the CAI, under real-world conditions and then with the same car come back and test the next type of setup. To date noone has done this and therefore all the results are open for scrutiny. I know someone is going to come and say they did, but notice I said real world situations. I'm not going to open that can, yet, but I'm sure some people understand.

I am glad you are happy with your new setup. To be honest, if you feel that you have gained something, then really you don't have to justify to anyone, including myself, anything. If you like it, that's all that really matters when it comes down to it. So, don't let people like me try and talk you into/out of anything. Keep modding and have fun.

 

 

I think the reason your new hybrid sounds so much louder is because its closer to you, that has been proven before. The CAI is outside of the car so outside its louder than the HAI, as far as power maybe i will convert mine over and see if i like it better

 

i think its all in your head dude

 

Wonder if just cleaning the CAI filter would've done the same

 

Citrus, I have known that for a LOONG time. I said in my post that I like it becuase it has a different tone that sounds louder to people in my car.

CKNY, it's definatally not in my head. Dyno's have proven the short runners bring the power closer to redline then the long runners (CAI's)..and I can feel the power keep pulling.

BEJAY, Like I said in my original post I was going to clean it, but saw my old POP sitting on the bench and said what the hell i'll try this new "hybrid" setup.

Besides, I am too cheap to buy a cleaning kit.

 

 

Ya...
























now wheres that $50 you promised??

 

A hybrid intake would be a mix of a popcharger with a CAI intake. How is a midpipe and a filter a hybrid intake? It seems no different than a short ram. The benefits of a CAI are colder air, the draw backs extra piping. The benefits of a Pop charger are no restricitive piping, the draw backs are that it gets air from the engine bay.
So in my mind a hybrid setup would be the best of both worlds, as in a popcharger that was predominatly fed by a pipe that had incoming air from outside the engine bay. This would have the advantages of both the CAI and Pop charger. However the Hybrid intakes sold today seem to only have the disadvantages of both, tubing and heat from underneath the engine, again it looks just like a short ram intake to me.
I can't get around the design of the CAI that cuts into the fender well. This is the shortest path to get your intake out of the engine bay, and get cooler air. If the supposed hybrid setup is an advantage with the midpipe (I still don't understand why a CAI's tubing is considered restrictive, and the reported advantage of a popcharger is that it has no piping, yet for some reason piping is considered an advantage on a 'hybrid setup') then wouldn't a CAI that has slightly longer tubing, and is totally away from the heat of an engine be better?

To sum up, a hybrid set up is said to be better then pop chargers because of the mid pipe even though it still gets heat from the engine, conclusion some piping is a good thing. So a slightly longer pipe with air fed from outside the engine bay would be better.

 

It looka like a V8?

 

You looka like a man?

 

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