CAI or Pop Charger?
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,317
I was wondering which is better. I've heard different opinions but I wanted to what the popular opinion is. I plan on getting a y-pipe, cat, and exhaust at some point and I heard that cai is needed to fully take advantage of the additional bolt ons. maybe i heard wrong. please inform me!
I'm only going to say this once becuase it has been discussed literally a MILLION times.
CAI advatage: a little better low end, I've yet to have my buddy with the same mods as me except CAI beat me out of a light.
POPcharger advantage: much better high end. I run my buddy with his CAI and me with my pop...and we have the EXACT same mods on '97 5-speed SEs and I always pull up top.
the CAI sounds a little cooler, but the pop will take just as much advantage of your other mods for a much smaller bill
CAI advatage: a little better low end, I've yet to have my buddy with the same mods as me except CAI beat me out of a light.
POPcharger advantage: much better high end. I run my buddy with his CAI and me with my pop...and we have the EXACT same mods on '97 5-speed SEs and I always pull up top.
the CAI sounds a little cooler, but the pop will take just as much advantage of your other mods for a much smaller bill
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,765
From: Westchester County, NY
If you want to drill a hole in your car, get the CAI, otherwise, get the Popcharger. Simple as that. Oh, and this has been discussed to DEATH!! Try searching, it should show more than 50 posts about this.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 538
From: Portland, OR
I have had a lot of trouble with the search function also...
But IMHO the CAI is the way to go, but the differences are negligible.
CAI= Good low to upper midrange power
SI/JWT= Good topend power
I feel that the CAI is better due to the fact that I use the low to upper midrange a lot more then the topend...
Also I feel in stop and go traffic the CAI has an advantage due to the under hood temps climbing quickly...
But like I said before this is all IMHO...
But IMHO the CAI is the way to go, but the differences are negligible.
CAI= Good low to upper midrange power
SI/JWT= Good topend power
I feel that the CAI is better due to the fact that I use the low to upper midrange a lot more then the topend...
Also I feel in stop and go traffic the CAI has an advantage due to the under hood temps climbing quickly...
But like I said before this is all IMHO...
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If your car is an Auto go with the CAI. If you drive in a winter environment or if it rains a lot you might want to get a bypass valve for CAI.
If you drive a 5spd and you launch at 3500rpm or above you really won't see too much loss of power on the low end. I myself have the Pop charger style and have created a custom 4" tubing that routes under my splash guard that will blow cooler air directly on the filter as the car is in motion.
If you drive a 5spd and you launch at 3500rpm or above you really won't see too much loss of power on the low end. I myself have the Pop charger style and have created a custom 4" tubing that routes under my splash guard that will blow cooler air directly on the filter as the car is in motion.
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Originally posted by PhatGuy
I myself have the Pop charger style and have created a custom 4" tubing that routes under my splash guard that will blow cooler air directly on the filter as the car is in motion.
I myself have the Pop charger style and have created a custom 4" tubing that routes under my splash guard that will blow cooler air directly on the filter as the car is in motion.
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I took a 4" in diameter tube (durable rain drain type tube) and I first cut a lip on one end. I then tied the lip end of the tube to the splash guard with the tube facing forward with the lip (to help induce air) about an intch or so below the splash guard. I then routed the tube up on a slight angle (don't really have a choice) to blow directly on the Cone filter. I tied the the part of the tube by the filter to a bracket that the old intake was attached to. There is no question that while my car is moving that there is cooler air being blown directly on the filter keeping it cooler especially since the tube is 4" in diameter. The faster the car is going the more cooler air being blown on the filter and surronding area. Total cost about $3.00. 
Originally posted by djslinkyz
that's really cool how'd you do that?
that's really cool how'd you do that?
Think of it like this.
With an auto, especially during daily driving, you don't rev your car all the way to redline, all the time (hopefully, heee). Most of your power is in the 1K-4000RPM range. This range is optimal for CAI. CAI gives you a bigger torque "kick", while w/ a Pop Charger, you feel a loss in that "kick." You feel more gains with the cone intake at 3500RPM to redline, where you hear that "growl."
I'm trying to guess why it works like this though. You would think that a Pop Charger can take in more air from a stand still, but it doesn't. I think that tubing (that leads to the throttle body) creates a vaccum effect, which gives you that floaty feeling of torque. With the velocity stack + cone, you don't create that vaccum until the car absolutely needs more air.
I'm sleepy now
(Hope that helps a bit too...)
Hey, go with OSCAI. That's what I did
(I had a Pop Charger and couldn't stand the un-kickyness anymore. (That's what V6s are famous for!!)
With an auto, especially during daily driving, you don't rev your car all the way to redline, all the time (hopefully, heee). Most of your power is in the 1K-4000RPM range. This range is optimal for CAI. CAI gives you a bigger torque "kick", while w/ a Pop Charger, you feel a loss in that "kick." You feel more gains with the cone intake at 3500RPM to redline, where you hear that "growl."
I'm trying to guess why it works like this though. You would think that a Pop Charger can take in more air from a stand still, but it doesn't. I think that tubing (that leads to the throttle body) creates a vaccum effect, which gives you that floaty feeling of torque. With the velocity stack + cone, you don't create that vaccum until the car absolutely needs more air.
I'm sleepy now
(Hope that helps a bit too...)Hey, go with OSCAI. That's what I did
(I had a Pop Charger and couldn't stand the un-kickyness anymore. (That's what V6s are famous for!!)
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Posts: 4,317
Originally posted by Turd Ferguson
Think of it like this.
With an auto, especially during daily driving, you don't rev your car all the way to redline, all the time (hopefully, heee). Most of your power is in the 1K-4000RPM range. This range is optimal for CAI. CAI gives you a bigger torque "kick", while w/ a Pop Charger, you feel a loss in that "kick." You feel more gains with the cone intake at 3500RPM to redline, where you hear that "growl."
I'm trying to guess why it works like this though. You would think that a Pop Charger can take in more air from a stand still, but it doesn't. I think that tubing (that leads to the throttle body) creates a vaccum effect, which gives you that floaty feeling of torque. With the velocity stack + cone, you don't create that vaccum until the car absolutely needs more air.
I'm sleepy now (Hope that helps a bit too...)
Hey, go with OSCAI. That's what I did (I had a Pop Charger and couldn't stand the un-kickyness anymore. (That's what V6s are famous for!!)
Think of it like this.
With an auto, especially during daily driving, you don't rev your car all the way to redline, all the time (hopefully, heee). Most of your power is in the 1K-4000RPM range. This range is optimal for CAI. CAI gives you a bigger torque "kick", while w/ a Pop Charger, you feel a loss in that "kick." You feel more gains with the cone intake at 3500RPM to redline, where you hear that "growl."
I'm trying to guess why it works like this though. You would think that a Pop Charger can take in more air from a stand still, but it doesn't. I think that tubing (that leads to the throttle body) creates a vaccum effect, which gives you that floaty feeling of torque. With the velocity stack + cone, you don't create that vaccum until the car absolutely needs more air.
I'm sleepy now
(Hope that helps a bit too...)Hey, go with OSCAI. That's what I did
(I had a Pop Charger and couldn't stand the un-kickyness anymore. (That's what V6s are famous for!!)
Originally posted by Turd Ferguson
Think of it like this.
With an auto, especially during daily driving, you don't rev your car all the way to redline, all the time (hopefully, heee). Most of your power is in the 1K-4000RPM range. This range is optimal for CAI. CAI gives you a bigger torque "kick", while w/ a Pop Charger, you feel a loss in that "kick." You feel more gains with the cone intake at 3500RPM to redline, where you hear that "growl."
I'm trying to guess why it works like this though. You would think that a Pop Charger can take in more air from a stand still, but it doesn't. I think that tubing (that leads to the throttle body) creates a vaccum effect, which gives you that floaty feeling of torque. With the velocity stack + cone, you don't create that vaccum until the car absolutely needs more air.
I'm sleepy now (Hope that helps a bit too...)
Hey, go with OSCAI. That's what I did (I had a Pop Charger and couldn't stand the un-kickyness anymore. (That's what V6s are famous for!!)
Think of it like this.
With an auto, especially during daily driving, you don't rev your car all the way to redline, all the time (hopefully, heee). Most of your power is in the 1K-4000RPM range. This range is optimal for CAI. CAI gives you a bigger torque "kick", while w/ a Pop Charger, you feel a loss in that "kick." You feel more gains with the cone intake at 3500RPM to redline, where you hear that "growl."
I'm trying to guess why it works like this though. You would think that a Pop Charger can take in more air from a stand still, but it doesn't. I think that tubing (that leads to the throttle body) creates a vaccum effect, which gives you that floaty feeling of torque. With the velocity stack + cone, you don't create that vaccum until the car absolutely needs more air.
I'm sleepy now
(Hope that helps a bit too...)Hey, go with OSCAI. That's what I did
(I had a Pop Charger and couldn't stand the un-kickyness anymore. (That's what V6s are famous for!!)
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Posts: 7,400
Hmmmm....
Originally posted by medicsonic
Bri, you keep missing the fact that everyone that reports low end power loss has an automatic. A 5 speed can launch above the power loss, while the automatic cannot.
Bri, you keep missing the fact that everyone that reports low end power loss has an automatic. A 5 speed can launch above the power loss, while the automatic cannot.
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Turd Ferguson
[B]Think of it like this.
With an auto, especially during daily driving, you don't rev your car all the way to redline, all the time (hopefully, heee). Most of your power is in the 1K-4000RPM range. This range is optimal for CAI. CAI gives you a bigger torque "kick", while w/ a Pop Charger, you feel a loss in that "kick." You feel more gains with the cone intake at 3500RPM to redline, where you hear that "growl."
Well it should be noted that with the power/comfort switch on POWER the gears change at the bottom of the redline.
[B]Think of it like this.
With an auto, especially during daily driving, you don't rev your car all the way to redline, all the time (hopefully, heee). Most of your power is in the 1K-4000RPM range. This range is optimal for CAI. CAI gives you a bigger torque "kick", while w/ a Pop Charger, you feel a loss in that "kick." You feel more gains with the cone intake at 3500RPM to redline, where you hear that "growl."
Well it should be noted that with the power/comfort switch on POWER the gears change at the bottom of the redline.
Originally posted by medicsonic
Bri, you keep missing the fact that everyone that reports low end power loss has an automatic. A 5 speed can launch above the power loss, while the automatic cannot.
Bri, you keep missing the fact that everyone that reports low end power loss has an automatic. A 5 speed can launch above the power loss, while the automatic cannot.
i like the CAI better than the stillen intake... when i got the cone intake i couldnt belive i was losing low end, i almost got rid of it... like black019 said, a CAI is cooler lol... with a cone its just like, oh thats all it does? replace the box with a big filter that can breathe better... the CAI looks nice and it works well... i put my hand on the part where it goes into the fender underneath the fuse box, and the pipe was cold.. this was after driving for about 10 minutesm so i guess it does what its supposed to
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,317
Originally posted by JoesMAX
i like the CAI better than the stillen intake... when i got the cone intake i couldnt belive i was losing low end, i almost got rid of it... like black019 said, a CAI is cooler lol... with a cone its just like, oh thats all it does? replace the box with a big filter that can breathe better... the CAI looks nice and it works well... i put my hand on the part where it goes into the fender underneath the fuse box, and the pipe was cold.. this was after driving for about 10 minutesm so i guess it does what its supposed to
i like the CAI better than the stillen intake... when i got the cone intake i couldnt belive i was losing low end, i almost got rid of it... like black019 said, a CAI is cooler lol... with a cone its just like, oh thats all it does? replace the box with a big filter that can breathe better... the CAI looks nice and it works well... i put my hand on the part where it goes into the fender underneath the fuse box, and the pipe was cold.. this was after driving for about 10 minutesm so i guess it does what its supposed to
Originally posted by 190hpKiLLA
I have a pop-charger and have absolutely no power loss at low end. I once was going around 10-15mph in first gear @ 1000rpm. My foot was off the clutch. I floored it and still got a nice wheel spin. I was trying to scare a civic in front of me.
I have a pop-charger and have absolutely no power loss at low end. I once was going around 10-15mph in first gear @ 1000rpm. My foot was off the clutch. I floored it and still got a nice wheel spin. I was trying to scare a civic in front of me.
I definately lost low-end with the SI .. I think the majority of people on board would agree .. but the y-pipe more than compensates for this loss ...
the low end loss is hard to explain if you havent driven with the intake yourself... if you take off from a dead stop youre fine, but once you ease off the gas to let it relax id say from like 20-40, when you give it more gas it is hesitant... more gas, still hesitant, then finally it says FINE ILL GO FASTER! and your rpm's jump up like crazy... its annoying having the rpms jump up when youre not wanting them to, to me it felt like a 4 cylinder when that would happen... so black019, take some good advice and go for the CAI, trust me you wont be disappointed (as long as you install it properly lol) just dont forget when you mess with something like an intake, you can easily mess up your engine if you dont know what youre doing... if you have any questions about it you can email me at Joewitthamaxima@aol.com let me know which you go with
Originally posted by medicsonic
Bri, you keep missing the fact that everyone that reports low end power loss has an automatic. A 5 speed can launch above the power loss, while the automatic cannot.
Bri, you keep missing the fact that everyone that reports low end power loss has an automatic. A 5 speed can launch above the power loss, while the automatic cannot.
I explained before that I don't "launch" it to test for a loss of low end. I just sit at 1000 rpms with the clutch fully out. and then floor the car....simluating how an automagic would work. the tires just spin like crazy.
-Bri
PS - people have dynoed and there is NO power loss down low....it's just a myth.
Originally posted by BriGuyMax
people have dynoed and there is NO power loss down low....it's just a myth.
people have dynoed and there is NO power loss down low....it's just a myth.
ok i can personally guarantee that it takes away from low end... like i said when youre doing about 20-40 at low rpms with your foot off the gas or slightly on it, thats when its going to occur... when you give it a little more gas it doesnt do much at all, a little more same thing, a little more again still not speeding up much then your foot is down enough on the gas that it jolts up... a million times my rpms have jumped up without intention... it would be annoying sometimes because 4 cylinders do that... if it was just me i would say maybe its my car but tons of people have said it with autos
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 350
so...
im installing my CAI from PR tomorrow...so ill have to post about my opinions after im done.. but what your all saying is that im going to lose high end power and gain some low end power...or is the SI just better at improving high end power....ill post my reactions tomorrow when im done the install...
saber
saber
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,317
Re: so...
Originally posted by BlackMax62
im installing my CAI from PR tomorrow...so ill have to post about my opinions after im done.. but what your all saying is that im going to lose high end power and gain some low end power...or is the SI just better at improving high end power....ill post my reactions tomorrow when im done the install...
saber
im installing my CAI from PR tomorrow...so ill have to post about my opinions after im done.. but what your all saying is that im going to lose high end power and gain some low end power...or is the SI just better at improving high end power....ill post my reactions tomorrow when im done the install...
saber
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 350
install
the install should be farely easy...for the 98 model it seems a bit easier...it shouldn't take more than 2 hours at the most...it comes with very explicit directions with pictures that are easy to follow...just thought i would let you know...
saber
saber
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