Cold Air, Hot Air, And Expensive Air.

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis
15 Year Member
Dec 14, 2010
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SW Houston
Much to my chagrin, my stock air box is going to be removed now that I've gone to the trouble of swapping out the inner fenders. The mounts are now gone. I've been in the game long enough now to know that yes, you should run some sort of CAI as opposed to just sticking a filter on the end of the MAF. (we will call that option 1) but I think most of the CAI options look cheesy.

option 2 - buy the SVE CAI from LMR for $60, still drill hole in fender.
option 3 - buy a used Power Pipe, still drill hole in fender
option 4 - order mandrel bends, make custom CAI that exits bay BEHIND shock tower, extend MAF wiring.

Here are the questions:
- What is the gain of the power pipe over the 'regler-ol CAI we all know and love at a stock to 300 fwhp level?
- Why can't I make my own and have go behind the shock tower DISCOUNTING the cost factor?
 
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Here are the questions:
- What is the gain of the power pipe over the 'regler-ol CAI we all know and love at a stock to 300 fwhp level?
- Why can't I make my own and have go behind the shock tower DISCOUNTING the cost factor?

I think the biggest HP gains are for bigger displacement engines. As far as reasons to put it on a 302 wouldn't be catered for more HP gains than a regular BBK or MAC CAI, it'd be to have a clean looking intake pipe. It's ceramic coated inside and out (the Anderson PP) and puts the MAF and air cleaner in the fender well resulting in a cleaner looking engine bay.

Reasons I bought the n/a power pipe?
-I would get the same performance gains as your typical CAI if not better
- I needed a fender well CAI that I could use without a MAF meter
- Clean one piece design
- Too busy to make my own
- Made in 'Meruca!
 
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- Why can't I make my own and have go behind the shock tower DISCOUNTING the cost factor?

I would think that making a hole behind the shock tower would leave you with a short intake pipe and that would create more turbulent air going into your manifold. There doesn't seem to be much room to route the pipe from behind the shock tower and then for foward around the shock tower toward the head light. You would have to go through the apron and then turn down and run out of room quickly. Not sure how "cool" the air is back there as opposed to the air coming in at the front of your car either.
 
Another thing as far as routing pipe behind the shock tower is that you have about 2 or 3 critical seams overlapping in that corner that you'd have to put your hole through. Your firewall overlaps your engine apron as well as the shock tower piece all comes together right there.
 
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Not a whole lot of room behind that strut tower for a filter. In my experienc, all the power is in the heads and cam. What the heads will flow is what it will make. Everything else is just supporting. I doubt there is any power gain moving the filter around regardless of which pipe you use.

Kurt
 
FoxMustangLvr said:
I think Collin is wanting to go behind the tower not because he thinks there may be more HP doing it that way, but for the sake of not effing up his new fenders.

Actually, this ^

Are you talking about your new engine bay aprons? Don't be a p*ssy and drill a hole for your intake pipe like I did! =-) Just know that you are marrying the intake that you drill the hole for. The Anderson PP uses a different hole closer to the shock tower than your traditional two piece BBK CAI that uses the oval opening.
 
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I may just build one that mimics the PP. Forgot I had all the material, wont take but an hour or so to fab and I can have my buddy ceramic coat it. Done and done.
 
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I ordered 4" pre bent aluminum turbo piping and silicone elbows. Built my power pipe knock off for less than 40 dollars not counting the Maf.
 
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I had a *cough cough* F body once upon a time.. I went down to the local exhaust shop and got a free new 4" tailpipe take off from a diesel truck. I managed to chop it where it neatly went from the tb to the fender. Just had to study the bends and measure a little. Worked great, and free. Heavier than alum, but money was tight, and it was light on the wallet.
 
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