[SON1C]

Is a CAI really worth it, ive had people tellng me that it can offer up to 30 hp with a tune?

[Six Banger]

easy answer - no
it will add maybe 1 horsepower. the tune is where you'd gain most of the power.

[SlowSix]

I thought about getting one...and decided I'd rather wait and save for a windstar

[SON1C]

how muhc would you get with a tune? and the windstar is 400 thats such a huge difference. from >100

[SON1C]

and six banger what kind of exhaust setup do you have?

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by Elias101a Is a CAI really worth it, ive had people tellng me that it can offer up to 30 hp with a tune?

Notice that "up to". To get that, it'd have to be the last mod you did on a fully built engine, where the stock airbox was choking things down.

On a fully stock motor, you might see 5hp at the crank. Personally I don't feel it's worth it over a good drop-in filter unless you just want to clean then engine bay up a little bit or you find the stock airbox a total PITA.

[SON1C]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Notice that "up to". To get that, it'd have to be the last mod you did on a fully built engine, where the stock airbox was choking things down. On a fully stock motor, you might see 5hp at the crank. Personally I don't feel it's worth it over a good drop-in filter unless you just want to clean then engine bay up a little bit or you find the stock airbox a total PITA.

is a drop in filter really just as good, people have said that before, i just thought that the aftermarket CAI is more room for more airflow?

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by Elias101a is a drop in filter really just as good, people have said that before, i just thought that the aftermarket CAI is more room for more airflow?

Sure, but does it really matter if the CAI flows 50 more cfm than the stock airbox's 450 when the intake manifold can only flow 300 in the first place?

I don't think a drop-in panel flows as well as a conical, but I also don't think the flow difference alone justifies the price difference.

(Note: all numbers above are totally made up, and not reference to actual flowrates).

[goren813]

OP what year Stang do you have? CAI doesn't give you much HP, and 30 even with a tune is a dream ... its a good place to start if you'll have that CAI on your complete finished set-up. Its an easy thing to install but a good way to begin to learn about your car. How to take things out, what's where in the engine bay, etc. And for the $70-ish price tag that EBay units and AM offer, its cheap in the overall picture. i.e. I have about 8grand in overall plans to make a reliable, great handling, 300hp car. So really if you know what you want to do, it can be a good start.

I always suggest to make a complete plan before you go buying things.

[walt1120]

$100 CAI = maybe 1hp, 1lbs tq

$400 windstar = 7hp, 15lbs tq (assuming everything else is stock, the more mods you have the more it will increase your power)

[carney]

Originally Posted by Elias101a and six banger what kind of exhaust setup do you have?

IF you're looking to go duals, I'll suggest like alot of people to get flowmaster 40's, flows super 44's, or thrush welded series mufflers, then take them to a shop and have them fab up duals from the cats back.

[atlckb]

Originally Posted by walt1120 $100 CAI = maybe 1hp, 1lbs tq $400 windstar = 7hp, 15lbs tq (assuming everything else is stock, the more mods you have the more it will increase your power)

i saw a thread last night from early July and the guys were saying how the windstar doesnt really add hp just torque. so now i am really confused.

and is a windstar really worth $400 if i already have a CAI?

[goren813]

What are your goals for the car? A windstar will do a lot more than a CAI, but you can also have your upper and lower intakes port and polished, and see some gains that way. Got to pay to play, but people put down nice numbers without a windstar... it just seems like it has gained a lot of popularity since so many people have been doing it recently.

[Mr. Red Pony]

I would never do a windstar.

[atlckb]

this is just my daily and i just wanna have fun with it. ill never be able to afford a turbo so i already know im gettin 4.10s instead of 3.73s. i dont possess a lot of technical know how and such yet but i learn something everytime i get on here. im ot familiar with a p &p but ill figure it all out eventually. so i guess all of this im saying means, i dont know what my goal is...yeah

[walt1120]

Originally Posted by atlckb i saw a thread last night from early July and the guys were saying how the windstar doesnt really add hp just torque. so now i am really confused. and is a windstar really worth $400 if i already have a CAI?

well i bought a cai before i really knew much about our cars and i regret it, a cai doesn't really do much because the stock manifold sucks. what is the point of increasing the flow from the filter to the throttle body if the manifold it too restrictive for even the stock intake. someone else said this earlier in the thread, but its true say the stock manifold can only flow 300cfm, slapping on a cai isnt going to change how much air can be flowed through the manifold.

now if say the manifold could support 300cfm and the stock intake only flowed 250cfm then yeah it would be worth it but the stock intake on the 3.8 already can support better flow than the manifold itself so there really isnt much logic behind buying a cai because the intake manifold is what is holding you back not the intake itself

[ReverendDexter]

FYI, I just pulled those numbers out of me arse... are you saying the stock manifold really only does flow 300 cfm?

[walt1120]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter FYI, I just pulled those numbers out of me arse... are you saying the stock manifold really only does flow 300 cfm?

LOL i have no idea, i was just using your numbers to make my point.

i hope its better than 300!

[Six Banger]

I have true duals with Flowmaster 40 series mufflers

[goren813]

A CAI does improve the airflow, not much, but its a noticeable difference switching back and forth from stock to a CAI... true that creating a bigger opening, i.e. a larger throttle body, won't give you much gains since the manifold is the same...its just all pieces to a whole and everyone says "this mod is worthless" yet the guy with the highest hp and fastest times has it...