Ok, a CAI replaces more than the stock filter however. It replaces the intake manifold as well, which by smoothing flow, and theoretically having higher flow levels will add power. The dyno results show improvement, but I am looking for some user feedback.lne937s wrote:On a modern car, if you reduce the restriction at the air filter, it will automatically restrict airflow at the throttle body to compensate, leading to the same air/fuel ratio. And it also compensates for air temperature, so no gain there either. There has been significant independent laboratory testing and there should be no fuel economy improvement whatsoever.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/pdfs/Air ... 6_2009.pdf
I know of no CAI that replaces the intake manifold. They only replace the air intake ahead of the throttle body, which adds restriction to allow for the same amount of air to enter the engine.Karmann wrote:Ok, a CAI replaces more than the stock filter however. It replaces the intake manifold as well, which by smoothing flow, and theoretically having higher flow levels will add power. The dyno results show improvement, but I am looking for some user feedback.lne937s wrote:On a modern car, if you reduce the restriction at the air filter, it will automatically restrict airflow at the throttle body to compensate, leading to the same air/fuel ratio. And it also compensates for air temperature, so no gain there either. There has been significant independent laboratory testing and there should be no fuel economy improvement whatsoever.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/pdfs/Air ... 6_2009.pdf
Pardon my faux pas with the terming, it's been a long week. I see no area in your linked study that specifically tested CAIs. I've had enough experience with other CAIs on other motors to have found slight fuel economy improvements, backed up with several other users reporting the same. I was looking specifically for user reviews on this generation Altima, and so far as I can tell, you're convinced of these studies and don't have one. So thank you for the information, but I'm specifically looking for users' CAI results.lne937s wrote: I know of no CAI that replaces the intake manifold. They only replace the air intake ahead of the throttle body, which adds restriction to allow for the same amount of air to enter the engine.
As such, no improvement in fuel economy. The FTC has actually required CAI makers like K&N to remove their fuel economy claims because there is no measurable improvement in modern cars. You can get some increase in horsepower, particularly if you reprogram the ECU. But fuel economy is another issue.
http://www.knfilters.com/cold_air_intakes.htm
No problem on the terminology, I tend to hate all acronyms. Beyond the government studies and FTC cease and desist orders for fuel economy claims on CAI's, there is some fundamental engineering that shows why this will not improve fuel economy. The throttle body restricts airflow based on a number of sensors that measure airflow ahead of it, oxygen in the exhaust, etc. If you do anything to reduce air restriction ahead of the throttle body without reprogramming the ECU, then the throttle body compensates to let the same amount of air through= no change in fuel economy. If you are running Wide Open Throttle, then the CAI can let a little more air in and add some horsepower, but that is not going to save you fuel. That is just the reality of how these things work.Karmann wrote:Pardon my faux pas with the terming, it's been a long week. I see no area in your linked study that specifically tested CAIs. I've had enough experience with other CAIs on other motors to have found slight fuel economy improvements, backed up with several other users reporting the same. I was looking specifically for user reviews on this generation Altima, and so far as I can tell, you're convinced of these studies and don't have one. So thank you for the information, but I'm specifically looking for users' CAI results.lne937s wrote: I know of no CAI that replaces the intake manifold. They only replace the air intake ahead of the throttle body, which adds restriction to allow for the same amount of air to enter the engine.
As such, no improvement in fuel economy. The FTC has actually required CAI makers like K&N to remove their fuel economy claims because there is no measurable improvement in modern cars. You can get some increase in horsepower, particularly if you reprogram the ECU. But fuel economy is another issue.
http://www.knfilters.com/cold_air_intakes.htm