maybe CAI and short rams make our cars worse...

[nisinfguy]

I read that the 3.0L engines (mostly the 227 hp ones) have a Nissan Variable Induction System (NVIS) air intake control, if we change them to CAI, wont it make the performance worse? I read that it was already tuned to ^ the hp. What do you guys think? Iam just predicting that it might make it worse...

[blackmax23]

No, it won't make it worse because the plastic stock air intakes have so many bends, flat points, boxes, etc., that it restricts the air flow into the engine. Adding a CAI will def. improve your mid range - top end, but remember, the longer the the intake, the better top end, the shorter, the more low end torque you'll see. And the sound coming from an intaked vq is simply amazing. If I were you, I'd go with a CAI and get a nice cat back/y pipe with high flow cat and you will be amazed at the difference. But don't be concerned about losing hp if you get a CAI, but if you get a short ram, you might see a loss of hp because of the shorter distance to the throttle body, and because the air filter is sucking in the hot air of the engine! And it doesn't scream like the CAI's do. Good luck!

[Klepton]

You might not get the same HP increase with a SRI as with a CAI, but the difference is negligible. However, you will definitely NOT LOSE HP with a SRI (aka WAI)!!!

[xerexabante]

good points.

[nisinfguy]

ohh ok i want to put a sri though cuz i drive wild in rain, i dont want it to suck up water.

[Beancooker]

There is only a minimal increase in HP, but the sound makes it worth while.

[xerexabante]

so you can suck hot air in the engine bay? cooler air from outside is the best. don't get a ground sucker. i say leave it alone

[Fezzik]

New intakes on naturally aspirated cars are going to give only minimal gains, but like most said here the sound is awesome. ONe thing to worry about with some intakes, esp ones that are low is water. The injen intake for example, if you ever go trhough a flooded street for some unknown reason (which you shouldnt ever do) then you are at risk of water lock by sucking up water. I've only heard of one person ever doing that on a maxima though and I dont remember the reason behind it.

[xerexabante]

i see this with newbies. i owna a shop here in vegas and kids do this all the time. sure it's cool but when i tell them about my other clients who ran into flash flood with ground suckers. they take them off thier wants list. i don't know why kids like this but 115F weather here and your 12 inches from the ground, well so much of COLD AIR INTAKE. Do the RAM Air Induction is the best setup.

[Sentientbydesign]

Where are you going to fit a Ram Air on a 4th gen? We have no room in there. Even with a battery relocation, things are still tight.

[xerexabante]

well use your engenuity and or just leave it alone. you will probabbly see 3hp gain and loud intake noise.

[blackmax23]

What I mean by "lose hp" is that you won't get as much with the SRI as you would with the CAI. You might see a gain of 6-8 hp with a Cold Air, but with Short Ram, you might see half that. Of course you're gonna get gains over the stock air box, that's pretty obvious, but you'll lose some potential hp due to the short ram sucking in heat of the engine. And don't worry about hydrolock, it takes a full 2 liters of water at once to even run the risk of hydrolock, no worries.

[Birchrj]

I have an Injen CAI on my 5.5gen, and I got caught in a parking lot with deep water in Arizona of all places. I sucked water up into my engine, but was only going at a idle when it happened. I towed the car home, pulled the spark plugs and cranked the motor to blow the water out of the cylinders. I then blew air into the cylinders, did an oil change, ran the engine for a few minutes, and changed the oil again. I got lucky! No ill effects, other than a near heart attack! Cars can suck water through a CAI, so be careful!

[audtatious]

Close call.

You can always add a bypass to Injen intakes in order to avoid it sucking up water...

There is also a misnomer concerning "ram-air" as it is really not "forcing more air" into the motor as compared to a SRI intake. "Ram-air" is more what you would call a true-CAI as it is positioned to pull cooler outside air instead of underhood air which would be warmer. The Injen intake itself is not a "ram-air"/CAI as it really does not have a direct path to pull cooler air into the motor, altho it is debatable that it's position may have an opportunity to pull in more "fresher air" than a SRI (tho this would probably be more viable at night than in than during a summer day when the road surface itself is radiating heat).

[bmadd2402]

my i30 has a ram air system stock. if you look on the "scoop" hiding behind the grill, there is a boost sensor. I'm assuming sice it is not nor has ever been turbo, it is to adjust fuel and timing for the ram air effect. I heard you can get like 3-5 psi over atmosphere with ram air. and with the stock boost sensor, the possibilities are endless...