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CAI Evaluation

316K views 644 replies 235 participants last post by  guy65 
#1 · (Edited)
I see a lot of posts and questions about CAI's, so I thought I'd do a little checking and do some comparisons. Everything is based on my Ram, 2010 with the Hemi. I'm sure there are other CAI's out there but these are the more common ones.

BFI $329.00 not enclosed and not out in the cold air.
K&N $322.00 partially enclosed and not in the cold air.
Airaid $365.00 partially enclosed and uses some cold air from fender connection, would use full cold air if it was fully enclosed

AFE Stage 1 $336.00 fully enclosed and uses cold air from the fender connection.
Volant $405.00 fully enclosed but has hole in bottom for scoop attachment which would be easy to block. Uses outside air connection on fender.

For my money were I to buy a CAI, I'd go for the fully enclosed CAI's hands down. CAI means "Cold" Air Intake. In my mind any CAI that does not get its air from outside the engine compartment is not a true CAI.
 
#506 · (Edited)
I myself: For what a owner pays for one of these so called CAI. I would at least expect a 5-7hp increase at the rear wheels. As well as a little extra torque.

I would like to see a 2014 5.7L sitting on a dyno! With at least 10 to 15 of these so called CAI in the waiting to be installed 1 at a time and tested.

I only want to see if there are any HP & Torque increases.

I don't care about any MPG increase! If I wanted that I would install smaller tires and lower the Ram. Try to drop as much weight as possible.

I want a controlled environment! This word of mouth, He Said-She Said does not mean squat!! As well as I felt this and heard that! Bla Bla!

In my eyes the Dyno is the only and true test! To actually see if these so called CAI actually do anything!

One thing I know! To filter more air in! You have to sacrifice Filtration! To me for a owner who is racing and rebuilding his engine after a few hundred passes. He don't care. For an owner who has plans on keeping his auto for 100K miles or more? It really don't make good sense.

This is just my opinion nothing more!!!
 
#507 ·
dynos's don't mean crap to me..anyone can skew a dyno record for marketing purposes. I do care what other's experiences (if they are reputable and their truck is faster then me)... I didn't get this quick lookin at dyno specs of certain nuts and bolts.. I've watched the experienced guys go thru trial and errors and know which guys I could believe in and which ones I don't...
 
#508 · (Edited)
Fred: I respect your opinion! I'm just talking about your Normal Average Owners who have basically STOCK trucks----> Then add a CAI-->Nothing More!


Also take note I said a Controlled Environment-->Which basically means No Manufactures involved.
 
#509 ·
Totally understand and hear what your saying man...I was in that boat once and then let an itch turn into an addiction..who knew! :)
 
#511 ·
if I didn't love my ole ramhammer soo much I would be using my vararam..I lent it to a fellow hemi ram owner and he won't give it back now...lol.. granted, some will say the quality could be better but for functionality, I don't see much that can beat it... and like I said before, many years ago I raced a fellow hemi ram owner with just about the exact same mods with him running vararm and me runnin the ramhammer... he has beatin me everytime head to head and to this day, even tho he doesn't drag the truck anymore, his pb best 12.08 still beats my pb 12.10 :) , so i say yes, go for it!
 
#515 ·
I loved my BFI (twin to the Ramhammer) when I had my Hemi! I should have sold that intake by itself before I traded that truck in!
 
#514 ·
CAI question

Those are some good CAI products, quick question though. The ram comes with a pretty good and decent CAI system stock, why not just add a drop in K&N or aftermarket filter to allow more air and save the extra dollars for more modifications? For any out there with more knowledge and experience with CAI's and performance modifications, what do you think?
 
#516 ·
I have a stock 2014 Hemi Sport set up, 8 speed and 3:21 rear end. Any suggestions on changing stock air filter? I'm still under 1000 miles break in period. Is the stock airbox sufficient to not purchase a new one but just replace the filter with a high flow one? Any suggestions would be helpful and appreciated.
 
#519 ·
Drop in Air filter

hi guys, I was reading up on some reviews for different types of CAI's and AFE, S&B and Vararam make some pretty good ones. Of course, there are no dyno tests, but a lot of the reviews I read were from actual owners and they reported good throttle response and somewhat of a MPG gain. Now as for drop in high flow air filters, I was told that our RAMS have a pretty good stock air intake that all it needs is a high flow air filter and we are good to go. What do you guys think??
 
#520 ·
hi guys, I was reading up on some reviews for different types of CAI's and AFE, S&B and Vararam make some pretty good ones. Of course, there are no dyno tests, but a lot of the reviews I read were from actual owners and they reported good throttle response and somewhat of a MPG gain. Now as for drop in high flow air filters, I was told that our RAMS have a pretty good stock air intake that all it needs is a high flow air filter and we are good to go. What do you guys think??
Many are happy with just a replacement filter the stock box is pretty good and can be made to be nearly as good as any aftermarket setup if you do the mod on the bottom of it for more airflow.

As far as drop in filters goes I personally like green filters, k&n, and AFE the best (last 3 I have had have been a green filter and they work awesome)
 
#522 ·
"Airbox intake tube mod" in this section, about 1/2 page down. Read all the way through.
 
#524 ·
So I just read this entire thread and here is a quick list of worst to best CAI

1. Stock
2. Stock with drop in filter
3. Single intake CAI (K&N, etc)
4. Stock with drop in filter + Airbox intake tube mod
5. Dual intake CAI (volant, s&B, etc. Better for slower speeds and offroading)
5.1 Ram air (vararam, better for highway)

Thats my quick and dirty assesment
 
#526 ·
So I just read this entire thread and here is a quick list of worst to best CAI

1. Stock
2. Stock with drop in filter
3. Single intake CAI (K&N, etc)
4. Stock with drop in filter + Airbox intake tube mod
5. Dual intake CAI (volant, s&B, etc. Better for slower speeds and offroading)
5.1 Ram air (vararam, better for highway)

Thats my quick and dirty assesment
Just out of curiosity, where did the assessment of the Volant, S&B etc be better for slower speeds/offroading come from? I haven't seen anything else suggesting such, but possibly missed it.

I'm considering a Volant- I think they look the best, but if it's not as good for highway/on road usage for a particular reason, that might influence a different way (I'm all on-road.)
 
#529 ·
I'm trying to wrap my head around how an intake that draws air from across the radiator is good for performance. Ram air or not, higher intake temperature equates to less dense air:4-dontknow:
 
#530 ·
Just to be clear, it draws air from in front of the radiator, right behind the grill. That air is going to be ambient temp
 
#533 ·
These mods all work together so anything you can do to get air in or out better will add to hp, which can add to mpg (if you drive it right).

Until we get someone to dyno all of the CAI's out there we cant say for sure which one is best. Almost all of the info here is butt dyno results
 
#532 ·
after seein an S & B in person, I am tempted to pick one up just so that I can compare it to the ramhammer I have now.
 
#538 ·
When my '15 Express was a month old with 1,000 miles on it, I installed a Vararam with an 87mm ported throttle body, both bought from Moe's. I'm in Southern California and driving mostly city with occasional freeway stints. The butt dyno and audible results from the Vararam/87mm throttle body combo were immediate and impressive.

The truck now has 2,100 miles on it, and I enjoy cruising the freeways of Orange County and challenging the endless BMW's, Audis and Mercedes that overpopulate our local roads. The most fun I've had is blasting from 70 to 95+ in a couple seconds on the freeway going uphill, which always takes a BMW by surprise.

The Vararam really excels at speed, especially on the freeway.

Next up, a Magnaflow exhaust for an audio track to match the performance.
 
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