Cai
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 115
From: Chandler, AZ
Cai
Does anybody in here actually have a dyno sheet where they can prove any HP gain with a CAI....and im not referring to getting a tune at the same time, just a CAI???
I see all these posts in here about their CAI's and all this increased horsepower and i would love to see some proof
In the srt10 chartroom we had guys that would pop off all the time about it, finally we did a group dyno day and had some fun with CAI's and in the end the final 100% agreed conclusion to a man was those with the CAI's lost about 5 HP!
I see all these posts in here about their CAI's and all this increased horsepower and i would love to see some proof
In the srt10 chartroom we had guys that would pop off all the time about it, finally we did a group dyno day and had some fun with CAI's and in the end the final 100% agreed conclusion to a man was those with the CAI's lost about 5 HP!
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,794
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
the issue is that CAI's are passive .
The car is stationary on a dyno.
Unless the car is movng the CAI adds nothing.
All HPgains are back calculated based on elapsed time improvements before and after the CAI.
The car is stationary on a dyno.
Unless the car is movng the CAI adds nothing.
All HPgains are back calculated based on elapsed time improvements before and after the CAI.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,684
Likes: 107
From: Opelika Alabama
a lot of "other cars intake's are so restrictive that sometime's very good hp improvments can be had, this is not true with the C6 corvette, I know that there are some on this forum "that know more" then the engineers at GM, but I don't think they stumbled on these HP #'s on accident, chevrolet spends more $ then all other car mfg's COMBINED on racing
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,606
Likes: 115
From: Chandler, AZ
a lot of "other cars intake's are so restrictive that sometime's very good hp improvments can be had, this is not true with the C6 corvette, I know that there are some on this forum "that know more" then the engineers at GM, but I don't think they stumbled on these HP #'s on accident, chevrolet spends more $ then all other car mfg's COMBINED on racing
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 5
From: Tampa FL
Dyno will not measure the gain. Vararam works with the car moving taking advantage of venturi effect, faster the better. I gained 0.2 to 0.3 sec thru the quarter mile with Vararam. Also, it doesn't take a dyno to figure out that cooler dense air will give more power. Calloway also works well but no venturi.
Last edited by goatts; Dec 22, 2009 at 09:00 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 5
From: Tampa FL
No BS. This is pretty basic stuff here. CAI is part of any performance mod package.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
Hot Rodding and modifying a vehicle has been around since cars have.
Sure engineers put together a great package from the factory. I have a Hurricane CAI on my car, and as stated it is only a "true" CAI if it gets outside air. The stock C6 setup gets it's air from under the hood. Although the filter and intake are more than adequate, it still receives its air at underhood temperatures. The Corvette engine bay gets quite hot, anytime you can inject cold air into a hot combustion chamber you WILL make more HP. This is a fact and was enough reason for me to do it. Everyone has there own opinion on this and which CAI is the "best" would be kind of hard to prove.
Sure engineers put together a great package from the factory. I have a Hurricane CAI on my car, and as stated it is only a "true" CAI if it gets outside air. The stock C6 setup gets it's air from under the hood. Although the filter and intake are more than adequate, it still receives its air at underhood temperatures. The Corvette engine bay gets quite hot, anytime you can inject cold air into a hot combustion chamber you WILL make more HP. This is a fact and was enough reason for me to do it. Everyone has there own opinion on this and which CAI is the "best" would be kind of hard to prove.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,798
Likes: 25
From: Pine Bluff Arkansas
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21
The only trouble the words CAI is confused with a simple intake change. I think getting actual cold air to your engine is a plus, but about 75% of what I see is not a true cold air intake. Just a plastic thingin with a filter on the end of it.
Larry
Larry
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Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,684
Likes: 107
From: Opelika Alabama
YES! I DO! think most of the CAI stuff is BS! I have a K&N and i like it {06 LS2} very much! but if you really look at the #'s they claim, it's on a C5 LS1, and we do know that the air bridge was very bad on those cars and the sq inches of filter area was to small, the LS2 use's two filters with almost twice the surface area of the LS1, the test shows that at 4800 rpm is were they got the biggest gain and that falls off rather quickly and yes K&N filters flow better than stock, yes ram air/ cold air is good! I had to look around on my 06 for quite awhile to find were GM brings in fresh air under the hood, but its there!
CF Community Team
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 13,961
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From: Pittsburgh
2025 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
CAI kits do work but most if not all of the gains are at wot at high rpms, if you are drag racing the car, they will make a difference
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 13,262
Likes: 3,149
From: SW Florida
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Advanced
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 91
Likes: 10
From: San Diego area CA
FYI I gained 0.4 mpg combined after installing a vararam CAI in my 427 vert with LS7. And almost two years the increase in gas mileage has been sustained. Didn't really notice any increase in performance.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 218
Likes: 14
Taking a look at the factory airbox on LS2 cars, it really wouldn't be hard to improve upon it. Sure, two big ole filters and tons of surface area there, but then they get restricted down almost immediately and the air is forced to make 2 90* bends just to make it into the air bridge. The factory airbox on LS2 cars is garbage lol.
Now, LS3/LS7 cars... Thats a totally different story. Then, you're probably wasting money.
Now, LS3/LS7 cars... Thats a totally different story. Then, you're probably wasting money.
I might be willing to race them though...
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 60
Likes: 15
I installed a SLP Blackwing just because the tuner had one laying around he sold me for $100. We verified an approx 10hp gain from stock on 2013 stock LS3. Not much, but in my case it was cheap/easy HP. I have since installed headers and mid pipe so the flow should be better yet. Waiting for a new dyno pull to verify.
