A Real CAI
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
A Real CAI
So I decided to try my hand at making a cai for my 08 Z51. I mad e cardboard Templete and then transferred it to an old printing plate i used to make a sort of mold. This is my 1st shot at this, I used carbon fiber/red kevlar. I used 3 layers of material with the epoxy and let it dry for 24 hours.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
The Completion
I attached it to the Air Intake and did some trimming. I cut a hole in the radiator shroud and added some old door seal I had laying around to seal it up and installed the intake. Every thing works Great, does not throw any codes. The whole thing coast me about $40 and of course the Labor was Free.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
From: enid oklahoma
I attached it to the Air Intake and did some trimming. I cut a hole in the radiator shroud and added some old door seal I had laying around to seal it up and installed the intake. Every thing works Great, does not throw any codes. The whole thing coast me about $40 and of course the Labor was Free.
You did outstanding job. Enjoy fruits of your labor.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 451
From: Maryland
I did mine mostly in aluminum. With a little more tweaking I think yours will be about perfect. Looks like it may stick down inside a little further than mine, but that may be a good thing. 
Last edited by C7/Z06 Man; May 11, 2014 at 07:16 AM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 451
From: Maryland
You know I wondered if anyone would ever try to make something along those lines. Being it's carbon fiber I think you took it a step further; also being it's the OEM air intake it should already be calibrated right, just colder air.
If you think about it with what was removed to what is added and being carbon fiber that CAI is probably close to or as light as what you started out with.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
You know I wondered if anyone would ever try to make something along those lines. Being it's carbon fiber I think you took it a step further; also being it's the OEM air intake it should already be calibrated right, just colder air.
If you think about it with what was removed to what is added and being carbon fiber that CAI is probably close to or as light as what you started out with.
If you think about it with what was removed to what is added and being carbon fiber that CAI is probably close to or as light as what you started out with.
either way summer is coming and the cooler air can only be a +.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 451
From: Maryland
Gained 3 tenths of a second in the 1/4 mile.
For those who do not know what this style intake "may" be worth in ET; I gained three tenths in the 1/4 mile with this style intake using the stock 2010 paper filter. My Grand Sport "STOCK" record setting best was a 12.31 ET than with "ONLY" this OEM modified CAI I went 12.01 a couple weeks later. I only ran this intake for a few weeks before I made other changes or maybe I could of squeezed the GS into the 11's.
You can also go with the higher flowing ZR1 factory filter which is installed on the newer LS3's or an Attack Blue filter to see if those may improve the ET further.
Bottom Line: I have the time slips and if you check some of my old threads out you will find the "info" on what this style intake did for me.
You can also go with the higher flowing ZR1 factory filter which is installed on the newer LS3's or an Attack Blue filter to see if those may improve the ET further.
Bottom Line: I have the time slips and if you check some of my old threads out you will find the "info" on what this style intake did for me.
Last edited by C7/Z06 Man; May 11, 2014 at 05:35 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 451
From: Maryland
What really makes this style intake so good is that the filter is still in the same OEM location (height, etc.) which is approx. 4" inches above the body rectangle support hole for the front end radiator area. If you had a water hose spraying straight in the grill area the water would have to go vertical for at least 4" even to get to the filter!! I have been running mine for a long time now and no water has gotten to the filter yet, no stains from wetness on the filter either.
Last edited by C7/Z06 Man; May 11, 2014 at 05:21 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
I agree , I would need to drive into a 15" puddle of water and then get past the filter, highly unlikely. I drive my car all year round. I did a similar mod to my z28 about 285000 miles ago and have had no problems.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,049
Likes: 329
From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
