AEM intakes

[Tyson]

Can anyone really say that their AEM cold air intake is any better than mounting the filter behind the battery or even stock for that matter. i'm contemplating just removing the lower section and putting the filter behind the battery for the sake of proper brake ducting.

BTW, the AEM filter they sell with nowadays is crap... the whole thing is crap in my opinion.

[jc836]

Are you suggesting that the AEM Short Ram is also @#&$? I hope not as it is very well made and conforms to the rules for ITA. The only thing one has to do is make a block off plate so that air cannot get up into the filter from the wheelwell.
With that said-I would think the rules would require this even if you take the stock resonator off-block off the opening in the housing, but that might not do it as you would have no airflow. The real restriction as I see it is the intake tube running across the rad support.
I have the short ram and it works just fine for me. The install is very simple and making a blockoff is easy too. As to the filter element-it appears to be of K&N origin, tho I cannot confirm this. I did the mod to gain some underhood space and a little weight reduction. That's my opinion.

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[Tyson]

Just a little clarification for you. From all I know, the extended intake that goes thru the hole and places the intake outside of the engine bay is legal. We can make a debate of it on another post. Also, AEM *USED* to supply their filters from K&N however they have gone through many revisions since their first reviews and now produce their own made of cotton gauze, and its crap in my opinion. The whole $200 I paid I feel cheated.

Anyway, yeah, paraphrasing my question, anyone actually find a difference bewteen the short ram and extended piping?

[lb2]

Tyson, I prefer the long tube AEM and that will fit behind the bumper, you can get more cooler air that way, but if it starts rainning don't forget to go back to the short one or use the Bypass valve.
I used to wrap my tube with header wrap and that should help with keeping air cool inside the tube and that is legal.
Louis B.

[davew]

I've done back to back dyno pulls on a few honda motors comparing the CAI and the short tube with a blower fan on the front end to create airflow and have consistently found the CIA to make 2-5hp over the short tube through much of the curve.

some thoughts to consider are that every 5 degree increase in intake temp = about a 1hp loss, and the increased length of the tube helps move some power down lower...but it depends on your motor and setup of course.

-dave w

[Chris Sawatsky]

Just a quick tip to people considering purchasing an AEM CAI for $200... search on ebay for "crx cold air" and buy one of the cheapie setups, for the nice mandrel piping and connectors. Then get a real k&n cone filter to fit it. Much Cheaper!!!

[Tyson]

Yeah, chris, thats basically what i regret doing. theres nothing gained by paying aem $200, the tin tubing and fake k&n filter is just as functional if not better than your plan. im going to buy my own real k&n to replace the crap filter my system came with soon.

[il8apex]

I got my AEM CAI (old style, w/ K&N filter) used on E-bay for $95. http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

-T

[jc836]

Did I read you reply correctly-that the stock intake tube goes outside. That is not how mine lines up under the hood directly above the radiator tank. As to a CAI-they are not legal for ITA or I might have done something to bring air up rather than block off the opening in the pan (required).
One of these days I will get dyno time and will determine if there is a power improvement over stock.

[B Breon]

Originally posted by jc836:
Did I read you reply correctly-that the stock intake tube goes outside. That is not how mine lines up under the hood directly above the radiator tank. As to a CAI-they are not legal for ITA or I might have done something to bring air up rather than block off the opening in the pan (required).
One of these days I will get dyno time and will determine if there is a power improvement over stock.

Under the IT rules, the air intake is open before the throttle body or metering device and can exit the confines of the engine bay through "stock" openings as long as no "ram air" effect is created. So, in the interpretation, the AEM CAI on a Honda CRX si in ITA is legal as it requires no modification to the body, is before the throttle body and does not create a ram air effect.

Now, in the February 2002 FasTrack under Club Racing, Improved Touring, a ruling has been proposed and member input was requested on restricting the air intake tract within the engine bay, but no definitive rule has been placed or passed on this. If you want it, write the BoD, if you don't want it, write the BoD.



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Brent Breon
Cendiv ITA #26
www.360racing.com

[Tyson]

Thanks Brent. Didnt want to have to do the research myself.

[jc836]

Brent:
May I assume that you are reading from ITCS 17.1.4.D.c (page8). If so, I will agree that there is room to interpret the rule, except it does say "substituted." Also, it does not authorize a new location to bring air into the car. I spoke with Tech and they said that a blockoff is required as the tract would be such that there could be a ram effect if a CAI is installed. In a wrinkle-could one interpret the rule as to allowing cowl induction as the stock inlet tube does go to the edge of the hood-I personally do not think so as it does not extend into the grill opening. I interpreted the rule to mean that if the device is inside the bodywork (pans in CRX)-it must remain there.

[B Breon]

Every winning CRX at the ARRC for the last umpteen years has had a CAI, be it a lightspeed or an AEM.

The filter location is where the old resonator (part of the original air induction system) used to be, behind the bumper in front of the RF tire with NO openings in the bumper going to it where air could be rammed. Without the addition of a scoop in the bumper (specifically illegal in the rules) or a deflector hanging down in the air path under the car (which wouldn't get you much if anything) I don't see how this is anywhere close to "ram air". You do know what "ram air" is, right?

When you say opening in the pan, do you mean the hole where the OEM air intake goes to the resonator?

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Brent Breon
Cendiv ITA #26
www.360racing.com

[B Breon]

[This message has been edited by B Breon (edited July 17, 2002).]

[jc836]

Brent:
Thank you for the info on the ARRC CRX CAI.

YES- I know what ram air is. I'll forego the blockoff for first tech (have it with me though) and see what happens during my annual inspection as this is a new ITA chassis. I would think that one could use a piece of sheet metal to make a deflector located on the lower side of the pan facing forward-sort of an open blockoff-as it would serve the same function as the round tube going thru the opening-or would it?
Thanks for your input Jim

[Knestis]

Lurking rules NERD ambush...

Q: Rule permitting the construction of the aforementioned deflector, on the bottom of the pan?

Kirk

[jc836]

I was suggesting that the block off plate could be mounted to the underside of the opening rather than above it. I am assuming that those with CAI units would not object as the actual air source is the same; the only difference being how it is directed to the filter.
There is no clear rule for this, so it was my assumption that you cannot do it in IT.
How this setup would affect performance is again a question best answered by way of the dyno.

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[Tyson]

a deflector plate would do you no good as there is no incoming air to deflect up the hole. it may change the pressure in some way, depending on how you have kept, removed or modified the inner wheel fender, but could be positive or negative, theres lots of high flow disturbance down there. the CAI is not a ram intake. now IF there was a hole in the bumper to accomodate air going straight into the filter, that would be ram, and is specificaly illegal. so 1) deflector plate would be illegal simply because youre addingsometihng thats not allowed, unless you could make it into part of the inner wheel fender (ive thought about it), 2) would serve no apparent real positive aerodynamic induction unless you made a open hole in the bumper(stopped thinking about it). thats my thoughts at least.

[davew]

I would just like to point out that the AEM CAI when installed into a honda sits so that the filter cone faces the rear of the car, not the front. ie the pipe bends toward the rear and the filter mounts on it. so even with a hole in the bumper right where the end of the CAI is you get NO ram effect.

-djw

[Tyson]

hmmmm not mine, but just goes to show how AEM has revised and cheapened their design over the years since their first hype.

[bill f]

Having had a session in Protest Committee, in reference to "Ram Air" I would suggest, for clarification, not using the term unless it is in the specific definition of the SCCA. It can be found in the Glossary section of the GCR.

"Forced Air" might be more accurate in the context we are using. It is, however, not mentioned in the ITCS Rules.

Good Racing. Bill