Drop-in vs. CAI

[Silverback]

LETS TALK HEMI FOR A SEC...BECAUSE I HAVE THE STOCK AIR BOX IN THE SRT-10 FOR NOW, SO LETS TALK HEMI, I PUT A "COLD" AIR INTAKE ON THE DAYTONA RAM AND I DONT KNOW ABOUT HP OR TRQ, BUT I DID PICK UP 4-5 MPG IN FUEL ECONOMY. HOPE THAT HELPS.

I would find it hard to believe that you could pick up 4 to 5 MPG with just an air filter, even to a CAI, change.

Even if you were already getting 20 MPG, that would be a 20 to 25% increase. The big 3 would kill to get that kind of improvement.

 

[mauiSRT/10]

I put a CAI on my hemi and noticed no improvement to gas mileage.....and certainly dont expect that with your 10.

CAI offfers cool sound and bling, which is why I have kept mine on.

Justin do you suggest people to remove the stock black plastic piece in the grill or take it off? I know in Nascar you need the air to flow over the car not into it, which slows it down.......hence all that tape on their grills. Maybe that should be a poll? I know there are some folks whom have removed it.

patrick

 

[JMB Justin]

Ive got mine cut out the same size as the airbox, or you can remove it completely (or leave it alone). I would agree that the modern airboxes on most cars are very efficient, I just think that some sacrifices must be made for noise and costs (smaller filter, corrogated tube running to TB, no direct airpath, etc.) that dont have to be made with a CAI.
Justin

 

[outnumbered]

Thank you sir.

 

[davo19]

I would find it hard to believe that you could pick up 4 to 5 MPG with just an air filter, even to a CAI, change.

Even if you were already getting 20 MPG, that would be a 20 to 25% increase. The big 3 would kill to get that kind of improvement.

WELL ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT BEFORE THE CAI, I GOT 14-15 MPG, WITH THE CAI, I GET 19-20 AND IF I TAKE IT EASY, I HAVE SEEN AN AVG OF 22 MPG. SO DOUBT ME IF YOU WANT, BUT THE #'S DONT LIE. I EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TO PUT THE STOCK BOX BACK ON JUST TO SEE IF IT WOULD DROP BACK TO 14-15 AND IT DID. I PUT THE CAI ON AGAIN AND 19-20 THE ORDER OF THE DAY.

 

[rottenronnie]

I spent a small fortune with over 60 pulls on the Harley Truck, so I was trying to find someone with some actual experience to eliminate the need to go that route again with the Dodge. I had pretty much come to the conclusion that the gain or loss would be minimal, but was curious if they showed improved track times, or if the low end grunt was stronger either way. Thanks for the input.

My K&N cold air kit didn't work on the SRT-10. The drop in K&N did.
ON THE DYNO (from memory here) I lost 13 ft. lbs/ of torque and 8 h.p. with the kit. I also hated the sound.

Ron

 

[rottenronnie]

My K&N cold air kit didn't work on the SRT-10. The drop in K&N did.
ON THE DYNO (from memory here) I lost 13 ft. lbs/ of torque and 8 h.p. with the kit. I also hated the sound.

Ron

Correction: The loss was 11 ft. lbs of torque and 8 h.p. And that WAS after driving with it on for quite a while before the dyno pulls.

Ron

 

[HOT RAM]

Wow.Lost power ? Hmmmmmmmmmmm. I haven't dynoed mine,but I love the sound !!

 

[VNM PWRD]

I have seen a big difference with the volant. I went from 2nd gear chirps and burping 1st gear, to smoking the tires off the line and leaving rubber on the 2nd gear up shift.. I also got a complete new intake from Volant and installed by them.

 

[Bone]

WELL ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT BEFORE THE CAI, I GOT 14-15 MPG, WITH THE CAI, I GET 19-20 AND IF I TAKE IT EASY, I HAVE SEEN AN AVG OF 22 MPG. SO DOUBT ME IF YOU WANT, BUT THE #'S DONT LIE. I EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TO PUT THE STOCK BOX BACK ON JUST TO SEE IF IT WOULD DROP BACK TO 14-15 AND IT DID. I PUT THE CAI ON AGAIN AND 19-20 THE ORDER OF THE DAY.

LOL....Did I tell you that I was selling my shares to the Brooklyn Bridge?

I have to agree with the monkey. I too have a Hemi and didn't see a difference with the drop-in or CAI with MPG, maybe .5 MPG if I was lucky. 4MPG increase is a couple magnitudes better than those who have forced induction. So not trying to bust your nutz here, but does it seem to make sense that you got that big of an increase? Some of the Hemi forums you can get away with that kind of post, but people here will call you out.

Back to the SRT-10, I saw 5HP/6TQ with the drop-in and 5HP/7TQ with the K&N CAI on a dyno (hood open, large fan blowing, warm day, somewhat humid) with a mostly stock, non-forced induction QC truck. The same day witness'ed another stock QC get 5/5 with just a drop-in.

Like others stated, dyno and out on the street may produce different numbers.

I would keep the CAI on the truck since you already have it installed.

 

[rottenronnie]

Wow.Lost power ? Hmmmmmmmmmmm. I haven't dynoed mine,but I love the sound !!

Yeah, it was real disappointing. I was anxious to install my very first mod (the K&N c.a.i.). But, when the power DROPPED, it wasn't really what I had in mind for the money I spent on it.

After the install the truck felt slower and it was suggested the computer needed time to adjust so I put 1000 miles on it before doing the dyno runs.

The power returned when the stocker was reinstalled. Same dyno, same conditions, same dyno operator so it should have been an accurate test.

Because I hated the sound anyway, I didn't bother reinstalling the K&N for yet another pull on the dyno. A loss is a loss.

Ron

 

[slow91]

I'm still wondering how you would notice any gains with a CAI on the dyno when the truck is stationary..........:dontknow:

I have the k & N drop-in on the '04 RC I just sold to have_to_have_it (Zollie) and have yet to get pulled in the "real world" by any QC including Zollie that has the Volant CAI, mid-pipes, Magnaflow & DC flash......:dancing:

In fact, I just pulled the Volant off Zollie's QC and put the stock air-box back in with a K & N drop-in.... We are going to do a couple of test runs this week when the rain stops........:boxing: :bandit:

 

[Viperpowered]

........CAI. But! Maybe 12.8 with the drop-in?

You'll never know unless you try it!! But in my opinion i think the stock tube would cause turbulence with the way it's shaped. The only drawback to having a CAI would be stop and go traffic on a hot summer day. Just my .02

 

[Stanimal]

why doesn't someone make a pipe similar to jbm's cai to go from the throttle body to the stock air box?!?!?!? then you would lose the turbulance and still show the gains????

 

[harrisb]

why doesn't someone make a pipe similar to jbm's cai to go from the throttle body to the stock air box?!?!?!? then you would lose the turbulance and still show the gains????

I was trying to figure out what size of rubber, errr I mean coupler would be needed for the throttle body, if that can be figured out this could be done fairly easily.....I'm guessing around 4" but haven't taken the time to actually measure.

 

[Stanimal]

it is a 4" but its a pita to get a round 4" on it. tight as a dolphins rectum

 

[harrisb]

you could always use lube A few guys around here could probably help with that

 

[harrisb]

I just found these.....https://redhat3.admarkonline.com/~treadstone/product.phtml?p=242&phot_key=414

wonder how they would work. I like the idea of the stock airbox but smoothing out the piping.

 

[davo19]

LOL....Did I tell you that I was selling my shares to the Brooklyn Bridge?

I have to agree with the monkey. I too have a Hemi and didn't see a difference with the drop-in or CAI with MPG, maybe .5 MPG if I was lucky. 4MPG increase is a couple magnitudes better than those who have forced induction. So not trying to bust your nutz here, but does it seem to make sense that you got that big of an increase? Some of the Hemi forums you can get away with that kind of post, but people here will call you out.

Back to the SRT-10, I saw 5HP/6TQ with the drop-in and 5HP/7TQ with the K&N CAI on a dyno (hood open, large fan blowing, warm day, somewhat humid) with a mostly stock, non-forced induction QC truck. The same day witness'ed another stock QC get 5/5 with just a drop-in.

Like others stated, dyno and out on the street may produce different numbers.

I would keep the CAI on the truck since you already have it installed.

you can call me out anytime!!! as i have no reason to lie to anyone, you or anyone else is more than welcome to come over and see for yourself. i would not purposely mislead any of you, i thought this site was about helping each other out and passing on useful info to the other members. also, i dont have any shares of stock in the cai market so it doesnt affect me either way if someone buys a cai or a drop in or stays with the stock box. my invatation is open to all, anytime. and good luck selling your shares.

 

[Bone]

There is also:
http://www.tornado-fuelsaver.tv/