CAI vs SRI (rain, snow, moist, damp region)

[ESSYMOND]

So I know this might have came up before, but I'm looking to get some advice for my specific area.

The area I live in gets quite a bit of snow and rain, and even days like now its very moist and damp so I am very afraid of hydrolocking. I've been hitting myself on the head :smt021 whether to get a CAI or SRI from either Cosmo or Injen as I heard the Cosmo Racing ones just directly fit on while the Injen ones I need to purcahse a MAF adapter? (correct me if I'm wrong).

I was also told to NEVER put an SRI on our N/A engines because its just sucking hot air from the engine bay, but I've also been told its absolutely fine and will not mess up the car. What are the advantages and disadvantages from that sucking hot air from the engine bay? (will it make my HG blow faster? :smt013 )

Any opinions or experiences on these ugly conditions and which one to get? :)

[ScoobySnack]

Yeah, SRI does suck in heat from the engine and have some gains depending on other performance addition as well. CAI is the best for gain since it is cold air however, you may run into the risk of hydrolocking. Basically, don't drive into big puddles and you should be fine. I have a hybrid CAI like many others on the forum. All you need is buying a k & n for your regular filter and a intake tube from ebay and you got yourself a good intake system for our car in my opinion. Search around on the forum under DIY and the member who posted this mod is 99gtlimited I believe. Other CAI system may be very expensive, however you got the money you can go that route if not the DIY hybrid intake will work just as well or not better. Good luck man. :smt023

[Huffer]

1. Delete the resonators between your filter and your throttlebody by substituting an ebay intake pipe or DIY something.
2. Done.

[d1giPhux]

I have a short ram intake.. and also live in the north like you.. so lots of snow, rain, blah blah. No hydrolock for me.. and seems to help the powerband out a bit (butt dyno). I haven't had any problems with it what-so-ever. I don't think it will cause any problems.. and hasn't for me in the years that I've had it.

[ESSYMOND]

so the only problem with the SRI is that I wont experience as much performance gain in comparison to the CAI?

and there are many problems that I will encounter because it is sucking in hot air?

I dont think I can get use to avoiding large puddles and etc. if I have a CAI though :smt009

[d1giPhux]

I don't think there is ANY diff between the CAI and the SRI.. at least from the butt dyno i got runnin here :lol:

You won't run into any problems sucking in 'hot' air using the SRI.. i have had NO problems and things have been running great for me!! *knock on wood*. I really don't think you will have any problems with it, as I have not.. and most people who run SRI's don't either. You could always go with a hybrid like everyone has been saying.. in fact, that may be the way to go. Because then its like an SRI with colder air...

[ESSYMOND]

sounds like im going to go with the cosmo sri...

its about $105 shipped to my house anyway, imo a very good price!

[Huffer]

Waste of money. You could buy 4 eBay intakes for that price.

[d1giPhux]

yeah man.. don't but that. Make your own ebay intake special.. you will gain the same HP (actually proven to gain more if done by nasioc method or w/e), and its waaaay cheaper. Don't buy those super expensive ones.. waste of money. When your filter gets all dirty any crappy.. you will probably have to buy another one anyways (if your lazy)!

[rougeben83]

sounds like im going to go with the cosmo sri...

its about $105 shipped to my house anyway, imo a very good price!

seriously? It's a bent tube with a filter at the end. Get the ebay intake, then buy a KN/AEM dry flo/etc namebrand filter to stick on the end of it and you'll still be ahead by $40-50.

[ESSYMOND]

As much as I'd love to do the hybrid CAI, my girlfriend ended up buying me the cosmo one because she saw this thread...

I'm feeling quite lucky... :smt026


Now to get it installed, ill get some pics after that, but nonetheless, thanks for all the help!

[anothernord]

I have had a many an intake setup, and honestly they are all the same in performance. The best setup is what Huffer mentioned about deleting the resonator and replacing the post-MAF pipe with an eBay pipe.

[Reason]

If you have the right shaped pipe you can do the hybrid, just dont install the fender pipe. I have a CAI, the filter is pretty close to the ground. It can rain a lot here, but I don't think as much as the north west. I have problems sucking in water, it sucks.... I already stalled once last spring and I already sucked up water a few weeks ago. I mean bad that I drove my car home 5+ miles in pouring rain hardly moving and bucking like a bronco. I was NOT going to get stuck in the pouring rain and have to leave my car in the main street to get hit. The next morning the car was fine....

I've had a SRI on my 97 GT and CAI on my 98 L. Difference are too small to compare. Sucking up hot air is just stupid, do the hybrid and call it a day. Me having both already I plan on doing the hybrid for the rainy season, then I'm going to switch back to the CAI for the dry season.

[Reason]

Oh and don't believe "butt dynos" that is ridiculous and it's mostly in peoples heads.

[ESSYMOND]

To be honest,

I still dont understand what the deal is with sucking up hot air, it won't slow down your car, but it won't give any performance increase like an intake is suppose to right? All it will do is give you loud noise correct? It also won't mess up your car faster will it?

[Reason]

Look into fuel combustion.

[Okin DaVanh]

To be honest,

I still dont understand what the deal is with sucking up hot air, it won't slow down your car, but it won't give any performance increase like an intake is suppose to right? All it will do is give you loud noise correct? It also won't mess up your car faster will it?


Keep the factory air box, add Ebay intake (tube), buy K&N drop in filter. If you're still 2nd guessing water intake, purchase an AEM bypass valve for overkill and call it a day. Colder the air, the better combustion. Cold air is a better catalyst than warm, but better performance/torque gains could be found w/ the Hybrid set up. In the end, the choice is yours. Do some R&D with both set ups, and let us know what you find.

[d1giPhux]

Oh and don't believe "butt dynos" that is ridiculous and it's mostly in peoples heads.


Thats why its called a 'butt dyno'.. because it doesnt exist! :lol:

[Reason]

I know, In general when people use that term it's just ridiculous.

[ouch1011]

If you are thinking about running a SRI, don't. Waste of time and on a hot day, especially when puttering around town especially with the A/C on (high under-hood temps) you WILL experience a drop in performance. Its simple physics, the hotter the air, the less oxygen content it has. Less oxygen, less combustion. Also, the hotter the intake air, the more the PCM will retard the ignition timing in order to avoid detonation. If you don't want to spend $$ on an intake but you want a little more noise (mainly all any intake will do on these cars) remove the resonators and leave the stock air box there. The stock air box is not a restriction on these engines. The CAI will only really help out on a hot day.

[Tlake]

I just picked up a 99 legacy gt and I've been looking for one of those ebay intakes now for like a week, but I can't seem to find 'em, I don't know what I'm doing wrong but would anyone be able to hook me up with a link, or if any one is selling one.
Thanks

[Reason]

You have to know what to look for :smt023

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-99-SU ... ccessories (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-99-SUBARU-IMPREZA-L-2-5RS-AIR-INTAKE-SHORT-RAM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem439b714084QQitemZ290370699396QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories)

[d1giPhux]

If you are thinking about running a SRI, don't. Waste of time and on a hot day, especially when puttering around town especially with the A/C on (high under-hood temps) you WILL experience a drop in performance. Its simple physics, the hotter the air, the less oxygen content it has. Less oxygen, less combustion. Also, the hotter the intake air, the more the PCM will retard the ignition timing in order to avoid detonation. If you don't want to spend $$ on an intake but you want a little more noise (mainly all any intake will do on these cars) remove the resonators and leave the stock air box there. The stock air box is not a restriction on these engines. The CAI will only really help out on a hot day.


I'm gonna have to call BS on this one. Have you even RAN an SRI in your legacy? Didn't think so.. and if you did.. damn you have bad luck! I have ran my SRI in BURNING HOT florida weather (up to and maybe over 105 F), and FREEZING cold north weather (-30F).. and I can tell you right now.. its no different then running a CAI and will get you the same amount of performance. Trust me... You won't lose any performance (unless your extremely unlucky and also run in temps over 105F..since ive never ran it above that). But if you believe in voodoo and witch doctors.. best bet would be the hybrid like these guys have been saying. I'm gonna keep running my SRI however :smt030

[Tlake]

Sweet thanks man :grin:

[Reason]

So you are saying you didn't feel a difference between driving in hot weather vs cold weather? I call bullshit on this one. I like how you associate performance with luck.

[d1giPhux]

No.. no.. i actually don't feel much of a difference if that makes it any clearer.. Your acting like these cars generate TONS of power and TONS of heat. Come on.. you should know better then that. Sure.. it may be a BIT hotter.. but really I don't think your going to feel any huge difference unless something is severely wrong with your car. Or maybe mines just special.. :smt005. I'm telling you right now that I have felt NO difference.. NONE what-so-ever. so take your voodoo witchdoctor magic elsewhere. :lol:

[Reason]

Well the good old "butt dyno" says different :lol: :roll:

[d1giPhux]

:smt005 Indeed it does. My funO'meter also seems to enjoy it :lol:

[riz_o]

You have to know what to look for :smt023

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-99-SU ... ccessories (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-99-SUBARU-IMPREZA-L-2-5RS-AIR-INTAKE-SHORT-RAM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem439b714084QQitemZ290370699396QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories)

Looking at this product, it only has 2 connections for hoses, while the one for CosmoRacing SRI has 3.
Which one is the right one to use?

[d1giPhux]

You can use either really.. check out the Ebay intake install thread:

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1479 (http://www.sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1479)

I think the stock one has 3? However.. for some reason I think my intake might have 2.. cant remember.. but it works fine either way. This was how I hooked mine up from that thread:


edit (here is my post I pulled from the thread)



The way i have mine set up :

1 line goes to Idle Air bypass line (3/4" Big ass one)
1 line goes to PCV Valve Line
1 (your extra line) Can go to valve covers (left and right w/t connector) .. i had to hook mine up to a breather, but it might be cool to have it hooked up to the intake anyways. Someone correct me if im wrong.. but im pretty sure this would be a good option, rather than just plugging the extra line.

So to make things short.. yea, just hook it up like the stock intake on the car! LOL :lol:






Alright.. check it out.


Here is an overview.. u prolly cant see much :

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/02/intake1-1.jpg


Here are how the hoses connect :

The red arrows show the connection from the intake, to the engine where it needs to be connected. Just connect from one red arrow.. to the other.

The blue arrows show the intake connection, which goes to the 1/2 - 3/4" connector you will be making, and then the 3/4" connector which connects to the Idle Air Bypass. Basically your intake connects to the adapter, which connects to the big ass 3/4" idle air bypass hose.. like in the picture.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/02/hosesconnected-1.jpg

All you need to do is match up the red arrows and the blue arrows.. let me know if that makes more sense?


Here is the t-connector.. which goes to the 2 hoses that run the valve covers on the right and left side of the engine.. i also put a breather on the top of my stock t connector.

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/02/tconnector-1.jpg

[Reason]

If you search you can find the one with 3. The one digi has used to be on my 97 GT and it worked fine on mine and works fine on his. A simple T connector can give you your third port.