what's a CAI?
Protege Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 53
From: Duluth, MN
A CAI is a cold air intake. If you're not familiar with intakes, here's a definition I stole from Club 3G..
Generally a cold air intake is run near the front of the car, just behind the bumper, this way it's not sucking in hot engine air (which happens with short ram intakes)
That answer your questions?
Easy. It allows more air to enter the engine. This is the single most important aspect of improving horsepower and torque. The easier it is for an engine to bring oxygen into the combustion, the better it runs. Your stock intake consists of a series of twists and turns and resonating chambers to muffle sound, combined with a highly restrictive cheap air filter. It's like trying to breathe through a small coffee straw - hard right? You'd probably pass out. Now imagine breathing through a big Slurpy straw - much easier. Your engine reacts the same way.
So the objective of an intake system to create the least restrictive path of air into the engine. Simply said - a tube with a high-flow filter stuck on the end.
So the objective of an intake system to create the least restrictive path of air into the engine. Simply said - a tube with a high-flow filter stuck on the end.
That answer your questions?
Protege Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 53
From: Duluth, MN
I could be wrong but when I looked at my friend's 90 protege it seemed pretty anemic. The cold air part looks fine, perhaps a bit of redirection to the box would help. Just my thoughts though at first glance.
Protege Newbie
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12
From: Florida
i have a question, the stock air in take has a oxegen meter on the filter box. when you disconnect the fuse or wire the engine light comes on. how do you take the stock filter box out without have the engine light come on?
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 128
From: Vienna, VA
i dont think thats possible, because that wire is connected to the VAF or MAF meter (which one is it and what's the difference, i dont know)... anyway your car wont work without it because it helps determine the amount of air to be mixed in with gasoline in the combustion chamber.... i think.
Smoking or Non-Smoking???
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 731
From: Philly
i appologize for whatever misleading piece of information you thought i said, i said a CAI extention, basically, killing the factory air box completely, and running a piece of pipe down below where the stock air box is and installing the cone filter right near where the bumper is. i haven't torn anything apart to see if this would work or if i'd have to relocate something, but this is what i'm looking to do.
peace
peace
