Cold Air Intaken question - United Bimmer Community

**///Menace328i** · 07-12-2005, 03:43 PM

I am looking into prolly buying a CAI, but what is the diff of a name brand and one that I can make?

**Spieluhr** · 07-12-2005, 05:02 PM

the difference is some brand names like Dinan make their intakes out of special materials that you could not get your hands on for the right price. I know Dinan makes theirs out of carbon fiber which has been proven to deflect heat much better. If you are also going to make a CAI it will be much more difficult than just making a ram intake. However, the downside to a ram intake is that if you do go this route you will need a heat shield, which from my experience is not the easiest thing to fabricate.

I would recommend teh Cosmos CAI, it sells for about $160 and is 3.5" in diameter. This diameter will not help because your HFM and TB is still 3" but if you ever choose to upgrade your HFM to the euro (540) 3.5" and/or wide throttle body you could definately take advantage of this.

EDIT: see this thread for more options and information

**jrhaile** · 07-12-2005, 06:32 PM

give me a month or two.. I'm working on designing the ultimate CAI/Ram induction kit :P

**cainchapman** · 07-12-2005, 07:56 PM

As a rule of thumb. For every 10 degrees Celcius that the air charge is cooled, you will receive a 1% increase in Hp.

Hence the need for heat shielding.

**Spieluhr** · 07-12-2005, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cainchapman

As a rule of thumb. For every 10 degrees Celcius that the air charge is cooled, you will receive a 1% increase in Hp.

Hence the need for heat shielding.

nice fast fact!

**komodo** · 07-12-2005, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cainchapman

As a rule of thumb. For every 10 degrees Celcius that the air charge is cooled, you will receive a 1% increase in Hp.

Hence the need for heat shielding.

Ah, very cool. Never knew that.

LN2 air intake anyone?

**zeit00** · 07-14-2005, 05:18 PM

No matter what the tube is made of it will not affect performance. It is the air temperture entering the tube that makes the difference. The speed of the air going through the tube is too fast to pick up the heat from the tube. My tube is made out of plastic (electrical conduit to be exact) and my tube is much cooler than a dinan CF tube. My CAI cost me $30 or so.

**jrhaile** · 07-14-2005, 05:25 PM

yeah I actually read somewhere conduit was the best material to use lol! I'm working on designing a combination of CAI and RamAir. This is going to be a modified stock airbox to act how I want it to...

**zeit00** · 07-14-2005, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrhaile

yeah I actually read somewhere conduit was the best material to use lol! I'm working on designing a combination of CAI and RamAir. This is going to be a modified stock airbox to act how I want it to...

Actually you could use any material.. I used conduit due to the fact that I could purchase, paint, and install with 0 modifications. Honestly I did not even have to cut it..

**///Menace328i** · 07-14-2005, 05:45 PM

manual and auto... it works well for either right?

**zeit00** · 07-14-2005, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3twenty8i

manual and auto... it works well for either right?

Yep power is power.. doesn't matter how you put it to the ground. But really the big difference is the noise it makes.. Some sound like a jet engine taking off...

**Addicted?** · 07-14-2005, 06:43 PM

i use an ecis intake www.ecisbmw.com (i think thats the site..) anyways performs pretty good! i know a few people live devinwwu that made their own and they seem to do about the same thing! just depends on how lazy u are i guess

David

**zeit00** · 07-14-2005, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 95bmwpwer

i use an ecis intake www.ecisbmw.com (i think thats the site..) anyways performs pretty good! i know a few people live devinwwu that made their own and they seem to do about the same thing! just depends on how lazy u are i guess

David

Its also looks too.. CF looks really good! My CAI looks like black plastic.. And thats about it.. does not really stand out at all..

**B_w.** · 07-15-2005, 12:23 AM

i really like my conforti carbon fiber CAI. it looks and sounds great

**STEVE36** · 07-15-2005, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spieluhr

the difference is some brand names like Dinan make their intakes out of special materials that you could not get your hands on for the right price. I know Dinan makes theirs out of carbon fiber which has been proven to deflect heat much better. If you are also going to make a CAI it will be much more difficult than just making a ram intake. However, the downside to a ram intake is that if you do go this route you will need a heat shield, which from my experience is not the easiest thing to fabricate.

I would recommend teh Cosmos CAI, it sells for about $160 and is 3.5" in diameter. This diameter will not help because your HFM and TB is still 3" but if you ever choose to upgrade your HFM to the euro (540) 3.5" and/or wide throttle body you could definately take advantage of this.

EDIT: see this thread for more options and information

I use the Cosmos CAI as well.

Steve