SLP or PVC CAI?

[ChronoGN]

I'm gonna get a CAI for my camaro but I can't decide if I should go with the expensive SLP CAI or the cheap PVC CAI.
Has anyone tried the PVC CAI? How good does it work and how hard is it to make?
I just wanna save some cash cuz $200 for CAI is expensive for a high school student..

[Only4U]

INCREDIBLY hard to make correctly. i've tried many many many different custom intake ways for the 97 3.8L but that freaking TB is just too close to the radiator to do much. i finally got the slp cai package and prolly wound up wasting more money on the previous custom cai's than i did on the one slp cai.

[ September 05, 2002: Message edited by: Only4U ]</p>

[Fusion]

SLP CAI, there is a pic of it in my profile. You will love it. So many good reviews as being the most expensive and the most efficient.

[shinji]

PVC CAI. I made mine with no troubles. Okay had to hit the hardware store twice (once to take a stab at what I needed, then after messin garound with that for 1-2 hours to get a few missing pieces). I didn't take any pictures before install but my site has an installed view.

http://www.lemaster-online.net/Tim/camaro

Just plan it out a bit. Oh yeah on my 1996 3.8 a 3" PVC pipe will fit between the abs and the radiator (BARELY!).

3" PVC - $5.00
90 degree 3" PVC - $5.00
3" Male and Female PVC disconnects - $6.00
90 degree 3" Flexible - $9.00
2x 3" flexible joins - $10.00
K&N E-0940 Conical Filter - $42.00

Total cost: $77.00
Satisfaction: 100%


Good Luck

[Dojo2000]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by shinji:
Oh yeah on my 1996 3.8 a 3" PVC pipe will fit between the abs and the radiator (BARELY!).
<hr></blockquote>

You should notice that the PVC pipe is probably sitting right on a radiator hose. Over time that hose is going to melt through the pipe. Trust me, I had the same setup.

From the TB to the filter here are the parts I had:
half a 3" rubber connector (mate the pipe to the TB)
45 degree 3" PVC
45 degree 3" PVC
straight 3" PVC pipe betwen brake booster and radiator
90 degree 3" PVC
K&N round (about 4" dia.) filter

In my head I thought I felt a difference, BUT then I noticed the decreased gas mileage. Put the stock intake back in a everything returned to normal.

Then I bought the SLP cai and it was like 10x better! Its the best one to get. I believe the two pipe system is what helps the most. Kinda like breathing through a big(3") straw, and then breathing through two slightly smaller(2.5") straws.

[Only4U]

dojo hit the nail on the head. your setup looks good, but you will have problems with it...i know cause mine looked the same way. but keep it on there as long as ya want and as long as you think it's ok.

[shinji]

You do make some good points about the hose. However my PVC rides as high as it can in the space between the radiator and the brakes. It clears the radiator hose by 1/2 inch at its closest. I've driven the thing in 95 degree heat over long distances and there is no sign of melting. I'll keep an eye on it however.

[ChronoGN]

Hmm....
I guess I will go with the SLP CAI.
I wouldnt want the PVC to melt and cause me problems and end up spending more money.
Well, thanks everyone!

[Ted]

I got a better way of doing it. I think me and a few other guys on this board have the same exact setup. I went from RamAir to this. What you do is goto autozone and go to the ricer's apc section. Locate a pipe made for a honda, it's 3". BTW, i'm being serious, amazingly this pipe fits our cars perfectly. While your there feel free to pick up one of them intimidator cone filters. Next stop is home depot try to find a coupling rubber pipe coupling in the plumbing department that is 3". And get a clamp too. Now take it back put it together and clamp it together. Get a little vacuum hose and stick your IAT sensor in it. And your set. Here's some pics of mine.

make sure to copy&paste
http://images.cardomain.com/installs...18_16_full.jpg

http://images.cardomain.com/installs...18_17_full.jpg

Total I spent $40, now you can go out and spend $160 more on slp's cai or this one for about the same performance gains. Ok yea some people may say well it's getting hot air from the engine bay. I'm going to guesstimate on this one, and this is my point of view. The air in the engine bay is about 90degrees, let's say the day you were driving the air from outside is about 70degrees. Technically colder air is supposed to reduce heat, Technically. But do you think 90 degree air going into a 180degree temp engine over 70degree air going into a 180degree temp engine is going to make a big difference enough to pay $160 more for? That won't convince me. But whatever works right?

[ September 06, 2002: Message edited by: Ted ]

[ September 06, 2002: Message edited by: Ted ]</p>

[Only4U]

ted...

http://www.angelfire.com/extreme3/intake/

(copy and paste)

and you can see in my sig i now have the slp CAI. i can promise you that this won't work very long for you. radiator hose gets some serious bad wear from the pipe sitting on it, as does the plastic piece to the radiator and the abs. as you can also see, we did the same thing; only your pipe has ONE more slight bend in it that mine had. but good luck with it. i will give you a word of advice--take it out now before two major things happen:

1. (not so major) the radiator hose gets a big hole in it from being rubbed against.

or

2. (big problem) the force of the pipe sitting down there puts quite a bit of force on the radiator hose (if you don't believe me, take it out sometime and look at the marks underneath it) and if you let it sit there long enough, i have no doubt in my mind it will break the end of the radiator off. the end of the radiator means the part where the upper hose connects--that is plastic and cannot take much force. but you can keep it for as long as you think it will stay on. i'm just saying i think it will be in your best interest to figure something else out or go back to stock. i went back to stock and was that way for quite a while until i had the money for slp's cai...that's how bad my setup was to me. good luck!

[Ted]

Hmmmm, I only had it on there a couple days, but I will take a look to see if it's rubbing on the radiator hose underneath it. You were saying that it could break off the radiator part. Do you mean the plastic thing that goes down the side of the radiator? The black part? I'm kind of worried now because I was driving and it sounded like I hit something on the road, I didn't know what it was. There wasn't anything on the road. Maybee something was being forced. I don't know... I want to check it out now though.

[Only4U]

well unless you hit something really hard, it probably will not break off that piece on the side of the radiator--BUT prolonged small beatings to the plastic piece is probably going to wear it and will eventually wear off. i'm sure if you've had it on there a few days, it's ok. i had mine on for about 2000 miles until i decided to take it off and have a look. sure enough, the hose was getting worn, the abs plastic had a huge gash in it, and the part of the radiator had a huge gash in it. just be careful with it.