Custom CAI

[RadRacer]

Just got back from Lowes, looking for some piping to make a CAI from. Is PVC a good material? I don't want aluminum since it's not heat resistant, and the only other types I saw was PVC and copper. I could make a whole CAI for about $30 if I made it from PVC, but I don't want to if it's not a good material. If it isn't, what is?

[RicE-ter]

Re: Custom CAI

yah its been done with PVC or like others i used like a $5 or so aluminium dryer duct from homedepot. hence its called "the home depot mod". aluminum is used because it absorbs and disipates heat well, transfering the heat from the air to the pipe and not into your engine. sounds bettter without the silencer too.

look up graymans guides or search free mods or something of that nature

[RadRacer]

Re: Custom CAI

yah its been done with PVC or like others i used like a $5 or so aluminium dryer duct from homedepot. hence its called "the home depot mod". aluminum is used because it absorbs and disipates heat well, transfering the heat from the air to the pipe and not into your engine. sounds bettter without the silencer too.

look up graymans guides or search free mods or something of that nature

See, I was told that Aluminum absorbs the heat too. But, if it absorbs the heat, then the air inside the tube gets heated up, and heated air doesn't burn as fluently as cold air. I heard that for every 7 Degrees colder the air is, you get another 1-2HP.

[RicE-ter]

Re: Custom CAI

i doubt that the pipe is guna abosrb that much heat, but i duno pretty sure we had a thread like this,just search. but over the stock silencer either is better, pvc or some other tube. if u really want to go pvc, by all means do it, it has been done b4.

im sure it does absorb heat well, it probably has a low specific heat capacity (joules/whatever), but thats why it disipates it well and why we have all aluminium blocks(well maybe or just that theyre lighter), even if the pipe heats up the air may not that much. but in ne case i doubt 1 will be drastically better than the other, thats what boost and nos is for.

[v6superbird420]

Re: Custom CAI

If you use alluminum you could always wrap it in exhaust wrap to keep it cool. Although it doesn't look as cool as a shinny cai but neither does pvc and it will keep the air nice and cool

[RadRacer]

Re: Custom CAI

OK. I'll have to go back and see how much aluminum costs. Another question, what should I do with the sensor? I was thinking just drill a hole in the piping, but what did you guys do?

[RadRacer]

Re: Custom CAI

Anyone?

[IfYouDoFeelComfortable]

Re: Custom CAI

what ive done for my freinds on their hondas lol slow, but i took them to my local muffler shop and he bent them some custom tubing for like 15 dollars took it home and painted it.... looks great and even functions fantastic... the dryer ducting works.. but not great at all... has to many ridges in it and is not hard enough to stand by itslef.

[DefiantSix]

Re: Custom CAI

OK. I'll have to go back and see how much aluminum costs. Another question, what should I do with the sensor? I was thinking just drill a hole in the piping, but what did you guys do?

When I did the PVC CAI in my 91 camaro a while back, yeah I just drilled a hole in the neck of the 45 degree that angled down the 9" cone filter I put on it... But the same idea applies. Drill the hole in the pipe somewhere where the sensor'll make contact with the air in the intake - and make sure the sensor goes in far enough for an accurate reading.