Yes, I am going to see if there is any flow difference. I will stick with the AEM piece as long as all the surge disappears with the K&N on there. I am hoping to see 10lbs of vacuum on cold start (the same as without a filter) instead of the 5-6 lbs I see currently. That will take a load off the motor for sure.

I like the fact that they are really easy to clean and they go a long time between cleanings and because they are dry dust hardly sticks to them compared to an oiled filter. They flow less efficiently though. For me, flow is more important.

 

I'm experiencing something similar with my Clear Image CAI. The elbow is extremely flimsy and I was initially concerned about it collapsing when warm but it has held up well. It looks very close to the AEM elbow.
However, when the car has been driven in the rain and the filter gets damp, the car will not accelerate under any boost over 5k and struggles to do so even under vacuum. It starts misfiring until you drop the rev's to near idle. I believe the elbow is collapsing due to the filter restriction. I've inspected the inlet and found no indication of moisture in the MAF or making it to the turbo. After 36-48 hours of drying time, it will perform normally again.

 

Does CIA use the AEM filter?

 

If the filter gets wet, its going to flow like crapola for sure.

 

I wish you guys would get something worked out... I miss the sound of my open cone setup, but had a **** ton of turbo surge going on... so went back to the stock box and now to the modded air box...

I don't trust CAIs as is right now but would love to go back running one, you can't beat the sound and now with the downpipe, i'm sure it'd be even more kickass

 

This is the only thing that I don't understand. Us LNF owners are not the only ones using an AEM CAI with the Dryflow filter. Does anyone know if others that have an AEM intake with the Dryflow filter are experiencing similar problems?

 

No one else has a huge silicone intake tube like that. It is a bad combination of a very easily disturbed (slight flow variations due to flexing of the body of the tube) silcone piece and a restrictive filter. If one were to attach the AEM elbow to the stock intake with the stock airfilter he would get the same result. Airbox mod with a drop in filter will exhibit some very slight cold start surging but not enough to be noticable to the untrained ear. If AEM would have designed a less restrictive filter and made the silicone piece out of something more ridid (maybe a 2nd aluminum tube that tapers from 3.25" down to 2.75"with a coupler for the turbo and the intake side) they would have a winner as far as intakes are concerned.

No, they use a S&B filter IIRC. Similar to a K&N but I believe it is a 4-5 layer gauze filter not a 3 layer like K&N. Probably a tad more restrictive for the same size element but will filter a little better.

Not suprising really, Princessturbo (Ryan) was having issues with his CIA CAI as well so he bought a different more reinforced elbow that did not kink and it helped a ton. I did not notice any increase in flow on his car from his logs with that intake though. Normally after I tune the MAF tables to match the new intake the airflow vs the stock airbox (with a drop in filter even) is 1-2lbs/min greater which coinsides well with the expected 10-20 whp increases normally seen from running a less restrictive than stock intake.

 

with terminator's brain and Matt's money.........anything is possible, lol

 

Hey buddy I can chime in on this one , I do have the CAI...


http://www.clubrsx.com/cr/VIB-2782B.html

This is the 70 dollar Elbow I found in 10 minutes of searching the interwebz after installing my intake here is my letter

Here is my first email

"Ok man well I got it installed . A few notes - the elbows "fit" but they are real flimsy and with the amount of air the passes through these, the silicone piece fluctuates creating a straw type effect sucking the sides of the tubing inwards choking it off . I am not sure what kind of setup you "tested" this on but I am running alot of PSI and my car is tuned by some of the best . ... I will be sending my logs to some ppl just to get a look at what is going on with it I can't go WOT or the computer stops boost build / rpms and it just shuts it down but no CEL's ... So . Like I said I will be sending my logs to some tuners to see if they can get a grasp on whats going on but the breather line interfears with the charge piping I got from you so not sure if you tested these intakes with your own Charge pipes/ intake / tune or just the stock ones . The top side mount doesn't line up correctly either creating an even bigger problem . setting the bracket on the factory airbox post/bolt just makes the breather line blocked by the charge piping even more also the MAF sensor is hitting the engine bay . I have not found a sweet spot to where if everything lines up correctly something else isnt in the way like the breather line hitting charge pipes breather line not fitting all the way onto the nipple ,.. I am not gunna mention any of these problems to the masses / forums yet and I will keep you updated on what is going on but if you can supply me with any information I greatly appreciate it .. I am just stating my findings so I hope you look at this as an oppertunity and not just a ruthless bashing of a vendor..
Thank You !"

Here are the end results


CIA 2 ply silicone elbow


Jerry-Rigged mount I made in 10 minutes








So I don't even know how much I ended up spending just to get this intake and I pre ordered it just because I was hopeful of the results and I still didn't have an offer to refund me any money after waiting for 3 + months for the intake and It didn't even bolt up right read all my problems I sent to them first before asking anymore questions I just fixed it myself and then proceeded to fill them in on whats going on with it so the problems can be dealt with but I didnt ask for a refund but also was not offered any compensation even though I bought all 3 parts from them

I cant remeber if it uses the AEM filter to be honest I remember it came in a NO name box

https://www.cobaltss.net/gallery/fil...9/102_2342.jpg

if you can tell by that pic or the other one in my gallery then you know more about filters then i do

 

Is that really how they attach it to the car (the metal plate bolted to the car)? Or is that how you had to adapt it to get it to work?

 

Thank you I am flattered.

 

lol thats how I adapted it thats a CIA because the brackets were so far off from the meth smoking welder , guess they dont have a jig ? he did offer me a new tube but not a new silicone elbow I just didn't feel like taking it all back off and getting another incorrectly welded tube , lots of problems read the whole post. Ask Termi it skews the fuel trims like crazy , but my car is fast so I don't care doesnt seem like any unmeasured air is passing through with the Vibrant elbow ..The collapsing effect is gone to due to the reinforced thick ply of the vibrant elbow .

If you can tell who makes the filter by looking at it ?

 

Just looks like some generic oiled filter to me.

 

CIA FTW

 

S&B filter I believe. Man that intake is small in diameter compared to my AEM. It looks the same size as your 2.5" CP in the picture.

 

It is an S&B

Was figuring someone would chime in.

 

Term, did you get your K&N filter yet?

 

its 3 inches its actually pretty friggin big I thought.

You think a K&N cone would do better or what man ?>

shut your face

 

It looks so small in those pics. My AEM is 3.25" but it looks so much bigger for some reason. Is there room for a larger filter on the CIA setup? If so do some measuring and log onto K&N's site and search by filter dimensions and see what you come up with. It might help some but if you remember I have seen no improvement in airflow with your intake on vs your stock airbox with the drop in filter. Most intakes do show an improvement in airflow over the stock airbox and he drop in filter.

Yep just got it. Installing it as soon as I get home from work today. I will have it on by about 6:30 tonight.

 

Sweet!! I'm anxious to see how everything turns out.

 

I got some of the surge smoothed out by modifying the ECT vs spark adder table. Still a little bit of surge with that filter on there. I think once I take the choke hold off of the motor that that dryflow filter is causing it should run smooth and no more surging. It will be probably tomorrow when I report back because the car has to sit off overnight to test the cold starting out.

 

^Glad that worked out for you

Try those settings with just the Silicone elbow on the stock intake if you can and see if your surging went away with the ECT Spark adjustment. Id be interested in just buying the elbow piece if it's working right!

 

The surging was no where as bad with the silicone elbow on Stock Airbox with the drop in filter before with the old ECT spark settings. With the new ECT spark table it removed about 75% of the surging with the full AEM intake. I believe the K&N drop in filter flows better than the Dryflow filter on the AEM intake that is why there is less choke on the motor even with the ECT spark table the way it was before. I think it will be a non issue as long as you take care with the DALs, MALT and ECT spark table.

 

Just curious, but why would anybody buy a cold air intake for the LNF if it allegedly causes only problems with the MAF readings? They aren't exactly cheap, require a fair degree of time and effort to install, where is the benefit? I already know it sounds better, but sound would be the only positive thing I can see.

 

It can make more power, especially top end power, when a properly set up and tuned for an intake.