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CAI vs Short Ram

4731 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  zukbang
Hello everyone....i just have quick questions about CAI vs Short Ram.
What is the main different between these two? is CAI better than Short Ram? is it louder? i can't decide which one to get for my car.....
and also, i wanted to get a Injen CAI but AEM is also well known for CAI. has anyone tried both of them? appriciate your inputs.
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The main difference between a CAI and Short Ram is where they pull the air from. The Short Ram pulls the air from the engine bay and the CAI pulls the air from below the engine bay. The air in the engine is usually quite hot, so many people believe a CAI is better for horsepower gains because the colder air compresses more. A lot of people also agree CAIs will be louder. I personally have the K&N which calls itself a Short Ram even though it isn't really. It pulls the air through the top of the grille. I'm not sure exactly how low the AEM/Nismo and Injens sit, but I do believe they are lower than the K&N. If you decide to go with one of these two, the AEM bypass valve is highly recommended. I think most Z owners have opted for the JWT which is a true Short Ram. It is by far the cheapest of the intakes.
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If you do any I would go with JWT popcharger first the eithe rInjen or K&N. Stay away from AEM as it has been said to have negative gains. I had one and sold it quickly
I had the AEM for a while and if I had to do it again I would get the JWT popcharger. The AEM places the filter in the space in front of the wheel in the wheelwell which subjects the filter to ALOT of dirt. The Injen, which I never owned, places the filter behind the grill...more dirt. As far as sound for the AEM, I can only say that it sounds like someone rapidly beating on the bottom of an empty 5 gallon bucket.
<span style="color:darkblue">So now that it's not 1 in the morning I can give an explanation of the K&N. The reason it's called a Short Ram is because the filter is in the engine bay. But it's a full CAI because there is an intake duct sitting behind the grille that feeds into a box in the engine bay that houses the filter

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thank you for all your inputs. i order mine and installed last night.
i cant really hear the intake...but i know its there...i like it~!
oops..i forgot..
i got the JWT of course.
now i need to get the intake tube....gonna wait til i finish my stereo first..i hate my STOCK(non-Bose) unit..killing my ears..
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