Ebay Ram Air Intake

[ski4air101]

Allright. Ive searched the fourm and didnt find the exact ansewer I was looking for so im going to post it. Ebay has hundreds of Ram Air Intakes for n/t eclipse's and I was thinking of buying one. If you have bought one I have some questions:

1) How well they fit?

2) do they have any negitive effects on the internals?

3) how do they compare to $100- and up intakes (in quality and performance)?

4)would you advise an owner to buying one or putting down the money for a brand name?


thanks guys.
-johnny

 

[baxsom]

the only reason why a brand name would be better is if it comes with a CARB number.

Some states check that come inspection time.

Other than that the 1 or 2 horses that this mod gives isnt worth the added money

 

[VelocitàPaola]

I agree.

A pipe's a pipe. There are only so many ways to make an intake, so unless you just want those pretty stickers that say "AEM" or "Injen," opt for the eBay deals. The only weak point may be the filter element itself. If you're that concerned about it, you can pick up a universal K&N filter from any PepBoys, Advance, etc..

 

[BigRand]

Now I agree that a pipe is a pipe...but let me tell you that you still get what you pay for.

I paid $45 for a CAI including shipping off ebay (the Bombz racing CAI) and when I got it it came with dents in the pipe, and the fitment wasn't that great. The filter didn't sit under the wheel well like its supposed to and just wasn't the greatest.

I after not being able to put a bypass valve on it (living in seattle and all), I decided to opt for a AEM CAI which to me fit perfectly once, and I never had a problem with it, and noticed the most gains.

Then I went turbo a month later..and didn't have to worry about that.

If your going short ram, I wouldn't worry so much, but yes a pipe is a pipe, and sometimes you really do get what you pay for.

 

[ski4air101]

this is good stuff. The whole "pipe is a pipe" reasoning was what i was thinking.

 

[intimidator2000]

BigRand after you put in a turbo, you don't need the Cai anymore.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

BigRand after you put in a turbo, you don't need the Cai anymore.

Is this a question or a comment?

Your whole intake situation changes when you go turbo; now you're drawing air into the turbo rather than the throttle body. A CAI made for the N/T Eclipse won't have provisions to be routed to the turbo, so some sort of a custom intake needs to be fabricated.

This new intake can either be "short ram," drawing air from the engine bay or "cold air," drawing air from closer to the ground, near the wheel well.

 

[BigRand]

BigRand after you put in a turbo, you don't need the Cai anymore.

What I meant was

I had an ebay CAI, didn't like it so I opted to go with an AEM CAI. I loved it for the short time I had because a month later I went turbo and didn't need it anymore. Ya feel me?

 

[dr1665]

1) How well they fit?

They fit okay. Might as well get used to basic fabrication, now.

2) do they have any negitive effects on the internals?

Absolutely not, unless you keep the shit filter it comes with and you get too much garbage into the intake stream. Always replace the generic filter with a quality K&N or the equivalent as soon as possible.

3) how do they compare to $100- and up intakes (in quality and performance)?

They are missing the CARB number the Calie boys need to avoid persecution. Otherwise, you're looking at perhaps a 1hp difference period. I have had access to a free AEM CAI for over a year now and really have no interest in snagging it. I run a $30 eBay shortie with a 3" ID K&N on the end.

4)would you advise an owner to buying one or putting down the money for a brand name?

If you really want to be on the cheap side, measure the diameter of your TB OD and order a mandrel J-bend from Summit for $15. Then have it cut per your instructions by a friend or machine shop. A silicone coupler will run you about $10 at Autozone, and you can buy a K&N for around $50. $75 and you have totally custom that is every bit as good as the name brand pipes.

 

[Blitzeclips]

Dude, it's just a pipe. It draws more cold air in from the lower temperature area of the car: bottom (away from motor). It will work fine. BTW, i didn't see anyone mention that your gas mileage will be better with an intake also. AND, if you do get a CAI, please, please, please for the love of whatever you value, (may be your car) BUY A BYPASS VALVE WITH IT. I've seen 12 second SRT-4s, and tons of other stock to modded cars blow their motor because water gets drawn in through the Intake, because it's so low to the groud (where water sits) when wet weather occurs. Other then that, Good luck! Install is a breeze, are you recirculating the valve breather back into the intake or no? Let us know and we'll walk you thru it if you get stuck. Welcome to the 1st stage of your 2gnt modding... its a milestone...

 

[SnoopySLR]

I've been saying "how much difference and a $40 pipe be from a $200 pipe" for years... people think I'm retarded... its good to see more people are joinin my side

I've had 4 cars, all of which I've bought eBay intakes for. I've bought 2 for my talon when I dented one when it was outside the car. Every single one has fit like a champ. The filters on them are junk, and you do want to get a K&N filter. One filter even had a mesh screen on the top of it... I was pretty amazed by that thing.

 

[dr1665]

One filter even had a mesh screen on the top of it... I was pretty amazed by that thing.

The filter that came with my eBay shortie was the same way. Additionally, I have a good buddy who was running an eBay filter on his turbo while he waited for his K&N Xtreme filter to arrive. One night, he stepped on the gas and the entire engine bogged. The car would limp just fine, but the moment he opened up the throttle past 20% or so, it was like all power was lost and the engine was being choked out. The next day, as we were starting to see if his turbo was fooshiked, we found the little metal cap at the end of his filter had come unglued and, whenever he would step on the gas, it would fly up into the compressor. Fortunately, the metal disk was 1/16" larger than the diameter of the compressor inlet and it couldn't get in to do any damage, but it effectively sealed the intake off when he stepped on it. Scary...

 

[SnoopySLR]

oh man... yikes

 

[AI_Eclipse]

I agree. You cant go wrong with an Ebay intake. As long as you replace the filter, your golden.

 

[95TalonOwner]

My CAI was only 35 bucks off ebay. It fit pretty good, it just didn't come with any mounting points so I had to make my own.

 

[Trucloner11]

I got mine for 20 bucks and it works way better than stock

 

[totaleclipse_05]

I've had 4 intakes already (hahaha). My first was a Vibrant Performance Short-Ram intake, that one was about 70 bucks. It was alright, fitment was acceptable, but not the greatest. My next one was a eBay CAI for about $75. It was a powdercoated blue kind. Fitment was OK, I had to rig a bunch of stuff for it to sit right but it worked. After a while I got sick of the fitment issues and how ghetto it looked so I got an Injen CAI off a 2gnt member for cheap. Fitment was much, MUCH better. Everything sat great in the engine. I bought it for 100 I believe. After about a year of having though, and me deciding I want to turbo, I didn't want to chance my engine sucking up water so I bought an AEM Short-Ram intake pipe for $30. Fitment was very well on that as well. Had a bracket welded on it and everything.

Overall, I like my namebrand one better than the eBay one, but the only way I would buy one is 2nd-hand used, and for cheap. A pipe is a pipe and the only differences between the name-brand ones and eBay ones are fitment and filter quality. Better fitment is one less thing I have to worry about now. Not having to check up on it to see if it's all sitting right still haha.

 

[bullettdsm]

A couple of things that I noticed as I read through the thread. You are talking about a Ram Air intake. That is generally considered the "shortie" intake. You will be VERY hard pressed to suck up water in the shortie intake (I and many others have driven them around for years and never had that problem). The CAI is the Cold Air Intake. It is generally longer and extends down toward somewhere on the bottom of the car (or behind the fender). Location varies, but the point is to get it outside of the engine bay to pick up cooler air (which makes sense). This particular set-up apparently has given some people problems with sucking up water (I ran mine for about 2 days, so it is hard for me to comment). I like the shortie.

Now a pipe is a pipe. I agree BUT you want to be sure of the diameter of the pipe and matching that up with your TB. If you are stock TB then any of the ebays will do. If you are upgraded to a 60 mm and have the ability to get to 8k or more you can get caught with too small a diameter pipe that will cause a restriction for your air flow in the upper rpms.

Just food for thought and clarification.
MB

 

[totaleclipse_05]

If you are stock TB then any of the ebays will do. If you are upgraded to a 60 mm and have the ability to get to 8k or more you can get caught with too small a diameter pipe that will cause a restriction for your air flow in the upper rpms.

Actually, my AEM and Injen intakes had smaller diameter piping than my eBay Short and CAI.

 

[wongster]

i got mine off ebay 20 bucks shipped... still using the filter that came with it. had it for a year so far so good... prob will change it to k&N filter... no by pass valve... drove it through hard rain and winters no problem so far... yea i know i should get a by pass valve.. i heard that if you get a by pass valve that your cai will be basically be a short ram intake.. is that true?

 

[XMasta19]

What do you mean your intake will be a short ram? You get the bypass valve so you can actually run the cold air intake further away from the engine and closer to the ground...thus more susceptable to water hazards. meh...I honestly wouldn't waste the money on it. I bought my brother a brand new AEM with bypass valve for his integra...he lives in florida and hit a puddle or some shit one time, his car still died and almost hydrolocked. As long as you use your brain, and don't go slammin the gas pedal when you're going through a puddle or what not, you'll be fine

 

[wongster]

What do you mean your intake will be a short ram? You get the bypass valve so you can actually run the cold air intake further away from the engine and closer to the ground...thus more susceptable to water hazards. meh...I honestly wouldn't waste the money on it. I bought my brother a brand new AEM with bypass valve for his integra...he lives in florida and hit a puddle or some shit one time, his car still died and almost hydrolocked. As long as you use your brain, and don't go slammin the gas pedal when you're going through a puddle or what not, you'll be fine

dono if its true or not and want to confirm, but what some of my friends told me... if you get a by pass valve for a cold air intake.. the gains or amount of air will be greatly reduced... is that true?...

but when it rains and i see a puddle or what not.. i try to avoid it if i can if not try not to be crazy and go through it like a mofo.....

 

[dr1665]

dono if its true or not and want to confirm, but what some of my friends told me... if you get a by pass valve for a cold air intake.. the gains or amount of air will be greatly reduced... is that true?...

but when it rains and i see a puddle or what not.. i try to avoid it if i can if not try not to be crazy and go through it like a mofo.....

This has to do with the fact that the bypass valve is a cheap, plastic piece that wears out. Basically, it's got flaps in it that seal the pipe shut. Should water enter the lower filter, the engine's demand for air will pull it through the flaps. This reduces the suction on the water at the bottom and allows the engine to still run. Unfortunately, I don't know how well these flaps seal the pipe after it's been installed a while, so you might imagine it's going to allow some hot air from inside the engine bay to get into the pipe (not that you're really getting any advantage based on air temps). Also, they've got those cheap, foam filter elements over them that almost always disintegrate over time, leaving you with, basically, holes in your intake pipe.

Try it yourself, the next time you finish a roll of TP! Take a knife and cut a "V" in it somewhere. Just cut the V. No need to open it or anything. Then blow through it. Then put your hand over the end and blow through it. That's all the bypass valve is.

The single greatest advantage to an aftermarket intake is replacing the restrictive factory box. The temperature of the air is not different enough to give you any gains (temperatures at the road are actually higher than those above the hood - why do you think they talk about "track temperature" when you're watching a race?). It is impossible for any car to achieve the ram air effect. Pipe diameter and "tuning" can only allow a naturally aspirated engine to ingest as much air as it is drawing in during the intake stroke unless you have an extensive background in designing tuned convegence cones and plan on driving faster than the speed of sound.

 

[speedy13]

1) How well they fit? They fit OK,not great,but ok.

2) do they have any negitive effects on the internals?
Nope

3) how do they compare to $100- and up intakes (in quality and performance)?
Same isht.Like foresaid,Just change the filter.

4)would you advise an owner to buying one or putting down the money for a brand name?
Ebay all the way on this one.

 

[wongster]

This has to do with the fact that the bypass valve is a cheap, plastic piece that wears out. Basically, it's got flaps in it that seal the pipe shut. Should water enter the lower filter, the engine's demand for air will pull it through the flaps. This reduces the suction on the water at the bottom and allows the engine to still run. Unfortunately, I don't know how well these flaps seal the pipe after it's been installed a while, so you might imagine it's going to allow some hot air from inside the engine bay to get into the pipe (not that you're really getting any advantage based on air temps). Also, they've got those cheap, foam filter elements over them that almost always disintegrate over time, leaving you with, basically, holes in your intake pipe.

Try it yourself, the next time you finish a roll of TP! Take a knife and cut a "V" in it somewhere. Just cut the V. No need to open it or anything. Then blow through it. Then put your hand over the end and blow through it. That's all the bypass valve is.

The single greatest advantage to an aftermarket intake is replacing the restrictive factory box. The temperature of the air is not different enough to give you any gains (temperatures at the road are actually higher than those above the hood - why do you think they talk about "track temperature" when you're watching a race?). It is impossible for any car to achieve the ram air effect. Pipe diameter and "tuning" can only allow a naturally aspirated engine to ingest as much air as it is drawing in during the intake stroke unless you have an extensive background in designing tuned convegence cones and plan on driving faster than the speed of sound.

thanks for the info.... i will just stick with no by pass than .. i just changed my cheap ebay intake air filter with a k&n air filter today.. and man.. it is a big diff.. i should've changed it when i bought it... oh well...