Clear cut intake winner?

[Sabz]

I am glad I posted! I am really liking the AEM.

The DIY intake uses plastic and it works great !

 

[Doel]

WHY isn't there an aftermarket intake system designed using plastic? It's not all about getting more air to the engine using bigger pipes and less restriction. You can get "more" air with a smaller pipe and a more dense (cooler) air charge, than a larger pipe with less dense (hotter) air. After you have been idling, driving, or even thinking about entering a southern state like Arizona, those metal intake pipes heat up and act as a heater for your intake air, before they even reach the hot turbos. Why, oh why, do we keep ignoring science? I can probably guess, being as I work in manufacturing. Tooling costs. The cost to tool a plastic intake is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than metal piping. There is a reason they come from the factory in plastic, people, to include all the factory 700+ hp cars out there! As far as dyno results are concerned, when was the last time you drove with the mood open and those intakes pulled fresh air from the open sky? Close the hood, simulate daily driving by bringing the CAI pipes up to operating temperatures, then compare HP/TQ to stock.

Please excuse my rant, but I want better. I want to be proven wrong. To answer the OP's question IMHO, I believe, right now, the best intake option is a set of K&N drop-ins and the Velossa Tech scoops. It just makes sense and there are Stingers in the 11s with the same.

Aluminum vs plastic intake piping is an argument as old as time. On turbo cars, the air is moving so fast through the piping, especially on a short ram system, that the amount of heat transfer is going to be negligible, the air will literally be in the intake piping for a fraction of a second. Both materials will eventually get up to the same temperature anyway, the plastic just takes a bit longer, aluminum will cool faster once moving. Pros and cons to both of those, but again, the heat transfer to the air is negligible. Find someone with a turbo car with an aluminum intake. Do some runs at WOT then immediately stop and pop the hood. Touch the intake, it'll be warm at best. Do the same with a plastic intake, it'll also feel warm. So what I'm trying to say is, get the intake with the design you like best, plastic or aluminum makes no difference. If you're thinking nitrous though, don't get plastic.

 

[Angel]

The DIY intake uses plastic and it works great !

And is the cheapest lol you can do it under 100 bucks .....

Aluminum vs plastic intake piping is an argument as old as time. On turbo cars, the air is moving so fast through the piping, especially on a short ram system, that the amount of heat transfer is going to be negligible, the air will literally be in the intake piping for a fraction of a second. Both materials will eventually get up to the same temperature anyway, the plastic just takes a bit longer, aluminum will cool faster once moving. Pros and cons to both of those, but again, the heat transfer to the air is negligible. Find someone with a turbo car with an aluminum intake. Do some runs at WOT then immediately stop and pop the hood. Touch the intake, it'll be warm at best. Do the same with a plastic intake, it'll also feel warm. So what I'm trying to say is, get the intake with the design you like best, plastic or aluminum makes no difference. If you're thinking nitrous though, don't get plastic.

I don’t have have the science facts to argue any of your points but I did have an aluminum intake prior to the Agency power and when I would pop the hood after driving for a while the intakes pipes were not warm lol they were hot .... unless your definition of warm is different than mine then ignore my comment .... when I drived for a while with the Agency Power Intake which is plastic the intake pipes were warm and not hot ......... and as far cooling once I stopped driving the both generally cooled as fast ..... it seemed like the aluminum retained the heat longer since the engine bay stayed hot even after turning the car off .... but I personally went with AP because I’d liked the looks of it and the fact it was plastic ....

 

[Doel]

I don’t have have the science facts to argue any of your points but I did have an aluminum intake prior to the Agency power and when I would pop the hood after driving for a while the intakes pipes were not warm lol they were hot .... unless your definition of warm is different than mine then ignore my comment .... when I drives for a while with the Agency Power Intake which is plastic the intake pipes were warm and not hot ......... and as far cooling once I stopped driving the both generally cooled as fast ..... it seemed like the aluminum retained the heat longer since the engine bay stay hot even after turning the car off .... but I mean I personally went with AP because I’d liked the looks of it and the fact it was plastic ....

I can only speak for myself, but I've done it on past cars after some spirited driving and it was always warm, regardless of material. By warm I mean touchable, so maybe 110-120 ish? I'm sure it would be hot if you were to touch it after normal city driving, WOT moves a ton more air than regular driving.

 

[lucif3r]

I will be def getting the AEM intakes once the weather is warm enough for me to install in my unheated garage lol.

 

[SteveCo]

On turbo cars, the air is moving so fast through the piping, especially on a short ram system, that the amount of heat transfer is going to be negligible, the air will literally be in the intake piping for a fraction of a second.

It would be interesting to compare back to back IAT numbers at the throttle body under actual operating conditions to confirm, but I believe that to be the case as well. Aluminum being an excellent conductor it also dissipates heat very quickly, so 'heat soaking' vs. a material like cast iron or even stainless is going to be minimal.

 

[Doel]

It would be interesting to compare back to back IAT numbers at the throttle body under actual operating conditions to confirm, but I believe that to be the case as well. Aluminum being an excellent conductor it also dissipates heat very quickly, so 'heat soaking' vs. a material like cast iron or even stainless is going to be minimal.

Right. The air is already getting heated simply by being compressed by the turbo, then it gets heated up by the turbo itself (compressor side of the turbo gets pretty hot), then it has to pass through all that piping before reaching the intercooler, then more piping after the intercooler being reaching the intake manifold.

Yeah, that foot and a half long pipe isn't making any temperature difference worth mentioning, especially in a street car. If this was a true cold air intake system on an NA car with several feet of pipe that plugged directly into the intake manifold, it would MAYBE make a difference worth discussing, but still probably not.

 

[Doel]

Yesterday after driving home, I popped the hood and felt the aluminum piping on my K&N intake. It was pretty warm, not hot. All the surrounding rubber pipes connected to the intake were hot. Side note, the filter itself was almost ambient temp! Temps outside were 55 degrees F.

 

[lucif3r]

Can someone with the K&N describe the sound that this produces/changes? I heard some people say its "loud" but what exactly does that mean. Is it the "woosh" sound or the bov type sound thats amplified? Or does it add to the deep growl of the engine? Its hard to hear any of these things on youtube videos.

 

[Adamdan]

Can someone with the K&N describe the sound that this produces/changes? I heard some people say its "loud" but what exactly does that mean. Is it the "woosh" sound or the bov type sound thats amplified? Or does it add to the deep growl of the engine? Its hard to hear any of these things on youtube videos.

It’s turbo spool and the bov that’s loud.

 

[Doel]

Can someone with the K&N describe the sound that this produces/changes? I heard some people say its "loud" but what exactly does that mean. Is it the "woosh" sound or the bov type sound thats amplified? Or does it add to the deep growl of the engine? Its hard to hear any of these things on youtube videos.

At idle you don't hear any difference, at light throttle you don't hear any difference. At I would say "regular" throttle pressure, you'll hear a light hiss of the intake/turbo, at moderate throttle you'll hear a loud hiss of the intake/turbo, at full throttle it actually gets quieter and it's a light hiss again. As for the BOV, you won't hear it at all until you get up to moderate throttle, the more throttle, the louder it gets. You ONLY hear it when you let off the throttle though and it's quick. It's not a high pitched sound if you're using the stock BOV, it's more "airy" sounding and less "whistly" if that makes sense.

 

[mike27t]

Can someone with the K&N describe the sound that this produces/changes? I heard some people say its "loud" but what exactly does that mean. Is it the "woosh" sound or the bov type sound thats amplified? Or does it add to the deep growl of the engine? Its hard to hear any of these things on youtube videos.

It was loud whoosh (air flow) under acceleration and bov. No rumble. You can hear the BMS airflow under WOT and the bov is very subtle

 

[Bjjpurple]

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I don’t wanna go crazy modding my stinger. When I got it I knew I wanted 100hp more then stock but I also wanted it to still be able to drive just as good as stock and quiet if I want. I ended up doing jb4 with fuel wires jun mids and evc and k&n panel filters and I could not be more happy with the setup. I tinted the windows and power coated the wheels black and I think I’m going to stop there. I was going to lower it too but after painting the wheels the ride hight looks fine to me now.

my plans are similar to yours except i’ll Use the minimal lowering springs for a .75 drop, and add some 15-20 mm spacers.

 

[terrelltechsup]

Basically replicated BMS's idea and kept the lower part of the box. 2 x 90 degree 3 inch elbows and 2 x Spectre or AEM cone filters and called it a project. No need for a bracket. Took 20 minutes.

 

[Sabz]

Basically replicated BMS's idea and kept the lower part of the box. 2 x 90 degree 3 inch elbows and 2 x Spectre or AEM cone filters and called it a project. No need for a bracket. Took 20 minutes.

I have same set up but didn’t think the lower intake box would fit with those big cones.... now I need to mess around a bit !

 

[terrelltechsup]

I have same set up but didn’t think the lower intake box would fit with those big cones.... now I need to mess around a bit !

It just barely fits. If you get any bigger it wont. Also a hint for those who are having a hard time removing the clips from the lower box: Fold them as far as you can to the closed position and push down. They pop right off.

 

[Sabz]

It just barely fits. If you get any bigger it wont. Also a hint for those who are having a hard time removing the clips from the lower box: Fold them as far as you can to the closed position and push down. They pop right off.

Are those the larger specter cones?

 

[terrelltechsup]

Are those the larger specter cones?

They were the 6.5 inch tall ones, but I ended up returning them for the K&N because I just didn't trust the metal cap that is on the inside of the cone. In rare cases that cap has been known to detach in FI situations and get sucked into the turbo. Not willing to take the chance to save a couple dollars.

 

[Sabz]

They were the 6.5 inch tall ones, but I ended up returning them for the K&N because I just didn't trust the metal cap that is on the inside of the cone. In rare cases that cap has been known to detach in FI situations and get sucked into the turbo. Not willing to take the chance to save a couple dollars.

Didn’t know that... you still have the plastic elbows?

 

[terrelltechsup]

The elbows are the 90 degree Spectre.