UltimateWarrior

Yea, I know.. a few tried to warn me but after I added my short Ram air intake my car struggles big time. Honda's don't like certain mods. It sounds cool but it does nothing for performace, actually it makes it a lot worse in my opinion. When the air is on it's even worse! Oh well, live and learn... After taking my stock intake out the engine void that it leaves is amaging. It looks like half my engine is missing. I do enjoy the sound, makes me feel like I am gaining something but I can already tell the engine doesn't like this. I punched it and got up to about 60mph and it even backfired! What the?? I know I installed it right, there isn't much to those short Rams to be honest. I just think the technology of the stock intake is more advanced than I though. Either that, or the Honda engines are designed around the stock intake, or vise-versa. It seems like anything you try to mod on these engines the worse they are. Bummer. I'll stick to audio and just making my car look good from now on.

Anyone thinking of adding a short Ram intake, don't waste your money.. seriously. They are all the same too. Just because you pay more for a "brand name" intake doesn't make it any better. Our cars don't like em'. All they are is a pipe and a filter. Nothing too technical there!

HondaSales

iTrader: (5)

you're not going to get any HP gains with an intake on our cars but you should NOT be losing power either. i have the k&n fipk and did not notice any power loss at all. i agree it is a waste of money but i like the sound and look.

xxnoshelterxx

i have an aem v2 intake, and i would disagree with you guys. while the gains aren't amazing, i do notice slightly more pick up at the higher rpms and speeds. the throttle response is better too as the aftermarket intakes are less restrictive than the stock air box with all that baffling. so whatever

redvtec04

me too. somethin wrong with your ride dude.

UltimateWarrior

Do you all have Short Ram? Or, Cold Air Intake? Hmmm....

Jeff

iTrader: (4)

SOmthing is wrong with you car. Did you reset the ecm when swapping from old to new intake? DId you let the car idle for a while after installing the intake before going out and punching it? I have a injen short and a aem cold and there is a difference for my civic. Idles alot better with the intake than the stock air box.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

You guys are funny. What makes you think the stock airbox is restrictive? Is it the way it looks or just that stock is automatically bad. Well if you actually look at the stock intake, you'll see that the piping is about the same size as the TB opening. If it was so restrictive, I think you would be gaining more than 1hp from an aftermarket model.

Okay, how in the world does a car idle better with an intake? That has no bearing on anything. Idle is controled by the ecu and throttle position sensor, but more directly the throttle valve. I'm still baffled how you can feel a 1-5hp difference.

HondaSales

iTrader: (5)

exactly, nice to see some knowledge in here. i must say that the aftermarket FILTERS ARE less restrictive though.

JSlick

iTrader: (1)

I had a K&N FIPK-II in my 2002 DX m/t. Just this last week I re-installed the stock air box.

Believe me, there is a mighty difference. Especially when you drive m/t and you're anticipating that initial pull when the clutch catches in first gear. The K&N Short Ram immediately gives you all the air you need to get the car going as soon as you want it too.

As for the stock intake, it's like the difference between a lion and a sheep. I can't even launch my car at a stop light to keep up with most of the other traffic. If I want to, I've gotta rev my car like I'm at the N1 Endurance and everyone is a potential competitor.

From my observations, the difference comes from the air filter and tubing/bends. First, the tubing for the short ram is straight, smooth, and much shorter. The factory intake box has a few bends to tackle before finally making it to the filter. Second, the stock paper filter is very restrictive(to keep all foreign particles out of the engine) as compared to a decent aftermarket filter(Which undoubtedly lets in minute dust).

To wrap it up, the difference is that you reach the desirable torque and/or power zone of the RPM scale a hell-of-a-lot sooner and with less pedal effort (i.e. driving with a heavy foot). Also known as Better Response. As for power, that's what engine build-ups, turbos, supercharges, NOs, and likes are for.

NaSh123

From the past, this is my info about intakes...Short ram gives you low end and takes away top end...and cold air takes away low end and gives you top end....I want to get the AEM V2 or FIPK II just to see how these short rams DONT take away low end and STILL give you top end...thats a good design if it actually can live up to that...nextly when everyone talks about 1hp 2hp, I HIGHLY doubt anyone is buying an intake for power...I think as long as they don't lose power anywhere, the sound is what they are looking for...

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

Wow, that 5 hp must really be helping out. Unfortunately, the only thing you got right is the stock paper filter being more restrictive. Why? Well a more restrictive filter stops more silicates and other harmful micro debris from entering the engine chamber.

Now the length of the intake tract also has nothing to do with power. Air velocity decreases through a larger diameter short ram intake pipe. Without enough backpressure, the car will bog down as a result of oxygen starvation.

I've had intakes by AEM and K&N, both of which were a total disappointment. When I swapped back to stock, I gained back all the low-end torque and pickup. If the K&N dyno is accurate and you're really getting 5hp above 4k rpms, then you're also not gaining (and sometimes losing) low end. But that's an ideal dyno and not real life.

Also in case you guys don't know, the resonator acts as a chamber to oscillate sound waves at a certain frequency. Not only does this provide a better intake charge for the valves, but also creates pressure that speeds up the flow of air. That's why removing it causes massive power losses across the rpm band.

StealthCivic

Yes, indeed, as you know I had the K&n fipk II for 1 week and sold it ...went back to stock with a K&N drop in air filter...I liked the sound and looks , but I was wastin gas cause my car was faster in my mind only!!!
Intakes do very little for real gains

NaSh123

With a K&N drop in or a different drop in...you can actually hear a sound difference?

UltimateWarrior

Yea, I'll keep it on for a while just cause it's a new noise, kinda fun. I'm sure it will get old after a while and my stock will go back on after a good cleaning. I'm just glad I purchased the Ebay special instead of losing a lot of money.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like a dog or anything. I still have decent power but I can notice a decline. It didn't help, that's for sure. Like I said, the only thing it did was create a lower, deeper noise. I'll drive it for a week and see what happens.

BTW: I did let it idle a while before going on the road but I did not reset the ECM.

Hey, I changed my tranny fluid today also. What a breeze! Easier than an oil change. Doh! From now on, every 20K for a tranny change. It does make shifting a lot smoother.

UltimateWarrior

Yea, it's lower, deeper. Kinda cool. Sounds almost like you have a new exhaust but coming from the front area. You hear it more the harder you press on the gas. If you drive easy it doesn't suck as much air in so it's quieter. Punch it, and you'll hear it. Just like everything, that will get old after a while...

NaSh123

so umm is it even CLOSE to what an intake would sound like? and is there anyway you can get maybe like a clip of how it sounds? Is it noticeable if like your driving and you punch it?

UltimateWarrior

I thought about a sound clip but being inside the car I don't know how it would pick up. I am not sure what it sounds like ouside because it's kinda hard to listen when you are inside driving.

Trust me, there is a difference in sound though. You can buy the Ebay special and get some pretty cool sound. I would not pay any more.

NaSh123

are you talking about an intake or the K&N drop in filter? im talking about a filter not an actual intake...like keeping your stock box and just throwing in a drop in filter...

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

The drop-in makes a ricey noise kinda like an intake but quieter. I didn't like the sound at all. Almost like the engine was struggling or something. It's smooth now and quiet with the paper filter.

jmiester96

yea man i got an aem cai and i dont notice a loss of power. get that checked out.

NaSh123

do you kno of any place with a sound clip?

Farage

also, today was extremely hot and humid. ram air intakes experience heat soaking and perform worse. try it on a cool day and im sure it will be better. what brand is it?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

I'm pretty sure he got the ebay intake. They're all the same anyway. At least with your setup, the stock airbox is there for extra air at lower rpms.

EternalBlue_Vic

iTrader: (14)

Ya should have got an Injen RD cold air intake. Noticably more pick up in the high rpms and bad *** sound!

rEkKaShInObI

all this negative feedback about intakes... i dont really know if i should get a cold air intake now...

jttegx

iTrader: (3)

my expierence with short ram intake AEM:
-more responsive
-low was loss
-high end was just a tad better
-sounds nice
worth $115? nope.

im pretty sure cold air intakes are the next level after short ram. but im assuming cold air intakes wouldnt get the same responsive throttle compared to a short ram intake since the piping is longer, making the air flowing into the engine traveling in a longer distance until it gets into the TB. correct me, its just what im assuming...

NaSh123

once again cold air u lose ur low end but u get top end and it sounds nice thats about it...i wouldn't reccomend it...i think its better to spend a little bit more and get the V2 or the FIPK II so you don't LOSE anything if you gain something, you gain it but its mainly for sound...

UltimateWarrior

I misunderstood a post earlier about the drop in air filters. The noise I was talking about was from my short ram intake, NOT the drop in kind, sorry. I don't know how those sound.

Anyway, I've also heard negative things about cold air intakes like how it gets too cold for your engine sometimes and can actually cause bad things to happen. Here in Cincinnati we have some pretty darn cold winters and the last thing I want to do is throw a cold air intake on and ruin my engine. This is why I stuck with a short ram.

BTW, I do have the cheap one you can purchase on Ebay. And no, there is nothing wrong with my engine. Everything ran fine before installation. Like I said, you cannot install these wrong. It's just a pipe and a filter and that sensor. Unless that sensor isn't in far enough or something? Who knows. The rubber part they provided doesn't fit real well into the hole so just the tip of the sensor is in there. I can't imagine that being the problem but you never know. I'll play around with it a little more when I have time. I have other honey-do list items I need to take care of today!

Mystic3030

That sensor could definitely be the problem with the backfiring....

UltimateWarrior

Yea, it only did it once though. I think I need to push the sensor in a little more and see what happens. That dang rubber piece suks, it's way to big for the hole! (that's what she said)

Well, off to do my "other" items for today. If I find something out I'll let ya guys know.