Cold Air Intakes

[Haze]

hey i just bought a cold air intake for my vs and i was just wondering does this increase or decrease fuel economy?

 

[mattman]

Depends on how you drive it. Generally yes, but if you plant your foot, perhaps not

 

[Haze]

because i was told that you only get better fuel economy with the SS CAI by one person but like i wasnt going to pay 400 for a SS CAI so i just got the standard one from eBay for 65.
but like other people have told me u get better economy from both and others say u get worse fuel economy
very conflicting...

 

[deathsminion]

Look at it this way. It takes air, fuel and spark to bang.

CAI adds air.
ECU controls fuel to a certain degree.

You're basically just using any excess fuel that would normally go out the exhaust, except for under heavy throttle, where it's possible the ECU would allow for the extra air by adding more fuel.

 

[mattman]

Same applies for both SS and GM CAI's..

Drive normally = better economy

Drive with your foot on the floor = watch the fuel guage drop

 

[kopper69]

The idea behind a CAI is that it will bring cooler air into the engine. Cooler air is more tightly packed with oxygen molecules which means more oxygen is getting into the system allowing a smaller amount of fuel to get the same amount of power. The standard air intake is claimed to suck in hot air from the engine, and use more fuel to get the same amount of power. The cold air intake in my opinion isnt much use on a VR/VS because there is not a nice stream of air coming in to make it efficient as it could be. Saying that I still have one installed.

 

[brentons_house]

I have a cold air intake but i only got it recently so I have had time to see how many extra km's I get out of a tank of fuel before it I got 377km per tank.

 

[hako]

The standard air intake on a VS does not suck hot air into the engine! Have a look for yourself - it is beside the radiator and exposed to the same air that cools the radiator and is not heated. The money spent on CAI can buy a lot of petrol in my opinion.

 

[mattman]

There is a difference in the feel of the car, it is smoother and the pickup is better. Even if the standard intake does bring in cool air.. have you seen the size of the intake? Compare that to a CAI... you'll see the difference.

It's one of those things everyone has an opinion on. Having run stock, pod and CAI, I have to say the CAI has felt the best. Maybe it is just in my head, but I don't think so.

 

[Haze]

do all the cold air intakes not fit properly on a vs or is it just some becoz alot of people on this site seem to have trouble with it fitting right under the bonnet