eBay cold air intakes worth it?

[xinthenight]

Well, I was going to go out and spend $200 for a k&n cold air intake, but was thinking about the eBay ones last night. Can they really be that bad compared to the k&n? How hard can they be to make besides for the filter which then I could just buy paper ones?

So it's $200 for the k&n cold air intake, or about $75 shipped for a few different models on the internet. Some even come with the K&N filters.

Which should I do? If the K&N is actually a lot better than sure I'd get it, but I don't see how it really can be that much better.

[ichliebecamaro]

correct me if im wrong but i dont think that there is a difference really other than the looks and you can buy kn filters by them selves at like auto zone my firend made a pvc cai with a kn filter it works fine

[xinthenight]

correct me if im wrong but i dont think that there is a difference really other than the looks and you can buy kn filters by them selves at like auto zone my firend made a pvc cai with a kn filter it works fine

Well, I don't really have a way to make my own pipes and want stainless steal. I thought the same thing about the only real difference would be the filter which is why I was asking to be sure. I figured buying a chrome stainless steal pipe that came with a k&n filter for $85 shipped would do just as good as a $200 K&N brand model. That extra $115 could pay for an underdrive pulley.

[BlackLT1Z28]

With K&N, you're also paying for the name. But I think most of e-bay's no-name parts are kind of sketchy. I wouldn't put those on my car. But overall, most CAI's for these motors are designed very similar, so the concept of the CAI is still the same. Just depends if you want to take the chance of e-bay stuff or pay a little more for the trusted name brand.

[BlackLT1Z28]

Well, I don't really have a way to make my own pipes and want stainless steal. I thought the same thing about the only real difference would be the filter which is why I was asking to be sure. I figured buying a chrome stainless steal pipe that came with a k&n filter for $85 shipped would do just as good as a $200 K&N brand model. That extra $115 could pay for an underdrive pulley.

Steel will heat-soak a lot more than plastic. So, you'd be sucking in cooler air, just to heat it up again in route to the motor. I don't think you'd see any gains with that type of setup. K&N's tubing is plastic with a larger diameter to flow more air.

[xinthenight]

With K&N, you're also paying for the name. But I think most of e-bay's no-name parts are kind of sketchy. I wouldn't put those on my car. But overall, most CAI's for these motors are designed very similar, so the concept of the CAI is still the same. Just depends if you want to take the chance of e-bay stuff or pay a little more for the trusted name brand.

Well, an old friend of mine bought one from e-bay for his girlfriends shitty old civic and he said it sounded good and helped some performance wise. Just a hard decision to make considering I can get a name brand underdrive pulley and a CAI from e-bay for the same price as a K&N CAI.

Check these out and see if they look legit and which may seem more legit.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1993-...spagenameZWD1V

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/K-N-C...spagenameZWD1V

Steel will heat-soak a lot more than plastic. So, you'd be sucking in cooler air, just to heat it up again in route to the motor. I don't think you'd see any gains with that type of setup. K&N's tubing is plastic with a larger diameter to flow more air.

Then maybe put some wrapping on it to keep it cool? Or would that not do to much?

[BlackLT1Z28]

Dude, its your car and your call. If you want to try it, go for it. Save yourself some dough and tell us what you think. In theory, its the same design as all the other ones out there and if you want some shiny chrome under the hood, then go for it. But K&N, SLP, and Moroso have all been used and trusted time and time again. I buy cheap clothes, not cheap car parts.

[xinthenight]

Dude, its your car and your call. If you want to try it, go for it. Save yourself some dough and tell us what you think. In theory, its the same design as all the other ones out there and if you want some shiny chrome under the hood, then go for it. But K&N, SLP, and Moroso have all been used and trusted time and time again. I buy cheap clothes, not cheap car parts.

Well, that's the thing...I didn't even think about the steal heating up and bring warmer air into the engine which wouldn't do that well on gains. So that sort of threw my whole plans down the drain and I think I'm going back to a k&n since they are plastic. I'm not a cheapo on my car, I just figured I was getting more bang for my buck but I don't think so now. I mean...I made my WHOLE sub enclosure out of fiberglass where most people try to save at least $50 and make the bottom part out of wood.

[kyemt]

well k&n has alot of research and development into it and they are bolt in, and thats it, but like said in earlier post its your car so do what u want.

[ls1charged]

ive bought a couple different CAI's off ebay, one for the DD and one for the camaro i use to have, they worked great, noticeable improvements(gas,throttle response) and they were very good quality.

[nhraformula]

Well, an old friend of mine bought one from e-bay for his girlfriends shitty old civic and he said it sounded good and helped some performance wise. Just a hard decision to make considering I can get a name brand underdrive pulley and a CAI from e-bay for the same price as a K&N CAI.

Check these out and see if they look legit and which may seem more legit.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1993-...spagenameZWD1V

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/K-N-C...spagenameZWD1V



Then maybe put some wrapping on it to keep it cool? Or would that not do to much?

those are for a lt1 car

[xinthenight]

those are for a lt1 car

I thought you were suppose to get one that fit your car? I have a lt1 car...so...I'll get one that fits a lt1...lol.

Either way...I'm thinking I'll go back to the K&N. Any fitting problems? I've seen some people on the web say they had problems to get it to actually fit in the car.

[ls1charged]

i think this is the one i bought and it worked great! great fitment, great results. just make sure u give them the year cause obviously the 93's are different.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996-...spagenameZWDVW

[ls1charged]

i think this is the one i bought, great fitment, great results, just make sure that u give them the year cause obviously the 93's are different(no maf).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996-...spagenameZWDVW

[xinthenight]

But wouldn't the steel get heated up from all of the heat under the hood and then warm up the air as it's going into the engine to lose gains?

[ls1charged]

its aluminum, and the cone on the one i bought and posted above whent down farther then most CAI's and whent down to the bottom of the car and was able to get alot cooler air, it definatly made a huge difference.

[xinthenight]

its aluminum, and the cone on the one i bought and posted above whent down farther then most CAI's and whent down to the bottom of the car and was able to get alot cooler air, it definatly made a huge difference.

I'll have to look at it more...sorry but I get this weird feeling that you're one of the people that go to the forums to advertise your products. I've seen TONS of people do that with those shitty tornodo products.

[N20LT4]

With me it's always been "A Cold Air is a Cold Air". People put soooo much on the kits, and they pretty much will all make the same hp. Period. There is only so much to them. On one of my previous Z's ('94), I had a K&N FIPK kit. After two bent/damaged filters (damn curbs), I swapped to a Track Racing kit I bought off E-Bay. Costs $71 total. Made just as much power as the K&N. On my current car I fabbed my own 4": same story. With those expensive kits, your paying for the name and finish, not any xtra horsepower.

[BlackLT1Z28]

its aluminum, and the cone on the one i bought and posted above whent down farther then most CAI's and whent down to the bottom of the car and was able to get alot cooler air, it definatly made a huge difference.

You have to be careful about the filter hanging down too far. If its a daily driver, even through the elements, then you have to watch it sucking up water from puddles and shit.

[ls1charged]

I'll have to look at it more...sorry but I get this weird feeling that you're one of the people that go to the forums to advertise your products. I've seen TONS of people do that with those shitty tornodo products.

gee thanks! i appreciate it.

You have to be careful about the filter hanging down too far. If its a daily driver, even through the elements, then you have to watch it sucking up water from puddles and shit.

it was kinda of inclosed so it was pretty safe that it wasnt gonna suck up any water.