[a4racer]

...a CAI or WAI and a "popcharger"? What are the benefits and drawbacks of each?

 

[bigbird]

Please do a search in the GENERAL forum , there are TONS and TONS of discussion about this.

 

[flarearrow]

A CAI (cold air intake) has a cone filter sitting outside of the engine bay so it can draw in outside air.

A WAI (warm air intake) is simple a cone filter that takes the place of the stock air filter box and draws air from within the engine bay.

A popcharger from Jim Wolf or K&N is just a fancy WAI that uses a velocity stack, or funnel, so there's less turbulance when the air is being drawn it.

 

[a4racer]

Which is better then? The CAI? I read that cold air is denser with oxygen, but I'd imagine then, that the CAI would be a much tougher install...all the pics I've seen on this board, with the intake in the same place as the airbox, would just be WAIs or pop-chargers, right?

Thanks very much!

 

[2002Altima]

with the intake in the same place as the airbox, would just be WAIs or pop-chargers, right?

Right! Unless you are the first to get creative with a dremmel and your engine bay fender well!

 

[ThurzNite]

[BA popcharger from Jim Wolf or K&N is just a fancy WAI that uses a velocity stack, or funnel, so there's less turbulance when the air is being drawn it. [/B]

just to add more info: pop chargers are availble only from JWT or Stillen, not from K&N. JWT and Stillen use K&N filters. You cannot contact k&n and ask for a pop charger. They'll refer you to stillen or JWT.

I've got a CAI in my Altima. However, I recently noticed that it's in a vacuum when you're WOT, which's useless. The lil compartment in front of the wheel well is cold, but doesn't allow air to flow freely into that area. I'm looking for a fix to that right now, perhaps a tubing of sort from the fog light area.
Jay

 

[a4racer]

Thanks Jay---newbie question here, what's WOT?

I'm thinking of going with a POP-charger then...since it sounds like a super-WAI. Is it as easy as taking off the air box and then installing the 'charger onto the air tube? Do you just leave the two open holes that used to connect to the airbox open like that? When I changed my lightbulbs, I removed the airbox and was paranoid about dropping something into the hole below--until I realized it would probably just drop right out the bottom of the car!

I'll look at the JWT one...thanks!

 

[Afty]

Thanks Jay---newbie question here, what's WOT?

wide open throttle

 

[ABC]

WAI's add more on the top end. CAI's add more to the low end of the power band. This has been proven by a dyno. It's somewhere in the general forum, do a search over there.