I have been reading a lot on this site about the CAI's for s197 GT's. Most of them require a custom tune, but what I really want to know is just how much hp & torque do you really get from just a CAI? It seems one can expect 20-30 hp from CAI w/tune, but what about just the custom tune? In other words, is the CAI worth the $$$, or is the tune alone the better bang for the buck???

 

Good Point.

Most of the tunes maximize the higher air flow potential of the CAI's. They are probably more of a HAI (high flow air induction). Plus Ford built in some safety factor in the tune and put the delay in WOT that the tune gets rid of.

I am sure BAMA will accomidate you on that.

 

CAI with no tune is only worth about 5-7 rwhp. Add a good tune and you are up to 25-27 rwhp. Noone makes a tune for the stock intake system that I know of. It is all about how everything works together not just one mod verses the other.
Scott

 

My opinion would be to buy both the CAI and a tuner as a kit; something like Brenspeed offers. If you can only buy one, I would buy the tuner first. You can use it with the stock airbox, and you'll get MUCH BETTER throttle response. That alone, in my opinion, is a huge improvement over stock.

Plus, if you have an automatic tranny, a tuner will let you adjust the shift points and firmness levels. Nothin' like chirping the tires when it shifts into 2nd gear!!!

 

Alternative auto in Michigan offers a tune for the stock intake system.
Claims to be worth 20rwhp. they also offer the c&l intake with tune with gains of approx 25-30rwhp.
you can read about it on thier webpage.

www.alternativeauto.com

 

the C&L intake with Predator tuner brought me from 265 RWHP to 300 RWHP. Thats on a out of the box tune. I dont think thats too bad for 650$. that was with 2000 miles on the car. I have 50,000 miles now and am going to dyno again to see how she is holding up.

 

Wow! 35rwhp ??

NOT BAD!! I have the same setup but I have never dynoed it. I DID, however, feel a tremendous SOTP difference. It really awoke the beast, so to speak!

 

The people at SCT told me that the CAI part of a CAI/tune combo is worth about 25% of the gain. So, IMHO, the tune alone with a stock intake would be the best in terms of HP per dollar spent.

 

Thanks for the info and advice. I've considering this for a while. $$$ is not so much the issue as is warranty (as in not voiding it). My dealer's service dept told me that if I go to their recommended speed shop (Paul's High Performance in Jackson, MI) that a CAI w/tune will not void my warranty if they are doing the service. If my car ends up at another dealer - who know's?

Paul said he can flash my computer and it won't leave a trace - unlike using an SCT, etc. So I thought if I go with a tune and no CAI, no one would ever question it if I had a warranty issue. That way I would get better performance, better shifting auto trans - with no worries.

BTW, the dealer's service dept also told me that UDP's WILL void my engine warranty. That issue has been addressed here before.

 

With Doug's tune and 4.10s, my auto trans would bust loose on the 1-2 shift, and bark the 2-3... even with 275/50-17 Nittos.

 

I have to agree with this statement. I did just the Predator power program first because I couldnt afford both the tube and the programmer. and with a 91 octane tune my hp was 289 hp and 310 Tq. So the tube really gave me 11 rwhp and 5 lbft. But the combo feels great and sounds awsome. My car is so much louder with the CAI tube. And SOP is great. It helps a lot in the 5000-6500 range.