Some thoughts on CAI...
Keep telling yourself that. Like I provided in the link in my previous post:
They say its torque that wins races. Torque is what you feel in the seat of your pants. And how many of you actually hang out at 6-7k rpm for peak HP??
>Its the mid-range torque that you feel in most off-track driving situations.
Like Doug said, in the mid range there were 30# rwtq gains with a CAI over the stock 4.6L tune with a stock airbox. And his 05/06 GT's for the test didn't have the new custom hood liner the 08/09 Bullitt has that seals the FRPP CAI from the engine compartment.
>Look at that gap over stock in the midrange!
And for those of you that don't know Doug, I have never read anyone dis his tunes. For you newbies, Doug built his "Bama" tune business and sold it to AM (pre 5.0). AM's tune business took off after that.
Doug at C&L is an authorized vendor on TMS and is offering tunes again.
The max number gains are only 11rwhp and 20 rwtq - but the gains in the
midrange are well over 15 rwhp and nearly 30 rwtq at different points on
the graph using the Bullitt intake over the stock one.
midrange are well over 15 rwhp and nearly 30 rwtq at different points on
the graph using the Bullitt intake over the stock one.
>Its the mid-range torque that you feel in most off-track driving situations.
Like Doug said, in the mid range there were 30# rwtq gains with a CAI over the stock 4.6L tune with a stock airbox. And his 05/06 GT's for the test didn't have the new custom hood liner the 08/09 Bullitt has that seals the FRPP CAI from the engine compartment.
>Look at that gap over stock in the midrange!
And for those of you that don't know Doug, I have never read anyone dis his tunes. For you newbies, Doug built his "Bama" tune business and sold it to AM (pre 5.0). AM's tune business took off after that.
Doug at C&L is an authorized vendor on TMS and is offering tunes again.
Last edited by cdynaco; Jul 4, 2013 at 01:24 PM.
Got the Roush CAI . Installed and it is really nice. No drone at a cruise and sounds awesome accelerating!
https://themustangsource.com/f801/pi...sh-cai-523213/
https://themustangsource.com/f801/pi...sh-cai-523213/
Got the Roush CAI . Installed and it is really nice. No drone at a cruise and sounds awesome accelerating!
https://themustangsource.com/f801/pi...sh-cai-523213/
https://themustangsource.com/f801/pi...sh-cai-523213/
Can you feel any noticeable throttle response? Are you tuned?
You could really say this about any performance part, there is always a trade-off between ultimate performance and reliability. They have to tune the car so that it can run on some crap fuel, or if you're in a crazy altitude, or whatever other variables may happen. So they leave some performance and MPG on the table to make sure that the internet isn't flooded with posts about how someone's Mustang won't run when they stop at a Kangaroo gas station.
You could really say this about any performance part, there is always a trade-off between ultimate performance and reliability. They have to tune the car so that it can run on some crap fuel, or if you're in a crazy altitude, or whatever other variables may happen. So they leave some performance and MPG on the table to make sure that the internet isn't flooded with posts about how someone's Mustang won't run when they stop at a Kangaroo gas station.
Last edited by driverm11; Oct 7, 2013 at 07:57 PM.
Well I'm only saying it about a CAI. No one will argue with you on platitudes about performance and reliability, but don't you notice 99% of people insisting on performance gains from a CAI also just happen to mention they got a tune? If they could have raised mpg by 5 for under a couple hundred bucks max, they would have done it.
I agree that on a 11-14 V6 Mustang, any intake gains seem like BS. Steeda doesn't even claim independent hp/tq numbers for their intake, it says 20-30 with the intake and a tune. Which seems like about what other tunes make without an intake, am I missing something?
Oh yeah the 5mpg boast is BS. I was talking about tunes.
I agree that on a 11-14 V6 Mustang, any intake gains seem like BS. Steeda doesn't even claim independent hp/tq numbers for their intake, it says 20-30 with the intake and a tune. Which seems like about what other tunes make without an intake, am I missing something?
Agreed...not worth it for just sound. I had an injen cai for about a year... I kept feeling like my car just didnt have enough get up in the low end. Ive also been running Bamas 91 Hybrid tune as well. Still felt a little sluggish. So I took my stock airbox and threw that back on. BIG difference! I may not have as much guts in the top end (4500+ rpm) but tue car is way more responsive. Now I have a KN drop in and its even better... sadly the CAI for the V6 just dont do much. If you want sound open up the exhaust (custom exhaust) . Drop the cats or get some bigger piping (cats back). Itll give you more gain in power and sound for a lot less.
Agreed...not worth it for just sound. I had an injen cai for about a year... I kept feeling like my car just didnt have enough get up in the low end. Ive also been running Bamas 91 Hybrid tune as well. Still felt a little sluggish. So I took my stock airbox and threw that back on. BIG difference! I may not have as much guts in the top end (4500+ rpm) but tue car is way more responsive. Now I have a KN drop in and its even better... sadly the CAI for the V6 just dont do much. If you want sound open up the exhaust (custom exhaust) . Drop the cats or get some bigger piping (cats back). Itll give you more gain in power and sound for a lot less.
I finished my exhaust build recently and it was not a lot less. Plus dropping the cats on a 6 sounds like doodoo butter. Bigger piping has been discussed in another thread and will cause a loss of power unless you are FI.
A proper tune and a CAI will give you noticeable gains. There is no debate about it. Just the filter alone, will give you some sound.
For me it was worth it. The sound is amazing. It was a very noticeable upgrade. Increased 1mpg
I finished my exhaust build recently and it was not a lot less. Plus dropping the cats on a 6 sounds like doodoo butter. Bigger piping has been discussed in another thread and will cause a loss of power unless you are FI.
A proper tune and a CAI will give you noticeable gains. There is no debate about it. Just the filter alone, will give you some sound.
Maybe im just lucky. Got a guy who quoted me $125 to weld in the GTs H pipe with some new 2.5 OA pipes put in as well. Id never drop my cats on this car, your right way too loud and its not a good sound. I'm guessing thats why they say its a personal preference when getting CAI. I do miss the lower grumbble I would hear under the hood but the car just feels smoother with just the tune right now...maybe once I open up the echaust a little I drop the CAI back in and see. I just have stock pipies with magnaflow street axel backs
I went with the BBK shorty headers, xpipe and stock piping and botice a huge increase in power after complete. I am tempted to try the 2.5 diameter , maybe it was the Hpipe that caused the loss for him.
I also did notice more rumble after each upgrade, you are right that it will be a smoother ride with a stock induction.
But I have that race car sound now, the Airaid increased this sound. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
That's a good price for labor. There was someone who ran the GT Hpipe , 2.5" piping, and gt500 mufflers and resulted in loss of power. Thats what i based my previous post from. In the end he stated he wished he only added the mufflers.
I went with the BBK shorty headers, xpipe and stock piping and botice a huge increase in power after complete. I am tempted to try the 2.5 diameter , maybe it was the Hpipe that caused the loss for him.
I also did notice more rumble after each upgrade, you are right that it will be a smoother ride with a stock induction.
But I have that race car sound now, the Airaid increased this sound. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
I dont get why everyone uses GT500 mufflers...on stock piping ya ok it beefs uo the sound a bit but it does NOTHING for performance. Maybe on a FI setup. Im sticking with. My Magnaflow street axel bacjs and juat upping the pipin g from the cats back the GT H is 2.5 inside with the smallest point being 2.25 while ( now i havnt done any measurments this is just what ive heard) the stock mid pipe shrinks down to 2.0 at it smallest point. Anything bigger than 2.5 wouldnt help. I may just stick with the H pipe have that installed and see what happens there.
I dont get why everyone uses GT500 mufflers...on stock piping ya ok it beefs uo the sound a bit but it does NOTHING for performance. Maybe on a FI setup. Im sticking with. My Magnaflow street axel bacjs and juat upping the pipin g from the cats back the GT H is 2.5 inside with the smallest point being 2.25 while ( now i havnt done any measurments this is just what ive heard) the stock mid pipe shrinks down to 2.0 at it smallest point. Anything bigger than 2.5 wouldnt help. I may just stick with the H pipe have that installed and see what happens there.
Last edited by steven46746; Oct 19, 2013 at 03:26 PM.
Because the GT 500s' sound/price is much better than the alternative which is a $800 catback or $400 for mufflers. 4 inche tips and amazing sound when combined with a resonator delete, Why would you pay more? The countless people running the setup is just more proof of their worth.
The GT500 mufflers sound amazing on my 3.7L combined with my bbk shorty headers and frpp xpipe. I kept my resonators and wouldn't trade the sound for anything. The mufflers were the last stage on my exhaust setup and it gave me the most noticeable gains. They do increase flow and performance in my setup.
The Hpipe will give you a deeper sound slightly, but that's where you will lose your performance. There is more power produced by an xpipe for the 3.7L
The Hpipe will give you a deeper sound slightly, but that's where you will lose your performance. There is more power produced by an xpipe for the 3.7L
Last edited by CVH; Oct 19, 2013 at 08:53 PM.



