[babyjordan]

I want to install a CAI but what brand is better and why? At am.com the K&N is 300 and the BBK is 200 but price really doesnt matter its only 100 difference on something you will have forever. Help please.

[Vlad]

In my opinion, neither. Save your money and get a CAI with a tuner combo from tillman. Way more bang for the buck, way more versatile, and safer if you ask me.

[babyjordan]

Originally Posted by Vlad

In my opinion, neither. Save your money and get a CAI with a tuner combo from tillman. Way more bang for the buck, way more versatile, and safer if you ask me.

I know I just do not want a tuner quite yet I just bought the car and I dont know enough about them. I just want to know wich is a better quality CAI what brand? Why isnt a CAI safe it says at am.com they require no tune and are built for my vehicle 05-09 v6?

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by babyjordan

I know I just do not want a tuner quite yet I just bought the car and I dont know enough about them. I just want to know wich is a better quality CAI what brand? Why isnt a CAI safe it says at am.com they require no tune and are built for my vehicle 05-09 v6?

I am not saying they are 100% not safe but I have seen a few threads where people had issues with them; and none where people have issues with a tune required CAI, that I can remember

I'll try to explain as I understand it and please correct me if I am wrong.
The MAF sensor is there to ensure that a proper air to fuel ratio is maintained. It is designed to account for mass flow rate differences due to temperatures and altitude. So it has a small window of flexibility. The CAI is designed to allow more air to flow into the engine. A tunable CAI can allow a significant air flow increase. And with the computer properly tuned it knows what is the norm and knows how much air is flowing into the engine. The MAF will again work as designed and tell the computer if there are slight differences due to altitue or temperature. Now in an no tune required CAI, it is relying on the low altitue low temperature sittuation to provide the car with extra power. So the MAF will read that the density of the air is higher and the computer will compensate for the extra air flow. In this sittuation you are always running as if it is cold and you are at sea level, a place where the stock tune can still handle the extra air.

So yes it is safe to run it, but because you are on the edge, I consider it to be a little to small of a safety factor.

Also I would not expect to see a lot more of a performance increase than running your car in the winter.



As for which CAI, I have seen a few bbk here and K&N is a respectable company so I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

But my advice still stands that in the long run, you will save more money and get more out of getting a proper CAI/tuner combo. (They are really easy to use)

[babyjordan]

Originally Posted by Vlad

I am not saying they are 100% not safe but I have seen a few threads where people had issues with them; and none where people have issues with a tune required CAI, that I can remember

I'll try to explain as I understand it and please correct me if I am wrong.
The MAF sensor is there to ensure that a proper air to fuel ratio is maintained. It is designed to account for mass flow rate differences due to temperatures and altitude. So it has a small window of flexibility. The CAI is designed to allow more air to flow into the engine. A tunable CAI can allow a significant air flow increase. And with the computer properly tuned it knows what is the norm and knows how much air is flowing into the engine. The MAF will again work as designed and tell the computer if there are slight differences due to altitue or temperature. Now in an no tune required CAI, it is relying on the low altitue low temperature sittuation to provide the car with extra power. So the MAF will read that the density of the air is higher and the computer will compensate for the extra air flow. In this sittuation you are always running as if it is cold and you are at sea level, a place where the stock tune can still handle the extra air.

So yes it is safe to run it, but because you are on the edge, I consider it to be a little to small of a safety factor.

Also I would not expect to see a lot more of a performance increase than running your car in the winter.



As for which CAI, I have seen a few bbk here and K&N is a respectable company so I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

But my advice still stands that in the long run, you will save more money and get more out of getting a proper CAI/tuner combo. (They are really easy to use)

Thanks for the info maybe I will just wait until I get the tune cai combo. If it isnt going to help my vehicle much without a tune it would be smarter to wait. I just dont know much about how the tunes work yet its kind of confusing and I see stories of how it has screwed alot of cars up. I will wait on both until I get more info. Thanks for taking the time to explain it.

[shifter87]

If you are going to get an intake that needs no tune get C&L if not and your going to get a tuner combo later the best bang for your buck intakes are JLT intake, C&L racer. dont waste your money spending over 300 on intakes like steeda.

[feneisjr]

I agree, My JLT CAI/ SF3 tune came last week. I LOVE it. best $500 investment I made on my 05 V6 :-D. 91 Octane performance tune really frees up some ponies and you're going to regret buying a $300 CAI without a proper tune.

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by shifter87

If you are going to get an intake that needs no tune get C&L if not and your going to get a tuner combo later the best bang for your buck intakes are JLT intake, C&L racer. dont waste your money spending over 300 on intakes like steeda.

C&L Doesn't require a tune?! Where did you see that? The filter from C&L is just as big as JLT's.

[amustangrocks]

Originally Posted by Vlad

C&L Doesn't require a tune?! Where did you see that? The filter from C&L is just as big as JLT's.

ya, you need a tune with either of those and yes, that is the only way to go. the jlt has been good for me. with the tune, it packs a punch.

[nsspartan77]

got my predator and bbk in and im just waitin on the 93 octane custom tune to be emailed to me, I"M STOKED, i heard bbk is a pretty beastly intake tho

[Jfish07Stang]

yeah if you're going to get a CAI, and wait till later to get a tuner, you might as well save up a little bit and buy them both at once. I haven't got one yet, but I will when I get the money. You save money buying the combo, and you'll free up alot of ponies

[babyjordan]

Originally Posted by Jfish07Stang

yeah if you're going to get a CAI, and wait till later to get a tuner, you might as well save up a little bit and buy them both at once. I haven't got one yet, but I will when I get the money. You save money buying the combo, and you'll free up alot of ponies

The money has nothing to do with it. Im just not ready for the tuner I have heard so many bad stories of diffrent ways it can screw your car. I feel the K&N CAI is safe for now and I will get the tuner when I learn more about it.

You should ask for your tuner for an xmas gift from your wife/girlfriend would be a sweet gift.

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by babyjordan

The money has nothing to do with it. Im just not ready for the tuner I have heard so many bad stories of diffrent ways it can screw your car. I feel the K&N CAI is safe for now and I will get the tuner when I learn more about it.

You should ask for your tuner for an xmas gift from your wife/girlfriend would be a sweet gift.

There is little to nothing you can do to screw up the car. It is really quite easy. I'd say, buy a CAI when you are ready for a tuner. But its your money and you car.

[babyjordan]

Originally Posted by Vlad

There is little to nothing you can do to screw up the car. It is really quite easy. I'd say, buy a CAI when you are ready for a tuner. But its your money and you car.

If you use the wrong fuel you can have big problems I have heard if you use 87 fuel for 92 tune. If you add more mods you have to get a new tune or you can mess up something right? I just figured it would be best to get all the mods im going to get then get a tune therefore I will never need a new tune and go through the trouble of getting another custom tune.

I was going to get all my mods installed then get the tuner with 3 custom tunes for the same octane. I hae 92 octane around my area thats the highest im pretty sure for around here.

And also they ask for your tire size when you request a custom tune so if I buy new tires I have to tune my car back to stock and wait for 3 new custom tunes just because my tire size changed?

I want to buy a tuner with 3 custom tunes that I will never have to change or never have to request a new tune. It would be easier to buy a tuner from a shop around where I live where they can look at all my mods and make a custom tune for me.

If I get a tuner and all i have is an aftermarket dual exhuast and a CAI and the tunes are made for my mods what if later I get new gears a new throttle body and spacer or anything would my old custom tune screw up my car if I use it with the new mods? Or do I have to tune it back to stock and wait for another custom tune that is made for my new mods?

[Vlad]

Originally Posted by babyjordan

If you use the wrong fuel you can have big problems I have heard if you use 87 fuel for 92 tune. If you add more mods you have to get a new tune or you can mess up something right? I just figured it would be best to get all the mods im going to get then get a tune therefore I will never need a new tune and go through the trouble of getting another custom tune.
Well yes if you drive on the wrong fuel it is bad for the car, but you are not required to use 92 octane fuel. And you cannot simply get all the mods than later get the tuner. You MUST tune your car as mods require.

I was going to get all my mods installed then get the tuner with 3 custom tunes for the same octane. I hae 92 octane around my area thats the highest im pretty sure for around here.

And also they ask for your tire size when you request a custom tune so if I buy new tires I have to tune my car back to stock and wait for 3 new custom tunes just because my tire size changed?
They only ask for your tires size so that if you go higher than stock your speedometer works properly. You cannot simply add a bigger rim and hope everything works out.

I want to buy a tuner with 3 custom tunes that I will never have to change or never have to request a new tune. It would be easier to buy a tuner from a shop around where I live where they can look at all my mods and make a custom tune for me.
Again you cannot simply install tunes and then later at some point get a tune.

If I get a tuner and all i have is an aftermarket dual exhaust and a CAI and the tunes are made for my mods what if later I get new gears a new throttle body and spacer or anything would my old custom tune screw up my car if I use it with the new mods? Or do I have to tune it back to stock and wait for another custom tune that is made for my new mods?
Exhaust does not require a tune. Pretty sure neither does the throttle body because it does little. And the spacer is a waste of money. When you get a new mod that requires a tune you must get the tune before installing the mod. You cannot say get gears and drive around without a proper tune.

Bottom line is, unless you are going to buy all your mods together, you will have to change tunes. That is simply how it works. And tunes are not all that expensive. If you want to save some 200 hundred bucks (if even that much) just because you don't want to get tunes. And you are going to do that by getting mods that require no tune, you are going to get way less gains for your money, and probably end up spending more in the end. Also there is really one option in mods where you can choose a tune or no tune mod and that is the CAI. Every other mod that requires a tune has no "no-tune" alternative. Oh and there are canned tunes in a tuner that allow you to change your mod options without having to go and ordering a new tune. The list is not long and those tunes are not great but your car will run safer.

Also you keep mentioning doing mods, what are your plans exactly?


Finally, it is your car, and your money. Do with it as you please. I am not trying to sell you anything