Ok so all I hear is good things about CAI's on the internet, but I talked to a guy in person and he said not to get one for my 3.8L v6 Mustang. I need more opinions on this. Is there a costly effect for putting one in, or no?
You won't get the 15-20 hp gains that it claims but you will get a little boost of performance. It is good for your engine because it sends in cool air from underneath your car instead of the hot air thats floating around in your engine bay. You also get a better sound if thats important to you. Its not the best bang for the buck but its a good mod to have.
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2001 vert:
Suspension: Eibach Pro kit, Tokico Blue Shocks and Struts, MM CC Plates, LCA, rear sway bar
Performance: Mass Air System, True Dual exhaust, intake spacer, built jmodded tranny
Mods currently either sitting at home being shipped: Fully ported and polished Heads and intake, 218/224 cam, 4.10 gears with detroit locker, HID kit and Zex kit
well im worried that the cylinder walls can't take it. I want to overhaul my engine anyways but i dont want the CAI to destroy my engine
the CAI won't destroy the cylinder walls. Excessive heat and stroking a motor too much is what destroys the cylinder walls. If anything you're car will run better and more efficient with a CAI (not too much more efficient but efficient nonetheless). Don't be worried about destroying your cylinder walls with mods that aren't internal or a Power Adder. A S/C, Turbo, or NOS won't destroy the cylinder walls, but will crack the block if it's not made to withstand that much force. NOS will crack the block more often than not because it's sending an extremely cold air molecule into a hot engine, you can see the problem there.
Again, a CAI will do nothing but help your car. Just make sure that their are no vacuum leaks (which may lean the car out and destroy the spark plugs over a period of time). And if you get a CAI and exhaust make sure you get it tuned because if you're running too rich you're going to hurt the catalytic converters, which, depending on where you live may be bad. I say get the CAI!
And how long would the cold air intake last? Just making sure I'm gonna have to keep buying a brand new one
And what is a fender well?
It should last you a good looooong time...you won't have to keep buying one for it...
A fender well is a hole in the fender..its where the intake sucks the cold air from under the car.
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2001 vert:
Suspension: Eibach Pro kit, Tokico Blue Shocks and Struts, MM CC Plates, LCA, rear sway bar
Performance: Mass Air System, True Dual exhaust, intake spacer, built jmodded tranny
Mods currently either sitting at home being shipped: Fully ported and polished Heads and intake, 218/224 cam, 4.10 gears with detroit locker, HID kit and Zex kit
And if you get a CAI and exhaust make sure you get it tuned because if you're running too rich you're going to hurt the catalytic converters, which, depending on where you live may be bad. I say get the CAI!
I didnt know you were supposed to get a tune after those mods..I am getting gears and tlok soon, plus Im gonna be buying a chip so I don't think I am going to bother with the tune as of yet.
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2001 vert:
Suspension: Eibach Pro kit, Tokico Blue Shocks and Struts, MM CC Plates, LCA, rear sway bar
Performance: Mass Air System, True Dual exhaust, intake spacer, built jmodded tranny
Mods currently either sitting at home being shipped: Fully ported and polished Heads and intake, 218/224 cam, 4.10 gears with detroit locker, HID kit and Zex kit
All I did for my sixer was take out the air silencer and put in a K&N air filter....not worth spending $200 on a CAI when you can spend $50 on a filter and call it good. I'm not gonna keep the sixer forever.
Ya I want mine forever, it's a first car and I want it to be an accomplished project in 10 or so years. Then again I'll probably end up swapping the engine, but I want to keep the car for as long as possible lol
I've also heard not to throw an aftermarket CAI on. I know a dude with a Bulliet Mustang with sum minor mods(full exhaust, gears, lower **** like that) but he was telling me that when it would rain the thing would suck in alot of water and his car would run like **** until he changed that oil. I've read sum1 else sayin the samething on a different ford forum. Anyone else hear this? I'm also wanting to put one on but need this car for another 5yrs atleast. Thanks
I've also heard not to throw an aftermarket CAI on. I know a dude with a Bulliet Mustang with sum minor mods(full exhaust, gears, lower **** like that) but he was telling me that when it would rain the thing would suck in alot of water and his car would run like **** until he changed that oil. I've read sum1 else sayin the samething on a different ford forum. Anyone else hear this? I'm also wanting to put one on but need this car for another 5yrs atleast. Thanks
Internet myths....
A CAI will last for ever if you by from the right company (usually all you have to do is get an air hose and blow the dirt out of the filter.
As for the rain thing, another internet myth. Rain will NOT hurt your car. The only difference from the stock air filter and a CAI is that the air filter has is very restricted because of its massive size and lack of air flow. The CAI is small compact and does the same job the stock air filter does but better because of its size, filter quality, etc.
The only time that I will say your car will have trouble with a CAI in the rain is if you're trying to go across a river full of water lol
A Cold Air Induction is the best step to go to in modding your car, because it's one of the easiest.
AOW, when you have a CAI and exhaust your car tends to either run too lean or too rich, sometimes you don't need it because some cars adjust better than others. But I needed a tune because my car was running severely rich before I got the tuner.
However... not all these "myths" are myths. I used to be a Ford technician and I can't tell you how many times we've had vehicles in with contaminated MAF sensors. Either from over oiled filters (new and re-oiled), or from the fact that the intake is higher flow and it DOES let in mroe air, and there is a higher chance of unfiltered air entering the intake. One other minor thing that can/does happen is turbulance from CAI with bends before the MAF sensor that can throw lean/rich codes. Even PMAS (Pro-M) will ask you if you have a bend 12 inches in front of your intake when you buy one of their meters.
I'm not trying to say they are bad, as I have them on both my cars, but be aware if you get one, these things are possible.
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Jesse Berger 90 LX, Previous 4 cyl. (Decommissioned, 351W on the way)
H/C/I+Bolt Ons
Best ET: 12.54@106 mph 2001 V6 5 Speed Daily Driver Windstar Intake, Dual Exhuast, CAI, Headers
Best ET: 15.6@88 mph (stock trim)
I was going to ask that actually about the rain, people were saying if you ran over a puddle it would suck up a bunch of water.... I think they said for fender well units. But glad to know it's just a myth
The only logical explanation for water getting sucked into the intake would be if they removed the inner fenderwell cover. I know people who do this for racing purposes......
CAI for my Mustang? 
