short ram intake vs. cold air intake

[IMPREZZING]

what are the pros of a short ram intake if any?i installed a spt (subaru performance tuning) short ram intake with a heatsheild and they claim more power and torque over stock'but some guys i know tested one (without heatsheild) and they found significant heatsoak on the intercooler,but it seems to go away when the car begins to move.i guess it's a good thing i got the i/c sprayer.

[Hoddie]

Ram air will help force the air in, whereas the CAI will just draw colder air from outside the engine bay.

I would say a ram air will be more functional, as you mentioned when you start moving, the IAT will go down. I run a ram air box that feeds my CAI, and the result is at higher speeds, my IAT stays much cooler. With CAI alone, it made little or no difference to IAT, and power gains were minimal. Since the Ram Air and CAI combination, the IAT is lower, and I have less KR than before.

[Alpha_2nr]

Actually, respected tuners such as COBB, recommend the stock RAM air intake over most aftermarket ones out there. Remember that the stock intake for the WRX/STi already pulls cold air from the outside.

The problem with most aftermarket CAIs, and SRI's, is:

1) When installed, the MAF sensor is in a different orientation from stock

2) Different piping bends prior to the MAF result in a different "air flow" pattern (be it turbulence etc.) over the MAF, as opposed to stock.

Either of these can result in the MAF getting an erroneous reading, can can result in a lean out condition.

Your best bet IMHO would be to stick with the stock Ram Air intake. If you want to get more power out of it, look at removing the "resonator" on the stock intake, resulting in a free-er flow, and louder turbo spool. Also, be sure to use a drop in free-flow air filter, from either Perrin or K&N. Stay away from the HKS or Blitz Panel filters as the foam in these tends to disintegrate w/ time.



Here's a link:

http://www.fastwrx.com/insnre.html