Review BONE STOCK vs Injen CAI same day dyno fun
02-23-2009, 06:01 PM
#1
BONE STOCK vs Injen CAI same day dyno fun
I've typed it up, but I cannot put the pics together until I get home from work. So I will update this placeholder TONIGHT.
But I think you'll be very interested in the result.
DOMO
========
=UPDATE=
========
I know this has already been determined as a fail by many but I don't know if anybody has done a fair, same day, back-to-back, bone stock comparison (as Injen claims) to the Injen CAI and Injen CAI only.
Strapped for bone stock dyno runs
Stock intake
Removed washer fluid bottle
Stock intake resonator 1
Stock intake resonator 2
When Injen came out, I didn't really understand how the design can make the claim of 14+ hp gain. So before the tubes were put on, I looked inside and saw an additional tube inside the intake tubing maybe a few inches long, welded onto the side wall. Kind of like someone took a metal straw of much bigger diameter and stuck it on the inside. It was near the step down section where the MAF goes. I'm guessing the step down section is placed near the MAF to alter the air velocity getting picked up by the sensor and fed back to the control loop, to the ECU, which then decides whether you'll have a grin or frown on your face. After some research, I think the smaller tube on the inside of the step down section, might be Injen's Air Fusion technology that apparently also regulates the air speed to be picked up and fed back to the ECU. Never thought there was this much R&D that goes into designing an intake but good to know.
Anyway, onto the important stuff:
Stock
<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i244.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid244.photobucket.com/albums/gg16/dannyeatworld/Injen%20CAI/InjenCAI032.flv">
Injen CAI
<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i244.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid244.photobucket.com/albums/gg16/dannyeatworld/Injen%20CAI/InjenCAI035.flv">
Bone stock was done 3 times, all 3 times, the curves were very consistent, max power between 271-273hp. Injen CAI dynoed 4 times, consistency throughout all 4 runs. The chart above is the highest bone stock run and highest Injen run.
Did I get the advertised +14 hp?
No.
I got +16.5hp.
No loss down-low, no loss of tq.
One of the runs, I bone stocked at 271, which would make the gain at an unbelievable +19hp. But none of this is important to me. I mean, how often and for how long do you actually spend in that top end? Some charts and people focus on the numbers but those are only taken at the highest peak (max power), which usually occur in the 7k-7.5krpm range. What I care about is that the CAI managed to produce consistent gains across the entire RPM range and even more in the top end of the power band. The chart also shows a bigger separation in the 4k to 6k range, where I like to spend my time when I'm having fun
I think Injen's CAI may have been misunderstood when it first came out. The first reviewer had HFC and catback, and was very upset that the gain was 4hp, not sure if that was done on the same day either. Then it just kind of snowballed, got out of control from there. More reviews have been done but I think under different conditions. I think we all know that our cars are very sensitive to modifications so results can easily vary depending on how the dyno is performed. That’s why all the parameters for the runs were kept as constant as possible, same day, within a few hours, same facility and dyno, etc. So the outcome will reflect, as much as possible, the benefit of the CAI, and minimize all other variables because they can change the result dramatically and give an unfair comparison. But, this was dynoed bone stock, then installed the Injen CAI when the car was still strapped on the dyno. Also, note that the weather was actually hotter when Injen was put on (dynoed around 1-2pm, when ambient temp is higher).
Inspection
Parts are very well made, high quality finish and lots of attention were given to details.
Installation
Since I already know how to take apart the bumper, and remove the stock intake, the Injen CAI was not hard at all to install. Coming from the JWT, the fitment on the Injen CAI is near perfect. I originally was turned off at the idea of relocating the horn and swapping out the washer fluid bottle because I wanted to retain as much of the OEM parts as possible, which is actually why I decided against Stillen Gen3 since it required permanent physical modification, dremeling the inlet; but bending the horn took about 2 seconds and it'd take another 2 seconds to return it to its originally position. No harm done. Washer fluid bottle was very well made, the fitment is again almost perfect. Much easier than I had imagine to replace. No problem there either, took only a few minutes. The place for the fluid pump was a nice fit too. They took their time and it certainly paid off.
First impression
When my car was off the dyno and handed back to me, immediately, I noticed the difference. I am a big skeptic when it comes to butt dyno and how the car feels differently after a mod and placebo effect, but there is just no way of arguing against realizing, first-hand, the +16.5.
Throttle response
Here is where the biggest improvement lies. Throttle was noticeably more sensitive. Maybe sensitive isn't the right word, but it feels like there is more feedback and quicker response. I only have to push less and the car goes more/harder. There is definitely more power behind the petals now.
Sound
<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i244.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid244.photobucket.com/albums/gg16/dannyeatworld/Injen%20CAI/asdf009.flv">
The growl is very nice. Very mean, beefy, and aggressive. The tone is deep, still very audible with an exhaust. Will add to the exhaust tone too.
Butt dyno:
Normal cruising
Throttle improvement is very nice, it's like the car response has heightened. But you feel the potential there and it is very hard to resist tapping into that power on normal cruising!
Hard acceleration
As the chart shows, the car picks up faster and harder now. This is when the Injen CAI fully awakes and allows you to utilize its full potential and unleash a deafening growl as you go roaring past unsuspected on-lookers.
Summary
See dyno chart. 2 distinct, bone stock vs Injen CAI curves shows gain across the entire band. There's even gain down low, where I think a lot of us would agree that our G desperately needs. Gains of hp and tq(!) from the get-go.
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But I think you'll be very interested in the result.
DOMO
========
=UPDATE=
========
I know this has already been determined as a fail by many but I don't know if anybody has done a fair, same day, back-to-back, bone stock comparison (as Injen claims) to the Injen CAI and Injen CAI only.
Strapped for bone stock dyno runs
Stock intake
Removed washer fluid bottle
Stock intake resonator 1
Stock intake resonator 2
When Injen came out, I didn't really understand how the design can make the claim of 14+ hp gain. So before the tubes were put on, I looked inside and saw an additional tube inside the intake tubing maybe a few inches long, welded onto the side wall. Kind of like someone took a metal straw of much bigger diameter and stuck it on the inside. It was near the step down section where the MAF goes. I'm guessing the step down section is placed near the MAF to alter the air velocity getting picked up by the sensor and fed back to the control loop, to the ECU, which then decides whether you'll have a grin or frown on your face. After some research, I think the smaller tube on the inside of the step down section, might be Injen's Air Fusion technology that apparently also regulates the air speed to be picked up and fed back to the ECU. Never thought there was this much R&D that goes into designing an intake but good to know.
Anyway, onto the important stuff:
Stock
<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i244.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid244.photobucket.com/albums/gg16/dannyeatworld/Injen%20CAI/InjenCAI032.flv">
Injen CAI
<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i244.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid244.photobucket.com/albums/gg16/dannyeatworld/Injen%20CAI/InjenCAI035.flv">
Bone stock was done 3 times, all 3 times, the curves were very consistent, max power between 271-273hp. Injen CAI dynoed 4 times, consistency throughout all 4 runs. The chart above is the highest bone stock run and highest Injen run.
Did I get the advertised +14 hp?
No.
I got +16.5hp.
No loss down-low, no loss of tq.
One of the runs, I bone stocked at 271, which would make the gain at an unbelievable +19hp. But none of this is important to me. I mean, how often and for how long do you actually spend in that top end? Some charts and people focus on the numbers but those are only taken at the highest peak (max power), which usually occur in the 7k-7.5krpm range. What I care about is that the CAI managed to produce consistent gains across the entire RPM range and even more in the top end of the power band. The chart also shows a bigger separation in the 4k to 6k range, where I like to spend my time when I'm having fun
I think Injen's CAI may have been misunderstood when it first came out. The first reviewer had HFC and catback, and was very upset that the gain was 4hp, not sure if that was done on the same day either. Then it just kind of snowballed, got out of control from there. More reviews have been done but I think under different conditions. I think we all know that our cars are very sensitive to modifications so results can easily vary depending on how the dyno is performed. That’s why all the parameters for the runs were kept as constant as possible, same day, within a few hours, same facility and dyno, etc. So the outcome will reflect, as much as possible, the benefit of the CAI, and minimize all other variables because they can change the result dramatically and give an unfair comparison. But, this was dynoed bone stock, then installed the Injen CAI when the car was still strapped on the dyno. Also, note that the weather was actually hotter when Injen was put on (dynoed around 1-2pm, when ambient temp is higher).
Inspection
Parts are very well made, high quality finish and lots of attention were given to details.
Installation
Since I already know how to take apart the bumper, and remove the stock intake, the Injen CAI was not hard at all to install. Coming from the JWT, the fitment on the Injen CAI is near perfect. I originally was turned off at the idea of relocating the horn and swapping out the washer fluid bottle because I wanted to retain as much of the OEM parts as possible, which is actually why I decided against Stillen Gen3 since it required permanent physical modification, dremeling the inlet; but bending the horn took about 2 seconds and it'd take another 2 seconds to return it to its originally position. No harm done. Washer fluid bottle was very well made, the fitment is again almost perfect. Much easier than I had imagine to replace. No problem there either, took only a few minutes. The place for the fluid pump was a nice fit too. They took their time and it certainly paid off.
First impression
When my car was off the dyno and handed back to me, immediately, I noticed the difference. I am a big skeptic when it comes to butt dyno and how the car feels differently after a mod and placebo effect, but there is just no way of arguing against realizing, first-hand, the +16.5.
Throttle response
Here is where the biggest improvement lies. Throttle was noticeably more sensitive. Maybe sensitive isn't the right word, but it feels like there is more feedback and quicker response. I only have to push less and the car goes more/harder. There is definitely more power behind the petals now.
Sound
<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i244.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid244.photobucket.com/albums/gg16/dannyeatworld/Injen%20CAI/asdf009.flv">
The growl is very nice. Very mean, beefy, and aggressive. The tone is deep, still very audible with an exhaust. Will add to the exhaust tone too.
Butt dyno:
Normal cruising
Throttle improvement is very nice, it's like the car response has heightened. But you feel the potential there and it is very hard to resist tapping into that power on normal cruising!
Hard acceleration
As the chart shows, the car picks up faster and harder now. This is when the Injen CAI fully awakes and allows you to utilize its full potential and unleash a deafening growl as you go roaring past unsuspected on-lookers.
Summary
See dyno chart. 2 distinct, bone stock vs Injen CAI curves shows gain across the entire band. There's even gain down low, where I think a lot of us would agree that our G desperately needs. Gains of hp and tq(!) from the get-go.
__________________
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Last edited by ucla bruin; 02-23-2009 at 11:15 PM.
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abrecos (07-26-2022)
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02-23-2009, 06:13 PM
#8
Short-ram will have to wait.
Just want to get the word out, besides, sharing is caring.
LOL.
Until then:
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LOL.
Until then:
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02-23-2009, 06:18 PM
#11
You're not missing out on anything. The pic above is from www.icanhascheezburger.com and http://ihasahotdog.com/
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