I know theres been many threads about this but I can’t seem to find specific enough to answer my question. If it turns out there is, I’m sorry and I’m a jarhead. I have a stock evo 8 and eventually wanna do a few simple mods and get a tune. But for the next 3 or 4 months I’m going to stay stock except for perhaps an intake. I kind of want to get an intake for now because i love the noise the turbo makes After one is installed and I dont care too much for peak power at this point in time. I’ve heard good things about the AEM Short ram intake and the hks but that the hks makes less power without a tune. Is the shortram the same? Is is really just a bad call to get an intake of any sort without a tune for a while or is there a good choice? Thank you guys.

 

Yeah, the AEM short ram is a no brainer & is CARB approved. Sure you can get away w/running one w/out a tune but when any intake / exhaust change takes place a tune "should" be done

I ran the AEM for a no. of years but now running the FP intake combined w/their HTA71 turbo

 

If you're doing it just for the sound you'd be better off just buying a filter and MAF adapter, which can be had for around $40. The BEST answer would be to wait and gather up your first round of parts and install when you're ready for a tune. Make a plan and buy wisely... don't make the mistakes many of us (myself included) made which caused us to re-buy parts. For instance, if you plan on going speed density don't drop $250+ on an intake that's made for the MAF just to spend another couple hundred more on a speed density intake.

There's a few filter/adapters here - https://www.maperformance.com/collec...tsubishi-evo-9

 

thank you! Once I go for a tune I’ll do that !

 

thanks man! Just bought one thanks for the advice!

 

No problem. I'm on my fourth intake setup now. Ran a Buschur filter on the stock MAF for the longest time. When ETS became a thing I bought their MAF intake. Then I went SD and bought an ETS 3" SD intake and now I made my own 4" SD intake. Guess that's what 14 years of ownership does.

 

OP has to consider he is in california, and the intake will need a CARB EO number to avoid shenanigans and hassle passing smog. So the AEM is a great choice.

 

If you have to smog / register in California, my advice would be to not do the intake. Get a drop in air filter like a K&N and keep the intake stock. It is a big red flag that will lead to a lot of scrutiny when your being inspected. You will get much better gains by doing a lower intercooler pipe upgrade which will gain power and spool. You can do a catback exhaust to enhance your audio experience and get power, and a 3-port boost controller and a tune will get you a very nice bump in performance when coupled with the previous suggestions. Upgrading to a metal evo 9 Recirc valve is also a nice upgrade. Depending on your catback choice this is all pretty stealth. Even an intake with an O.E. is going to get them looking closely at everything. They see a stock intake and they just assume if that's stock everything else probably is too.

This is of course just my opinion YMMV.