so I'm getting a little confused on the definitions of SRI and CAI due to googling: evo x CAI and evo x SRI. I'm assuming that a cai is a long pipe coming from the compressor wheel of the turbo running up beside the BOV and then down to where the fog lights are to get completely 'cold air' (aka nothing inside the engine bay) and a short ram intake is what 99% people get which don't go down and just stay in the location where the stock air box is? correct me if I'm wrong. also is the heat shield just guarding from engine heat on a SRI or is it also protecting against water and snow to prevent hydrolock? Also do SrI and CAI include turbo inlet pipes?

 

anyone?

 

Yes most include inlet hoses. What you posted is correct. SRI stays in the bay, CAI goes into the fender. You'll be fine with a SRI.

 

+1 on the SRI, been running the K&N typhoon for a year with no problems. FYI if you do go with the CAI, make sure you get a bypass valve if u live in an area that floods often. Dont want to hydrolock your evo.

 

I've had CAI on my previous cars.. there were videos showing that unless your intake filter is completely under water, it should not hydrolock.

Anyways, I'd choose SRI just for the easy installation.

 

No reason to get any of that. You don't get any gains from any sort of intake on the stock turbo because it's not that restrictive. All it is is a tube with a high flow filter. Might as well get a drop in because it's basically the same thing.

Here: http://www.evoxforums.com/forums/sho...49#post3041849

 

+1

The car comes with a cold-air intake. Why you would spend money to put a different one on the car is beyond me. Better drop-in and move on with life.

 

So Iowa when you would decide to upgrade your intake?

 

Well, given that I'm going to have to put a rather small restrictor on the mouth of the turbo, never. Slightly less flippantly, I'd put a new intake on the car when the intake becomes the weak link. I don't see that happening with the OE turbo, so we're back to never.

 

then why do a lot of guys put in SRI when a drop in will suffice?

 

I have tried to answer this question about five times, but always that little voice (that I often ignore) says: "you can't post that ... especially if you're a mod."

The best that I can come up with is this: some people think that the limiting factor in their set-up is pre-turbo airflow and, therefore, logically, they "upgrade" this area.

 

^ that and it sounds cool

 

+1

The only time I see any reason to upgrade the intake is when going with a larger turbo. In that case, you'd have to upgrade not just your intake, but also the intercooler + piping, and the downpipe (along with the catback obviously). Not to mention you would need bigger injectors and a pump and people tend to do cams with a bigger turbo too.

Then the mod bug stings you and that's when you do valves+springs and slowly work your way down to a built block.