AFE CAI vs STETT CAI

[TheBoostedOne]

Originally Posted by STETT Performance

Ours is a true cold air intake, hand-fabricated here in house. Plus we can offer discounts to forum members!

PM us for more info!

I have the Stett CAI in my garage and once my car is back home I will install it. My question to you is, hydro lock?... This intake is very low to the ground considering my car will be much lower then stock. Is it easy for this intake to bring up water to the motor?

Thank You,
Adrian
A.D.Auto

[jester17]

Just got home from the first cruise with the aFe CAI. Plain and simple, this unit ABSOLUTELY increases torque in the 3-4,800 RPM range. MUCH different feel coming out of the blocks -- whoo-hoo! Lost of opinions here, but my experience is the piece DEF. pays off in terms of torque and HP.

[CGMike]

the 135 dosent have fog lights...

[Tiny Chainsaw]

An intake is an intake, differences between all *AFTERMARKET* intakes will be negligible lol. A BMS dci will probably feel the same as an AFE intake/Stett intake... but any intake is still better than stock.

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by Tiny Chainsaw

An intake is an intake, differences between all intakes will be negligible lol. A BMS dci will probably feel the same as an AFE intake/Stett intake... but any intake is still better than stock.

I'd beg to differ....inlet temperature! Cooler inlet temperature = denser air = more hp....Also, pipe ID would change things too...not sure if both intakes have the same pipe ID.

[Tiny Chainsaw]

Originally Posted by rsr552

I'd beg to differ....inlet temperature! Cooler inlet temperature = denser air = more hp....Also, pipe ID would change things too...not sure if both intakes have the same pipe ID.

Those are cold hard facts that I can not disagree with. What I can disagree with you on though is that if you put our cars on a dyno with all the different brand intakes, you will not be able to tell which one is the ultimate best intake that everyone should buy.

If that was the case then there would not be a thread like this in the first place.

EDIT: To further clarify my point, no aftermarket intake will have a CLEAR 5 horsepower advantage over any other aftermarket intake. If there was this huge of a power difference then definitely it would've already been posted on the forums.

(I'm also talking about quality brand aftermarket intakes, not shitty eBay ones, cause those will just make your car run worse.)

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by Tiny Chainsaw

Those are cold hard facts that I can not disagree with. What I can disagree with you on though is that if you put our cars on a dyno with all the different brand intakes, you will not be able to tell which one is the ultimate best intake that everyone should buy.

If that was the case then there would not be a thread like this in the first place.

EDIT: To further clarify my point, no aftermarket intake will have a CLEAR 5 horsepower advantage over any other aftermarket intake. If there was this huge of a power difference then definitely it would've already been posted on the forums.

(I'm also talking about quality brand aftermarket intakes, not shitty eBay ones, cause those will just make your car run worse.)

I agree with that, but that may be because lack of aftermarket options. Most intakes (besides the Stett) are more "Short ram Intake" style intakes. If an aftermarket company decided to do more extensive R&D for a "cold air" style intake...I think there could be more of a clear choice of which intake is the best (assuming sound engineering was made to optimize pipe ID, filter placement, Pipe Length, and Pipe curvature/geometry.

[brusk]

Pipe sizing and all that on the filter end isn't going to do much of anything, the pipe reduces down to 1.3" at the turbo inlet. on paper you can try to estimate on efficiencies of the turbo efficiency, amount of heat and intercooler efficiency and come up with some decent gains but the few real world tests I've seen were about 3-5 over a DCI and as low as no difference. Bottom line is your taking the air and heating the crap out of it at the turbo's and depending on your IC efficiency your cooling to x% of ambient. Most people stick with DCI for the price at the cost of possibly giving up a few HP.

[rsr552]

Originally Posted by brusk

Pipe sizing and all that on the filter end isn't going to do much of anything, the pipe reduces down to 1.3" at the turbo inlet. on paper you can try to estimate on efficiencies of the turbo efficiency, amount of heat and intercooler efficiency and come up with some decent gains but the few real world tests I've seen were about 3-5 over a DCI and as low as no difference. Bottom line is your taking the air and heating the crap out of it at the turbo's and depending on your IC efficiency your cooling to x% of ambient. Most people stick with DCI for the price at the cost of possibly giving up a few HP.

Good point with the temperature issue. And since the tubing bottle necks at the Turbo inlet so harshly...perhaps optimizing the ID for frictional pressure losses may not be the highest contributing/limiting factor in terms of the intake. I suppose in terms of Naturally Aspirated engines it makes a bigger difference.

Thanks for the good discussion

[NathanIngrao]

This was a lot of help. I thought i did something wrong when after I installed my aFe open CAI and did not get power in the low end.

[Gregoriovv]

Originally Posted by STETT Performance

Ours is a true cold air intake, hand-fabricated here in house. Plus we can offer discounts to forum members!

PM us for more info!

I tried to send a PM to you but I got an error that you do not receive PM's.

I read in one of your posts that you can offer a discount to forum members. I'm about to order your intake and was wondering what kind of discount you might offer.

[Ultimateone]

Originally Posted by Gregoriovv

I tried to send a PM to you but I got an error that you do not receive PM's.

I read in one of your posts that you can offer a discount to forum members. I'm about to order your intake and was wondering what kind of discount you might offer.

It's because he's banned

[Gregoriovv]

Originally Posted by Ultimateone

It's because he's banned

Well that can't be good for business!

[Gigitomma89]

Originally Posted by 1speedbike

Either of the AFE units is better than stock when you're running higher than stock boost. The closed one has the added benefit of keeping the heat down on the air that's entering the turbos. The open one still has a heat shield and is very unrestricted, but the closed one has better heat shielding.

At stock boost levels, the open intake would probably be roughly equal to the stock. You lose some performance and response in the lower RPM and boost ranges, because the engine is sucking in less air overall and the negative effects of the heat are more pronounced. However, at higher RPM and boost, you need much more air to enter the engine, so in this case the open nature of the AFE is very beneficial and outweighs the bad effects of the heat.

At stock boost levels and lower RPM, a closed intake would make more sense because you won't get "heat soak" which is the lack of initial power and response you get due to the extra-hot air. However, once the turbos start spooling and sucking in lots of air, the heat isn't the biggest factor, it's all about how fast you can get more air into the engine.

I think Harold @ HP Autowerks was saying that compared to the stock airbox that came with the car, the closed AFE intake has more surface area. JZ was wondering why go with the AFE if it's a closed box with a cone filter, versus the stock BMW itnake which is also a closed box of a different design, with a flat panel filter. The cone filter provides a larger, 3-dimensional surface to filter and suck in the air, while the stock BMW filter is a 2-dimensional flat panel, which rests very close to the walls of the airbox which greatly restricts the air coming in.

Hello, I quoted You since I thnk You could kindly answer my question.
I am running FBO 335i and did install the Mr.5 intalke, modifying my OEM airbox. I noted little gains, but still did not open the plastick barrier next to the fog light on the bottom of the driver side bumper. The cone filter is sitting ust behind this barrier, but I am frightened of the possibility of aspiring water into the engine.
This is the reason why I am not convincted of buying the dinan intake which I think, despite the price, is the best one out there.
Is actually possible to aspire water in high rainy days, or in the highway when the cars in front throw back the water due to high speeds?
Thanks
Cheers to everyone
Luigi

[ErvGotti]

Originally Posted by Gigitomma89

Hello, I quoted You since I thnk You could kindly answer my question.
I am running FBO 335i and did install the Mr.5 intalke, modifying my OEM airbox. I noted little gains, but still did not open the plastick barrier next to the fog light on the bottom of the driver side bumper. The cone filter is sitting ust behind this barrier, but I am frightened of the possibility of aspiring water into the engine.
This is the reason why I am not convincted of buying the dinan intake which I think, despite the price, is the best one out there.
Is actually possible to aspire water in high rainy days, or in the highway when the cars in front throw back the water due to high speeds?
Thanks
Cheers to everyone
Luigi

Air will usually take the path of least resistance. With the Mr5 or Dinan intake if it get submerged in water, the engine would pull air from the inlet in the stock location instead of pulling water through the piping from the bumper.

Basically if it's raining heavy or you might have to drive through a puddle don't stomp on it and it should pull the air through the stock inlet location.

[Gigitomma89]

Originally Posted by ErvGotti

Air will usually take the path of least resistance. With the Mr5 or Dinan intake if it get submerged in water, the engine would pull air from the inlet in the stock location instead of pulling water through the piping from the bumper.

Basically if it's raining heavy or you might have to drive through a puddle don't stomp on it and it should pull the air through the stock inlet location.

Hey! Thank you for the reply. But mean we should be sure about that. Because "should" can end with water in the engine and then.... bye bye

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

If you drive through large floods of water frequently it would best to avoid intakes that function like the Stett CAI. It's true that if you subermage the filter you can potentially suck up water and hydrolock.

If you find yourself in that much water often, consider moving but if not consider a different intake

AFE Momentum GT is one of the best performers with no risk of hydrolock (unless you find yourself in 3+ feet of water)

[Gigitomma89]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

If you drive through large floods of water frequently it would best to avoid intakes that function like the Stett CAI. It's true that if you subermage the filter you can potentially suck up water and hydrolock.

If you find yourself in that much water often, consider moving but if not consider a different intake

AFE Momentum GT is one of the best performers with no risk of hydrolock (unless you find yourself in 3+ feet of water)

Ahahaha thanks for the answer. By the way I live in Italy and the weather is hot-temperate. Sometimes it rains (like now for example) but what scares me is the highway when the speed of vehicles produce that nebulization of water-air mix. To be submerged actually will be very hard here.
Moreover, which would You think will be the best choice, no money dependent, from dinan and stett?
I am running Cobb Ap, Vrsf fmic, Vrsf Dps and Performance Exhaust.
Best Regards

[Ric in RVA]

Originally Posted by TheBoostedOne

I have the Stett CAI in my garage and once my car is back home I will install it. My question to you is, hydro lock?... This intake is very low to the ground considering my car will be much lower then stock. Is it easy for this intake to bring up water to the motor?

Thank You,
Adrian
A.D.Auto

Agree completely. First thing I thought.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by Gigitomma89

Ahahaha thanks for the answer. By the way I live in Italy and the weather is hot-temperate. Sometimes it rains (like now for example) but what scares me is the highway when the speed of vehicles produce that nebulization of water-air mix. To be submerged actually will be very hard here.
Moreover, which would You think will be the best choice, no money dependent, from dinan and stett?
I am running Cobb Ap, Vrsf fmic, Vrsf Dps and Performance Exhaust.
Best Regards

I think the Dinan is too much money for what you get albeit a great looking and well functioning intake.

Stett might be too risky if you find a lot of high water in your area.

I really like the AFE momentum as it functions near as good as the Dinan for a fraction of the cost.

On the 3 series boards we had a member do some controlled testing and he found substantial gains.

[Gigitomma89]

Hey Guys! Finally I ordered the ECS Carbon Fiber kohlefaser CAI.
I was quoted 600 euro shipped for this and the ecs air scoops.
I hope to have done the right choice!

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

I think the Dinan is too much money for what you get albeit a great looking and well functioning intake.

Stett might be too risky if you find a lot of high water in your area.

I really like the AFE momentum as it functions near as good as the Dinan for a fraction of the cost.

On the 3 series boards we had a member do some controlled testing and he found substantial gains.