CAI Recommendations

[rleechb]

I gots a 96' 328i. CAI recommendations? Only modification I know on the car is a dinan exhaust/new headers.

[Rambo]

A lot of people have done a Cosmos CAI. Search around and you'll find it. It's the one I plan on getting when I get one.

[hellrot325]

I just got the Cosmos CAI...installing in this weekend. Plenty of posts on it and others

[josephmotors]

www.cosmosracing.com

Best Value

[Seeker]

Don't get cosmosracing confused with cosmoracing.

You want cosmo"S"racing.

[rleechb]

i suppose that's what i'll pick up. thanks all.

[hc1001]

basically there are two different CAI
1. short ram- short tubing, uses a heatsheild to block heat from the engine. easier to change/clean out filter. less prone to hydrolocking the engine.
2. dinan style- long tubing that extends to the bottom of the front bumper. more prone to hydrolocking because of its lower location.

i would recommend the short ram with heatshield. only because of convenience. but they are basically the same...
i have both types of CAI.

[delta410]

basically there are two different CAI
1. short ram- short tubing, uses a heatsheild to block heat from the engine. easier to change/clean out filter. less prone to hydrolocking the engine.
2. dinan style- long tubing that extends to the bottom of the front bumper. more prone to hydrolocking because of its lower location.

i would recommend the short ram with heatshield. only because of convenience. but they are basically the same...
i have both types of CAI.

Number 1 sounds more expensive..what the hell is hydrolocking

[krayon]

I have the cosmos racing CAI. It was easy to install and it goes all the way down to the brake duct. I cut a hole in my brake duct for added cold air, because the filter is leterally right on top of the brake duct. Cosmos CAI will allow you to use ellipsoids aswell. Hope this helps. Btw it sounds badass

[Captain]

I would go with ECIS CAI. I have always heard that they are the best so i went with it and i could really feel a difference once i got it on the road. It has a dyno proven 10rwhp, and thats exactly what you feel.

[fredo328]

Can you guys show some pics of the finished install? Especially where the K&N filter ends up, thanks. Also, what exactly is the difference between the cosmo and cosmos?

[Darlantan]

I like ECIS too. Decent price, nice fit, proven hp numbers, and in Cali, it's CARB legal! No need to take it out for smog checks

[adeelpowers]

<-satisfyed Cosmos buyer

Best mod i've done to my car.

[delta410]

I would go with ECIS CAI. I have always heard that they are the best so i went with it and i could really feel a difference once i got it on the road. It has a dyno proven 10rwhp, and thats exactly what you feel.

10rwhp for a cai... I really doubt that, maybe 10 if you add in chip and exhaust.

[Sean@ECIS]

10rwhp for a cai... I really doubt that

doubt away....I have dyno'd more than a dozen E36's (328's and M3's ) and they all do 10 rwhp or more on various dynos.

do a search on this board or others for dyno runs with OUR intake and you will see individuals (not ECIS) getting the same gains.

[mlytle]

e36's come STOCK with a cai. sealed box that gets it air from outside the engine compt. just drop a low restriction element in the stock airbox and remove the baffle. in order for an aftermarket cai to match the stock setup it has to have a perfect seal against the hood to keep out the warm engine air.

stock ain't cool looking, but it is effective.

[Sean@ECIS]

the stock air box on an E36 is NOT a cai...far from it....it is a maze if anything...maze in that the air has to find it's way through it to get the to the air flow meter.

trust me, before I got into this business I modded my cars just like you did....that air box is a POS.

The E46 ones are much better.

Good shielded CAI's will seal to the hood and keep the hot air out. Ours and Conforti's does and they both make good hp and torque over the stock air box, with no downsides.

[cosmosm3]

I vote for Cosmos Racing CAI

[hellrot325]

I vote for Cosmos Racing CAI

If he lived in Chicago, that would be three votes for Cosmos Racing CAI! Got the CAI the other day Jerry, looks great. Going on this weekend.

[mlytle]

stock IS a CAI. cai means cold air intake. that means the air is insulated from the engine heat and comes from the outside. the stock airbox does this very nicely. probably nicer that a poorly designed aftermarket one or a poorly installed good aftermarket one. a low restriction intake is another factor. yes, most aftermarket cai's are lower restriction than the stock one. that advantage can be lost if the aftermarket one isn't sealed well from engine heat.

btw - i have an ecis intake on my race car.

[Sean@ECIS]

mlyte,

the stock air box draws limited air from the outside and makes the air travel in a none-efficient manner. I don't consider it a CAI by any means.

a shielded CAI flows more air and gets that air from various locations upping the efficiency. we (and many customers) have seen their gas mileage go up by adding a CAI.

My E36 M3 had a CAI, euro HFM, injectors and special chip and still got 28mpg on the highway....the stock config might have gotten that at 60 mph on CC the whole time.

you own a 325 and an M3...they both share(d) the same air box. Do you think that is wise by the factory to put a 325 airbox on the M3 motor. NO! it is going the cheap and easy route. Choking up a motor like the E36 M3 is travesty....

thanks for the business, we do appreciate it....if you ever need one for you 325 or E46 send me an email or PM....I will take care of you.

[mlytle]

hi sean,
i give! think we may be playing the semantics game. i would call ecis/conforti systems performance intakes, not just lowly cai's. good performance intakes combine preserving the intake of cold air with a lower restiction air path. an unaltered stock box is a cai, albiet with a somewhat less efficient air path. that can be fixed. the fastest scca its bmw in the country uses....a stock airbox! de-baffled and with a low restriction filter. of course that is not a dyno evaluation, other factors like car set up and a great driver also contribute to that speed around the track. just that he has the choice and has found a modified stock box works best for him.

me, i chose an ecis for my race car (its/jp 325is). heard good things and my engine builder recommended it for my full race prep application. the m3 and 325it will probably remain stock, money goes to the race car! oh wait, if my mpg goes up with a performance intake on an otherwise stock car, i can use the money saved for race car parts...hmmmmmm. thanks for the offer!!!!!

marshall

[jonjon0nline]

I vote cosmos since that's what I'm rockin . The only reason I'd go with ECIS or DINAN is because they're CARB legal in cali. I'm not really worried about smogging with cosmos since its so easy to take off and on.

I actually drove my car in a storm on new year's eve and ran over a lot of puddles and didn't have a problem with the water. Hydrolock still scares me but isn't too big of a concern anymore.

Anyway, don't let the price of the cosmos fool you, it's a damn good product I can vouch for.

[Stroker67]

I vote cosmos since that's what I'm rockin . The only reason I'd go with ECIS or DINAN is because they're CARB legal in cali. I'm not really worried about smogging with cosmos since its so easy to take off and on.

I actually drove my car in a storm on new year's eve and ran over a lot of puddles and didn't have a problem with the water. Hydrolock still scares me but isn't too big of a concern anymore.

Anyway, don't let the price of the cosmos fool you, it's a damn good product I can vouch for.

I was thinking about htis one and worried about the rain since I live in Western Washington. Im glad to hear you didnt have any problems. Im planning on picking mine up in the next week or so.

[Robert]

Jerry Crabtree?

Jerry has crabs? I think he is trying to tell us he has crabs..