[gmcvt]

This topic has also been beat to death on M6g. Especially on the Gen.3 coyote. The stock 18 and up cai are suppose to be so good, that some of the 15-17 guys are upgrading to it. Alot of the debate falls on the intake temps. I had an 18 with a very popular "CAI". For the most part, especially in the summer, my temps stayed significantly higher than the factory box.

Some of the impact here is the kind of driving you do on a daily basis. If you, (like me) spend more time in stop and go/slower traffic then your intake temps will stay higher. Then there is the debate about heat soak and how long its effect last, which I assume will be directly related to how long it absorbs the higher temps. For me, there was a 50+ degree difference in intake temp between the factory box and the "CAI". Yes, after a a short bit of driving, the temps did eventually fall back down to close to ambient but just because the IAT is seeing cooler air, does this mean that the "heat soak" isn't still having an effect as the air is traveling to the combustion chamber?

The car felt more sluggish at low speed with the aftermarket "CAI". So while I'm sure at upper rpm's the additional flow was worth something, pending your engines air volume needs based on mods and overall daily driving scenario, It didn't seem like it was worth the trade off at lower engine speeds and higher intake temps. Perhaps it was all in my head but the lower engine speed throttle response was much better when I put the stock stuff back on. BUT, then again, I'm talking about a completely different car here.

Please feel free to correct any errors in my thought.