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Old 09-22-2013, 08:32 PM   #1
jiannelli32193
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Default Cold air intake v.s. Short ram intake

Im new to this website, not new to subarus. Ive owned a few and havent gotten the chance to mod them. I've always heard from suby owners that a short ram intake is the way to go over a CAI beause its possible CAI's can suck up water if you hit a puddle hard enough? does anyone know is this is true? and can anyone recommend any reputable CAI/SRI's ? I have plans to start with a magnaflow catback exhaust and then eventually id like to maybe go full turboback exhaust with a nice tune. If anyone has any information regarding which CAI/SRI's will/wont work with the magnaflow exhaust, PLEASE HELP.

-jay
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Old 09-22-2013, 08:40 PM   #2
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1. You have not read the sticky threads at the top of this or the 2.5L forum.
2. Your tuner can recommend intakes, but he will LIKELY talk you out of them so prepare your angus for that eventuality....a Subaru is not a Honda....they don't take kindly to intakes as the OEM stock intake is actually very well designed.
3. You do not want to get an intake without a tuning solution ferreted out first. Know this or watch your pistons leave your engine and put 4 holes in your fenders...and don't come back with manufacturers claims, we've been down that road since 1865 here.

Cliff Notes: Save your money
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Old 09-22-2013, 08:46 PM   #3
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The absolute best intake is the stock airbox until you mod to make big power. ANY OTHER INTAKE WILL REQUIRE A TUNE.

Yes CAI's can suck up water. SRI's also have their pitfalls too such as heatsoak which can lead to detonation.

Catback exhaust is not going to add power just a different exhaust note.

If you really want to add an intake, wait until you add a high flow or Catless DP and then tune.
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Old 09-22-2013, 08:49 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Unabomber View Post
1. You have not read the sticky threads at the top of this or the 2.5L forum.
2. Your tuner can recommend intakes, but he will LIKELY talk you out of them so prepare your angus for that eventuality....a Subaru is not a Honda....they don't take kindly to intakes as the OEM stock intake is actually very well designed.
3. You do not want to get an intake without a tuning solution ferreted out first. Know this or watch your pistons leave your engine and put 4 holes in your fenders...and don't come back with manufacturers claims, we've been down that road since 1865 here.

Cliff Notes: Save your money

i did read the stickys and to be honest im just not sure if i understand it all. new to the moding world. i know one thing, and i am in love with the sound of the magnaflow catback exhaust. and i want to gain power. ive read alot of your stickys in particular and its a bit overwhelming i guess. been to school for cars and ive had a teacher tell me you should only upgrade your exhaust after you get an intake or vise versa. i can tell you definitely know what your talking about after reading your stickys and i appreciate the help but you might have to dumb it down a little bit so that a newbie like me can understand
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Old 09-22-2013, 08:56 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nmlittlebigman View Post
The absolute best intake is the stock airbox until you mod to make big power. ANY OTHER INTAKE WILL REQUIRE A TUNE.

Yes CAI's can suck up water. SRI's also have their pitfalls too such as heatsoak which can lead to detonation.

Catback exhaust is not going to add power just a different exhaust note.

If you really want to add an intake, wait until you add a high flow or Catless DP and then tune.

i know catbacks dont add power but ive been doing research for quite some time now and ive come to a conclusion that out of all exhausts the only sound that i like is the magnaflow. originally i wanted to go TurboXS TBE based on sound clips off the computer, but have yet to hear the exhaust note in person. i know the magnaflow is definitely what im looking for but to be honest i really just dont know what to do from there
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Old 09-22-2013, 08:57 PM   #6
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read more. understanding is important otherwise you end up becoming rice
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Old 09-22-2013, 08:59 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m1r4g3 View Post
read more. understanding is important otherwise you end up becoming rice

reading means nothing if i cant understand it. hence why im trying to get a better understanding by asking my own questions. haha yea i do not want to become rice just want to add a little power to the stock subaru and deffinitely hear that rumble!
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Old 09-22-2013, 09:00 PM   #8
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Rams sit up higher and suck up heat especially in traffic or idle. That can cause weird noises from under the hood which is detonation and make the car run weird.

CAI can create slight lag and can suck up water but only driving through a huge puddle where it will become submerged or splashed by a huge volume of water. I've had one and haven't had a problem with it.

Like these guys have said, a tune will be required. Una Bomber is like Jesus on here, so take his advice especially to heart
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Old 09-22-2013, 09:08 PM   #9
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Stock intakes on our cars are not the point of restriction (referring to what your teacher may have been elluding to). Stock downpipes are. Although they are a little free-er flowing than they used to be. Sounds like you need to save your coin until you can buy a turboback exhaust and get the car protuned. my 2 cents
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Old 09-22-2013, 09:08 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShawDizzle View Post
Rams sit up higher and suck up heat especially in traffic or idle. That can cause weird noises from under the hood which is detonation and make the car run weird.

CAI can create slight lag and can suck up water but only driving through a huge puddle where it will become submerged or splashed by a huge volume of water. I've had one and haven't had a problem with it.

Like these guys have said, a tune will be required. Una Bomber is like Jesus on here, so take his advice especially to heart


thank you for explaining the difference, and yes so ive heard and seen unabomber sounds like the guy to talk to. just sucks cause i know exactly where i want my car to end up im jus having a hard time getting there. all these stickies are a big help but do not answer my specific questions.
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Old 09-22-2013, 09:13 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nmlittlebigman View Post
The absolute best intake is the stock airbox until you mod to make big power. ANY OTHER INTAKE WILL REQUIRE A TUNE.

Yes CAI's can suck up water. SRI's also have their pitfalls too such as heatsoak which can lead to detonation.

Catback exhaust is not going to add power just a different exhaust note.

If you really want to add an intake, wait until you add a high flow or Catless DP and then tune.


What do you consider "Big Power"?
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Old 09-22-2013, 09:19 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nmlittlebigman View Post
Stock intakes on our cars are not the point of restriction (referring to what your teacher may have been elluding to). Stock downpipes are. Although they are a little free-er flowing than they used to be. Sounds like you need to save your coin until you can buy a turboback exhaust and get the car protuned. my 2 cents


so if i enjoyed the magnaflow exhaust and ended up getting that....and eventually added a dp and such, would that have the same effect?. not trying to make huge power here. my goal is to have an exhaust that appeals to me which right now is the magnaflow, and id like to keep my car around 320hp to the crank....since i dont plan on making too much power i want to make sure everything is done absolutely perfect the "right" way.
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Old 09-22-2013, 09:41 PM   #13
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If your goal is 320crank hp a simple turboback and tune would suffice. You can go a few different routes with the tune.

1. accessport with standalone tune $600ish (easiest method)
2. accessport with protune $1000ish
3. opensource dyno tune $450ish (replaces stock tune)
4. e-tune with the use of a laptop and tactrix cable $250ish (may be a little too involved if your new too modding. but its definitely worth checking out)

The intake is not going to gain you any extra power, more so noise. I have one on my wrx and legacy gt and they're pretty cool. But the noise can get old. So its up to you. You just HAVE TO make sure to tune for it. And you don't have to get tuned if you just start with a catback. good luck!

One other thing. Stay away from a plain old short ram if you get one. They suck hot air from the engine bay actually REDUCING power. the stock intake is essentially a cold air as it sucks air from the front of the car.

Last edited by Adrenalinecrisis; 09-22-2013 at 09:48 PM.
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Old 09-22-2013, 09:49 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jiannelli32193 View Post
What do you consider "Big Power"?
400+ hp

Quote:
Originally Posted by jiannelli32193 View Post
so if i enjoyed the magnaflow exhaust and ended up getting that....and eventually added a dp and such, would that have the same effect?. not trying to make huge power here. my goal is to have an exhaust that appeals to me which right now is the magnaflow, and id like to keep my car around 320hp to the crank....since i dont plan on making too much power i want to make sure everything is done absolutely perfect the "right" way.
Spend some time looking at the picture here:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=447182

As I mentioned before a "catback" (from catalytic converter back) will not gain you any power. Replacing the downpipe will free up the airflow because you eliminate at least one cat which is where the largest restriction on a stock setup.

Fill in the rest of your profile so we know where on the map you are located. Honestly like Unabomber recommended find a tuner. They will help you meet you goals safely.
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Old 09-22-2013, 10:48 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jiannelli32193 View Post
i did read the stickys and to be honest im just not sure if i understand it all. new to the moding world. i know one thing, and i am in love with the sound of the magnaflow catback exhaust. and i want to gain power. ive read alot of your stickys in particular and its a bit overwhelming i guess. been to school for cars and ive had a teacher tell me you should only upgrade your exhaust after you get an intake or vise versa. i can tell you definitely know what your talking about after reading your stickys and i appreciate the help but you might have to dumb it down a little bit so that a newbie like me can understand
I did dumb it down a little, perhaps you need to re-read the Cliff Notes at the end of my post.

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Old 09-22-2013, 10:48 PM   #16
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Any intake can suck up water, even stock.

2008+ WRX and STI's require a tune if you touch the downpipe or intake, no questions.

Do you need an intake? Not at all.
Will it make your turbo sound louder? Yes, but the cost is not worth a damn.
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Old 09-23-2013, 12:03 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adrenalinecrisis View Post
If your goal is 320crank hp a simple turboback and tune would suffice. You can go a few different routes with the tune. 1. accessport with standalone tune $600ish (easiest method) 2. accessport with protune $1000ish 3. opensource dyno tune $450ish (replaces stock tune) 4. e-tune with the use of a laptop and tactrix cable $250ish (may be a little too involved if your new too modding. but its definitely worth checking out) The intake is not going to gain you any extra power, more so noise. I have one on my wrx and legacy gt and they're pretty cool. But the noise can get old. So its up to you. You just HAVE TO make sure to tune for it. And you don't have to get tuned if you just start with a catback. good luck! One other thing. Stay away from a plain old short ram if you get one. They suck hot air from the engine bay actually REDUCING power. the stock intake is essentially a cold air as it sucks air from the front of the car.
god bless you kind sir!....last question...if i decided to get an intake would i have to tune for it when i get the acessport?
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Old 09-23-2013, 12:18 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adrenalinecrisis View Post
If your goal is 320crank hp a simple turboback and tune would suffice. You can go a few different routes with the tune.

1. accessport with standalone tune $600ish (easiest method)
2. accessport with protune $1000ish
3. opensource dyno tune $450ish (replaces stock tune)
4. e-tune with the use of a laptop and tactrix cable $250ish (may be a little too involved if your new too modding. but its definitely worth checking out)

The intake is not going to gain you any extra power, more so noise. I have one on my wrx and legacy gt and they're pretty cool. But the noise can get old. So its up to you. You just HAVE TO make sure to tune for it. And you don't have to get tuned if you just start with a catback. good luck!

One other thing. Stay away from a plain old short ram if you get one. They suck hot air from the engine bay actually REDUCING power. the stock intake is essentially a cold air as it sucks air from the front of the car.

eh sorrry one more question while its in my head...if i wanted to go 320whp would i have to go a much different route? your help is greatly apprieciated!!!
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Old 09-23-2013, 12:40 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adrenalinecrisis View Post
One other thing. Stay away from a plain old short ram if you get one. They suck hot air from the engine bay actually REDUCING power. the stock intake is essentially a cold air as it sucks air from the front of the car.
Not necessarily true with the Cobb short ram + airbox (probably true without the airbox). It uses the stock snorkel as well.
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Old 09-23-2013, 08:29 AM   #20
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Two costly items not to invest in for power purposes - intake and catback exhaust.

Two costly items that will help power dp/tbe and a tune.
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Old 09-23-2013, 08:43 AM   #21
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Skip the intake, as most everyone has said.
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Old 09-23-2013, 09:20 AM   #22
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^---Agreed, if you really want to upgrade your intake at all leave the stock airbox and just get a drop in filter(K/N, etc). i more so reccomend that for the money saving form the paper filters, But it also helps with airflow. i personally went with a SRI on only after my turbo change and FMIC.

i will also repeat the turbo back exhaust, probably the best mod you can do. but like everyone else has said tune with it.
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Old 09-23-2013, 11:02 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AWsleeperWRX View Post
^---Agreed, if you really want to upgrade your intake at all leave the stock airbox and just get a drop in filter(K/N, etc). i more so reccomend that for the money saving form the paper filters, But it also helps with airflow. i personally went with a SRI on only after my turbo change and FMIC. i will also repeat the turbo back exhaust, probably the best mod you can do. but like everyone else has said tune with it.

awesome advice thanks for the help
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Old 09-23-2013, 11:05 AM   #24
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Short ram intake: Makes noises, doesn't add horsepower.

Cold air intake: Makes noises, doesn't add horsepower.

Conclusion: They are the same thing but different shapes.
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Old 09-23-2013, 11:05 AM   #25
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Don't bother even doing a drop in filter, those can mess up MAF scalings and require a tune also.
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