what led to me buynig a tl is because of the honda name, which is known for lasting for many years. i'm careful in selecting my mods for the car, which has mostly been acura parts and accessories. been thinkin about a CAI. other than worrying about large puddles, does the CAI affect the longevity of the TL? just wana know your opinions or experiences with it. thanks

 

Can't think of how it would; unless you modified something or change the way something works, it's not going to ruin anything

The point of the CAI is to actually grab the colder (denser) air from outside the engine bay; the 360' cone filter allows the engine to breathe and take in air easier, the added bonus is the nice growl and the color (if you like the colors)

Really all you're changing is the filter location, and getting rid of the silencers/resonators. You don't leave anything unplugged or block anything off - you're just changing the filter and the location in which the air comes from

Seriously.. cannot think of any downsides other than driving too deep into water and hydro locking, but the AEM sits up pretty high..

 

well I remember seeing a review on after market intake filters... it stated that many of the cold air intake filters did not filter out tiny dust particles... the answer to that is a pre filter... aside from that no problems I can think of

 

Yeah only problem I see with having a CAI is if the filter does a poor job of filtering. Other than that it should be pretty safe, except with the increased probablility of hydrolocking your car.

 

AEM Claims to filter 99.47% or something, down to 1 micron

 

Here is what honda/acura thinks about aftermarket intakes, this is a service news bulletin

Cold air intake systems and low restriction air filters, a word to the wise.

Cold air intake systems and low-restriction air filters are hot aftermarket accessories. Popular among the import tuner crowd, these items may inprove engine performance by letting the engine breathe more deeply, reducing the intake air temperature, and cutting down on weight. And for that all important sound when you wind up the engine, cold air intake systems help produce a deep throaty, tone. Stock air intake systems are designed to clean the intake air, minimize intake noise, and keep water from getting into the intake tract, all the while putting out the most horsepower and torque. Although cold air intake systems and low restriction air filters kick up engine performance a notch, they also have a darkside. They can really mess up the engine, and thas not covered by warranty! With cold air intake systems, you run the risk of engine damage from hydrolocking if you drive in wet weather or plow through standing water. These systems are usually designed to draw air from the bottom of the engine compartment or from the front of the radiator where the air is cold and dense. The air filter used in these systems doesnt sit in an air box, so water that gets sucked into the filter gets sucked right into the engine. When enought water gets into the engine, the piston cant fully compress the air/fuel mixture (water doesnt compress) so it stops before reaching top dead center. Even though the piston stops, the crankshaft just keeps turning from inertia. As a result, the connecting rod bends and gets shorter. With each compression and power stroke, the connecting rod flexes until it eventually fails from metal fatigue. With low-restriction air filters, you run the risk of premature engine wear and contamination. Some of these filters just dont work as well as stock air filters do. Microscopic debris can get past the filer, causing premature wear of the pistons, piston rings, cylinders, and valves. It can also foul up the throttle body and the components of the intake manifold runner control, intake manifold tuning, and idle air control systems. So whats the bottom line here? Tell your customers theyre taking a really big risk if they run the vehicle with a cold air intake system or a low restriction air filter. Engine damage caused by these items isnt covered by warranty. and that could take a big bite out of their pocketbook.

 

Wow xox06speed...that info makes it seem so much worse than what it really is Or am I wrong about it not being that bad?

 

So they are saying CAI's will slowly suck up water(under normal, non SCUBA driving) until the cylinder gets so full of water the piston can't rotate thru it's full cycle and BOOM, metal fatigue and engine failure. Seems a tad far fetched.

 

Agreed. In summary its just saying don't hydro lock... Thats always been and is the only concern.

 

CAI's arent that bad but im sure it could cause premature wear of the motor due to aftermarket filtration which probably isnt as good as factory! As long as you dont plan on keeping the car forever then i wouldnt worry about it!

 

No.

You gotta realize that Honda/Acura has to take that stand in order to protect themselves. They used the tech article to "go on record".

They want their techs aware of possible problems so as not to provide inappropriate warranty service.

Any they REALLY don't want techs recommending a CAI and then later, when something goes wrong, the customer tries to say, "Well, the Acura Service deptarment said it was OK."

This bulletin is really just one big CYA and from a Honda/Acura perspective, I don't have a problem with it.

 

Exactly!!!

 

Sorry guys, but my '00 TL has 229,000 miles on it (actually my son drives it now) and has had a CAI on it from just about day one. The engine still doesn't burn or use any oil between oil changes, which are at every 8K miles, Mobil 1. I think the CAI filters just fine.

 

Nice!

Yeah, I agree with everyone above me though

 

Use common sense and you wont have to worry about CAI systems.

Use good name brand parts, especially filters. K&N is one that comes to mind. Follow instructions.

If you use a system that sucks up air from below the car... be mindful of puddles.

 

How about the short intakes? How do they work?

 

They suck in hot air from your engine bay.

 

If you go for an intake, you might as well go for the CAI. As a matter of fact, I just got mine installed today (AEM) by fellow 'ziner: aznbo187. I am already very happy with the results from the test drive I just came back from. The install took only 90 minutes from start to finish. I give Mike a big for his services, thanks, bro!

 

I can see their point if the CAI filter is not maintained regularly. If it's not serviced and oiled, they can let particles flow through. Other than that , it should be fine.

 

does any one know how CAI/ SRI systems effect MPG?

 

cai gives better gas mileage dude