Intake cheap vs branded

**euro1603** · 03-09-2009 09:12 PM

Yes I agree, in life what you paid for is what you get..

I would love to deak out my euro full or JDM and mugen gear.. but i have a 2 mortgages a wife and a kid to feed, so i can't afford it.

I'm looking at an intake to purchase, seems like the popular choices are injen, k&n typhoon , ct ice box.. all of these fine products are $400 + To me its pretty expensive for a few kw improvement.

There are plenty of cheap intake available from ebay, they're similar in shapes and material.

like this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BCP-0...Q5fAccessories

A tenth of the price , and i can even buy a branded pod to stick at the end of it.. so i ask you guys, what is the difference between say an k&n typhoon and the one above on ebay..

**moogle** · 03-09-2009 09:15 PM

hmm yeah i like cheap stuff too!
for the ebay ones just make sure it will fit your car
cause once time i bought an ebay CAI kit and it didn't fit my car..

**DLO01** · 03-09-2009 09:20 PM

Yeh, same as above. I'd be more concerned about fitment. As long as the pipe is an ok size, smooth on the inside and relatively strong. Then its fine. You can always get a better air filter if the one supplied is crap. My intake arm was cheap as to make and I'd bet it does the same or better than the top name brands.

**Ken-f** · 03-09-2009 09:45 PM

Looks the same as my fujita. However, I'd prefer genuine so I know that fitment is perfect. For all you know, it might be the same without the brand on it. After all, theres nothing really technical about it.

**SiReal** · 03-09-2009 10:30 PM

I like the mans thinking (euro1603). Its pretty simple, air gets sucked in, so who really needs a $400 piece of pipe which probably costs $40 to produce? Unless it was gold plated then I might consider.

Go the ebay special. Even if it doesnt fit, you can make it fit. failing that, meh, it was only $50 or so dollars - it'll make a nice addition to your rainwater catchment system on your house.

**euro1603** · 03-09-2009 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by SiReal

I like the mans thinking (euro1603). Its pretty simple, air gets sucked in, so who really needs a $400 piece of pipe which probably costs $40 to produce? Unless it was gold plated then I might consider.

Go the ebay special. Even if it doesnt fit, you can make it fit. failing that, meh, it was only $50 or so dollars - it'll make a nice addition to your rainwater catchment system on your house.

A Cai rainwater catchment pipe LOL!!!

i think you're onto something..

**RiceMeister** · 03-09-2009 10:51 PM

go for the ebay CAI man, chances are fitment will be good enough and if not...a little bit of DIY will do the trick.

I was all for dropping stupid money on a brand name intake, but at the end of the day performance-wise... a metal pipe is a metal pipe haha. so just went with a kit similar to that and changed the pod to K & N. sounds good, looks nice in the bay and adds a bit of kick. sure it doesn't have the fan-boy attractiveness of injen..but it cost a 10th of the price.

good luck mate!

**hooyn** · 03-09-2009 10:52 PM

same shit different name. seeing all the different brands of "COLD AIR INTAKES" i reckon its all bs.

get your own made. same thing just without the shiny finished surface.

**euromandeluxe** · 03-09-2009 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by euro1603

There are plenty of cheap intake available from ebay, they're similar in shapes and material.

like this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BCP-0...Q5fAccessories

definitely agree on the money-saving, however just remember that for that kit (and most of the other TSX ones) you'll be paying AU$130 for the product + international shipping. add in a decent pod and you'll be looking at $170+. which is still alright.

im more interested in these custom made up kits. who cares about looks.

hooyn (or anyone) sorry for the noob question, but where/how much for can custom piping be made up for? exhaust shops?
and they would include sockets for all the sensors etc?

**hondar** · 03-09-2009 11:49 PM

air intake length will have an impact on the air velocity and impact how the engine draw in the air during the 4 stroke cycle

taken from wikipedia
The four strokes refer to intake, compression, combustion (power), and exhaust strokes that occur during two crankshaft rotations per working cycle of the gasoline engine and diesel engine.

The cycle begins at top dead center (TDC), when the piston is farthest away from the axis of the crankshaft.

On the intake or induction stroke of the piston, the piston descends from the top of the cylinder, reducing the pressure inside the cylinder. A mixture of fuel and air is forced (by atmospheric or greater pressure) into the cylinder through the intake (inlet) port. The intake (inlet) valve (or valves) then close(s), and the compression stroke compresses the fuel–air mixture. (i believe this is where the air velocity becomes important which is affected by the air intake or box design)

The air–fuel mixture is then ignited near the end of the compression stroke, usually by a spark plug (for a gasoline or Otto cycle engine) . The resulting pressure of burning gases pushes the piston through the power stroke. In the exhaust stroke, the piston pushes the products of combustion from the cylinder through an exhaust valve or valves.

some general fit all intake can cause you to lose power instead of gain.

just take an example,
most honda air box are generally has very good design and each according to different car. if an air box just an air box, wouldnt be economical to slap the same air box across all model? there must be reason to it i suppose to match the engine they are on (and of course as technology progress, they can design better and better air box)

generally branded intake like mugen, gruppe m, js racing etc.. they did their research, we are paying for the expertise more than the material itself.

generic brand sometime work and sometime dont. but i guess if they are cheap and you wouldnt mind brandless intake, its worth a shot

**tony1234** · 04-09-2009 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by euro1603

Yes I agree, in life what you paid for is what you get..

I would love to deak out my euro full or JDM and mugen gear.. but i have a 2 mortgages a wife and a kid to feed, so i can't afford it.

I'm looking at an intake to purchase, seems like the popular choices are injen, k&n typhoon , ct ice box.. all of these fine products are $400 + To me its pretty expensive for a few kw improvement.

There are plenty of cheap intake available from ebay, they're similar in shapes and material.

like this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BCP-0...Q5fAccessories

A tenth of the price , and i can even buy a branded pod to stick at the end of it.. so i ask you guys, what is the difference between say an k&n typhoon and the one above on ebay..

I've got an Icebox.Nice and quiet.They improve the low-mid range torque and even give a little up high.Good value. approx.$270.00 to your door.