Cold Air Intake VS Short Ram Air Intakes

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Cold Air Intake VS Short Ram Air Intakes

Cold Air Intake or Short Ram Air Intakes

intakecompare A short ram intake system (left) is a safer option than a Cold Air Intake (right) but most tuners agree that a Cold Air Intake kit makes more power.

When you’re looking to add quick and easy horsepower to your vehicle, the best thing to do is free up some restricted air flow. The most popular modification is replacing the stock airbox with an Cold Air Intake system and a performance air filter. Before purchasing an aftermarket part you should consider your mechanical capabilities, driving conditions and which style of intake suits your engine bay.

Short Ram Intake

Easy to Install
Lightweight
Less Expensive
Air Filter is Easily Accessible

Cold Air Intake

High Horsepower Gains
Cooler Air Reaches Engine
Modern Design
Quieter

Hydrolocking

If you live in a state where flash floods and heavy rains are common, you may want to consider a short ram intake. Hydrolocking occurs when the intake system becomes completely submerged, and the engine sucks water in through the filter. Due to a cold air intake’s vulnerable location (usually near one of the front fenders), hydrolocking is a serious a risk. Once a cylinder fills with water, the compression stroke “locks” the engine (because water does not compress) and the engine cannot spin freely. Repairs to a hydrolocked motor are costly and generally involve a full rebuild.

In extreme weather, a Short Ram intake is much less likely to hydrolock your motor than a Cold Air.

Cold Air Intake - Do It Yourself

Most aftermarket systems are easy to install and take only a few hand tools to complete. If you can change your own oil, you can install an intake. K&N Engineering, one of the most popular brands for air intakes, carries thousands of different intake systems for various makes and models of vehicles, none of which require any cutting or drilling. According to K&N, each of their intake system has been designed and tested to use your vehicles originalmounting hardware.

Whichever intake system you end up purchasing, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and watch an installation video before you attempting the modification. After you have done your research, slap on an intake and enjoy the added power and better gas mileage!

By: Sean Bowes
Posted on November 11th, 2013

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