[SlayZombi]

Now wait... don't grab your pitchforks! I'm not going to ask the 1,564,293th question about the performance or if a cold air intake is good for my car. I'm actually going to be a guinea pig! > I wanted a CAI for my car ever since I bought it about a year ago. Well now, I found one I like (and that actually fits). It's the Injen CAI. I chose this due to the high reviews on other products from them, the style, and the claimed HP. Really, I want to just add some style, noise, and remove the clutter from that oversized stock airbox (performance too!). I don't have it just yet but stay tuned this coming week when it comes in the mail. I'll do a before and after noise check, some pics, and an overall review of how it feels. This is pretty much the only CAI that fits the automatic trans. I like the AEM one but it was manual only. If you would like for me to perform other tests or take specific pics, go ahead and let me know below and I'll see what I can do for ya!

CAI: https://www.carid.com/2014-mazda-3-air-intakes/injen-air-intake-377233200.html?parentsubmodel[]=ENGINE|2.0L

Pre-filter (cause I am scared of the water splashing into it): https://www.carid.com/injen/injen-pre-filter-761199325.html

 

[zero_gravity]

Dyno tests

 

[M3MX5M3]

Now wait... don't grab your pitchforks! I'm not going to ask the 1,564,293th question about the performance or if a cold air intake is good for my car. I'm actually going to be a guinea pig! > I wanted a CAI for my car ever since I bought it about a year ago. Well now, I found one I like (and that actually fits). It's the Injen CAI. I chose this due to the high reviews on other products from them, the style, and the claimed HP. Really, I want to just add some style, noise, and remove the clutter from that oversized stock airbox (performance too!). I don't have it just yet but stay tuned this coming week when it comes in the mail. I'll do a before and after noise check, some pics, and an overall review of how it feels. This is pretty much the only CAI that fits the automatic trans. I like the AEM one but it was manual only. If you would like for me to perform other tests or take specific pics, go ahead and let me know below and I'll see what I can do for ya!

CAI: https://www.carid.com/2014-mazda-3-air-intakes/injen-air-intake-377233200.html?parentsubmodel[]=ENGINE|2.0L

Pre-filter (cause I am scared of the water splashing into it): https://www.carid.com/injen/injen-pre-filter-761199325.html

I had the Injen SRI installed for a few months and after doing OBDII air intake temp tests they were fairly similar while driving but higher on the Injen when stopped. Temp went down about the same when accelerating, but the SRI definitely took away from low end torque. I measured airflow rate at higher RPMs and the SRI ever so slightly pulled in more air and "butt dyno'd" faster when 4k+ rpm's. In the end I decided to stick with factory box because of the low end gain. Going by my results, I think you could see a little more gain from a CAI. But just yesterday while crusing on the highway I was only at 4 degrees above ambient the whole drive, so getting 1 or 2 degrees closer isnt going to see that much gain. It would probably just benefit you in stop and go or when you arent crusing at consistent speeds.

Hope this helps.

 

[SlayZombi]

I had the Injen SRI installed for a few months and after doing OBDII air intake temp tests they were fairly similar while driving but higher on the Injen when stopped. Temp went down about the same when accelerating, but the SRI definitely took away from low end torque. I measured airflow rate at higher RPMs and the SRI ever so slightly pulled in more air and "butt dyno'd" faster when 4k+ rpm's. In the end I decided to stick with factory box because of the low end gain. Going by my results, I think you could see a little more gain from a CAI. But just yesterday while crusing on the highway I was only at 4 degrees above ambient the whole drive, so getting 1 or 2 degrees closer isnt going to see that much gain. It would probably just benefit you in stop and go or when you arent crusing at consistent speeds.

Hope this helps.

I think the issue with that is that it's a short ram. It sits in almost the exact same spot as the OEM one but doesn't have the advantage of heat shielding. That means it logically is going to draw in more heat than the covered OEM box. I didn't want the short ram because I felt I would just be sucking in hot air off of the valve cover area and some of the other components below it. With the CAI, it dips down much lower and I am really hoping that it gets low enough to avoid most of the heat (heat rises and will rise above it). It'll be next to the fender and radiator so we'll see how it does with temps.

 

[SlayZombi]

Dyno tests

Where exactly do I do this type of thing? This 155HP car is my most powerful out of all 4 cars I have owned so I definitely don't visit tuning or performance shops ever.

 

[Fauropitotto]

You'll have to take your car to a tuning in performance shop.

Make an appointment, should be around $100 for three runs.

Without a Dyno run to establish a baseline, all these power mods are just shots in the dark.

 

[M3Nitro]

Speaking having done R&D on a few CAI I would not waste you money on DYNO Days having to do with a street car. You will not be running long enough on a DYNO run to see what any CAI is capable of. Technically speaking unless it is more restrictive then OEM your end number should be close to identical as far as power goes 1-3 +/- HP differences . And the claims on forums are not conclusive because of to many variables causing 1-5 +/- HP differences could be just about anything and not necessarily the intake system.

What I determined recently during a couple of long days at a couple of related shops is that many model Mazda's (specifically my M3) like many other platforms, air flow in and around the engine and air intake has the biggest factor on IATs. Changing out the stock air filter box is not going to change that as far as the temperature of air supply to the intake so much for street use. This is why I joke on often on forums in threads about the name CAI =Cold Air Intake, it does not make logical sence.
One other consideration is that to do REAL WORLD DATA and TESTING you need intake air temperature sensors at a couple different location then stock. The stock location is to far down stream and does not measure true air first introduced into the air intake system. Without that you can not see any values when you consider throttle blade angles which regulate the air flow in the complete air intake system. Which brings up another area that you need to DATA LOG when testing a air intake is the throttle % during specif runs and times at those %'s.
And the "turd" is having right in the middle of all your testing the cooling fans actuate which can throw off the test completely. :surprise:

The bottom line is unless someone is planning to TRACK their MAZDA (or any other car) that you will be sustaining high engine speeds for a length of time most aftermarket CAI offered really do nothing more then look good and some sound good and some may even reduce your total power and increase normal IAT over the stock box on many platforms.

Personally I like my mouse trap intake and filter system I built for my M3.

 

[mpp12]

My plan is to heat shield oem airbox like I do on my race bikes.

Heat does more harm than a bit less flow.

I live in Dominican rep. And tune bikes for hobbie. And have seen results of heat soak.

Enviado desde mi G3123 mediante Tapatalk

 

[M3Nitro]

My plan is to heat shield oem airbox like I do on my race bikes.
Heat does more harm than a bit less flow.
I live in Dominican rep. And tune bikes for hobbie. And have seen results of heat soak.

If you do not have a TURBO model MAZDA then it really will not have as much benefits as you may think. Read my last response.

If you "tune" bikes then you know that wrapping the exhaust , and running a 180, (4 stroke engines not 2 )and changing the radiator fan activation cycle has lots of good results. I do Performance Bikes as well. :nerd:

 

[mpp12]

air intake temps... we heat shield the airbox. that is what I meant...

I do full reflashes so fan on and off, helps a lot bikes...

I see constant diference of +10C betwen ambient and airbox in the M3..

 

[SlayZombi]

Coming in the mail Tuesday. Excited!

 

[CerealKiller]

I hope you like how your engine will sound with it. If it's anything like my K&N, it should add a nice growl when revving the engine.
CK

 

[M3Nitro]

I hope you like how your engine will sound with it. If it's anything like my K&N, it should add a nice growl when revving the engine.
CK

I used playing cards and attached them to the inside of the wheels with clothes pins to get that "growl" sound from my Mazzzza....:rice 1:

 

[CerealKiller]

You're killing me Smalls!
CK

 

[SlayZombi]

I thought about K and N but I was a little uneasy about the oil for the filters. Plus the price of course.

 

[M3Nitro]

I thought about K and N but I was a little uneasy about the oil for the filters. Plus the price of course.

The oil on the original K&N Filters is and has NEVER is been a problem except for those that do not like to clean and re-oil them. And unlike the BS MYTH on the internet about getting oil into the intake and on sensors which has always been proven in the end to be the user did not read the instructions and warning of the product .
You can always choose at any point to replace the filter you get with your "Ingen" kit with a K&N in the future. :nerd:

 

[BIGDOC]

I'm selling one for $100...it works just as well as any other intake sold, I don't buy any of the technical crap. I have the James Barone sort ram and my brother had the Injen and we drove both cars.. raced on highways ...all that good stuff and our friends had K&N OR CORKSPORT... really no difference. Its all personal preference, Get whatever you like.

 

[SlayZombi]

The oil on the original K&N Filters is and has NEVER is been a problem except for those that do not like to clean and re-oil them. And unlike the BS MYTH on the internet about getting oil into the intake and on sensors which has always been proven in the end to be the user did not read the instructions and warning of the product .
You can always choose at any point to replace the filter you get with your "Ingen" kit with a K&N in the future. :nerd:

Yeah I've heard that one a lot. The whole oil in the intake. haha. I assume too much oil?

 

[SlayZombi]

UPDATE: I got the intake and installed it! It looks real nice if I do say so myself. Quick question, it does say it's a "tuned" intake but will the air/fuel ratio be changed at all? Besides that, the intake was a bit challenging to get on considering the tight fit. I also noticed that the intake touches the frame slightly and there's no way around that. What I did do though, is under the bend right before the filter attachment, I put some trim tape (thick-ish foam tape) on the frame right where the metal pipe almost touches the frame just to catch some of those nasty vibrations. The filter itself is nice and thick, built super tough and didn't crinkle or bend under any pressure, and it fit like a glove on the pipe. The filter also slightly touches the fender splash guard (right next to tires). It's annoying but hey, I'm not going to cry to much about it. Here's my scorecard for this intake:

Coolness factor: 10/10 I looks very sleek, professional, and it has overall great aesthetics. Looks nowhere near the cheap Ebay ricer intakes.
Performance: ???/10 I noticed an ever-so-slight increase in responsiveness but nowhere near the $240 worth I bought it for. I expected this though. Not sure about exact numbers and would have to Dyno it.
Noise: 7/10 Does not make much more growl at RPM's of 2k-3k but at least it does not sound nearly as whiny as stock.
Ease of installation: 9/10 Very clear instructions other than one of the steps I had to contact support for. It was weird wording in a sentence and left out information.
Fuel Consumption: 7/10 According to my Mazda's built in mpg calculator, I managed to get 34.5 mpg on 70% highway and 30% city last night. Probably drove about 100 miles or so. It's pretty average in the city alone getting about 29-30. No major difference from before but a slight increase.
Extras: Clears the clutter around the airbox area and I can quickly access the transmission dipstick if needed without taking anything apart!

 

[SlayZombi]

Here's some extra pics for you all I took this morning!