[ZX3 Jon]

hey everyone, I just got my 2k6 2.0 zx3 last saturday and I love it to death but, with time comes pay checks and planning. I was wondering if anyone in the New Jersey area (preferably central jersey like around New Brunswick) or anyone with a like climate (80-high 90s summers and wet winters, falls, and springs) had any experiences with heat soak or hydro lock. I cant decide between a CAI and a SRI. I just got the car so I dont want to void the warranty or maintenance plan. The way I figure it, if I'm smart about it and really research it they can't pin anything on the mods... hopefully. Anyways I wanna start my modding in a couple months but want to start budgeting asap. I wanna start with an intake, move to exhause, and then do everything in between. I'd really appreciate any help anyone can offer. Thanks []

 

[Evan_Murphy]

I think you'd be fine with a CAI, you'd have to drive through a HUGE puddle to even get the filter submerged.

 

[yellowfocus03]

I asked the same question when i was starting to mod......first thing i did was an intake.....AEM CAI works great.......i would put a by-pass valve on if your really worried about sucking up water....

 

[svtfocus17]

i put a 90 degree elbow on mine u can find at home depot it placed my cai up in the bumper more...and i dont even worry about it now! and sounds and performs great!!

 

[ZX3 Jon]

My biggest issue is that up here on RT 18 it can occassionally get flooded during the summers we'll get floods cos the ground is so dry and then the back roads will have all these big puddles (maybe 6-8 inches). This car has to last me so i wanna make sure that i evaluate every option. Anyone have a short ram with a heat sheild? Anyone get any heat soak (heat bog) with that set up?

 

[gitar111]

i got a SRI because i didn't even want to think of the possibility (even though it's really small) of getting water in my engine. I'm happy with the SRI, but i've heard good things about CAI also, so it's pretty much your preference there.

 

[ZX3 Jon]

i got a SRI because i didn't even want to think of the possibility (even though it's really small) of getting water in my engine. I'm happy with the SRI, but i've heard good things about CAI also, so it's pretty much your preference there.

Did you put the heat sheild on your SRI? I mean is that really effective or no? I was thinking of getting the steeda SRI and I heard that that comes with one... Not positive if thats correct but none the less.... hows your SRI working out for you?

 

[superchop]

My biggest issue is that up here on RT 18 it can occassionally get flooded during the summers we'll get floods cos the ground is so dry and then the back roads will have all these big puddles (maybe 6-8 inches). This car has to last me so i wanna make sure that i evaluate every option. Anyone have a short ram with a heat sheild? Anyone get any heat soak (heat bog) with that set up?

Lol, hey there neighbor

I live around that area as well and personally i'd love to get a CAI but like you said about rt 18 and a bunch of other streets...i just don't want to risk it. Especially since most puddles don't look as bad as they really are up until you get stuck in them. I have a SRI myself and i'm pretty happy with it. I don't really notice much heat bog unless i have the AC on (but that's something completely different) but like you mentioned...you can always get a heat shield. An SRI is your safest bet IMO and with some of the freak weather we have around here i just don't want to risk getting hydrolocked myself with the CAI.

 

[ZX3 Jon]

Lol, hey there neighbor

I live around that area as well and personally i'd love to get a CAI but like you said about rt 18 and a bunch of other streets...i just don't want to risk it. Especially since most puddles don't look as bad as they really are up until you get stuck in them. I have a SRI myself and i'm pretty happy with it. I don't really notice much heat bog unless i have the AC on (but that's something completely different) but like you mentioned...you can always get a heat shield. An SRI is your safest bet IMO and with some of the freak weather we have around here i just don't want to risk getting hydrolocked myself with the CAI.

heyyyyyyyy haha... awesome. ^^ Thats what I figured. I'm actually right across 18 from you... in East Brunswick by Exit 9 lol. The way I'm looking at it when 18 floods the only other road is really OBT and thats a monster with puddles sometimes... I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go with the SRI with a heat sheild on this one. Thanks for the help! Maybe I'll see you on the road sometime haha

 

[bruinsh]

yo what up??!! i just graduated from rutgers and come up there often. i have a SRI on my car and love it. if you want a cheap way to get power and not have to worry about stuff do this: buy a cone air filter and put it on your stock intake housing. Make sure the cone filter is the one which has a hole in the center of the end. then take vacume hoseing or something like that and put it in the hole at the end of the filter and put the other end whereever the coldest air u think would be (grill most likely). When it rains or is getting ready to rain big, just take off the long vacume hose and u have a SRI and with the hose its a CAI. Cheap and VERY effective (saw this done at All Ford nats). i wish i would had known to do this cause it costs a lot less than a SRI set up and gets the same job done. my AEM SRI didnt even come with a heat sheild so i still dont have one...lol

 

[ZX3 Jon]

haha thats awesome. what part of jersey are you from? Or less specifically... what exit? lol.. with that SRI setup you dont take anything out really right? It sounds like with your setup, bruinsh, that it would be easy to set it stock before i take it into my dealer for warranty things/my maintenance plan... interesting... and they will never need to know... haha... Is there a way to "plug" the end of the filter cone like that with some sort of "filterish" material? hmm... I wonder what a power gain on something like that is...

 

[bruinsh]

i living in Del this summer but my rents live 2 miles from six flags. as for the set up yea you really dont have to take much out. just the box part of the intake you would take out. to put on the air filter all you need is a metal clamp that goes around the end. it is VERY easy to switch in and out so thats a good reason to do it also. i would assume the power gain would be the same as a SRI or if you put the vacume hose and make it CAI then it would be more.i wish i would had known this before i had bought my AEM SRI 3 years ago

 

[ZX3 Jon]

thats awesome... I'm down in Newark DE and Elkton MD all the time... very cool. I think I'm going to try that out like this coming week. I'll post the outcome haha

 

[FocusRyderzx3]

heyyyyyyyy haha... awesome. ^^ Thats what I figured. I'm actually right across 18 from you... in East Brunswick by Exit 9 lol. The way I'm looking at it when 18 floods the only other road is really OBT and thats a monster with puddles sometimes... I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go with the SRI with a heat sheild on this one. Thanks for the help! Maybe I'll see you on the road sometime haha

I live in south brunswick, i have a CAI, and i have had no problem with it, i drive rt18,1 TP and the GSP all the time and i have had no problem(knock on wood[?|] ) hey henk ill sell u my CAI for $20!!!

 

[ZX3 Jon]

interesting... how is it on Old Bridge Turnpike?

 

[bruinsh]

lol why u selling it? ur not going turbo are you? btw let me know if ya wanna come out for all fords in my car. its gonna be a great time

 

[FocusRyderzx3]

lol why u selling it? ur not going turbo are you? btw let me know if ya wanna come out for all fords in my car. its gonna be a great time

Turbo HAHA, i found a great deal on a AEM, so i would sell my old one, and about nats, i wont be able to make it out, there was a death in my family and just a lot of things going on this week, but good luck in nats,

oh but old bridge turnpike, aint bad, like every one said you do have to watch out for deep puddles

 

[gitar111]

Did you put the heat sheild on your SRI? I mean is that really effective or no? I was thinking of getting the steeda SRI and I heard that that comes with one... Not positive if thats correct but none the less.... hows your SRI working out for you?

yes it came with a heat sheild not too sure if it helps or not. I dont know what it would help? But i love it... in combination with the FC TB, it feels great. The throttle body takes care of the low end the SRI takes care of the high end, and it sounds bad ass.

 

[ZX3 Jon]

thats awesome... just one more pay check... just one more pay check... haha... does the combination of the SRI and Throttle body help gas mileage or destroy it? I know its kind of a newbie question but why not ask while i can...

 

[FocusRyderzx3]

thats awesome... just one more pay check... just one more pay check... haha... does the combination of the SRI and Throttle body help gas mileage or destroy it? I know its kind of a newbie question but why not ask while i can...

i dont think it will really hurt your gas mileage, but thats aslong as you dont drive hard. if you just take your time shift at lower RPMs(if you have an ATX) you should be fine, what motor do you have??