Thanks for the link 04RX8man

 

np, its always nice when the manufacturer posts their install guides online.

 

Am I the only one that thinks the AEM looks like ****?

 

yes

 

Okay. Yay for ricer mods.

 

I'm not a huge fan of how the AEM looks but function > form in this case- it's one of the few intakes for the 8 that works and there are some that look worse IMO

 

Well what would you consider a non-ricer intake?

 

I don't think and of the $300+ intakes are worth it, they are all ricey if your adding it for performance reasons. The stock intake with a drop in and a the racing beat duct are the best options for the dollar. If your just adding a REvi or some carbon fiber one for looks then that is cool.

Yes there are some that look worse, I agree. I just hate to see people get sucked into this mod thinking it will add WHP.

If you know it doesn't add real HP and you are just buying it for looks and sound then that is fine just don't post BS about it adding HP.

 

Well no intakes add much HP... I think most people do infact buy for looks.

 

i'm with 9krpmrx8. no need to spend $300+ on intakes.
k&n drop in filter is good enough.

 

Obviously you have never owned a turbocharged car or a big V8.

 

how is it okay to just get a carbon fiber box but not an aftermarket cold air intake? how is the latter rice and the former not?

 

I think its a personal preference, but i don't see how any cold air intake could be ricer?
Maybe wrong, but I alway thought "ricer" was more external, like a big goofy looking gt wing on a mom and pop car.

The polished AEM looks great - just got one and it's even more impressive in person.

 

It's always interesting to see what people consider to be a "ricer" modification. IIRC, the AEM/Mazdaspeed is used in the Koni challange cars so how ricer can it be?

If you're insisting on changing out the stock intake, the AEM is the best solution. It's the only intake that retains the stock diameter size of the intake tube so it won't totally mess with your fuel trims.

Intakes themselves don't actually produce any power. The reason being that there are no federal regulations regarding intakes so manufacturers of performance vehicles don't skimp on intake design. The only consideration comes from a cold vs. hot air intake.

How intakes actually work is by changing the diameter of the tube to alter the amount of air the MAF actually sees. Usually this is done by enlarging the tube so the MAF sees less incoming air. Less air = less fuel = leaner condition which yields more power from a stock tune. The issue with the RX8 is the car can change fuel trims to counteract the diameter increase. So, you only get benefits from the intake for a short time. Once the car learns new trims the effect is negated.

Assuming the car is custom tuned, the intake plays little to no role in power increases. Since the stock RX8 intake already technically pulls in cold air from outside the motor there isn't any major gains with the AEM.

I don't really see the point in buying intakes for sound but people do it. I purchased the AEM to replace a K&N intake and I didn't feel like installing the stock intake system.

If you don't want the AEM I suggest a drop in filter then. The racing beat duct is a good option as well.

 

hey everyone, i'm fairly new to this site...and am fairly new to rx8 mods. However i want to know if the aem intake is better than a K&N or any other brands. Thanks for your opinions.

 

Well it depends. If you are talking about the K&N drop in filter than no money wise. Also, don't get the K&N V2, which is a waste of money and is a hot air intake, which can rob hp and make the car feel like ****.
Best solution, get a drop in filter and a racing beat air duct.

 

Yeah and im sure they have stickers , and a gt wing. Imo thats ricer **** on a street car. I agree intakes are kinda rice , and not getting a lot of power from intakes in general is false , look at the v8's or stock turbo cars.

 

sorry for sounding noob about it all..but can you please explain what this is, and how would i get it??

 

I don't know if it gained power but it sure sound a lot better and it lowered the intake temps a lot, maybe it is my imagination but the water temperature is also lower, I didn't expect that with the filter and tube covering the front, for the install it was not nice, I at least cut myself 8 times and took me (alone) 4 hours to install the AEM and the catch can.

 

AEM installed -

I feel a noticeable difference...it's punchy and definately more responsive.
I also noticed that the engine bay is much cooler without the stock air box. I'm watching my gas useage, anticipating better mileage with the unit.

Does anyone worry about water getting on the filter from rain or puddles??? I am a little paranoid about getting water on the filter during rainy days, or while washing the car. Does anyone have any exp with this?

Thanks!

 

Definitely be somewhat careful getting water on the intake cone, you can really throw off the MAF sensor and you will get a CEL. Don't go through carwashes if the intake cone is exposed etc.

 

The cone is somewhat exposed behind the front bumper. There's a material cover that was in the box, which has been fitted over the cone. I'm assuming the fitted cover is water resistant, but not water proof.

Thanks for the Tip!

 

Oh another thing I've noticed... if like me you have a vented hood, during carwashes the water will pour down into the engine bay. Normally the various covers etc protect the components and it will simply drain out the bottom, but if you have installed the AEM intake and retained the plastic bottom piece of the stock airbox it collects water very easily. Then when you make a hard left hand turn, the water sloshes off the plastic and directly onto the intake cone. So even if you think the cone is dry after washing your car, the water can soak it and you get a CEL. I saw MAF readings of like 499 g/s and had to dry out the cone and clear the code it threw. I have a post somewhere in the aftermarket forum about it.

 

I have been running my 8 w/ the AEM for some time, i have not had any issues with the intake as far as rain, And if you seen the weather in CT latley you would trust me on that. As far as power added goes check my sig, I will post a pic of my dyno sheet if no one beleaves me on it.

 

That's good to hear, because I really like the AEM and I still need to be able to drive in the rain from time to time. Luckily, I only live 2 min from work, so I can drive pretty slow on rainy days.

I'm interested in seeing your dyno, honestly I've noticed a good amount of performance increase out of my CAI. I hear people saying there's no difference, but I have to dissagree. My 8 is quite a bit punchier now, i can definately tell a diff.