Steeda cai vs jlt cai your thoughts

[Rebellion]

I've been tuning MAF equipped cars since 08. Most of them turbo and supercharged cars which are usually harder to MAF tune than NA cars (different platform). I've seen probably over five thousand data logs while MAF tuning. I've MAF tuned roughly five hundred cars with a bunch of different intake tube setups. The easiest ones to tune are the ones with the most consistent MAF signal and those have always been the ones with metal tubes at the MAF. The worst ones I ever had were normally a plastic tube at the MAF or the filter right up against the MAF.
If your Intake tubes are nice and smooth inside with no bumps and a velocity stack after the filter before the MAF that helps a ton with keeping airflow straight and consistent. Most of the plastic roto molded tubes I have seen (ex. My Airaid on my 13 GT) were wavy inside the tube and slightly inconsistent inner diameter as a result. Velocity stacks also seem to help signal quality but only if the tube is smooth with a consistent inner diameter at the MAF. As for the multiple piece intakes I've never noticed turbulence issues as long as the couplers and tube changes occurred several inches after the MAF. Changes right at or right before the MAF were always troublesome.

In a nutshell, the MAF works a lot better when there's "laminar flow" right?

I don't remember the exact fluid mechanics guidelines, it was something like, the length had to be 1x the diameter or more to ensure laminar flow. The length of the MAF tube would need to be 2x the diameter, with the MAF in the center...assuming a perfectly cylindrical shape. Honestly, I don't remember college stuff anymore. #gettinold

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[Stang Racer]

If your not running a tune look how Ford makes the factory intake tube no metal pipe there and it works Great:shrug:

 

[Vinny@JLTPerformance]

I've been tuning MAF equipped cars since 08. Most of them turbo and supercharged cars which are usually harder to MAF tune than NA cars (different platform). I've seen probably over five thousand data logs while MAF tuning. I've MAF tuned roughly five hundred cars with a bunch of different intake tube setups. The easiest ones to tune are the ones with the most consistent MAF signal and those have always been the ones with metal tubes at the MAF. The worst ones I ever had were normally a plastic tube at the MAF or the filter right up against the MAF.
If your Intake tubes are nice and smooth inside with no bumps and a velocity stack after the filter before the MAF that helps a ton with keeping airflow straight and consistent. Most of the plastic roto molded tubes I have seen (ex. My Airaid on my 13 GT) were wavy inside the tube and slightly inconsistent inner diameter as a result. Velocity stacks also seem to help signal quality but only if the tube is smooth with a consistent inner diameter at the MAF. As for the multiple piece intakes I've never noticed turbulence issues as long as the couplers and tube changes occurred several inches after the MAF. Changes right at or right before the MAF were always troublesome.

We've done extensive testing with small and large velocity stacks, our 15+ GT tube has a small one incorporated into the tube. We've even had some filters made with a stack built into them for testing. It made an immeasurable difference. Our tubes are QC'd for a particular thickness before they ship.

The filter against the MAF can be a problem, thus our filter stop. Other things that effect this is where the fresh air feed is directed at the filter. This isn't an issue on the S550 as it's coming from the bottom (vs say a GT500 that shoots right on the filter)

Check the photos below, the MAF starts over 4" away from the filter. Tubes are smooth

I also worked at a tuning shop for 5 years prior to this, and have had in the range of 3500 cars on a dyno most being tuned...relevant? No but it sounds good. I don't disagree with everything Terminator is saying, he's obviously more in the known than the average. Simply a comparison of results and opinions.

I would post our direct logs we've tested with but this forum is anti product vs product it'd be removed.


Sorry Todd, Give me a bit of time to reply. We're busy

 

[Stang Racer]

The smooth flow in the JLT is nice, here is a pic of issues I had with the Steeda to improve flo at the first joint circled in red. Tried twisting and turning so I finally sanded down the misfit for better flow.

 

[Jay@JLTPerformance]

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[Bluemustang]

Edit: I'm very pleased with my JLT so far. The engine response is smooth from low to high RPMs.
Overall much easier to install and a professional looking product. I really love the one piece intake tube design and the fit to the factory air duct as well.

With the Steeda, I didn't like having to chop off the resonator to the stock air feed and fit it to the Steeda airbox. And it never fit right to the factory air duct in the grille. IMO that should be part of the airbox and I like how JLT designed their airbox to include that. Now it's flush to the air duct and I know the air is going right in.


Still may datalog my tune at some point, but for the time being I see no need for that. No issues so far.

 

[350Mike]

I'm very pleased with my JLT so far. The engine response is smooth from low to high RPMs. And if my screen gauges are to be believed, I am getting a better vaccuum than I did with the Steeda.

Overall much easier to install and a professional looking product. I really love the one piece intake tube design and the fit to the factory air duct as well. Vaccuum hose adapters are better situated that I had with my Steeda. Dunno if that was me installing it, or the fitment on my car is slightly different but the hoses fit better and look the way I think they're supposed to.

Still may datalog my tune at some point, but for the time being I see no need for that. No issues so far.

What do you mean by better vacuum? Doesn't vacuum occur when the throttle plate is closed causing a restriction of airflow into the engine. I thought my vacuum went to 0 at WOT. I'm going to have to look later today.

 

[Bluemustang]

Edit: I just went back and looked at my readings, the vacuum readings are very similar to what I had with the Steeda. So please ignore what I wrote as it is incorrect.

 

[Bluemustang]

Holy crap! This JLT and this tune have changed my Mustang! I decided to do another WOT pull earlier today and wow this thing is fast now. When I floored it the throttle response was felt instantly. I did this in 1st gear and reached 7,000 rpm so fast I almost forgot to shift. It pulled into 2nd gear and the tires broke loose like a sono***un. Only problem is now I think I have a traction problem lol. These stock Pirellis aren't going to make it anymore. They just can't handle it.

I can feel the difference of the CAI in the upper RPMs. It pulls like a freight train now at WOT. It's almost too fast which is why driver mod needs to be on.

I don't know whether it is better than the Steeda, but it feels a lot better. I think this due primarily to the tune. I doubt there is much difference between the two. But if there is a couple extra horses, I'm feeling a lot of horses right now. I think the tune is better dialed in for this intake I am surmising. I'm running a Bama 93 race tune. Even though I had my tune datalogged and revised for my Steeda CAI, I don't think they know how to get the best tune for that CAI. The throttle response feels better with the JLT and the power is smoother throughout, but pulls no less hard at the high RPMs. In fact I think it's pulling harder now.

With that said - again I think a lot of may be the tune. I know AM sells a crapload of the those JLT / X4 combos and I think Bama knows more about the tuning for this CAI than they do the Steeda. I could be wrong here.

I know most of you are probably not pro-Bama on the site, but I wanted to let you know what I was running for reference. I've had several of their tunes, on my stock car, then with the Steeda, now this. And I liked them all. But I can feel the difference the CAI made, both the Steeda and the JLT. The tunes for my stock car were really good, but now I have more top end power I can feel. I didn't have this kind of problem with traction prior to install the CAI + tune. Both of these intakes definitely work as advertised IMO.

 

[tj@steeda]

Bluemustang,

In the end ... you said it best, "both intakes definitely work as advertised".

Thank you for the feedback & if you ever need help with more than the CAI ... Steeda is happy to help!

Have a great evening!

Best Regards,

TJ

 

[Need4Speed15]

Holy crap! This JLT and this tune have changed my Mustang!

Congrats man, enjoy your new-found power!

JLT FTW!

 

[Terminator2]

The smooth flow in the JLT is nice, here is a pic of issues I had with the Steeda to improve flo at the first joint circled in red. Tried twisting and turning so I finally sanded down the misfit for better flow.

Plastic tube should be made about 0.25" larger ID to match MAF tube diameter more closely ideally. It's behind the MAF but it's right behind it from the looks of the picture.

 

[SteedaTech]

Holy crap! This JLT and this tune have changed my Mustang! I decided to do another WOT pull earlier today and wow this thing is fast now. When I floored it the throttle response was felt instantly. I did this in 1st gear and reached 7,000 rpm so fast I almost forgot to shift. It pulled into 2nd gear and the tires broke loose like a sono***un. Only problem is now I think I have a traction problem lol. These stock Pirellis aren't going to make it anymore. They just can't handle it.

I can feel the difference of the CAI in the upper RPMs. It pulls like a freight train now at WOT. It's almost too fast which is why driver mod needs to be on.

I don't know whether it is better than the Steeda, but it feels a lot better. I think this due primarily to the tune. I doubt there is much difference between the two. But if there is a couple extra horses, I'm feeling a lot of horses right now. I think the tune is better dialed in for this intake I am surmising. I'm running a Bama 93 race tune. Even though I had my tune datalogged and revised for my Steeda CAI, I don't think they know how to get the best tune for that CAI. The throttle response feels better with the JLT and the power is smoother throughout, but pulls no less hard at the high RPMs. In fact I think it's pulling harder now.

With that said - again I think a lot of may be the tune. I know AM sells a crapload of the those JLT / X4 combos and I think Bama knows more about the tuning for this CAI than they do the Steeda. I could be wrong here.

I know most of you are probably not pro-Bama on the site, but I wanted to let you know what I was running for reference. I've had several of their tunes, on my stock car, then with the Steeda, now this. And I liked them all. But I can feel the difference the CAI made, both the Steeda and the JLT. The tunes for my stock car were really good, but now I have more top end power I can feel. I didn't have this kind of problem with traction prior to install the CAI + tune. Both of these intakes definitely work as advertised IMO.

Would like to do a comparison with the Steeda tune and our CAI?

This way you can do a apples to apples comparison.

We have spent hundreds of hours on the Dyno with our intake....

pm me if you would like to. All the best Mike D

 

[Freedom]

Everyone's here trying to determine who's better while I'm here waiting for fords pp2 because of CARB. :shrug:
I wonder who's gonna get carb eo first?

 

[Vinny@JLTPerformance]

Everyone's here trying to determine who's better while I'm here waiting for fords pp2 because of CARB. :shrug:
I wonder who's gonna get carb eo first?

We got all of our no tune required Ford kits passed earlier this year.

Oil separators should be passed in the next two months.

Ball is already rolling on the 15+ kits for Carb approval We haven't forgot about you CA guys.

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