Steeda cai vs jlt cai your thoughts

[assclown]

My Online Question to Steeda- A few months ago my wife purchased the Steeda Cold Air Intake (555-3193) for my 2015 Mustang GT Convertible. Now that it is getting warmer I noticed that the inlet temp is much higher during slow driving or while at stop lights. For example yesterday the Inlet Air Temp shows 158 and the Outside temp showed 89. Once the car got up to highway speeds for about a mile the Inlet Air Temp temp went back to within a few degrees of the outside air temp. I think that the CAI seal is not sealing properly and is allowing hot engine temps into the CAI box. Does Steeda have a taller seal that would help seal the CAI box thereby reducing CAI inlet temps? If not any suggestions?

Steeda Response- Hey Roger, the IAT will always be higher and rising when the car is at idle or sitting still. Once you get moving it should cool on down. That is normal functionality of a CAI. Nothing seems to be wrong with what you have explained to me.*


My solution was to purchase a small trash can from Home Depot cut it and then use adhesive / sealant with rivets to fill the gap. I also opened up a few of the hex holes in the grill.
In my opinion, it doesn’t look too bad. Now my inlet temperature does not rise that high(even at idle) and cools much quicker when driving.

It is my hope that Steeda could design and sell a new CAI that will seal against the hood insulation. Additionally Steeda should design and sell a tall bulb type seal kit or other solution that current Steeda owners could purchase to seal the CAI from the hot engine bay.

I am not clear on what you did, could you post a few more photos? :cheers:

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[WildFire]

I tried to make the picture larger and attached another picture from a different angle. Look at the side rail to see the gap I filled. Now the Steeda CAI seals against the hood insulation.

With these simple mods the inlet temp does not rise too the extreme (even at idle). And it certinaly cools much quicker when I am moving.

Sometimes the inlet temp is exactly the same as ambient when driving. This simple solution works great.

 

[SVT-DADDY]

I tried to make the picture larger and attached another picture from a different angle. Look at the side rail to see the gap I filled. Now the Steeda CAI seals against the hood insulation.

With these simple mods the inlet temp does not rise too the extreme (even at idle). And it certinaly cools much quicker when I am moving.

Sometimes the inlet temp is exactly the same as ambient when driving. This simple solution works great.

That's how it should have came from Steeda. I wish I had the talent to fab one up like that!

edit: maybe I could if I had a build tread to follow. hint hint

 

[JRENIGAR]

Ok, now I see. I actually thought about something like this. I was curious if that was a open window made by Steeda on purpose for when the car was not up to speed and needed a bigger shot of air than it could pull from the snorkel without being a restriction. It could simply pull from there until the "ram air" effect took over from the front air rushing in. Thoughts???

 

[assclown]

I tried to make the picture larger and attached another picture from a different angle. Look at the side rail to see the gap I filled. Now the Steeda CAI seals against the hood insulation.

With these simple mods the inlet temp does not rise too the extreme (even at idle). And it certinaly cools much quicker when I am moving.

Sometimes the inlet temp is exactly the same as ambient when driving. This simple solution works great.

Great!! I can understand it now. I'd like to explore this option as well - how did you go about cutting the piece on the driver side to match the hood?

 

[WildFire]

I think this is the Home Depot trash can I used for the mod.

I placed the homemade insert into the box and looked over the engine bay from the left front wheel area toward the right headlight. I gradually cut away material until it looked close.

Once it was close I secured the new insert to the CAI with construction adhesive/sealant and several rivets.

Then I placed white chalk on top of the modified CAI and lowered the hood to see where it hit on the hood insulation. I kept cutting away small sections until I got it right. The old seal was then put on top of the CAI for a tight fit.

 

[SVT-DADDY]

I think this is the Home Depot trash can I used for the mod.

I placed the homemade insert into the box and looked over the engine bay from the left front wheel area toward the right headlight. I gradually cut away material until it looked close.

Once it was close I secured the new insert to the CAI with construction adhesive/sealant and several rivets.

Then I placed white chalk on top of the modified CAI and lowered the hood to see where it hit on the hood insulation. I kept cutting away small sections until I got it right. The old seal was then put on top of the CAI for a tight fit.

So the can is inside the box? I thought by the picture it was the other way around.

 

[NvrFinished]

So the can is inside the box? I thought by the picture it was the other way around.

I think what he is saying is that he trimmed material from the trash can to use as the insert. He then glued the insert to the box and finished it off with rivets.

 

[tj@steeda]

For those looking to purchase our current CAI, here is a great review:

Location: Columbus, GA

Review: Install was easy and this thing is massive! Sounds great and looks even better. Be careful with the rubber grommets. One of mine fell into the tube while driving so it got some super glue. This thing has me giddy.

Rating: 5

 

[Stopsign32v]

For those looking to purchase our current CAI, here is a great review:

Location: Columbus, GA

Review: Install was easy and this thing is massive! Sounds great and looks even better. Be careful with the rubber grommets. One of mine fell into the tube while driving so it got some super glue. This thing has me giddy.

Rating: 5

You literally have on this page, a customer that was unhappy with your product. They contacted you and your response was “All seems good..?” then they bought a TRASH CAN to fix your R&D shortcomings.

Why don’t you respond here to that customer rather than simply bumping the thread with a satisfied customer’s review?

 

[tj@steeda]

We have sold many CAIs in their current design and that is how we produced and designed them. The CAI is designed to be an open element that seals against the hood.

Best Regards.

TJ

 

[Stopsign32v]

We have sold many CAIs in their current design and that is how we produced and designed them. The CAI is designed to be an open element that seals against the hood.

Best Regards.

TJ

Apparently not TJ... Read above @ your customer’s concerns

 

[tj@steeda]

It was covered over a year ago - stopsign, the customer wanted a solution to keep his IATs lower than what he was seeing with the Steeda unit - check out the previous pages of this thread.

Best Regards,

TJ

 

[WildHorse]

Yeah.. I have the JLT with the foam insert. IAT are a little higher in heavy traffic, but then again I ain't racing in heavy traffic. As soon as I start moving at a decent speed the IAT's drop very quick. At 60+mph there's barely a difference between ambient & IAT.

 

[SteedaTech]

Yeah.. I have the JLT with the foam insert. IAT are a little higher in heavy traffic, but then again I ain't racing in heavy traffic. As soon as I start moving at a decent speed the IAT's drop very quick. At 60+mph there's barely a difference between ambient & IAT.

You are correct, the Steeda cold air runs within 4 degrees or less of ambient at cruise.

The best,

Steeda Tech

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