I am going to get an intake system for my car and can't decide what to get. I am leaning towards the SR Motorsports Ram Air intake, but also thought about a K&N intake. Any suggestions between the two, or even an different, better one?

 

If those are your 2 choices then the SR motorsports... Then K&N is NOT a CAI... the filter exposed and pulls hot air from under the hood... The SR is however expensive... You are not going to get much of a HP gain from an intake anyways... Just do the stock air box mod and remove the 2 "walls" and install a hiflow replacement filter such as a K&N panel filter or the HKS one and call it a day...

 

Racing Beat Revi intake with their Ram Duct preferred.

The K&N Typhoon is very loud and not a true CAI.

Am not familiar with the SR.

A true CAI to consider is the Mazdaspeed.

Or you can simply remove your VFAD and install a K&N flat filter in the stock airbox.

Don't expect much gain from an aftermarket intake on the '8. Most folks do it more for the sound difference.

 

What would be a good first mod to get some hp gains?

 

having owned a SR MOTORSPORTS and an AEM i would say SR MOTORSPORTS heres why:

SR Motorsports
Pros: 1) Works like a CAI......2) Great Sound....3) SR has a good reputation with rx7 and rx8's

Cons: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ if im not mistaken it costs 425

K&N Intake:

Pros: its pretty cheap for a intake costs about mid 200's, easy to clean, 3) has a decent reputation

Cons: 1) Sucks up dry heat from engine bay so it doesn't work like a true CAI...2)Some members have reported power loss and rough idiling



Good luck

 

The bad news is that for the RX-8 there really aren't any, short of going the big bux for FI or Nitrous.

The K&N Typhoon is arguably the biggest gainer, but not very significantly so, and it has the drawbacks cited above (as well as being LOUD). Similarly you won't get much out of an aftermarket exhaust, so again more for the sound.

A midpipe (Cat replacement) will give you some good gains, but it violates the Federal clean air statues for highway use (ok for track).

So, most around here go for mod's that enhance the driving experience, like an AFE short shifter. Or, up the cost chain is the Cobb Accessport Tuner with MazdaManiac custom maps that will wring all it can out of a stock setup.

I would go the AFE short shifter and/or the CobbAP before I'd bother with intake/exhaust.

Again, you can get a modest improvement in feel from simply removing the VFAD (free) and adding a K&N flat filter (~$50). Many of us have also mated the Racing Beat Duct to the stock intake (~$135).

 

Also, for some parts, try and buy used. Stimulates the buying/selling here on the boards, and gives you piece of mind that if you need to sell something it shouldn't be too hard.

Of course I don't do this for some things.

 

i just want to point out, that teamrx8 copied his intake design from the sr motorsports one.

and he put down 224whp.

so... yeah...

if money wasnt an issue. sr motorsports + rb duct.

 

I'd suggest either a mid-pipe or the accessPORT.

I wouldn't waste your cash on an intake as you're not going to see any major gains.

Intakes cause power increases by fooling the mass airflow sensor into leaning out your fuel mixture. The RX8 PCM is designed to alter it's fuel mixture if it doesn't see correct values (created by an intake for instance).

So, any gains that intake would give you are thus negated by the PCM.

A mid-pipe will give you a little boost in power and the accessPORT will do the same along with a host of other features.

If you must mod your intake just remove the baffles and a single screen. Put a drop in filter and call it a day.

I can promise you that it had noting to do with the intake design. The stock intake flows more than enough air for our motor.

 

if nothing else, getting rid of the stock intake box is a plus. that thing is heavy as crap.

but imo, cone filters > panel filters.

that said. im running a stock intake with a k&n panel filter with the baffles removed and a single screen....

 

I had the K&N short ram installed for couple of weeks. It didn't do much for me beside rough idle and it felt like I lost some of my low tq. I end up getting a K&N drop-in, but to be honest with you - I wouldn't even do that. Stock box is good as it is.