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G2 aem air intake

73046 Views 226 Replies 49 Participants Last post by  smufguy
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I like the dry filters like this. I hated cleaning and trying to "properly" reoil my K&Ns on a few of my past cars. I will wait until the price really drops though.
No testing on that specific filter that I know of, but most after market filters are good to spend $300 bucks on. Other wise...
I ran one on my STi and not only did it work as intended (no bogus), it was CARB certified. If it helps the engine breathe better it's a good idea. No downsides other than listening to the people here who whine about anyone using anything aftermarket whatsoever.
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I've had them on other vehicles as well, and liked them. I know how I am, so I'll post some pics and opinions once it's installed. Hoping an exhaust becomes available soon.. The G2 doesn't sound bad when you get on the gas, but a deeper exhaust note would be nice.
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If that's a metal tube we see in the picture, there's going to be some heat soak to deal with in real-world driving. Hoping some other firms devise a non-metallic, better-insulated system if the goal is truly to drop intake air temps. K&N seemed to have a decent non-metallic approach which we evaluated in building my cold-air system for our S2000 STR car. Vs. the stock Honda system raising IATs 25-30 degrees from outside ambient (meaning it sucked hot underhood air), the design I did only shows 7-10 degrees over ambient temp per the Hondata datalogs.
If it helps the engine breathe better it's a good idea. No downsides other than listening to the people here who whine about anyone using anything aftermarket whatsoever.

if the stock intake already flows more air than the engine can ingest, what value does such an aftermarket gizmo add? So upgrade where it adds value, but don't spend money just because you think it adds value... unless it really does. Now if you just want the look and are willing to spend cash for little or no benefit, so be it.
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I had an AEM CAI on my Prelude and loved it. You could hear the whistle of air every time I got on it. Also it was located in the front lower fender, outside of the engine bay...hence CAI. This one for the Ridgeline is really a short ram intake. It is located inside the engine bay and realistically is not a true CAI. Also, from the instructions, it still "uses" the OEM intake box, there must not be any holes in the lower engine bay for a true CAI. They did report a gain on 13 HP on the Pilots dyno test though.
if the stock intake already flows more air than the engine can ingest, what value does such an aftermarket gizmo add? So upgrade where it adds value, but don't spend money just because you think it adds value... unless it really does. Now if you just want the look and are willing to spend cash for little or no benefit, so be it.
And what did I say above?

I saw what the AEM intake did on the dyno, with my very eyes.

Hopefully one of these ECU companies comes out with a flash or piggyback controller so we can tune the thing and take full advantage of the AEM. Also need a high flow cat exhaust then HP/TQ can increase as well as MPG when your foot is out of it.
And what did I say above?

I saw what the AEM intake did on the dyno, with my very eyes.

Hopefully one of these ECU companies comes out with a flash or piggyback controller so we can tune the thing and take full advantage of the AEM. Also need a high flow cat exhaust then HP/TQ can increase as well as MPG when your foot is out of it.
OK, I'll buy that.

I'd like to see the numbers. I'm curious what difference it made over the rpm range. I assume you have before and after numbers?
heres the results with this intake, i might buy it and give it a try.. more HP and Torque sounds good to me.

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Thanks. I stand corrected.
8% Max Horsepower gain is solid for $285.. wonder if there's an aftermarket exhaust flow replacement?
I have not yet found an exhaust that is specifically for G2. Hopefully soon....
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I think AEM could have done better with the design. Like others have said it just sits in the engine bay and uses the factory air inlet tube to "direct" air to the filter on the AEM. I wish they would've made an intake that included a new air inlet, so that the intake is truly a cold air intake. I do think the intake looks nice and I've run AEM intakes on other cars I've owned and they're well constructed.
OK, I'll buy that.

I'd like to see the numbers. I'm curious what difference it made over the rpm range. I assume you have before and after numbers?
My STi was tuned at Cobb. My tuner was weary of even using an intake at all, because a lot of them put out there for sale are bogus/bs, and really do nothing. The AEM is a well engineered product. It was added last then tuned immediately. Dyno operator said it added extra HP/TQ over normal stage 2, could see it on the MAF and showed me.

How much of a difference on the RL G2, no idea, but it will flow more air compared to stock. Without a tune, will probably add small bit of power, and lead to 1-2 MPG difference. Tuned, different story, that's where you can really take advantage, by altering AFR's. But as of today we don't have a way to do that. Myself, I'd change the intake to the AEM product for maintenance reasons alone. It's a dry filter, so all you have to do is clean it every now and again, like say during oil changes. Simple process. Open it up, shake the crap out of it, reinstall. Maintenance reasons alone it's worth it, but won't be worth it to everyone, especially the anti-aftermarket crowd. Normally aspirated engines are much harder to make power gains so without changing out headers or opening the engine up, all you can do is increase airflow (via CAI) into the engine and out (via aftermarket exhaust with high flow cat).

This is just the first worthwhile engine mod I've seen. I wouldn't buy the AEM until we start seeing exhausts available. I'm partial to Borla on that front but it'll be 6 months to see what comes out.
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Thanks. I stand corrected.
Maybe next time don't be so quick to judge.
Maybe next time don't be so quick to judge.
When you say the AEM flows more air than stock, then how does that affect the amount of air the engine can take in assuming that stock already flows more air than the engine can take in?

And note that the results you mention are not for the RL, but for a different vehicle. So other than the chart that plex provided, how would you assume the gains you saw on your STI apply to the G2 RL?
When you say the AEM flows more air than stock, then how does that affect the amount of air the engine can take in assuming that stock already flows more air than the engine can take in?

And note that the results you mention are not for the RL, but for a different vehicle. So other than the chart that plex provided, how would you assume the gains you saw on your STI apply to the G2 RL?
Really? :grin:

I've got a lot of experience tuning cars and motorcycles and know AEM. They don't make bunk. Their CAI is a solid design and increases airflow over stock. Why? Because OEM designs their intake/airbox to be quiet. The AEM will make more noise but yield more power by increasing airflow.

Pretty silly reading you still arguing and a graph got posted, and it backs up what I said in the first damn place.
What's the value as "proof" from a manufacturer's own website vs an independent test??

I am most certainly dubious of a dyno graph that shows gains of around 10 hp at low RPM of 3500, not to mention that the trend in the graph appears to be a proportionally larger gap between stock and an AEM "CAI" as the RPM drops. Really? Is that some sort of magical resonance effect? Do you really think the stock intake is restricting 10hp worth of power at 3500rpm??? If that is legit y'all should buy this intake in a heartbeat . . .Not to mention the 2mpg gain that Devito says you will get. . . .
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