Stillen vs. Smoky: your take on intakes

G Fo12ce

Thanks again to the OP for doing the test.

I just wanted to throw out some points since I used to work around this stuff. I bounced this test off a few friends and these are some thoughts I wanted to share.

First: In terms of air temp, why do some seem to forget we have ducting through the core support to direct cooler air toward the filters (in terms of a short ram). People seem to forget that when they get going about how a CAI takes in cooler air, it may not be as big a difference on this car versus most others that don't have these ducts.

Second: It's unfortunate that they were not plotting Air Fuel Ratios on the dyno. After seeing this and talking to some people I think the air temp is less relevant versus what the design of the intake does to the AFR. Lean means more power. If you design your intake to push the AFR as lean as you can go and still be safe, your intake will make better peak numbers on the dyno. Pipe diameters, pipe length, filter restrictiveness, AFM placement all have an effect.

I think the intake that favorably suited this cars fueling requirement for the mods that it had won the shoot out.

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Nismo Suspension: New Owners Check Here!

Zsteve

MY question is, what makes theirs make power when the other (short rams) lost power and are the same same setup? Are the TS tubes and MAF a different diameter? Was there a tune on the car already for their CAI? I mean ther are only so many things you can change on a short ram that is only a foot long from the filter to the engine. Was the engine heat soaked for one and not the other? And WHY SO PRICY? The only thing I can see that would change things would be the MAF area. But if its true then thats would be great cuz I dont wont to take my bumber off to clean filters.

And yes Im finding it hard to believe a CAI is gaining 20 HP but who knows maybe our car is CAI lover unlike other cars.

Oh did they say what the before numbers were with the stock box?

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2010 LS3 C6 Silver coupe corvette

ZForce

Another member posted that someone needs to pull the trigger on one and throw it on the dyno.

G Fo12ce

I'm just going to answer your price question for now. The fact that the Top Secret intake is made in Japan has a lot to do with it. Start factoring in things like echange rate from Yen to $, shipping and import taxes and those are things that bump the price which have nothiing to do with the design.

If you have a vendor that's going to bring in a lot, then you can spread the duty and shipping over more product and bring the price down. I would think you could probably buy/offer it at a better price too since i'm sure any manufacturer would give you a price break at a certain quantity. If you are buying one at a time you (the customer) are paying for everything.

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Nismo Suspension: New Owners Check Here!

Zsteve

I guess I can see the high price but you would think if they want it to sell here they would have to lower it. I will wait to see if any members here get it and dyno it. Still cant see whats so different then the other short rams like it.

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2010 LS3 C6 Silver coupe corvette

Swat Performance

I can't deny the fact that Smoky and his crew from Top Secret are simply great at what they do and am very honored to be a part of bringing you all his products.

Thank You Top Secret and Thank You Baker Jackson Nissan for putting them to the test and for your constant support!

Ken Sanders
Swat Performance
www.swatperformance.net

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Swat Performance now offering Top Secret, Powerhouse Amuse, Mines and Impul with more to come!

Official Top Secret Distributor thanks to Smoky Nagata!

Zsteve

Its just too bad thier products are probably too rich for 99% in this forum.

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2010 LS3 C6 Silver coupe corvette

Endgame

Cost of the TS CAI?

BalanBro

It is possible that the longer tube could have smoother airflow further down the pipe, but it will still experience more resistance (i.e. a greater pressure drop as measured from the inlet and outlet of the intake tube). Smoother air flow does not necessarily mean MORE air flow, but it typically leads to a much more stable and accurate reading from the MAF.

A short tube, as in an SRI, is more tempermental to MAF location, and proper spacing from the filter/inlet is very important to avoid the turbulence created at the pipe inlet. This could be one reason why the other SRI systems have not fared so well.

TurboFC3C

From tonight:

370Zsteve

Thanks, Belan. Ya, I didn't mean there would be more flow by any means. I wish I could locate the article about the long-tubes, it was not in a Stillen press release, but rather a 3rd-party source in an online article I stumbled on. It also mentioned that the shape of the bend coming around to the filters was crucial for the smother flow.

I'm beginning to think Semtex may be right and that Smoky put a Turbonator in the unit.

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SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.

phelan

sooo who's translatin' for them? lol

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凛 ('Rin') - 2009 Nissan 370Z
With silence comes peace. With peace comes freedom. With freedom comes silence.

FuszNissan

I see the stainless steel case of unicorn blood has made it to the US

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Mods: Too Many to list!
LouFuszNissan
ZDAYZ 2012

Baker

The dyno at Secret Services is translating for Smoky.

Attached Images

smoky_has_landed.png (59.7 KB, 25 views)

Endgame

So many keep saying heat soak would lower the HP numbers. From what I have read, however, they drove this car around time in stop go traffic, then dynoed it again and got the same results. I would think that would be a true real world test.

Don't hate fellas..... BTW - I find it interesting that Stillen has not chimed in....