
The main difference between short ram intake and cold air intake is a short ram intake supposedly increases power by making airflow less restricted while cold air intakes are positioned away from the engine as we mentioned. That’s it.
Is cold air intake better than regular air intake?
the reason why cold air intake is generally considered better is because your engine doesn’t like to run on hot air, and when it does you lose power. but when using a cold air intake the air entering your car is much cooler than if it was sucking air from the engine compartment with a short air intake, thus the engine will generate more power.
Should I install a cold air intake?
The cold air intake is definitely a worthy modification because it can significantly improve your car sound and it’s quite cheap to buy and install. The cold air intake might not be able to improve your vehicle’s performance to your expectation, but it is a great way to improve the general performance without having to spend a lot of money.
What cold air intake should I buy?
When selecting one for your car, examine these 5 factors:
- Vehicle-specific design. Most cold air intake manufacturers design them to fit specific engine and vehicle types, years, makes, and models. ...
- Material. The second item to consider is material. ...
- Cold air intake style. The next item to think about is the style or type of cold air intake system. ...
- Intake tube flow. ...
- Water protection. ...
How to install Spectre cold air intake?
- Safety first! Before you begin the installation, make sure that the vehicle is in park (or neutral for a manual transmission) with the parking brake set. ...
- Loosen clamp at throttle body. Remove the crank case vent hose from 90° fitting. ...
- Remove the air filter and locate the three mounting nuts on the inside of the fender well. ...

Overview Of Short Ram Intake & Cold Air Intake
Among existing intake systems on the market, the short ram intakes may probably gain the most popularity. This is because this intake plays a simple role in replacing the factory intake with one pipe and an open-element air filter. As a result, a short ram intake is affordable and easy to install.
Short Ram Intake Vs Cold Air Intake: Detailed Comparison
A short ram intake draws its air from inside the engine bay and gives a shorter, smoother path to the engine, offering a better throttle response. The power, therefore, is much quicker when you step on the gas.
Short Ram Intake Vs Cold Air Intake: Which Is Better?
After scrolling through each difference between two air intake systems, you can see that making a conclusion on which one is better is up to what you need in your intake.
Final Thoughts
Regarding short ram intake vs cold air intake, each one exhibits its own strengths and weaknesses. So, based on your purpose and needs, consider carefully before purchasing one type for your car. By doing that, either short ram intakes or cold air intakes will do an excellent job and live up to your expectations.
What Is Short Ram Intake?
Short ram intake is the most common air intake type which is simply designed to replace the factory intake by introducing a smooth pipe and an open-element air filter. As the air filter is placed in the same position as the OEM intake system, engine heat is easily carried with the filtered air that goes for the combustion.
What is the difference between a short ram intake and a factory air intake?
Short ram intakes usually perform a lot better than factory air intakes by increasing horsepower and torque. They also improve the fuel-saving capacity of the vehicle.
What happens when you put a short ram intake in a stock intake?
As a short ram intake is placed in the position of the stock intake system which is close to the engine body, the heat of the engine increases the temperature of the air flowing inside the tube. As a result, the engine manifold gets a bit of warm air that contains less amount of oxygen molecules than a cold air intake would contain.
Why do you need a cold air intake?
The primary reason to install a cold air intake is that the cool air is passed into the engine for better engine performance. A cold air intake also helps in reducing fuel consumption.
Is cold air intake good for a car?
You need to decide what you want from the engine in the first place. If you’re willing to spend more money for better horsepower and sound, a cold air intake is recommended.
Is a short air intake better than a cold air intake?
Short ram intake also improves the performance of than factory intake system but isn’t comparable to the cold air intake. So, yes, a cold air intake is better than a short air intake.
Is a short ram intake good?
You may not get as much horsepower and torque as a cold intake offers but will definitely get better than that of a factory intake does.
Why Upgrade to a Performance Intake?
That's because combustion requires oxygen, and it's why your engine needs air to burn fuel. The air is drawn to the engine by the air intake.
Why do short ram intakes make a sucking noise?
Secondly, they make a sucking noise as they draw in air. Short ram intakes tend to produce a lower pitched, throatier sound than cold air intakes, due to their reduced length. Many gear heads prefer the sound of short ram intakes.
Why does the radiator fan blow hot air into the intake?
Since short ram intakes draw air from inside the engine bay, which is much warmer , this can get troublesome when the radiator fan kicks on. The fan will start blowing hot air into the intake, so some short ram intakes use a heat shield to keep from heating the air up too much. There is one advantage to the warmer air in the short ram intake.
Why are short ram intakes better than long ram intakes?
Short ram intakes draw their air from inside the engine bay and give a short, smooth path to the engine. They provide a shorter path (hence the name), which results in a better throttle response. When you step on the gas, the power is there quicker. Since short ram intakes draw air from inside the engine bay, which is much warmer, this can get troublesome when the radiator fan kicks on. The fan will start blowing hot air into the intake, so some short ram intakes use a heat shield to keep from heating the air up too much.
How much horsepower does a short ram intake add?
This results in better combustion and more power and torque. Some manufacturers claim that their intakes can add as much as 20 horsepower. Both cold air and short ram intakes provide a smoother path for air to follow to the engine.
What is 1A Auto?
Looking to upgrade? 1A Auto offers a selection of performance air intake systems and high flow air filters from brands such as K&N for the automotive enthusiast looking to increase their vehicle's acceleration and performance. These simple to install upgrades for your vehicle will save you money by improving gas mileage and give it an extra "pep."
Why do stock intakes have accordion shaped interiors?
Stock air intakes have accordion shaped interiors to reduce noise (we'll talk more about intake sound in the aesthetics section). That makes it a little more difficult for air to reach the engine, and either type will usually be the same or better than the stock intake.
What is a cold air intake?
An aftermarket cold air intake is usually positioned away from the engine and usually behind a heat shield. This way, it can provide colder, denser oxygen-rich air to the engine for better fuel combustion – at least on paper.
What is a short ram intake?
The main difference between short ram intake and cold air intake is a short ram intake supposedly increases power by making airflow less restricted while cold air intakes are positioned away from the engine as we mentioned. That’s it. It doesn’t get repositioned anywhere, but it does eliminate the need for a resonator, as well as introducing a less restrictive air filter.
What does it mean when your engine is hydro locked?
For those who are unaware, a hydro locked engine means that a volume of liquid enters the cylinder.
How much horsepower does a cold air intake give?
What’s consistent, however, is that cold air intakes will result in more engine noise. According to K&N, adding their cold air intake can provide 4 to 5 horsepower, but that’s not much. To take advantage of an aftermarket cold intake system, one needs to introduce more modifications.
What does it mean when an engine has more air?
As we’ve said in our article talking about naturally aspirated engines, the more air an engine gets, the more efficient the fuel combustion process becomes. It might also mean that the said engine can produce more power and torque. That said, there are a number of engine mods other than turbochargers/superchargers that involve air.
Does a turbocharger need cold air?
Answer: Yes. As we’ve said, cold air is denser and contains more oxygen. Therefore, a turbocharger working in combination with a cold air intake won’t need to work as hard.
Is a short ram intake better than a cold air intake?
In the case of short ram intakes, the power your engine can provide will decrease as the engine gets hotter. The upside to this is that it’s significantly cheaper than a cold air intake system. It’s also easier to install since the pipe is shorter, and short ram intakes do not use a heat shield.
