Help me get started...

[Ijaz]

Hey guys, it's about spring time and I have some money to add a few things for my car, it is a 1998 Honda Prelude Base, MT. So far it is stock, but would like to change slowly over time.

I am planning on doing a Intake, High-Flow Cat, and a Cat-back exhaust right now. Later on I will add a exhaust header, lower the car, and do some more styling.

I have narrowed my choices for the 3 things, but I need some final input.

First, is the CAI, what is the best out of these:

1. K&N Typhoon CAI - http://www.crutchfield.com/S-jIXlg7nuI4Z/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=513691302P
2. Injen RD CAI - http://store.newlevelmotorsports.com/incoairin97h.html
3. AEM CAI or the V2

Second is the High-flow cat:

1. Random Technology High-Flow Cat - http://shopping.lightningmotorsports.com/customer/product.php?productid=1105&cat=457&page=3
2. Magnaflow High-Flow cat

Third is the Cat-back exhaust:

Out of all the exhaust systems, I really liked the:

1. Apex'i N1 Cat-Back (Base and SH)
and
2. Tanabe Ultra Medallion Cat-Back (Base Only)

What can you guys recommend from the above mentioned products, the only reason I ask is that, no matter where I go I get a lot of mixed reviews, saying it worked great on one car while it didn't work as well with another.

Since everyone here most likely drives a Prelude, I would like your input.

Thanks for the help.

[yogi_pahl]

first the CAI are all about the same as far as power goes, so w/e one you like more or can get for a price you like.

[ImPorTuNeRdJ]

for me i'm thinking of getting an AEM V2 CAI, and Apexi N1, so..if that helps i guess thats cool lol

[Ijaz]

Yea the Apex'i N1 sounds really nice, so does the Tanabe, but I am more inclined to the Tanabe because I was actually able to listen to it on a Prelude, online, I will try to post some clips.

As far as the CAI, I was sort of leaning towards the K&N simply because of their superior quality when it comes to filters. Also I have heard some people say that AEM one is mass-produced so it has some issues, such as fitment. But Injen is also a really good maker and is well known for their quality.

[94ludeguy]

i would go with the V2 or an ebay pipe then buy a K&N filter

my .02 cents

[Ijaz]

Why is the V2 piping better or larger than the others? Also the fact that the K&N CAI can be interchanged from CAI to SRI is an added bonus I believe. What do you guys think?

[jay3134]

I did the ebay pipe and the K&N filter, works like a dream...and ebay was cheap, didnt really feel a noticeable difference though.

[94ludeguy]

well the design of the V2 different then most intakes. it has sort of 2 chambers if u want to call it that. on the few dynos i have see with the V2 it seems to show the most improvement. but the price is steep for it. if u get the typhoon intake u mind as well get the ebay one b.c they are the same design u are just paying for the name. if u get the ebay one just put a k&n filter on it.

[twokexlv6coupe]

for intakes:
http://www.preludezone.com/showthread.php?t=3472

the V2 made fractions of hp over stock. and 2ft-lb.

[BadMofo]

I don't understand why the V2 is always considered a CAI... it's more of an SRI in terms of design...

Follow the link that twokexlv6coupe posted... it'll give you a better idea of what's out there as far as intake goes.

I personally (and this is merely personal preference) like the Tanabe exhausts the best for our preludes.

And as far as high flow cats go, get whichever one is cheaper lol... they do the same thing.

[Ijaz]

Cool, thanks for the input. Just one more thing, no one here has mentioned or even talked about the Injen CAI.

http://www.carreview.com/cat/parts/intakes-filters/PLS_2876_913crx.aspx

The reviews on the site suggest that in order from most affective/highly rated CAI is the Injen, then the AEM, and then the K&N. What are your thoughts?

[BadMofo]

Well you gotta remember that on that website, they are rating the products on a universal level, not on a specific application. For isntance, the Injen CAI might see a 15 hp gain on a civic, and only 1 or 2 on a Prelude.... now let all of those people that own civics and preludes vote on a website like that, and the civic owners will far outnumber the prelude owners and cause the product review to be closer to 5 stars than it would be if it was based on prelude owners only...

You gotta look at application specific reviews, much like the ones that are on this website. To put it in simple, basic terms, an intake is an intake... Think about it... let's say AEM, Injen, and K&N all sell a CAI for the prelude, and they all have identical inside diameters, and identical construction material, and identical lengths and bends.... Is there gonna be a difference in performance from brand to brand? Hell no... And, in real life, while the designs might be slightly different from brand to brand... it's not gonna be enough to make the performance from each brand differ all that much... It's not like the K&N is gonna give you 8 WHP and the Injen is gonna give you 1 whp... Generally speaking you should expect to see gains in the 1-5 hp range, regardless of which brand you buy.

Read the air intake review that Nick (twokexlv6coupe) posted up there for Prelude application specific reviews...

Also, read the stickies in the N/A tuning section of the forum... They will give you a good idea of what modifications see gains and what modifications don't for our cars. The prelude is a particularly difficult car to squeeze gains out of... good luck with your search for answers =)

[2.2Lude]

I like the Injen intake systems better for one they have 3" piping and AEM, I'm almost positive, has less. To be completely honest, and this coming from some who has driven a stock prelude with a V2, AEM CAI, Injen CAI, and Injen SRI (none of which belonged to me). You will NOT be able to tell the difference from one to the other power wise, for noise i have to admit the V2 sounds bada$$. Im not saying there isn't a power difference, im just saying that you won't be able to tell.

Thats why i ordered a SRI from ebay, black because i can't stand the chrome pipes. All a intake is a pipe with a filer why would anyone pay $135 for a SRI when you could get a ebay pipe and just throw on a K&N filter for less than $65.

Hope that helps a little.

[PreludeBoy95']

i just purchased the Injen SRI..and right now im runnin a ebay pipe w/ RE Works filter...so i hope a see significant change

[Ijaz]

Yes, please definitely let me know how the SRI performs, but I read on this forum, that the SRI actually causes you to lose performance in the summer months due to heat soak... and the V2 by comparison provided the most power, although marginal.

The only reason why I am not a big fan of the V2 is that it has a small piping and then larger piping, making it look choppy, and not very clean. Where as the Injen looked pretty nice, especially the red one.

Now can someone tell me how the Injen CAI sounds compared to the AEM CAI or the V2?

Thanks and much appreciated for all the input.

[BadMofo]

Well... if you read that post fully to completion, you'll see that 98vtec (Blake) recommends using a CAI over any of those other intakes (all of those intakes reviewed were SRI's... including the V2). If you do however stay with an SRI... it's cheaper to just put a k&n drop in filter in your stock air box...

The V2 is shaped like that for function over form. The large pipe ID will allow more air to enter the intake pipe, and then the reduction down to smaller ID helps increase pressure... The V2 also keeps the filter element a little bit farther away from the motor than the other SRI's... that also helps reduce heat soak

If I had to guess, I'd say that the Injen CAI sounds probably identical to the AEM CAI... They probably sound different than the V2, but I don't know as I've never heard a comparison.

[Ijaz]

Cool, I'll try to search for some sound clips on google.

[JARyder19]

suspension man, always a good choice, struts and sways, shocks and coilovers. look into that, you can never go wrong with it.

[Ijaz]

JARyder19, I know what you mean, that was actually going to come in a month or two after I do these upgrades. I don't have the money to do all that just yet, so I am taking it in stages.

[thomas97]

yo,
i have the K&N and i am really pleased with it, im planning on getting the Magna Flow cat, its nice and hella aforable, and the Tanabe is amazing, its low, ive only heard one, dont have the magna cat or the tanabe catback,

those three sound like a deadly combo, id do it, lol because i am
BTW ive got a 97 which is 100% the same as yours before the switched a few things in 99'