I've just installed my AEM short ram and it's sounding great, with a pretty nice horsepower increase on the high end. My question is whether I should shoot for the headers and a catback or look into some cheaper solutions? I've checked out a few things and ignition wires and some new plugs are sounding like they could help a little bit. Is this true or just advertising? If anyone has any recommendations please let me know. It's a stock engine plus the intake, and I took out the resonator. I've got a 2001 accord ex 4cyl. 2.3L VTEC. I know I'm sounding pretty cheap, but money is pretty tight during the semesters and I really want to get my cars performance up for an upcoming autocross.

 

a hotter spark will ignite a mixture better than a ****ty one. at the very least your throttle response will improve.



lightshow

 

hey and good work on getting a short ram, thats the way to be. you can swamp in the water so deep and not f your engine up. water would seriously have to be so deep to get in that intake.



lightshow

 

Yeah, I thought short ram would be the better alternative too. Even though cold air gives an extra couple horses I heard the sound on a 4cyl. for a cold air intake isn't so good anyway. Are those ignition wires and plugs too tough on installation? Anything tricky about it or do you just replace the old ones?

 

easy as POOP player. just make sure to blow out the spark plug holes with an air compressor. then your gonna need a 16mm deep well socket, 3/8 inch drive rachet, 5/8 sparg plug socket with that rubber thing in the middle, and a long extension. do them one at a time. and put some anti sieze on each new plug.



lightshow

 

All a cold air intake does is change the location of your intake sound, its not that different from the sound of a short ram. There seems to be a few arguements running around about the actual benifit of CAI anyways

 

A cold air intake does give you some more power but, at the cost of sucking up some water if you go through a deep enough puddle. With a shotr ram intake you will lose power comnpared to a CAI because the the intake and filter are located inside the hot engine compartment, where as the CAI is located further away behind the bumper

 

I dont remember where i mentioned this but thermal wrap..... it helps ^_^

 

for right now u can upgrade your spark plugs and the spark plug wires to performance.
then u can take ur time on headers and catalytic converter. Also change ur regular oil filter to K & N oil filter, and switch to synthetic oil. thats just for starters, but good choice starting off with the intake because that is the first step. You can find many products on ebay for your car for a very good price.