For ZKW headlight owners who have intake

[abradic]

Quick question, the search seems to bring ads more than info. For those who have ZKW headlights, does the CAI fit? I was looking at a Dinan CAI for sale here and was wondering if would be a fitment issue because these headlights take up some space over stock! Thanks.

[Dispatch20]

I can't answer on the Dinan intake. But the Cosmos CAI fits. You have to really loosen things up and wiggle them around to make it work, but it's definitely possible.

[Indvdl M]

The dinan CAI takes some finesse and possibly the removal of the heat sheild at the top of the filter. A new K&N filter will also make things fit a little better but not stock, in my case anyway.

[giterdone]

I've heard of it making things more snug, and a PITA to install, but it will fit in the end.

[savage217]

I have the dinan intake and zkw's and they are compatible. Its somewhat of a pia to get it to work but it will. You basically just dont use the heatshield/intake holder and just let the intake tube rest against the back of the headlights.

[Daniel325i]

My car came with both, seems to fit ok but I'm thinking of pulling it...

[M3forJTB]

The zkw's with the Dinan CF CAI require the removal of the filter from the underside...

I recently had to clean my filter and found myself putting it up on the lift and removing the left porkchop to pull the intake down...
It was just a hair too tight to come out through the top, but too much is too much.
After cleaning the filter, I switched to a short-ram style with heat-shield which will be easier to clean in the future. The dinan CF will be a nice decoration in my garage for a while...

[Daniel325i]

I wouldn't go with one either to be perfectly honest. It sound mean, but if you've ever touched yours after driving you'd realise quickly that it is anything but a CAI. It may be cold air at the filter, but by the time it's gone through the CF tube, it's cold-no-more. That and I fear hydrolock...

[abradic]

Thanks for the info guys. The more I think about it, the more I would rather pass on the CAI right now and just get the M50 manifold. It will give me a much better gain. I'm hoping to go FI down the road, so I think the manifold is the better buy.

[giterdone]

Thanks for the info guys. The more I think about it, the more I would rather pass on the CAI right now and just get the M50 manifold. It will give me a much better gain. I'm hoping to go FI down the road, so I think the manifold is the better buy.

you can still get a CAI, just get the short ram w/ heat shield.

[Dispatch20]

I wouldn't go with one either to be perfectly honest. It sound mean, but if you've ever touched yours after driving you'd realise quickly that it is anything but a CAI. It may be cold air at the filter, but by the time it's gone through the CF tube, it's cold-no-more. That and I fear hydrolock...

Not true. We've discussed this a lot of the forum, but I'll rehash a little bit. The tube is hot to the touch only when the car is not moving, and not on the throttle. When on the open road, you can actually measure the intake air temperature in the brake duct, and then again at the IAT sensor in the intake manifold (after the CAI). The temperature barely rises at all. This is due to the large volume of air flowing through the pipe, and the small amount of heat that can actually transfer from the pipe to the air. It's not like there are heat sink fins all over your cold air intake tube.

A short cold air intake without a headshield is definitely a bad idea. A long tube (dinan style) without a heat shield is not bad at all.

Hydrolock is another issue that can actually be a problem.

[Daniel325i]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll have to read up on it (read: search). I remember reading a discussion in the past but do not recal a temp reading after the CAI.

Either way, the meager gains do not seem worth the chance of hydrolock imo...