Probably has been asked multiple times, but I'm interested in people's opinions between the two. My dealer is recommending the Hahn intake but I'm torn.... Anyone have experiences between the two systems?
Alpha vs Hahn cold air intake
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Good question. I'm looking at both myself
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I've been waiting on a thread like this. I'm going to purchase one or the other if my sling ever gets back from the audio shop. Having trouble picking brands myself.
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I've had the alpha intake and now the hahn turbo charger.
I would go with the hahn intake if I did it over again
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Curiously, though he owns a dyno, I have never seen a stock vs Hahn intake only run ......
I would love to be proved wrong but the design makes little sense to me for NA applications, seems like there would be turbulence in the plenum and (even with the increased volume at the junction) it still makes a hard 90 degree turn into the throttle body......not as much a concern under boost .....
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I thought long and hard about the two also. I really believe you can't go wrong with either one. With that said, I chose the Hahn CAI for a few reasons. The filter box has virtually no openings to suck engine compartment air. It has a gasket on top as well, to insure that clean air from the front is all it pulls from. The Alpha has openings on the side, and does not have a seal on the top. The Hahn is more "plug and play" also. The Alpha requires some cutting to free up the wires to gain more slack, and moving the throttle body. The Hahn can be returned to stock within minutes. It just bolts on with no cutting or moving anything. And lastly, the reputation of Bill Hahn is almost legendary in motorsports. I believe he wouldn't develop an inferior product, it's just not what they do. They put a tremendous amount of effort into R & D before offering any products.
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I thought long and hard about the two also. I really believe you can't go wrong with either one. With that said, I chose the Hahn CAI for a few reasons. The filter box has virtually no openings to suck engine compartment air. It has a gasket on top as well, to insure that clean air from the front is all it pulls from. The Alpha has openings on the side, and does not have a seal on the top. The Hahn is more "plug and play" also. The Alpha requires wire cutting, and moving the throttle body. The Hahn can be returned to stock within minutes. It just bolts on with no cutting or moving anything. And lastly, the reputation of Bill Hahn is almost legendary in motorsports. I believe he wouldn't develop an inferior product, it's just not what they do. They put a tremendous amount of effort into R & D before offering any products.
Installation of the Alpha intake does not require cutting of wires .......
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Installation of the Alpha intake does not require cutting of wires ......
Sorry!! My bad. I corrected the post. Thanks!
Ask @BONES, he said it was a bitch moving the wires around. But yes, no wire splicing what so ever. -
I have had both
Had the Alpha before I installed the Hahn Turbo then switched to the Hahn
Both are excellent - my opinion id the Hahn does a better job sealing the top of the box to the hood with a gasket that I do not believe Alpha is using (at least not on the early version I had)
The other advantage to the Hahn is you do not have to move the throttle body which for some will make install easier
Either way you can't go wrong both are very well made -
Sorry!! My bad. I corrected the post. Thanks!Ask @BONES, he said it was a bitch moving the wires around. But yes, no wire splicing what so ever.
I have one of the early hand welded Alpha intakes so no need to ask anyone
......moving the wires took all of 5 minutes, moving the throttle body is all of four bolts and requires no permanent modifications to the SS.I can understand the importance of sealing an airbox to the hood if the Slingshot had a closed engine compartment like most late model cars. However with the wide open engine bay in front and under the fenders I see it making little, if any difference when underway. This could also be easily tested.....
Agreed that just about anything is better than the stock mess...........
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The body is a bitch with Alpha, tight cleanace. Cutting the stock sleeve was the biggest bitch of whole ordeal. I work on elevators for a living & cut travelers & deal with wires , the harness was so taunt & need to be careful cutting wires!
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Has any one checked out 1320 air intake ?? i have one of those and my friend have alpha i haven't seen any big ddifference??
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Not an engine builder but I have been watching the threads on all of these aftermarket creators since their inception. From my perspective if this engine can breathe easier it will perform better. Will one CAI build more HP than another? Who knows? Someone would have to have done a direct comparison completing a baseline dyno run, add each to the same sling on the same day and run em'.
This is just my bar stool racing guess but I would imagine they would be too close to call and both produce a significant boost in HP. If that is true (and I am not saying it is) then you simply buy the one that trips your trigger. I have no alliance to any particular manufacturer but I wanted something a little different so when this color hit the street last month it got me to part with my hard earned cash. Is it the best? To me it is, to someone else, maybe not so much.....
I do not cut wires for a living and no issues making a slice in factory harness to pull out some slack. The entire install process is easy even for a totally novice mechanic like myself. The instruction videos for a lot of the available parts for the SS make things even easier. At the end of the day, none of the parts are cheap so buy what makes you happy every time you open the hood and stand there and stare while having a cold one.
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<blockquote class="quoteBox container containerPadding quoteBoxSimple" cite="http://slingshotinfo.com/index.php?thread/723-alpha-vs-hahn-cold-air-intake/&postID=15682#post15682" data-author="<>"><> wrote:Has any one checked out 1320 air intake ?? i have one of those and my friend have alpha i haven't seen any big ddifference??
[/quote]I will be the first to go out on the limb and say there is no significant difference. There are experts though who can talk about flow rates, dynamic air pressures, temperature gradients, viscosity, density and compressability quotients, skin friction, compression and angle of attack, induced drag and vortices.... You know all that stuff that makes incredibly interesting reading when you are trying to get some sleep.
Just to be clear, once my new shocks arrive my SS will have mods from Hahn, Alpha, DDM, Cycle Springs, 1320 and a few others.... So far I like them all.
Edit: But there is only one forum that is the go to for all the best SS info and you are there.
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I just installed the Injen CAI. It uses the existing sensors. Based on this install my question is "Why can't someone create a modification to the current OEM system that would eliminate the top, do some cutting of the plastic is necessary and add a new filter like other CAI's. When you consider the cost,it does not seem like you really are getting much if you just want a better air intake system." If the sensors were replaced and that was an improvement over the OEM system than I could see the reason for some of the prices. Looks aside, I paid $245 for the Injen and it does not look like the Alpha but it claims to have the same performance increase.
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But, the Alpha is sooo pretty!!
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I bought the Han CAI because the seal along the hood just seemed like a good way to go. After installing it, I eventually replaced the rubber molding with some window unit AC foam seal because I felt the hard rubber molding was placing too much pressure against the hood and I was worried about my hood popping loose. This happened to me once and while I can't definitively say pressure from the CAI's rubber molding caused the hood to pop, I just didn't want to risk it happening again. I just like the Hahn CAI design alittle more, I guess. I guess I need to check the filter at my 20,000 mile service due now.
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OK, I know it's a old thread, but I want to buy a CAI. I want a Hahn but can't find one, is Alpha a pain to put in? Don't forget, I have no skills.
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OK, I know it's a old thread, but I want to buy a CAI. I want a Hahn but can't find one, is Alpha a pain to put in? Don't forget, I have no skills.
Check with Cycle Springs. He has the Hahn kits and usually has deals running with discounts. I like the sealed air box on the Hahn kit better than the Alpha one. Also the throttle body hat of the Hahn kit is very impressive, plus the throttle body does not have to be relocated to make it work.
