Just to throw my $.02 in here...

That alternative tubing pictured on the previous page looks a lot like the stuff we use at the injection molding factory where I work. We use it to connect dryers to material hoppers. Smaller size in our application, but looks to be the same stuff.

If it IS the same hose, then it would work for a FWI, but not well. It does tend to bend in one area, not over a large radius (as mentioned). It also tends to accordion up inside (as suggested). It works great in our application, but we don't really care about laminar flow.

I gotta say sompin'.


ANY material you use to build your intake, be it an FWI or airbox type, will work. HOW WELL IT WORKS, however, is something that must be considered. Sure, out of all the scenerios this topic has spewed out, the Intense kit is the most expensive. There are ample reasons for this guys n' gals. 1) Higher quality materials do tend to cost a bit more than Lowes/Home Depot has to offer 2) SOMEBODY at Intense had to design and assemble the kit, 3)I'm sure Intense would have spent some time R&Ding the kit, and looked at several aspects...performance of course, but also longevity of the chosen components. That tubing they use PROBABLY lasts alot longer after many cycles of heatsoaking than any other tubing that is available, 4) Marketing costs, and lastly 5) Profit.

Personally, I have never dealt with Intense...never needed to. But there are MANY people on this forum that have. And out of these people that have, I can safely assume that most, if not all, are repeat customers. That alone says something about the product quality AND the customer service. Now, it is ones right to NOT purchase from them and make their own. I myself am going that route and using mostly surplus aircraft metal for my setup. Will it work? Yup, and should work very well. Will it be better than the Intense setup? Maybe. Maybe not. I won't have any hard data to prove or disprove it. And even if it did, I wouldn't come out and say it, out of respect for them and many others on this forum that DO run that setup. The bottom line here is, go with what your budget allows and what is best for YOUR application. What'* best for YOURS, might not be the best for EVERYONE ELSES.

/End Rant

Anybody got a picture of the inside of the Intense tubing? It seems Intense makes a great product and if they can't make a small profit, what would be the purpose of being in business?

True enough. If you want a quality, pre-engineered solution, you will pay a premium for it. I enjoy messing around with things like that, but not everyone does.

To go slightly off-topic, is there a reason that the FWI is the current greatest thing, vs. the old CAI with heatshield in the engine bay (the previous greatest thing)? I mean, I'm sure that there'* a reason, but are there numbers to back it up from a performance standpoint, or is it a matter of packaging ease, or something else? I missed the boat and threw a CAI/heatshield on my LeSabre a couple years ago, just before that setup was apparently abandoned in favor of the FWI.

FWI is the best method to get cold (read: ambient) air into the engine. The filter element is generally outside the bay, and the most common place to get it is right where the EVAP canister is. Most just move the canister. I did away with it entirely and just plumbed in a new solenoid in between the tank and vac inlet.

Wow. This is going really well. Thanks for the pictures of the Intense tube innards!

If a FWI works better than stock or even a CAI, does it need laminar flow as much? I figured once you go the FWI route, you'd want colder air more than you want fast air.

No. You need both. I'd call it equal. Cold air is worthless if it'* not laminar. You have to keep up with the flow.

BTW, when you buy an FWI from INTENSE, (assuming you do), I challenge you to try to bend the tubing in a complete circle with the ends parallel to each other.

Would this tubing be better than anything mentioned so far? Even better than an exhaust shop bending a metal pipe to fit?

Metal pipes do not bend, flex or give and given the massive amount of torque rock these engines can do that may not be the best idea.