Jackson Racing Cold Air Induction

Comes with all the parts you need. Doesn't feel or look like a quality piece of equipment and I think there claim of a gain "up to 14HP in most cases" is a bit of an exaggeration. Air induction system mouths on top of the radiator.

Very difficult to install. Also makes access to any of the belts extremely difficult. Should an adjustment need to be made to the a/c belt, like was the case with my car, most of the tubing needs to come out. I have noticed a slight increase in power delivery, but I'm not sure if there has been any really increase in power, at least not low down. The car doesn't seem any quicker off the line but then I don't really rev the car past 4k rpm. But what I like most of all is that the Borla Dual Exhaust that I have on my car doesn't drone as badly now that this intake has been installed. In fact there is a noticeably difference in the amount of droning no longer occurs. I have noticed at idle the car makes a noise like that of a Native American Drum being light beaten (I don't know how else to explain the noise).

Jackson Racing Cold Air Intake

[2/17/2007] Reviewed by: Jason Bardis

Jackson Racing Cold Air Ram Intake. Replaces your stock air filter & airbox & resonator with one small plastic box & oil filter.

Neat product. Rubber-backed washers were missing--fortunately, I had a couple in my garage. A bear to install--2 of us (I'm not a car expert, my buddy is very experienced) took about 3 hours to do the entire job. Instructions were a bit confusing at times--we ended up switching the order of a few operations because we simply couldn't access certain fasteners or parts in the described order. It took some finagling to shoehorn the intake in & get to all the fasteners & hoses, but we did it without unhooking any coolant hoses--many reviewers here mentioned that they had to undo the coolant hose from the radiator--if we did, we would've had much easier access, but a bit of a mess to clean up. The intake sounds great. Sounds a little quieter than stock under mild throttle but has a nice deep growl when I punch it. Makes my engine sound bigger than 1.8L. I *think* there's a small power boost, but it could just be all in my head... :]

For the 1.8 Liter engine

[9/30/2003] Reviewed by: Rod - podz2000@hotmail.com

Hmm....I'm no budding automobile engineer..but have at least a little common sense... so read the instructions....3 times.... and then set to work, after approx 3-4 hours, a broken/split rad hose and various injuries to my person...it was in...and ready for the ultimate test ( after a few band-aids and some antiseptic cream on the arms/hands/fingers etc)..

C'mon...deep throaty manouvre after 5500+ revs and yes, a noticable differance in torque and pick-up..that baby kicks in nicley...is it worth it? Yes . Does it make a difference? Yes. Does it look $300-$400+ worth of kit? NO . Do you get maimed and injured during installation ? YES. Are the instructions presice,informative,written by someone who has installed it? No Way. But don't be put off and persivere.. it's well worth the effort (and the scarring/stitches etc)

[5/15/2002] Reviewed by: Michael Willis - willism@gte.net

The JR cold air induction coupled with the sport exhaust provide a noticable increase in power in the mid to high ranges. This was sorely needed to increase the car's passing ability. The exhaust give the car a much more pleasing growl. Best of all the car is now recording about 12% better gas mileage. On a recent trip, over 35 mpg on 87 octane Texaco fuel was achieved. Past experience with top-down cruising at freeway speeds was only slightly better than 31 mpg.

[1/27/2002] Reviewed by: Matthew Robertson - mwr@charter.net

This was a great modification that truely enhanced the overall character of the Miata.The instructions were very confusing at first.The directions didn't always follow a logical order.JR used many technical names for the components under the hood.That slowed the process down quite a bit.Total time: 2 hours.In the end everything fit like it was supposed to.I could do it again with my eyes closed.

This product works as advertised.Don't be put off by the extra effort involved(it's not much really).The wiring is a little tough but the results are worth it.The thermostat housing does NOT need to be removed but,have a drill and drill bit ready for the support bracket. The car is very fast now and sounds incredible.A very good way to meet the local sheriff.Should have come with this from the factory.

[1/30/2001] Reviewed by: Craig Finley - cboaz6@home.com

First the good news: I was skeptical at first but now I don't doubt JR's claim of 14 HP increase. I am very happy with the power increase, which is very noticeable. JR claims a ram-air effect which I also no longer doubt. The car does seem to gain power with speed.

The bad: The top rear of the new filter housing rubs against the front of the engine block. I doubt that it's going to wear a hole through to the piston, but it's leaving a white powdery residue on the front of the block, and I'm going to have to fix it somehow. For the money I think JR should be able to provide a product with adequate clearance. Minor warning if you have a strut tower brace: when I tried to relocate the hood prop rod per JR's instructions it interfered with my FM strut tower brace. I had to bend the prop rod into a completely new shape to snake it around to the driver's side of the engine compartment. I also had to make a new support bracket. The results are fine, just be aware there's a bit more work to do after you check off that last line of JR's instructions. Despite my complaints the product really does work well and I'm very happy with the results.

[7/4/2000] Reviewed by Kevin Knowles - kevin.knowles@db.com

I ordered this from Moss (UK) after reading some of the reviews on this website. It took just over 2 weeks for it to be shipped over and delievered(not bad really).

Installation was reasonably straight forward and took about 4 hours. As people have said in other reviews the instructions are not great, and could do with more pictures. (My car is 96 Specail Edition Merlot 1.8i Jap import).

After reading some of the reviews on this site, I was very excited about taking my first drive with the CAI installed. I can say that it did make a difference, I cannot quote figures but there is definately more urge from about 5,500 to 7,200 rpm. Previously, the power would fade at about 6,200 rpm, but it now pulls all the way to the redline. I doubt however that the product gave me an extra 14 HP that JR claims it should do, maybe between 8 and 10 hp including the timing advance (14) is more realistic. The other plus side to this product is that it sounds fantastic under 3/4 + throttle. For UK buyers it is rather expensive at £330 ($508), and to be honest not really worth the money as the box is made of rather thin plastic, poor instructions etc. I would only recommend this product for people who want the maxiumum performance from their MX-5 / Miata without going to forced induction or other engine mods (and have money to burn!)

[2/22/2000] Reviewed by Jac Cottrell - jac.cottrell@omnient.com

Installation tools Basic handtool, Metric sockets/wrenches, screwdrivers, Sealant, Wire cutters, Soldering Iron, Nerves of Steel

The JR CAI is just about as good as it is hyped up to be. It is an expensive modification, but as you can see...hasn't stopped me. There is a definate increase in power across the RPM range, especially in the upper range. This is mostly due the shortened intake tract. Most people report that the JR CAI makes some really neat sucking/thumping sounds as it sucks cold air for you. I can't hear it over the FM exhaust.

Also, if you wanted to set your timing, do it before you start playing with the JR CAI.

This has been the most unpleasant install for my miata. Mostly due to our own screwups...there are two red wires. One has a black stripe & the other doesn't.

The parts in this kit are pretty well manufactured. There is not a lot of room to install the parts, so some preassembly is required. It is rather difficult to get the flexible hose on to each of its respective ends while jammed next to the fan.

In the kit I have, you need to cut the wiring harness & solder an extention in. Do not use solderless connections, do it the right way. (practice first if you have to). Get the wires right, and solder that monster. Make sure the solders are good & clean. This will rule out potential problems.

This install is a real pain. However, the results are quite good. The car runs harder & feels stronger with the JR CAI. However, if you are strongly considering going with Forced Induction anytime soon, save your money. This is $300-$400 dollars closer to FI that you could have been.

[1/26/2000] Reviewed by Matthew Kane - mkane@cmadesign.com

Product definitely works as advertised. There is an real noticeable difference in oomph in the higher rpm ranges.

I read the instructions twice, imagining the parts as they were installed, so the actual installation only took about 1 & 1/2 hours in my 95 M-edition.

1. you DO need to remove the upper radiator hose and thermostat housing. (this is not mentioned in the instructions)

2.the left end hole to mount the air mass sensor needs to be elongated. (all of the other parts went together as advertised)

3. don't waste time with crimping the wiring splice - cut off the crimp connectors and just solder the wires together. Everyone I know that had driveability problems solved them by soldering the connections.

[12/25/99] Reviewed by Bob Wolfson - bwolfson@myself.com

The kit has a new intake and filter, an adapter to reinsert the old air sensor, accordion hose to join the sensor to a new air pipe, and a short hose to connect the pipe to the throttle body.

My results with the installation were similar to others reported here parts misfit or were ill-designed, the instructions were incomplete and unclear, and the job was awkward. It may be the best-of-kind product, but for $400 it should be better.

1) As JR says, it requires an unreasonable PUSH to force the new intake-adapter into position. JR mentions an easier method, but unusual tools are needed. Too, the intake needs a support bracket that again must be force fit.

2) JR OMITS that the thermostat housing must be REMOVED in order to join the old sensor to the new adapter.

3) The sensor-adapter attachment bracket doesn’t align with the sensor’s holes.

4) The rest of the kit is OK, but there are 2 points of no return. 1st, cutting a piece of old hose to connect an airway bypass to the throttle body, and 2nd, extending the sensor's wiring. JR requires cutting the old wires and butt-crimping a splice in! A simple male-female cable would have been so much easier.

5) The new intake sits where hood prop used to lie, so JR supplies parts to move it. But the instructions are poor and the new position is dubious because the prop doesn't fit WELL in its new home.

[9/10/99] Reviewed by: Mark Brandt - mbrandt@gtdev.com

This installation is much easier if the aluminum casting is removed from the airbox. This allows 1) the airbox to be dropped rather than "muscled" into place and
2) the flow meter can be assembled onto the cast aluminum adapter working at your workbench instead of working below the thermostat housing with very little clearance.
Assemble the flow meter to the casting, then manuever the assembly into place. Re-apply sealant to the airbox & drop the airbox into position. Slide the flow meter / casting assembly back into place on the airbox, re-install the mounting hardware.

The casting was easily removed & reinstalled with a 1/4" drive ratchet, 10mm deep socket, universal joint & long extension.

Reviewed by: Shaun C. Stanley - Razorshock@aol.com

Read all of the reviews here, but decided to try it anyway. Like everyone else I did have to elongate the hole on the bracket that most other reviewers are talking about. I wouldn't sweat this, it is painfully obvious that it needs elongated once you see it lined up. I used a soldering iron to permanently fuse the connections together because I didn't think that the "butt connectors" supplied looked like a great connection. All of the wires matched by color. Once everything was relocated there was a large space in the engine compartment left open! Sounds wonderful! Noticeably fast above 4000 rpm!

Well worth the 3 hours of Frustrating labor. If only the instructions were better..... they are very general and not many pictures. I didn't have to relocate the hood prop because I have a hood lift from PBC. If you are thinking about getting this, stop thinking and DO IT!

Reviewed by: Tony Yang - Snoopy7671@aol.com

A air intake system that replaces the old stock intake. Adds about 10-15Hp to your miata. The box is real nice and looks nice when installed on the car.

After reading and researching, i decided to buy the Jackson Racing CAI System. I started the installation around 6:00pm and went for a test drive around 11:30pm. The instruction went pretty straight forward until i got to the part about relocating the hood prop (very confusing). I would recommand raising the car if you are a tall person before the installation or else your back will be aching afterwards. After installing the intake system I started up the car, no problem so far. I went for a test drive next, I noticed a small problem. Everytime i put the car in neutral the rpm goes to low and it feels like i'm going to stall out (i can feel a little shake like its going to stall). It even does this when i'm driving at high speed and put it in neutral. Does anybody have an answer for this? Besides this everything else is perfect.

I would recommand this product to anyone who wants to beef up their car. Very good sound at high speed and you can feel the incredile increase in hp.

Reviewed by: Jeff Jury - jeffrey.t.jury@usa.dupont.com

Relocates air intake to front of car and increases intake pressure under speed. Hell, everyone knows what this is

Purchased for my '95-1.8l from Moss Motors while recently on sale. Had some of the same issues as others with the installation including that the bracket which connects the intake to mass air sensor needed to be drilled out as the bracket holes do not line up with the threaded holes on the sensor. Also, the kit no longer includes a new thermostat and directions do not state that removing the thermostat is necessary. Do yourself a favor and drain the coolant level down to below the thermostat and remove it and the hose from the top of the radiator. Unless you do this, you cannot tighten the bracket screws that hold the mass air sensor to the intake and if you try to remove the thermostat later in the installation, you'll get antifreeze in your sensor.

Installation took about 3 hours. Makes a noticeable difference in acceleration, especially between 3-5K RPM's. Do yourself another favor and get one of the hydraulic piston hood lift kits and don't mess around trying to retrofit your prop rod.

Reviewed by: Nelson Clayton - nclayton@ix.netcom.com

I just bought one of the last 97 Miatas, brand new off the lot at a huge discount while they were clearing space for the 1999 models. I wanted to match the increased horsepower of the 99, and the Jackson Racing cold air system seems to have done the trick. The kit installed with only a few hitches. The instructions say that this kit is for the 94-96 models, but it actually fits just fine in the 97 (which presumably isn't much changed from 96). Most likely, the instructions were printed in 1996. Anyway, my only gripe is that the bracket which holds the air meter has two holes that are off a bit and must be elongated. A Dremel tool did the trick for this. Also, when advancing the timing as per the instructions, it took me a little while to figure out that, of the two timing marks, the yellow one is the mark to use, not the white one. The only other substantial hangup during installation was figuring out where and how to bend the hood prop-up rod to make it fit in its new location. By the way, a proper crimping tool (available in the electrical section of your hardware store) is a neccessity for splicing the wire harness. One thing that you should be aware of is that, according to the instructions, you will not be able to adjust the timing after the kit is installed, because your view of the timing marks will be blocked. The instructions also mention that advancing the timing to 14 degrees will make the car flunk California emissions tests. I have concluded that, by unbolting the filter box, one could probably lift the box up enough to get a view of the timing marks while the engine is running, but I have not verified this. In any event, I am happy at 14 degrees, and the timing need never be monkeyed with again as far as I am concerned, since the ignition system is electronic.

When I fired up the car to take it for a spin, I noticed the the "check engine" light came on and stayed on during my entire 15-minute test drive. After letting the car sit for a few minutes and starting it up again, the light went off, and has stayed off ever since. Accelleration is noticeably improved in all gears. Most surprising to me was the improvement in 4th-gear performance. The car now has some punch in that gear, which it previously lacked. Aggressive freeway passing can now be done without downshifting to 3rd. In 5th gear, one need only apply the slightest pressure on the accellerator to cruise at 65 mph. The sound of the car during hard accelleration is noticeably different, but the new sound is pleasing to the ear. For $400, this system seems to provide good bang for the buck.

Reviewed by: Scott Brown - sebrown@rocketmail.com

I installed the JRCAI in January 1998. After several months of sifting through the product reviews and posting question on the Web, I decided to purchase the JRCAI. I am very pleased with my decision.

The CAI system is generally well engineered, however there are a few flaws. The aluminum casting connecting to the intake manifold looks and feels stock. The air box is equally well designed. From its appearance, and heft, the airbox cracking problem is a thing of the past. I'm told that they are using a different polymer to manufacture the box and eliminate the cracking. Installation took about four hours. Its very important to read the instructions several times before starting. One of the weak points of this kit are the instructions. While they are adequate for most of the installation, they leave much to be desired for others (particularly the hood prop-rod relocation and installation).

Once you have read the instructions, get down to the installation. The thermostat housing is one of the first engine components to be disconnected. Be aware that you will loose coolant at this point. I mitigated the loss by siphoning out as much coolant as I could first. I used a turkey baster, much to my wife's dismay. I estimate you will loose about 1/2 gal of coolant.

It helps to have a torque wrench for reconnection later. The Miata Enthusiast Manual gives a 14 - 19 ft/lb spec for these bolts. You definitely don’t want to crack this housing!

The kit comes with a 160 degree thermostat. Unless you live in a hot climate, I would suggest you leave the stock 180 degree thermostat in. The lower temp. thermostat will diminish your heater output. Since I live in Chicago, I left stock unit in. Regardless of whether you intend to replace your thermostat or not, you will have to remove the thermostat housing to make room for the connection of the air flow sensor to the CAI air box later in the installation.

The stock air intake assembly off comes off next. This is a fairly straight forward removal. If you have cruise control, you will have to pry out one of the rubber spacers attached to the box in order to resecure the cruise servo unit. Clamp the box in a vice, and pry out with a screwdriver.

Next is the new air intake. No sweat here. Just be careful not to over tighten the bolts and screws connecting the box to the nose frame or the air filter cover to the air box assembly. The bracket that supports the airbox seems a bit long for the job, and you may have to make the hole for the frame connection more elliptical in shape. Just so the bolt provided slides easily within the bracket hole.

A major design flaw (correctable with a round file) inhibits the connection of the air flow sensor to the aluminum adapter on the CAI airbox. It’s a shame because by this point in the installation you are really beginning to see how everything is going to look. The excitement of the moment is shattered.

The holes in the bracket that holds the two components together do not align with the existing holes in the air flow sensor. You will have to elongate these holes slightly with a round file so the bracket fits.

The scary part (where you get the feeling you are committing an irreversible act) of the install involves cutting the air flow sensor wires and splicing in the extension provided. On my car, the splice wire colors did not exactly match the stock wire colors. All but one wire matched. By process of elimination, all wires were connected correctly.

Some have said that you should solder these connection. This is not necessary if you have the proper solderless connector crimper. If you don’t have one, get one. Simply using a pair of pliers will give a satisfactory result. The crimper also has a built-in wire stripper, so this is a handy tool to have around the house anyway.

The last step of the install involves the relocation of the hood prop rod. The rod will interfere with the CAI intake and must be moved. Here, the instructions really fall flat.

Instead of the rod laying across the engine bay, it will install from front to rear. You have to install a small bracket in the frame in front of the radiator that receives a combination retainer and pivot. You may have to grind a corner of the bracket so it installs at the proper angle to where the prop rod gets secured when the hood is closed.

The plastic prop rod attachment that holds the prop rod when the hood is closed, gets attached to the brake proportioning valve bracket. If you have cruise control, the servo cable guide attached here will have to be removed from the bracket first (not an easy job -- lots of cussing and prying).

Once the plastic retainer has been installed (it sits at an awkward angle relative to the rod itself) the rod will have to be reshapred to fit its new home. I found that I had to reshape the rod in two places. If the rod is left as is, it interferes with the P/S reservoir fill cap. Also, the very end of the rod needs to be bent to accommodate the awkward angle of the prop rod receiver. Once reshaped (it took several tries to get a reasonable fit) all is well with the world.

Get in a start it up. Go for a ride. The performance increase is noticeable right away. You will really feel smug and satisfied with yourself. You will wonder why you didn’t do this install sooner.

Reviewed by: Vince Wu - vwu@bc.sympatico.ca

It's a wonderful black box, that when connected properly with a bunch of other supplied parts, stuffs cooler air into your engine, giving you more power.

Hahaha...I have mixed feelings on this one. Well, looking at the instructions, it looked complicated. Installing the hard parts (the plumbing) was fairly straightforward. The electrical wiring, seemed to go smoothly. After turning on the car, the car died. This was after spending almost 2.5 hours on it. next day, took everything out to see if the installation went wrong. nope. it seemed fine. turned on the car again, and it died. (the car felt like as if it was having a heart attack, pulled really roughly, then stalled. I took it to my mechanic then. He managed to get it to work by determining that the butt connectors on the wiring were not too strong. After adjusting the throttle positioning system and examining the pieces for cracks n leaks, we started the car. I thought all was going well until I drove the car for 10 mins. in one hour, heading back home, the car must have stalled at least 12 times. fuel economy became crapped up too. So upon returning back, I checked the wires again. even though it was connected and crimped through the butt connectors, the connection was still very weak. So I decided to solder every end that needed to be connected. No more problems. Now, I was once again at peace. and $300 lighter for spending the time trying to figure out the plumbing (plus installing other goodies like JR swaybars (which were awesome)).

The product is cool although it took me a lot of time and money to get it working properly. instead of using butt connectors, try soldering the wires to make a complete connection. also, maybe a clearer instruction manual should be (re)written for future customers.

Reviewed by: Bill Meyer - bmeyer@att.com

Being new to the installation of this product I probably took more than the estimated amount of time to install. I grabbed my first tool at 10:15 am Saturday and went for a test drive at 3:00 PM the same afternoon. After I read the instructions several times for clarity I jumped in. Each step was completed and checked off my instruction list before I went on to the next. The new air filter box fits tighter than I would have designed it. This box mounts between the water pump and radiator and fit so tight that I actually thought I was doing something dreadfully wrong. Tight as it was, it fit in ok. The black metal mounting bracket for the corner of the air box is an inch too long for some unknown reason and by following the installation instruction for this part puts an unneeded strain on the plastic air box, in my opinion.

After the install and test drive I noticed a "tom tom" like sound coming from the air box. The Jackson Racing rep says this sound is normal since the old air snorkel and air box was long enough to muffle this sound. I don't necessarily like this new sound effect but I am learning to live with it. I called JR to tell them that the hood of the car contacts the top of the airbox enough to rub the plastic box as well as my paint under the hood. They are sending me a new airbox top that has a lower profile. The placement and repositioning of the hood prop took a call to JR for clarification. The instructions just weren't clear enough for me to follow. I haven't noticed any appreciable intake noise/roar since completion. My Borla muffler seems to probably drown this out if it does exist. Performance?? The product lives up to its claims. The car pulls great from 3000 rpm on up. Overall, the instruction manual was very detailed except as mentioned earlier.

Scoop cool air to your motor, bump the timing 18 degrees, install a 160 degree thermostat, live on 92 octane...the car comes alive - and all for about $459.

Reviewed by: Dave Okamoto - davo@lsil.com

This performance accessory is designed by and manufactured for Jackson Racing and is relatively new for the 1.8L. It consists of a molded (injection?) black plastic wide air duct and air box, two cast aluminum elbows and rubber (silicone?) hoses, and a LARGE filter. The objective of this product is to duct cool air from the outside of the engine compartment directly into the intake manifold. The added benefit of the way the air is ducted is a "ram air" effect at speed. The outside air comes in to the Miata "mouth" and what air doesn't flow through the radiator is driven up, directly into the JR duct which is about 9 inches wide. The reusable filter is located in this duct and is approximately 6" x 9" x 1". The air flows through a cast elbow, coupled to another cast elbow by a short length of hose, directly into the manifold. A significant feature of this system is that it doesn't sit over or beside the exhaust manifold as the stock air intake does. Oscar Jackson showed me some of his early prototypes, hand fabricated from aluminum sheets. The production version is remarkably similar to his "prototype".

While supposedly easy to install, I had JR do it for me. It's simply amazing how bare the engine bay appears after removal of the stock air box and plumbing and after the JR unit is in place and buttoned up. The unit is very "neat" in appearance and looks like original equipment. The performance gains, coupled with the JR headers and cat-back exhaust, is very real. I was surprised by the degree of extra "go" I got at higher rpm (especially over 4000 rpm). While this can be felt in any gear, and at any speed, the 5th gear performance at highway speeds is what really shocked me. Merging into highway traffic, highway passing, is just a stab of the right foot on the accelerator. Previously, I had to "time" my passing maneuvers and on-ramp entries to start accelerating well before attempting the move. No longer necessary. And that induction "roar" at full throttle is music to my ears. Should have done this a long ago.

I had been considering a supercharger (which?) and went the CAI route as an interim mod until the SC decision is made. I may reconsider. I don't intend to "street race" (much), but wanted more passing capability and grade climbing ability on highways/freeways. I now have it. (At street speeds, the Miata, through judicious use of the gearbox and with revs singing, is pretty quick, but pulling 5th gear at speed, was a little lacking.) There are other reviews here on this product, but I had to add mine as I think this is a terrific product for those who want that extra additional bit of power when needed. JR's dyno curves show that torque is also enhanced across the rpm range as well as hp. I hesitate to quote the figures as I didn't have mine dyno'd and have no hard facts. I'd do it again in an instant. I don't think there are any downsides to this product.

For the 1.6 Liter engine

Jackson Racing Cold Air Intake System

[5/24/2012] Reviewed by: Nick - nicholas.cascioli@jjay.cuny.edu

Jackson Racing Cold Air Intake

[12/5/2006] Reviewed by: Tyler Anderson - tyanderson812@GMAIL.COM

Nice looking Cold air intake, expensive but worth it. Came with everything needed as well as understandable instructions.

Great fit and finish, slight rub against the thermostat housing causing some plastic on the housing to warp and melt on only a small part of the edge toward the back, purely cosmetic. Had it for a year and still love it, easy to clean, (yet annoying to take off all those screws around the edge of the filter housing ,and then if you are like me you lose some after doing extensive work all the time which requires the intake removal). Power was slightly noticeable when I got it, yet I can tell the difference when I drive a stock 93. Sound is slightly more noticeable, best sound comes from when you punch the throttle hard from idle, yet it’s a little quite for my taste. Many will most likely be grateful for JR to not have made it any louder.

Worth the money? I’ve only had experience with cheap Ebay intakes and the like, thus I chose this one, love it, but don’t exactly knows where it stands against Racing Beat and similar.

Jackson Racing Cold Air Induction - NA 1.6

[5/25/2006] Reviewed by: Roy

CAI - bought on sale from Moss Motors. No damage during shipment, arrived intact.

Read instructions at least 3 times - still somewhat vague. Install took around 4 hours. Would have been a lot faster if instructions were clearer. With a simple digital camera, instructions could have been improved. Overall quality appears to have improved. Extension to connect air flow meter worked like a charm. Intake seems to made of a heavy polymer - not the plastic from comments made in earlier posts. Intake feels robust, we'll see about the long term durability.

Definite performance improvement! Miata induced smile reappeared! Sounds just like stock, until you step into it - then a pleasing husky, brute sound, brings along torquey, snappier acceleration. Improves from 2.5K all the way up to redline. Seems to not need as much throttle to cruise. Highly recommend it. Definitely makes a significant difference. Thanks Jackson Racing for a great product. Now if only the instructions could be ...

Jackson Racing Cold Air Induction

[8/2/2004] Reviewed by: Dean Barnes

I've been looking at a JR CAI for a few years now, first wanting one on my old red '90 and have now taken the plunge. Having read the reviews on here I was a bit apprehensive about buying the kit, but after being reassured by the stockist that no wire splicing was needed I went ahead (the current kits include a extension lead so no need for soldering/splicing). Being a bit of a novice, I made sure to read the instructions several times before tackling the job. A good socket set is a must really (with 10mm and 12mm sockets and an extension bar). You could do the job with ring spanners, but some of those bolts tend to be in awkward places and you'll save yourself time and hassle by having the right tools to hand.

A few minor "niggles" with the kit, the instructions are a bit vague in a few areas - particularily the bonnet prop re-location. Whilst its obvious where you have to relocate the "pivot" to, where you should put the new "stay" is a bit of a mystery. I was installing on a RHD UK car, so possibly this wouldn't be a problem with US cars. A final "gripe" would be the appearance of the kit - whilst it does exactly what you expect (better throttle response, great induction noise, and more power/torque) it doesn't look like $400 worth of kit. Looking at the kit, its just crying out for a carbon fibre version - which would look as good as the results it produces.

Jackson Racing CAI

[6/22/2004] Reviewed by: Jonathan Bryant Chen - jonbry@pacific.net.sg

Increased torque, pleasant growl, better driveability. Odd pulse when car stopping on an uneven surface and car tilts to the left (but pleasant). Now at 2500RPM, the car runs at 80kph instead of 70kph. Need 3100RPM to run at 100kph instead of the previous 3000RPM though, but general lower band performance has greatly improved.

Instructions that came with the product may have been meant for the 1.8 I suspect. Realised on removing the intake that there was an extra screw holding it in place just to the left of the engine block. This is the updated version of the kit, so it came with the extension cable with connectors to the AFM, which sure saved a lot time otherwise spent soldering the wires in place (sure makes removal easier too. Kit also came with a tube which looks like a roll of black duct tape. Wasn't mentioned in the instructions, but apparently holds the molded elbow (now in plastic, not aluminium), to the throttle body. Snug fit also helps ensure that accordion portion is suitably compressed. My only difficulty with the installation, was with the four screws that hold the AFM to the plastic scoop. The screw furthest in require an open wrench for the job, and the nylon lined nuts are a snug fit, reckon they won't come out easily.

[7/27/2004] Update by: Jonathan Chen - jonbry@pacific.net.sg

Have been driving with the CAI for about a month now with the timing set at 12 degrees. Mileage suffered for it and the poor timing was the cause of the pulse reported earlier. Resetting the timing at 14 degrees cures the lot. Pick up is still as spritely as ever. A real exercise of self control now, to keep from reving too much and ruining the good mileage figures. A friend who drove it with the new timing mentioned how effortless it feels. Lots of give left on the gas pedal even at high cruising speeds.

Jackson Racing Cold Air Intake

[10/26/2003] Reviewed by: C. Lee - marstoni2@hotmail.com

Plastic airbox and high-flow air filter situated just behind radiator which routes cooler air into the engine.

Immediate improvement in power noticed with timing advanced to 14 deg. and cold air intake installed. Improvement felt throughout power band. Most obvious increase in power is felt in the mid to high range of RPMs. Very nice "growl" noticed from air intake as engine races past 3500 RPM. Complements stock exhaust note well. Power does not plateau as before. Keeps on feeling strong all the way to redline. Definitely worth the extra money spent on the JR product.

Quality of the plastic airbox and tubing is good. Came with all necessary parts. All parts came together well and fits snugly in engine bay. Instructions were satisfactory. Took 2 hours to install by an experienced installer who had never done this system before.

Jackson Racing CAI 1.6L

[7/4/2003] Reviewed by: Robert Shannon - kg6hbh@hotmail.com

I have not yet installed this kit but thought I would post a change to the kit. The kit now has an extention cable for the air meter. No more splicing wires! I will update this post when I have finished the instalation.

so far looks good, hopefully the plastic selection used in the box has been upgraded.

[10/1/2002] Reviewed by: Happy Miata Owner - pharo555@hotmail.com

First the Bad: the instruct. and illust., for someone like me who is not familiar with my Miata's engine compartment, was very hard to follow. All the piece of nuts and bolts are provided, even pieces to modify the thermostat housing. Eventually after hours of thoughts and common senses, I did figure it out what to take off and what not to take out from the car. I did not have to do any soldering or rewiring of any sort as stated by earlier users. (Maybe JR have been listening to complaints.) The product itself looks rather cheap for its price. The whole piece of the intake itself is a big piece of black plastic shaped pretty much like a mouth piece of a vacuum. It pretty much looks out of place in the engine compartment after installation. Well, other than these few quirks, the product itself (performance wise) is awesome. I coupled the JRCAI with a Greddy exhaust and the results is a much faster, torquey and throaty little speedster as it really should be from the start.

All-in-all, the Jackson Racing Cold Air Intake is a great product. Better instructions and illustrations with a new chrome or metallic color look would make it a perfect product. Lowering the price on this baby wouldn't hurt either. The Jackson Racing Cold Air Intake is the only poor man's turbo anyone should even think about.

[12/29/2000] Reviewed by: Matt Collins - miatafy@ameritech.net

I installed Jackson cold air induction and cat back system.This might sound like a simple job for most, but I have allways paid someone to work on my cars in the past. I like the this opportunity to say that the sales people tech people at MOSS were great!!!!!!!!

I have had these product on my "92" SE for two top down seasons which were my first two tears of auto crossing. The only problem is I put both on within one week, so I wasn't able to get a feel of what each product did for the performance of the car. I have been stopped by many people at differant events saying how good the car sounds (I'm inside the car so I 've not been able to hear how it sounds). Insallation of both products were somewhat staight forward.

As I first looked at mods for my car I noticed that J.R. mods were not always the least expesive, but almost everthing I done the car as been J.R. because of what I feel is top Quality in parts and SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!! MOSS has give me great service, and when I find a product and a company that I have had great experience I want to share that with all.

[7/8/2000] Reviewed by JIM ESCAJA - ESCAJA@MSN.COM

Just completed the install of Jackson Racing C.A.I. on my 1991 Miata. Coupled with previously installed Borla CatBack and 14 degree BTDC timing, the results are as good and probably better than Jackson ads claim. I'm now glad that I opted for the limited slip diff. when I purchased the car new, because the C.A.I. makes this bugger perform like a little hot rod! The process was painless with completion in 3 hours. Didn't experience any of the problems noted in the other reviews, but installed the gas hood lift kit before I began. The kit came with new wiring harness extension that plugged in without splicing or soldering. A Miatafile should photograph the process and post each step on the web for future installers to reference! The instructions are REALLY vague. If you drive your Miata on sunny days as a substitute for a boat, GO FOR IT!! Your car will go from feeling like an economy car to a little hot rod... Just like that!

[4/1/2000] Reviewed by Jeff Combs - azbeersnob@earthlink.net

Install not to complicated. Took about 1 1/2 hours to install. Only issues were plastic intake directly against window washer resevour. May need to notch out plastic in the future so that I can open and close it properly . Also, intake is hitting hood latch, may need to notch this out also.

Moderate power gain, not sure if it was worth $400 yet. Can't wait till I get and good exhaust to go with it.

[10/11/99] Reviewed by Michael Kuhn - mikuhn@msn.com

Noticable increase in performance between 3500-7000 RPM. A very well made conversion kit; it looks completely stock in the engine compartment.

I installed the kit tonight (10-11-99)and didn't experience any of the problems with the installation that I have read about. Maybe, Jackson Racing has addressed all of the shortcomings such as bracket holes needing to be elongated, hood prop rod not fitting correctly, etc. I can highly recommend this conversion and am looking forward to installing headers and an exhaust system to gain even more power.

[8/27/99] Reviewed by: Kevin Kretschmann - kmkevin@aol.com

Cold air induction kit designed to replace restrictive stock intake and gather cooler air for the engine.

As I write this review, I have had the system in now for about 5 months. I remember the installation not being very difficult. The only problem that I ran across was trying to make sense of the pictures/diagrams in the instructions. Honestly there could be much better instructions made. The cold air box, which had a reputation for cracking in the past, seems durable and has not cracked. I believe JR reformulated the box plastic so that cracking would be eliminated, seems true here.

Okay, to the part you really want to know about, performance. Unfortunately, I put in a Thermal Research exhaust in at the same time and I can't tell you how the CAI would perform alone. I can say however, that I definitely noticed more power and torque the moment I drove it out of the driveway. Nothing that will blow you away, but it takes the lethargic edge off the car. The CAI also enhances the sound of any exhaust you have, stock or aftermarket.

I would recommend this product only if you can't afford anything more. At its price, its not necessarily the best bargain around. But it does what it's intended to do and does it well.

Reviewed by: Bob Lazarony - lazarony@nevada.edu

I have had this sytem on my 92 since October 1994. It is an excellent system but several people have indicated a concern as to whether the box will crack. Crack and crack and crack. I have replaced the box 3 times. (Once from JR). I have epoxied, glued, taped, etc. numerous times. The box still seems tight but slowly but shurly I am running out of screw locations to close the box and attach to the car. I have all of the JR intake and exhaust parts and I am VERY happy with the performance and quality of everything except the cracking box.

Reviewed by: Jim Hemphill - bookworm@onramp.net

The Jackson Cold Air Induction (CAI) System is a technically sophisticated, high quality bolt- on modification that significantly improved the performance and driveability on my Miata.

I love my white '93 C package. When I lived in New Orleans, I thought it was the perfect city car. When I moved to Houston, I soon became disenchanted with the car's freeway performance.

To improve performance, I purchased and installed a Jackson Racing CAI kit. I got more than I bargained for. The car runs better, cooler, and at freeway speeds has more torque in 5th gear than it used to have in 4th.

The Miata Club tested a CAI kit. They saw fifth gear 50 to 70 MPH times decrease from 12.1 to 10 seconds (see Fall 1993 Miata Magazine). My car is at least this strong and probably stronger during cold, humid weather.

Jackson's CAI design reflects a cost effective application of proven performance techniques that adds 10 to 15 HP for less than $400.00. The kit replaces four and a half feet of air intake "pluming", cutting the distance air travels from the air filter to the throttle body from feet to inches.

After CAI installation, the car not only runs on cooler air; it physically runs 27 degrees cooler (kit comes with a 160 degree thermostat). If you live in Texas, like I do, and drive a Miata during the summer, you need to get one of these.

CAI results are also aesthetically pleasing. The engine looks good, and it sounds wonderful, particularly during hard acceleration.

The CAI system is an excellent platform for future performance modifications that do not require internal engine modifications. The kit combined with a cat-back exhaust replacement and headers yields 145 to 150 HP, giving the car more HP per pound than a Mustang GT.

Bottom line: - I love the Jackson Cold Air Induction System. I've already ordered a Jackson Racing cat-back exhaust system (I'm cooking up a little surprise for one of my neighbors who just bought a new Miata red Mustang convertible), and I will order a Jackson header as soon as I can.

Reviewed by: John E. Rudzki III - JRudzki@SwRI.edu

Install went well. The only problem seems to be the bracket which goes from the top of the CAI box down to the "top" (side) of the mass air flow meter. This bracket is formed so it clears the underside of the top radiator hose. However, the slots for the screw/bolt to attach each end do not reach. If the slots were ~1/4" closer to each end of the bracket, it would fit.

I had to flatten the bracket out a reform it to reach and punch another "hole" to make the slots "L-shaped"

The CAI works!!! It gives a noticeable increase in power. The throaty sound is great!!

Reviewed by: Todd Cruz - Todd_Cruz@ccmail.atlas.com

Update: 6/9/96

After seeing this message on the net, Jackson Racing called me and said they were very sorry for the problems I have had. They said they would send me a compete new kit to install and if I was not happy with it, I could send it back for a full refund.

They did ask if I had several brackets for the air meter and I told them it did not come with one (I purchased this product as soon as it first came out). I guess I could have expected some problems with a new product that had yet to be field tested. I should be getting the new intake within a few days now and I will let you know about how it works out. I have many products from them and have not had a problem with any of it until now.

Original review

Not good: I liked the idea, but I had several problems with the product. The big thing is the cheap plastic. I have an exhaust header and I even wrapped it to keep the heat from becoming a problem. But after only 60 days, the plastic on the airbox started to crack. I then broke where the meter box meets the airbox and it was pulling in HOT and UNFILTERED air from inside the engine area. I called and it cost me 45 bucks to get a new one (they were to credit my visa when they got the old one back but I have never gotten it!) However, the same thing happened to the new one. It seemed to be made of thicker plastic, but it still broke in the same area. I had made sure that I left plenty of space in the flex tubing connecting it to the intake. The problem is the type of plastic and the heat. The thing just started to break all over. The plastic became very brittle from the heat. It was breaking all over, in area where stress was little. My original airbox was cracked ALL OVER!!! Most of the screws that held the top of the airbox to the lower unit had separated from the stud that held them in. I think the design is good, but they need to use 3-4x thicker plastic. Also, you must remove a gazillion screws to get at the filter. A snap on or flip latch top should be made.

Reviewed by: Matt Dahl - mcd@slip.net

The system was fairly easy to install, and I really enjoyed the added performance that it gave me. However, after 3 months, the plastic cover began to slowly develop a crack. Since then, the crack is now longer and bigger, and it vibrates, causing an annoying noise from the engine compartment. Also, I would imagine that performance has degraded due to this crack.

For the $380 that I spent on this, I was disappointed with the quality of the product. If I had to do it all over again, I would either purchase a different product, or wait until Jackson Racing developed a stronger, more reliable plastic housing.

Reviewed by: MARK STEAD - stead@connect.ab.ca

Replaces stock air-box and relocates a new air-box at the front of the engine bay. The air flow meter is also relocated closer to the intake manifold for better throttle response.

As a few others have responded,my first airbox cracked as well,after only about 3000 miles (5000 k.m.).I called Jackson Racing and they sent me a new airbox.They also sent a extra support brace and a aluminum gasket that fits into the inside of the airbox where the air-flow meter bolts on.I have not put on a lot of miles since replacing the air-box,but I haven't seen any sign of cracking on the new unit.Performance wise,the addition of this air-box really makes the car come alive.It makes a bigger difference once you are going 80 miles an hour or faster.It complements the Millen header and Jackson cat-back system nicely.Durability of this air-box remains a question,but I have to commend Jackson Racing for the way they stand behind their products.Mine was 2 years old when I noticed the problem,so to replace it at no charge was very generous I feel.

Other then my concerns about the long term durability of this product,I think it gives a great increase in power for it's cost.I also like how the addition of this air-box changes the appearance the under hood area.The Millen header is also more visible now improving the under hood appearance.

Reviewed by: Eric Witherspoon - gt9823b@ix.netcom.com

Installed the JR CAI today. Got it yesterday evening, too late to work on it, so I read the instructions twice, to get an idea of what was involved. I was pretty concerned about having enough time to get this thing put together right, as this car is my only way of getting around & I didn’t want to get part way through to find I needed to get something. They suggest having coolant on hand because some does leak out in changing the thermostat. I figured this was a non-issue because the reservoir was a bit over full. Maybe 6oz was lost. Though I did go out to get a bunch of nylon wire ties (the only thing on the parts list that was not in my kit).

The instructions could be more detailed, but reading them ahead of time & going out to the car to look at the parts mentioned worked fine. Tools required would be nice: 13mm socket, 10mm socket, 12mm socket. Extensions: 3” and 6”. Phillips head and regular screwdrivers. Also nice to have: channel lock (or other small) pliers for the stock squeeze-to-release hose clamps. Also used a 10mm box end wrench for when I screwed up & put the airbox in with the airbag sensor bolt in place. Also used a 10” crescent wrench (set to about 1” wide) to put the brass elbow in the aluminum casting. The other brass fitting was installed with a 15mm wrench, but looks like it might actually be an inch-sized part.

I assembled the 2 brass fittings & 2 hoses onto the aluminum casting ahead of time, looking at the orientation of the tube on the car to get the brass elbow turned to the proper position.

The hardest part was removing the original parts, especially the piece of ducting closest to the intake manifold. Go to left (as looking at engine from front, facing rear of car) side of radiator hose. Also needed to unplug a wire here. The instructions don’t tell you where all the stock attach points are for these ducts. They do tell you to loosen the hose clamps (to remove the front part in 2 segments), but there are several 10mm & 12mm bolts that also need to come out. In addition, I re-used the metal spacers in the rubber grommets on the original airbox to provide proper spacing when reinstalling the several original bolts needed to attach the airbox support & cruise control servo. My car is a ‘93.

The only other part that wasn’t easy was getting the new airbox into position. Seemed there were multiple interferences, and that the support bracket behind the driver’s side headlight was the wrong height. But I pulled the box up to meet the bracket & found that I had positioned the left side of the box below the thermostat bolt. It popped up above the bolt head, where it fit well.

I timed my installation, expecting to make a day of it. 95 minutes, including 5 extra minutes to install a bunch of wire ties & to reroute the airflow meter wiring to fit along the fender (and under the headlight wiring). Be aware of where the hood prop rod sits when down. Initially I had routed the wiring across where the rod goes. This time does not include the time spent reading the instructions or installing the 2 brass fittings & 2 hoses to the aluminum casting. Note: the brass fittings are pipe-thread, meaning the thread gets wider farther from the end of the fitting. So the fittings get tighter as you turn them into the holes, which are straight-threaded. Neither of the fittings went more than about 4-5 turns into the holes.

Driving experience: just a few miles, so far, but the sound is great! Driven conservatively, it’s like no change has been made. But open the throttle and it sounds (& feels) like something serious is going on. Downside: As others have noted, there is an interference between the air meter support and the radiator hose. I’ll try shaping the bracket to reduce the interference, but the bracket is a sharp edged affair, and will cut the radiator hose if left as-is. This seems to be the tightest part of the whole installation. If the left-rear corner of the box could be made smaller (remove that fastener) it would clear the thermostat better. Then the RH bracket could be made a little lower so the air meter support would clear the radiator hose. But there’s probably another interference in there that I’m not seeing.

On the whole, it looks good, and really cleans up the driver’s side of the engine bay (for a good view of a header?). Also noticed that the lower support for the original airbox (a 2-bolt bracket with about a 1” hole) could be removed.

About those other reviews that mention box cracking: I can now see how this would happen. The box is of a plastic that isn’t very thick. I’ve repaired stuff like this with fiberglass & resin, or from what others have said, JR may replace the box. This part doesn’t look like it’s too costly to replace, but with the original investment in molds, design, plus the aluminum casting, I can see how the original price represents a good value. Might be kind of neat if they made the box in carbon fiber, kevlar, or regular glass. That might solve the cracking, and it would look even more impressive.

Back to Intake/Exhaust

13 August, 2012

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