Just wondering do i need a EMS (like an AEM EMS) is in the spring im putting on a AEM CAI, 70mm invidia q300 single exit and 70mm invidia test pipe.
Obviously if i wanted to make better power i could tune, but is it necessary?

 

Not necessary for the mods you've listed. Youll run just a little bit leaner but should be fine again. Unless you plan on tuning I wouldn't bother with the testpipe either to be honest. You wont really feel much of a power gain

 

You don't *need* an EMS for your mods. However, a good EMS is going to help you extract the most power from your bolt-ons. Also, the testpipe does give a bit of HP, even on a totally stock car. I've been running a flashpro on mine for a few seasons, and I could never go back to the OEM ecu.

 

Depends on what year S2000 you have, the later models, 06-09, tend to run a little leaner from the factory and thus a test pipe may cause you to run leaner than you'd want to. 00-05 run richer so the test pipe shouldn't cause issues. You'll be able to extract more power with a tune, more specifically throughout the mid-range and really make use of the benefit of the test pipe, which is honestly what's going to make the biggest difference. Tough to justify the sticker price of the AEM EMS plus a tune, though.

I wouldn't waste your money on the AEM intake, the stock intake outperforms/does just as well as nearly every aftermarket intake out there. If you want more sound, block the resonator and remove the lid

Hope this helps.

 

^^^
This isn't true, there are plenty of threads that document that a long tube style intake is what this car wants. I did a back to back street tune of k&n fipk vs aem v2 cai and the aem made ~8-11whp over the k&n almost everywhere. And the k&n is supposed to make more power than the stock intake.

What these guys said about tuning a test pipe is accurate though, there is a lot of mid range to be gained by adding a very free flowing exhaust (essentially removing stock cat) this allows for vtec to be lowered to around 4k and gains of 25wtq have been seen from 4-6k

 

I'd be interested to see how the stock intake compared to the AEM, I realize the K&N is similar in design but seems to lack in insulation and don't know how it could "flow" any better than the stock intake (basically the same design). I'm not trying to argue as I've not done any such testing, but 8-11whp is a lot on these cars, especially given the very well designed stock intake. Everything I've read has pointed to the cat being the only real restriction in the system.

Were the street pulls done on the same road? I'll look into those threads you mentioned, though.

 

This is tuned though, I'm not claiming 8-11whp by just bolting something on. I personally tuned the k&n to the best of my abilities then tuned the aem to the best of my abilities, I kept as many variables as I could equal including road, direction, weight of car, time of day etc, and adjusted for temperature and +8-11 were my results. The k&n includes a small velocity stack and the k&n filter, the aem I used had an eBay filter and no velocity stack, with the same filter + velocity stack I'd be willing to bet it would pick up at least a couple more.

I wouldn't really say that the k&n and stock are even similar in design let alone "basically the same" just because they have the filter in almost the same spot with an arm that uses the same path. You have diameter of the tube, the materials heat resistance and not to mention the giant airbox of the stocker is a lot different than the short ram style of the k&n. I've heard all the stock parts are made to have resonance points at 6k so vtec has a bigger kick for a better selling point

 

I'm not debating whether or not you got those results, but from what I've read and other peoples experience with the AEM, it makes nearly the same power as the stock intake, give or take a few HP. So I think the AEM very well may make more power than the K&N, but that wasn't the point I was trying to make previously. And I'd argue just about every intake out there is "basically" the same design, they're tubes with filters on the end of them, right? Now of course there are variables that can affect the performance characteristics of each intake, larger diameter piping, larger conical filters, different placement of the filter; the ultimate goal being, more, cooler, air flow. That being said, I don't see how you could improve upon the stock intake by much in those areas. The stock intake has a conical filter, just like every aftermarket intake out there and has the benefit of a full plastic enclosure and arm with air duct, all designed to abate heat soak.

Given the placement and lack of insulation of the K&N, I don't think you can say that because it made less power than the AEM, the stock intake would as well.