Engines love cold air; the cooler it is, the more oxygen it can carry and the more power it’ll make. That’s the idea behind cold air intakes; to get cooler air into your engine.
Aftermarket cold air intakes are the cheapest way to do this. This upgrade is especially necessary if you already have other performance modifications in place.
This guide takes a look at the best cold air intake for Infiniti G35 owners, along with an explanation of what cold air intakes do.
When You Need a Cold Air Intake
You probably already know that fuel only burns when mixed with air. Considering that, it goes without saying that proper airflow is essential for an engine to work correctly.
However, most car manufacturers sacrifice some of this airflow to comply with strict emission standards. The factory airboxes are often restrictive and don’t increase performance.
The purpose of cold air intakes is (usually) to relocate your factory intake away from the heat in your engine bay. It’s usually placed behind the bumper where it has easier access to the outside air.
That said though, some intake kits will use your factory airbox, but will replace the pipe and filter inside.
With an aftermarket CAI, your stock intake will be replaced with a pod-style air filter that draws a higher volume of dense air.
The combination of low-restriction airflow and denser air allows your engine to manage its power more efficiently.
Installing a CAI is a good idea if you already have other performance performance mods like a plenum spacer, a G35 supercharger or turbo kit, and exhaust modifications such as test pipes made for G35 Coupe and Sedans.
CAIs Work Best When Combined with Other Mods
Engines need to breathe; especially if they make more power than what they’re supposed to. Many Infiniti G35 cold air intake reviews suggest that there isn’t much power to be gained from installing one.
However, it’s important to know that a cold air intake is not the source of additional power.
Cold air intakes only help your engine to utilize its design more effectively. The horsepower gains you get from your G35 cold air intake depends on which other upgrades you combine it with.
Cold air intake systems will give you the best results when paired with airflow related modifications. These include:
- Plenum spacer
- High-performance intake manifold
- Big bore throttle body
- Ported cylinder heads
- Upgraded fuel injectors
- Aftermarket exhausts, including high flow cats, test pipes, Y pipes and headers
- ECU remap
- Supercharger or turbo kit
It’s not mandatory to have all these mods in place before you have your G35 cold air intake installed. The more of these you have though, the more power you’ll get from your new intake.
Affordable G35 Cold Air Intakes
Cold air intakes are available in a wide price range. Even the best ones aren’t all that expensive, making them a very easily accessible upgrade.
However, most of them are structurally similar and give you similar results. It comes down to personal preference and how you want the intake placed.
APEXi Power Intake
Manufacturer: APEXi
Construction: Injected Resin
Intake Placement: Flexible
Heat Shield: Not Included
Engine Compatibility: VQ35DE | VQ35HR
Suits: Coupe | Sedan
Warranty: None
Buy On: Enjuku Racing
The Power Intake by APEXi is actually just an air filter that does not come with any tubing. However, there’s a good reason why it’s the first product to appear on this list.
It’s among the most appreciated G35 intake on the market. It has the highest flow and filtration capacity among other air filters that fit the VQ35DE/HR engines.
Because it’s a dry filter, it doesn’t require any special products for cleaning. It’s super easy to install and it bolts right on.
If you already have another G35 cold air intake installed and are looking to replace only the air filter, APEXi is the one to get.
This is a great choice for those who want to build their own cold air intake system or at least want an option to use an air filter of their choice.
The biggest reason why this air filter has the best possible airflow is because of the way it’s constructed. It’s made using a highly durable injected resin. This enabled the engineers at APEXi to mold the perfect funnel shape which wouldn’t otherwise be possible with stainless steel.
JWT Pop-Charger
Manufacturer: Jim Wolf Technologies
Construction: Stainless Steel
Intake Placement: Flexible
Heat Shield: Included
Engine Compatibility: VQ35DE | VQ35HR
Suits: Coupe | Sedan
Warranty: None
Buy On: Enjuku Racing
JWT Pop-charger is an air filter + heat shield combo that works best when paired with the Stillen Z-Tube. The air filter is almost as effective as the Power Intake by Apexi and sounds even better.
Looks-wise, it isn’t the best, but it performs really well. One key feature of this cold air intake is its hood sealed heat shield. It’s one of the few heat shields that are completely sealed off, away from the heat of the engine.
Because the Pop-charger is a short intake, you won’t have to worry about water damage or hydrolocking your engine.
The 6.5 hp gain from this G35 cold air intake is quite noticeable as it revs more freely towards the redline. Whether or not it will make your G35 faster is questionable. Like we keep saying, it depends on your supporting modifications.
The Pop-charger air filters by JWT are designed for maximum airflow. They use a 6-inch “venturi” surrounded by an oiled gauze filter. This filter can easily be reused after cleaning and reapplying filter oil.
High-Quality Cold Air Intakes for Infiniti G35s
Once you start going higher up in the price range, you’ll find cold air intakes with better quality air filters and longer tubes.
Longer pipes allow you to place the air filter even further away from the engine’s heat. These cold air intakes are usually placed behind the front bumper which is a good place to draw cold air.
The only downside is the risk of hydrolocking your engine. However, a hydro-shield cover should provide sufficient protection from water.
Stillen Hi-Flow
Manufacturer: Stillen
Construction: Stainless Steel
Intake Placement: Stock Position
Heat Shield: Not Included
Engine Compatibility: VQ35DE
Suits: Coupe | Sedan
Warranty: None
Buy On: Amazon
Stillen has made quite a name for itself when it comes to making performance parts for Infiniti’s G-series platform.
The Hi-Flow cold air intake system by Stillen is among the best sounding intakes you can buy for your G35. It also gives your VQ35DE engine a decent 5hp power gain.
This intake is designed to run on a stock tune. This means you won’t have to mess around with the ECU or get an aftermarket engine management system.
The air filter on this CAI system is located outside the engine bay, right behind the bumper. This means it’s completely isolated from the engine’s heat and is able to draw cold air extremely well.
To make the most out of this cold air intake system, it’s recommended that you pair it with the Stillen Z tube, just like the JWT Pop-charger.
Injen CAI System
Manufacturer: Injen
Construction: 7075 Aluminium
Intake Placement: Bumper
Heat Shield: Not Included
Engine Compatibility: VQ35DE
Suits: G35 Coupe | Sedan
Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
Buy On: Amazon | Enjuku Racing
Injen’s cold air intake system is designed to function with the stock air-fuel ratio. However, it’ll work even better if you get a tune.
This setup is among the most popular CAI systems you can buy. The 7075 aluminum tube, available in polished or black gives the engine bay a great aesthetic.
Some enthusiasts dislike the black, plastic connecting tube because of the way it looks. However, it manages to insulate some of the heat.
The air filter in this setup features an oiled surgical cotton gauze that works really well without obstructing airflow. Speaking of airflow, it uses TIG-welded hardware and adaptors to make sure that the tubing doesn’t have too many bends.
The straighter your CAI tubing is, the better airflow you’ll get. All of this combined with Injen’s limited lifetime warranty makes this the best cold air intake for Infiniti G35 coupes.
VQ35HR High-Performance G35 Cold Air Intakes (07-08 Sedan Only)
If proper airflow really matters to you and you want the absolute best for your G35, these are the ones to go for.
High-performance CAI systems are ideal if you have already invested in most of the support mods listed earlier in this guide.
Stillen Gen 2 Long Tube
Manufacturer: Stillen
Construction: Polished Aluminium
Intake Placement: Engine Front
Heat Shield: Included
Engine Compatibility: VQ35HR
Suits: 07-08 Sedan
Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
Buy On: Amazon
The Stillen Gen 2 is only compatible with the VQ35HR engine because of its dual throttle body. The only G35 that comes with this engine is the 07+ G35 Sedan. The same goes for Stillen Gen 3.
The Gen 2 features two, dual cone K&N high flow filters with inbuilt velocity stacks. This allows both air filters to draw a lot more air in.
The air filters sit neatly tucked into custom-fitted polyurethane heat shields. This reduces heat soak and helps keep the incoming air as cool as possible.
Stillen Gen 2 and Gen 3 intakes are very similar in terms of construction. The major difference lies in the placement. The Gen 2 intake is placed high up in the engine bay while the Gen 3 is placed low, behind the bumper.
The reason why this is important is due to the possibility of hydrolock. If you live in a place where it rains a lot, it’s best if you select the Gen 2 unit over Gen 3.
In rain saturated areas, the chances of driving over a large puddle are high. The last thing you want is for your engine to draw water and get seized.
Stillen Gen 3 Ultra Long Tube
Manufacturer: Stillen
Construction: Polished Aluminium
Intake Placement: Bumper
Heat Shield: Not Included
Engine Compatibility: VQ35HR
Suits: 07-08 Sedan
Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
Buy on: Enjuku Racing
The Stillen Gen 3 is definitely the best performing Infiniti G35 cold air intake system on this list.
Unfortunately though, if you drive a G35 coupe, you’ll be missing out on this sweet dual setup; unless you’ve swapped your VQ35DE with the VQ35HR engine that is.
07-08 G35 Sedan owners can reap the benefits of both (Stillen Gen 2 and Gen 3). Two really good things about both these intake systems is that:
- They’re California Air Resource Board (CARB) exempted
- They come with a million-mile warranty on the K&N air filters
Placement-wise, the Gen 3 kit is very similar to the Injen setup. Despite this, it poses a smaller risk of hydrolocking the engine. This is because it doesn’t point downward like the Injen intake. It faces up instead.
The Gen 3 is undoubtedly the best cold air intake for Infiniti G35 owners who live in places where it hardly ever rains.
The only downside with the Stillen Gen 3 filter is its complex installation. Taking off the bumper can be difficult if you’re doing it for the first time. Getting this intake in place may require some fabrication.
The Best Cold Air Intake for Infiniti G35
The beauty of aftermarket parts is that you get to choose your favorite. There’s huge variety. Only true automotive enthusiasts like you understand the excitement of building a car the way you want.
When it comes to cold air intakes, you have all kinds of options available. We’ve managed to list some of the best ones on this list. If we had to choose our favorite, here’s what we’d pick.
The Best Cold Air Intake for G35 Coupe: Injen
Injen’s cold air intake kit doesn’t just look pretty, it actually gives you a noticeable power gain when used correctly.
This makes it the best intake for G35 coupes. You can always replace the air filter with one from Apexi or K&N.
The Best Cold Air Intake for G35 Sedan: Stillen Gen 2
Choosing between the Stillen Gen 2 and Gen 3 is difficult. After a lot of thinking, we chose the Gen 2.
The cost of fixing a hydrolocked engine is worth a lot more than a slight loss in power. Going with a safer option is a better idea. Plus, it looks rad.
Which is the best G35 cold air intake for your car? What else do you plan on installing along with your new CAI setup?
Leave us a comment!