07-12 Intake mod - Like Gotts mod but easier & cheaper

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

jasonlmarsh

Full Access Members
Joined
Oct 6, 2012
Posts
147
Reaction score
14
Location
Oklahoma City
Dunno if this is old news at this point or not, if so just ignore me :smokin:

I found that the snorkel on the airbox has approximately 2" inner diameter, and seems really restrictive to me. So I replaced the snorkel with another Ford Snorkel with approximately 3.25" inner diameter. It was a direct swap, 15 minute job, and best of all.... Cost less than $5

Here's the old airbox snorkel next to the new one

intake1.jpg


After you pop out the old snorkel using a screwdriver and a little brute force, you have this

intake2.jpg


Pop in the new snorkel with a little more brute force

intake3.jpg


Ford P/N 7C3Z-9F721-A cost $4.58 + tax at my local dealer

intake4.jpg


In my opinion, this setup combined with a high flow drop in filter will flow as much as any $200+ CAI on the market. There's really no restriction between the airbox and engine, being that it's all 3.5" although I imagine the airflow is really turbulent, so that's my next mod on the list. Parts ordered, so hopefully next week I'll be posting my $75 Polished intake on a budget build.
 
Last edited:

CJ0920

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2012
Posts
90
Reaction score
4
Location
Gainesville, VA
Humm interesting. Props for finding a ford part number that worked. Mind me asking how you managed to find it?

Anyways, I haven't looked at the CAI kits out for the truck yet, since I just got it back in late September, but do any of them try to redirect air to the box? As of right now, this cone that you modified with a larger one sits in the fender, which from what I saw while doing the brakes the other day didn't have any free flowing air piped to.

Now if you run a hose from that tube to the front somewhere, I would think that would help out a bit more.
 

mtondreo

Full Access Members
Joined
Jan 22, 2010
Posts
186
Reaction score
5
Location
Florida
Have you driven it yet to see if throttle response is better. I am tuned but have not done an intake yet. I know members on here say they are ineffective - but it made a difference on my F150. Interested to hear some results. Thanks, Mike
 
OP
OP
jasonlmarsh

jasonlmarsh

Full Access Members
Joined
Oct 6, 2012
Posts
147
Reaction score
14
Location
Oklahoma City
Have you driven it yet to see if throttle response is better. I am tuned but have not done an intake yet. I know members on here say they are ineffective - but it made a difference on my F150. Interested to hear some results. Thanks, Mike
It's hard for me to compare because I've been driving with no snorkel at all for the last month. The throttle response is noticeably better, but I'm used to it already, from having removed the old snorkel a few weeks back. Also there is a little more engine noise when your foot is heavy on the pedal (which I like), but under light throttle you can't tell a difference. There is less engine noise than having the snorkel completely removed. What I didn't like about having no snorkel was there were occasionally "burps" or whooshes of air (for lack of a better term) that sounded nasty. I have not heard those noises at all since putting this bigger snorkel on. I think HP gains are minimal, maybe 1~2 hp if anything at all, although I could see it helping on MPG since the engine is not having to work as hard to get the same amount of air into it.

Humm interesting. Props for finding a ford part number that worked. Mind me asking how you managed to find it?

Anyways, I haven't looked at the CAI kits out for the truck yet, since I just got it back in late September, but do any of them try to redirect air to the box? As of right now, this cone that you modified with a larger one sits in the fender, which from what I saw while doing the brakes the other day didn't have any free flowing air piped to.

Now if you run a hose from that tube to the front somewhere, I would think that would help out a bit more.
I was doing a lot of research and found somewhere that someone said they thought late model F250 gas trucks had the same airbox with a bigger snorkel. So I got my hands on an F250 and confirmed that, then bought the part. Even if it didn't work, I would have only been out $5 so not a big risk. I was worried at first because it looks like the shape was different when holding it up to the old snorkel, but once I got the airbox out, that snorkel slid right in with no issues at all.

On the ram air ducting, I'm conflicted on that... this is my opinion, so take with a grain of salt. I've never been a fan of ducted ram air setups that pull air from down close to the ground, although I'm a big fan of direct ram air that is coming in through a scoop in the hood. In terms of the ducted ram air setup, my opinion is that it's not getting any cooler air than what is inside your fender area, so the only real benefit I see is pressurizing the airbox. But they are more prone to pick up trash, rocks, dirt, etc, and god forbid you hit some deep water... And finally, unless you're moving forward all of the time, there's no pressure in that tube. So from a stop, your engine has to suck air up that long tube until you are moving forward fast enough to pressurize the tube. In a lot of stop and go traffic, I see that as a HP & MPG killer.
 

01yellerCobra

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Posts
885
Reaction score
100
Location
San Diego
Good info. I popped the air filter out the other day to check it and did a quick look to see what I could change. I've thought about opening the bottom up with a dremel and using a drop in filter. But Summit has Spectre kits for $150 right now. And it's chrome. Decisions, decisions.
 
OP
OP
jasonlmarsh

jasonlmarsh

Full Access Members
Joined
Oct 6, 2012
Posts
147
Reaction score
14
Location
Oklahoma City
Good info. I popped the air filter out the other day to check it and did a quick look to see what I could change. I've thought about opening the bottom up with a dremel and using a drop in filter. But Summit has Spectre kits for $150 right now. And it's chrome. Decisions, decisions.
The intake I'm working on should be around $75 (not including the filter, I'm just running an STP paper filter for now), and it retains the stock airbox. I should have pics and info up by Tuesday/Wednesday of next week if you are interested.
 

01yellerCobra

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Posts
885
Reaction score
100
Location
San Diego
I'm always interested in people's projects. At the very least it's cool to see what other people are doing. I might just end up going with a CAI because it gets rid of the air box altogether. I would be interested if you have any difference in mileage with your mods though. I imagine all the silencers on the intake tube can't be good for smooth air flow.

Now that I think about it I might grab that snorkle. There's a dealership right down the street from my work. It would be interesting to if it makes any difference going to Disneyland tomorrow.
 
Last edited:

01yellerCobra

Full Access Members
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Posts
885
Reaction score
100
Location
San Diego
Too bad I just missed your post. I just got back and they didn't have them in stock.
 
Top