Cold Air Intakes - Seeking Guidance

[Jamaican Cruiser]

Has anyone installed a Cold Air Intake that made a measurable difference in performance? I have been looking but the data is not conclusive enough for me... yet.

I had installed a Mangaflow exhaust MagnaFlow Ford Expedition Street Series Cat-Back Performance Exhaust System and while it sounded sweet outside the interior resonance was too much. If I am honest, it was "mild" but on a 400 mile trip through the mountains with heavy load on the engine, it was simply too much for this over 55 guy and his crew.

 

[aggiegrad05]

There are several threads on here you may check out:

https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/ordered-an-air-intake.43900/

https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/cai-or-drop-in-air-filter-worthwhile.42489/#post-378431

https://www.expeditionforum.com/thr...-and-why-did-you-choose-it.39458/#post-346450

https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/2019-air-intake.38294/#post-333016

https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/roush-cold-air-intake.35886/

If you already made it through those and didn't find what you were looking for, I am sure someone on here can throw in an opinion...we're good at that...sometimes they're even based on facts!!

 

[Jamaican Cruiser]

Thank You. I am new to the forum and have not made my way through all the content yet.

I have had K&N on smaller vehicles and while I never saw great HP gains, throttle response, and engine temp were better.

 

[aggiegrad05]

Thank You. I am new to the forum and have not made my way through all the content yet.

I have had K&N on smaller vehicles and while I never saw great HP gains, throttle response, and engine temp were better.

Welcome! There is a LOT of content here and it is a lot to get through.

 

[Sunflowergirl]

Thank You. I am new to the forum and have not made my way through all the content yet.

I have had K&N on smaller vehicles and while I never saw great HP gains, throttle response, and engine temp were better.

here’s my .02:

if you are going to do a CAI, only real way to maximize its potential is with a tune. I have a k&n CAI on my 2016 with e30 5 star tune. On the stock tune, after install you basically get noise power. No CAI is going to make you go faster, it’s placebo. The noise you get makes you think you’re going faster.

I datalogged the CAI on stock tune and noticed my AFRs were all off. Again it’s because of the increased airflow that the ECU is not accounting for. I had data to prove that. Threw the tune on and AFRs were fixed by 5 star and now the CAI pairs perfectly with the truck and tune.

There’s nothing to say you can’t buy one and run it stock tune but you’ll benefit from the tune more. I never saw the mpg increase everyone claims they get but I don’t care about that. I also had to buy a vent tube insert to go into one of the PCV tubes because the CAI was causing a code to be thrown so I’d think about that also.

lastly, if I were to buy another CAI I would definitely purchase a closed box system like the s&b. The k&n is great but not a fan of the seal it makes with the hood and some weather stripping when hood is closed, however I can tell from my tuning device that when I get on it, my intake temps drop so it is effectively pulling in colder air and not hot engine air on WOT pulls. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions. Welcome!

 

[Jamaican Cruiser]

That was very helpful information you provided. THANK YOU. I am not sure I will take the plunge, but if I do it will be a closed box intake for sure. I am very confident that the intake temp will drop, since I have seen this many times on other applications. However, I am not confident that I will see the increased responsiveness that I am looking for. I will look into possible tuning options.

The journey has begun

 

[Sunflowergirl]

That was very helpful information you provided. THANK YOU. I am not sure I will take the plunge, but if I do it will be a closed box intake for sure. I am very confident that the intake temp will drop, since I have seen this many times on other applications. However, I am not confident that I will see the increased responsiveness that I am looking for. I will look into possible tuning options.

The journey has begun

A tune will easily add 100hp and tq to the wheels on a 10 speed on 93 octane.

 

[KJ-Idaho]

Have to agree on some of the posts, but, not all.

a CAI is $250-350, with nominal gains of 12-15 hp, and may throw codes (my k&n still does)

A tune (or set of tunes) for ~$600-650 will gain 75-125 hp.

Even the best CAI is a nominal investment with minimal ROI.

 

[Sunflowergirl]

Have to agree on some of the posts, but, not all.

a CAI is $250-350, with nominal gains of 12-15 hp, and may throw codes (my k&n still does)

A tune (or set of tunes) for ~$600-650 will gain 75-125 hp.

Even the best CAI is a nominal investment with minimal ROI.

Also should mention those “gains” are above 5000rpm where you will most likely never see them. Also Not sure what tunes You’re looking at but my device was $300 and I paid $65 each for a 93 perf, 93 perf/tow, and e30. Maybe you were talking about the $700 ngauge? But yes, all true statements

 

[Expedition Dave]

SFG, the gains are below the curve as well with the right tuner as they adjust the timing and max boost. Don't know if they can crack torque limiting stuff though.

Also, CAI can add power, depending on vehicle and the whole purpose of the MAF is to read the extra air and fuel for it. Problem is, our factory fueling is pretty off, hence why a lot of custom tuners can make it so much better with a dyno. If you want to potentially eat your PT warranty

 

[Dice Roll]

A CAI is really worth double digits in hp? Seems hard to believe. Anybody see independent Dyno or time slips back to back?

 

[Sunflowergirl]

SFG, the gains are below the curve as well with the right tuner as they adjust the timing and max boost. Don't know if they can crack torque limiting stuff though.

Also, CAI can add power, depending on vehicle and the whole purpose of the MAF is to read the extra air and fuel for it. Problem is, our factory fueling is pretty off, hence why a lot of custom tuners can make it so much better with a dyno. If you want to potentially eat your PT warranty

Yeah with a tune it does, but if you just throw one on stock tune it’s not going to do anything you’ll ever notice other than make noise

 

[Sunflowergirl]

A CAI is really worth double digits in hp? Seems hard to believe. Anybody see independent Dyno or time slips back to back?

Nope. Not without a tune it isn’t

 

[Grey ghost]

I have a vortex CAI and it never threw a code. I have a 5 star ,93 octane tune and a few other things and it's not the same vehicle. This thing is an animal from off idle to redline . But actually drives better than stock.

 

[Sunflowergirl]

I have a vortex CAI and it never threw a code. I have a 5 star ,93 octane tune and a few other things and it's not the same vehicle. This thing is an animal from off idle to redline . But actually drives better than stock.

Try boost launching