Cold Air Intake?

[Mindchatter]

I have an 03 XLT V6. Would I benefit in any way by adding an intake? Thanks

 

[jpserra]

Yes, but a better question would be to ask; What low cost CAI can be used instead of paying the ridiculous $160-$240 for a CAI when most every other model can be had for $50-$100? I mean, what makes the Gen3 so damned expensive?

This should yield 5-10hp, then coupled with a good exhaust, top out at 25hp? I need a good kit without taking out a second mortgage.

JP

 

[Mindchatter]

"yes" in what way would I benefit from just a CAI? And is it significant enough to notice a difference?

 

[jpserra]

One of the first things you would notice is acceleration. The responsiveness to the pedal is immediate. This can be improved with the addition of a good exhaust system; maximizing the air-flow throughput. Both RWHP and mileage can be affected by these changes.

JP

 

[Mindchatter]

are the cheap ebay CAI's as effective as a KnN system?

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

I always found it kind of funny that these aftermarket "cold" air intakes ususally create IATs hotter than the factory airbox! An open filter cone sitting in the engine compartment can deliver colder air than a sealed filter box with an inlet out at the front of the vehicle behind the headlight? Riiiiggghhhhhtt.

What you have to consider is whether or not your engine is able to actually outflow the factory intake system. Most are not. If your engine isn't outflowing the factory air intake system, there will be no extra power yielded by adding a better breathing air intake.
If you install an intake that's capable of flowing 1000+ CFM of air, yet your engine at WOT at redline is only ingesting ~400 CFM, and your factory airbox flows say 500 CFM, the aftermarket intake is a moot point. The only real way to ever find that out is to flowbench the factory intake system and see what it yields you. Then calculate your maximum CFM requirement of your engine (Engine displacement in cubic inches x max. RPM / 3456 = maximum CFM @100% VE). Now most naturally aspirated engines don't achieve anywhere near 100% volumetric efficiency, so in order to get "real world" max CFM, multiply the number you just calculated by 80% (and that's being optomistic) and you'll know how much air your engine actually needs.

Example on my 4.0 SOHC: 245 cubic inches x 5700 RPM /3456 = 404.07986 x 80% = 323.26388 CFM.

I have a hard time believing that my factory airbox can't flow 323 CFM even with the most restrictive paper filter in it. I've never flowbenched it, but I have a feeling it'd do much better than that.


Another way to see if your intake makes a difference is if you have a scan-tool, you can look at your MAF reading while you take a run at WOT, and record the highest pounds per minute (#/min) reading, then play around with different intakes and see if it changes. Some scanners read the MAF in grams per second (gm/sec), but again, just look for an increase in the peak numbers. The more air the MAF is seeing, the better the engine is breathing, and the better the air intake is working.
I used to expirement with this on my '97 Grand Prix GT (N/A 3800 V6) and found that on that engine, an aftermarket CAI, an open cone, a K&N drop-in filter in the stock airbox, and a new Carquest (Wix) paper filter in the stock airbox all flowed roughly the same 18.9 #/min...Proving my point completely. Now on the other hand, the supercharged GTP guys were seeing great improvements with an aftermarket CAI compared to the factory box, especially once they put more boost into them. Goes without saying...They found the point where they were outflowing the stock airbox when they added more boost by driving the supercharger faster.


Now, as a final counterpoint: Would I buy an aftermarket CAI for my truck? Depends on how I liked the way it looked. If K&N would get off their butts and make a direct-fit FIPK for the '04, I'd probably get one, just because they look cool. Would it help me in the horsepower department? I wouldn't get my hopes up.

 

[seadawg]

I'm not sure of real HP to the gravel, but i did see a definite increase in response out of the hole and most dramatically in the 2 to 3,000 rpm range and it sounds nice to. You are right on about the hot air in the engine compartment. I purchased a MAC and it wasn't marketed as a CAI. it is a Air Induction Unit. To address the hot air in summer I fabricated a plate to separate the cone which by the way routes to where the old air box was and utilizes the existing air routes. The Mac was a very nice fit and quality and at $169.95 shipping incld. And at $100 less than anything comparable a good deal. A down side to some may be that it's chrome and everything else is black. I also added a water proof Pre Filter.

 

[shadowless127]

the V6 doesn't really require a CAI like the V8's do. Although i do believe a high quality aftermarket drop-in filter is always a good idea.

 

[seadawg]

Neither V8 or 6 require it . High flow after market drop in's mean less filtration, and that is not a good idea. If you want more air flow, buy a good induction unit, oil the filter, and add a pre- filter. You and your engine will be happy. You wont get rocket like results but for the money you will feel the difference.
P.S. Bought my MAC off E-Bay 149.95 +shp. VS 199.00 + shp. from MAC site. Go figure.??

 

[35Remmy]

EB is RIGHT on the money...and I remember learning about this in engineering school in the military a few years ago. Your engine is just an air pump...air goes in, air goes out. Your engine can ONLY take so much in, and can ONLY push so much out. We ran K&N's on our Detroit and Cummins diesels (marine diesels...the Detroits are Junk) ONLY because they could be re-used.

If I ran a CAI it would be for the look or the sound...I'd have no real hopes of noticeable power increases.

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

Since filtration was brought up, I thought I'd chime in again, and say that if you're running any sort of CAI for daily use, I'd definitely invest in a pre-filter of some sort. We use Outerwears brand prefilters on the race car, and they work great. I believe K&N also has some prefilters available that fit the popular cone filter elements. Minimal restriction, and much better protection against dirt and water ingestion.
Our race car runs on a dirt track, and we do use a K&N air filter. Mainly for the advantage of not having to replace it, but to just clean, re-oil, and go. It's cheaper in the long run, as paper filters are usually junk after one or two nights. But, without a nylon pre-filter, the inside of the air cleaner is all full of dirt that passed thru the element.
In a drag racing environment, they're probably fine as-is, since there's not nearly the dirty environment we subject the filters to.

I was talking with another mechanic friend of mine about oiled cotton gauze filters for street use, and he said "they'll keep the sticks and junebugs out, but that's about it". How very true, and I use that line to this day.

 

[jah81592]

I have an 03 XLT V6. Would I benefit in any way by adding an intake? Thanks

I offer a MAC cold air intake, the benefits are generally 5-10 hp, tuning is highly recommended with the intake as well. The intake manufacturers don't mention this, but usually is necessary. As far as filtration, I have used several oil cotton elements and never had any water injestion or dust get past the filter if used in the typical application (obviously 4 wheeling doesn't count). I have a huge clientel base and none of them have complained either. Outerwares, not necessary. If you get into enough water to injest water with a open element then you will injest water anyway with or with out the Outerwares.

Yes, but a better question would be to ask; What low cost CAI can be used instead of paying the ridiculous $160-$240 for a CAI when most every other model can be had for $50-$100? I mean, what makes the Gen3 so damned expensive?

This should yield 5-10hp, then coupled with a good exhaust, top out at 25hp? I need a good kit without taking out a second mortgage.

JP

Unfortunately, you are correct the Gen 2 intakes are around $40 more. But you get what you pay for, quality cost money. Get a cheap intake and 6 months later you will have the chrome rusting and silcone connectors tearing. Yes you could buy two cheap intakes but at the expense of time and longevity. I haven't ever had a single complaint of any MAC intake I have sold.

 

[lee2489]

what type of tuning would you recommend

 

[Thelt]

I have put them on two different vehicles that I have owned in the past and the only difference that I could tell was the sound it made under heavy throttle.

 

[CHEESYPOOFS]

what type of tuning would you recommend

for you definately the MAC. The vast majority of ppl on the forums with the 5.0 get the Mac including me ^_^ lol u can definately notice a slight throttle differance and it makes ur engine sound throatier. Plus i love hearing it suck in air when u step on it and that whistle when u stay in the gas. Then id say pair it with a Mac catback exhaust. I think Hensonperformance.com has the exhaust as well but if he doesnt u can also get it from explorerexpress.com.
my friend daniel or "storlied" here on the forums has a couple vids of what they sound like.

Intake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnlWDc0xJXU
Exhaust
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMjfsvverkw

 

[1_v8_merc]

A CAI's just gonna do TWO things......which really have nothing to do with performance.

1.)Make the throttle more touchy/jumpy
2.)Make your intake louder


Basically your throttle is just more TOUCHY, NOT FASTER!
And your intake is louder MAKING it sound faster like more air is rushing in....but its not!



CAI's are a waste of time......

They ACTUALLY only give 1-5hp Realistically.....and thats IF your lucky!
(the only way your gonna get 5-10hp out of a filter is if the one you replaced was completely trashed and slugged the car down beyond belief!)


Oh BTW, running cars on a dyno after a CAI install is completely useless.
Dynos can be off by 5hp give or take.....so theres no way your gonna find out the HP gains or losses, because they are SO small.

 

[Donner]

How do you get the numbers tested? I'll be happy to post them...

 

[JCUZ]

A CAI's just gonna do TWO things......which really have nothing to do with performance.

1.)Make the throttle more touchy/jumpy
2.)Make your intake louder


Basically your throttle is just more TOUCHY, NOT FASTER!
And your intake is louder MAKING it sound faster like more air is rushing in....but its not!



CAI's are a waste of time......

They ACTUALLY only give 1-5hp Realistically.....and thats IF your lucky!
(the only way your gonna get 5-10hp out of a filter is if the one you replaced was completely trashed and slugged the car down beyond belief!)


Oh BTW, running cars on a dyno after a CAI install is completely useless.
Dynos can be off by 5hp give or take.....so theres no way your gonna find out the HP gains or losses, because they are SO small.

Most of what you have said is true, in fact I'll add to it by saying that installing a larger diameter intake pipe can actually rob you of low down torque. It does this because torque is dictated by air speed, and a larger diameter pipe may affect air speed by slowing it down (same volume, larger area = lower speed). however, if you use a 3" intake, this shouldn't be too much of an issue.

What the larger diameter will do is supply the engine with as much air as it can get at high revs, and it's usually at these near-redline revs that any increase in power is actually noticed; not much good for day to day driving, but beneficial when overtaking, or when towing.

One other thing, is that an after market CAI usually looks blingier than the factory unit, and this is just as important as how it works (to some).

Oh, and just for the record, the factory airbox and intake pipe is a CAI; it is sealed from the engine, with the air opening behind the headlight in the hope that fresh cold air will enter there. it is probably a better COLD Air Intake than most after market units, as the after market ones tend to be open with a little bit of tin to keep engine bay heat away (you'd be better off opening the bible, or other religious book of your choice, and praying for cold air most times).

Of course, I have installed after market "CAIs" in most of my cars, and dyno results have shown the loss of torwue and pickup in upper rev range power described above - this was on 4.0 6s and 5.0 v8s; not all that different to the Explorer motors, not to mention the K&N Pod with custom enclosure I used to have on my Explorer. This has since been replaced with a Mustang GT style enclosed pod with snorkel, for that real cold air induction.