Where we have are difference is " hot air intake " , i have done tests my self that says the open element filter does the same or better on air intake temp as the stock box , thermometers don't lie , but thats fine , thats what fte is about , your going to get different opinions , so everone will make there own choice , and im not saying everone needs a high flow intake system , but on a modified motor they make more HP , when i say modified , thats cam and heads , now you have a motor that needs more air than the stock box can deliver.....You have to remember when the truck is moving theres plenty of nice freash air at the filter area at the motors disposal and does't have to get it out of a small box....thats just my opinion from experiance i have had with them.....Lew

 

You may be right, but that doesn't explain why the 97 Mustang Cobra runs better with the stock air box and filter than an FIPK. Under normal driving like commuting, it averages close to 25 mpg with the stock setup and just barely over 20 mpg with the KN junk.

 

I don't know , never used a FIPK , just a conical filter by the fender where the air box was , i still use the stock intake tube , its a straight shot to the TB ....

 

Another thing , trucks and mustangs that use MA need a different tune if you use a cai , the calibration on the meters are not the same do to the turns in the intake tube , it changes the way the air flows , i know from when i put a pro m meter on my truck , they told me where and how they wanted me to mount it....Lew

 

i went from the 5.0-5.8 snorkel tube to the I6-460 tube just for added space so when im working on my truck i dont have to keep taking it off....

i noticed absolutely no difference what so ever

yes my air filter is new i just put it on right before i swapped the tubes out

my exhaust only has one cat converter and no muffler :P

 

Been there done that, put stock back on with 460 tube, will never go back ! On stock trucks that is the best setup !!!

 

n for the rest of us, we use open elements, and oiled filters.

 

I also have run K&N's on most of my vehicles and every one of them ran better and had a measurable increase in MPG( sometimes small but still there). Also for me the 1ST thing to go to the Sh#tpile are mechanical fans. As for how much OEM mfr's spend on engineering and the resultant designs are controlled by factors such as cost, EPA, wide demographics so in this regard most even high end cars are designed from a cost and/or legal point of view not a performance only viewpoint, whereas the aftermarket designs solely for intended gains...

Another point is if you don't prep/clean/charge a K&N correctly your SOL on getting good results.

But like everyone else experience will always shape your thoughts and opinions and I have had good results with my setups so I give em a thumbs up. Sad to hear someone had bad results after spending $$$

 

So, does anyone care to tell me why the Mustang that Ford builds and sells as a 10 second drag car comes from the Ford factory with a "CAI" that uses a giant 5" inlet conical filter? Maybe because it flows a really large volume of air that an air box cannot???

Also, Ford didn't do great on many stock truck intakes. Like the stock 7.3L PSD intake system... So much research for a junk system that destroys the engine..

 

I did not intend to imply that the factory air boxes flow enough air for every engine, but for stock or nearly stock setups they do. I also never said that the giant cone filters didn't flow well. The more surface area a filter has the more air it will allow to pass.

I've never heard anyone mention that before about the 7.3 intake. I know alot of people that have 7.3 trucks that have way more miles than
my 280,000 mile truck does and they never had any issues with the intake. Their trucks are stock though.