I went to O'Reilly's today and saw a Build your own cold air intake. Has any one done this? It looked alright exept for the air filter itself it had a cheap name, Proflow or somthing like that. The thing im hesitant about is that it could make it run to lean. Is there somthing in Volants or K&N's tube that keeps it from runnin lean or is it all in the filter? If it is maybe I could just find one of there filters. The one thing i did like was the price I did a little estimation math in my head (which probbly isnt even close) It would be around 150 thats with the chrome tubing.


(vehicle 4.6l reg cab 2wd)

 

Your stock intake is a 'cold air' style! You want to go the next step? Thermally wrap the intake. You can go from something as basic as the aluminized tape from Home Depot, or some of the real trick specialty aluminized reflective materials. This will guarantee you a power increase. For every 10 degrees you can cool the intake charge, you will gain a free 1% horsepower gain. The specialty tape that I plan on wrapping my entire intake runner is from Design Engineering (http://designengineering.com/products.asp?m=sp&pid=30)

The results??
Superior filtration from the OEM filter
Small cost versus CAI upgrade
Cooler intake charge = more power

 

The stock intake doesnt sound as nasty as a aftermarket CAI. I see were you are comming from the stock intake pretty much is a cold air intake but it is restrictive so it can keep the noise down.

 

The noise is down because there is a baffle attached to the front/right of it tuned to the frequency of the intake noise.

I would not do a build your own with the 2004+ F150. The design makes it difficult to get the MAF to read correctly with changes like this -- leave it to the companies who have spent R&D money to get it to read correctly.

 

The problem will be with the MAF, its a slot in style and to build your own intake at all you would need to get a MAF housing for it. The price adds up and you may as well buy a well engineered one.

 

Can you take the baffle out and beef up the sound.

 

The baffles are big resonators that are built into the tube. They can easily be removed since it is molded in.

 

Were are the baffles at in the tube? Which part I mean. Also how do you remove them? And if i do, do I need to unplug the battery while im doing it? b/c wont that let more air flow?

 

You wont be able to, they are like 2 big tanks that flank the whole intake tube. Removing them wont be easy or pretty, and probably wont help performance one bit, just bump up the noise

 

but didnt you just say up there that it can easily be removed?

 

I think he meant that they can't be easily removed since they are molded in they would need to be cut out.

 

Dorking up an intake with some PO* CAI is NOT going to increase the Horespower or torque. You will let more noise out from under the hood. True increase in hp/tq is marginal with any kit. And IMHO not worth the bother. I have a Bullitt Mustang that I bought with a K & N kit on it. I replaced the kit with a stock set up and saw no change in mpg, and felt no change in power. I know, they claim it gives more power. But I couldn't verify it on my car. And I know others that are equally disappointed after performing this mod. If you just want to mod it fine. Your money. Doesn't seem to harm anything.

 

The problem with Cold Air Intakes are:
1. They don't filter the air as well as the stock paper filter. (www.bobistheoilguy.com did a really good experiment on this and proved they don't filter as well.)
2. The improvement in flow is very marginal (especially on a stock vehicle). Ford engineered the intake to provide the engine will all the air it needs. Why would Ford pass on free horse power and better miles/gallon by designing a poor intake?
3. The oil coated filters will sometimes deposit oil droplets on your MAF sensor causing issues (this happened to my 1996 Mustang GT)
The only difference is the new intakes will be loader....the stock resonator chambers which are built into the stock intake cancel out the intake noise under heavy engine load.
I personally wouldn't mind the intake noise...but at a cost of poorer filtration, oil deposit on the MAF sensor issues, and no real horse power gain = not worth the money.

 

I read his article and while the airflow tests are okay, his methodology for the filtration portion of the test was really poor, using driving a certain number of miles. You can drive past someone using a leaf blower and it could skew the results. I'd really love to see a scientific test with a control.

 

if you really want a gain.. here is your answer!!! This is the only true way to get "Cold air" and real noticable horse power gains...

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