If this has been covered previously I apologize in advance.
I'm new to the 6.7 while previously having a 6.0.


My question is - Does adding only a CAI on a '15 6.7 do anything for me?
I don't plan on doing any chip, delete or exhaust work.
My concern is if I only do the CAI I may be getting more air into my system but if I don't change the exhaust it may do no good as I can't "process" any additional air intake. If I gain some MPG, some visible HP/Torque, then it may be worth considering. If I'm throwing a few hundred bucks at no real return then it is just cosmetic and, for me, has no value.


Thoughts?

 

The computers control the air/fuel input. The only benny you will get, IMHO, is contributing to the economy and possibly trashing your turbo and/or engine.

 

Power output is limited by programming, not air flow through your intake. Unless you're doing a lot of mods a CAI isn't going to help anything.

 

Besides letting more dirt through I think it could actually decrease power in a compression ignition engine.

 

Thank you. That was my general fear. I'm too old too care to mess with everything. At this point I want reliability but would do limited changes if the benefit outweighed the risk.
Staying stock it is.

 

And the stock intake is a CAI.

 

If you had a 7.3l with the crappy leaky box... Then yes.. Fast forward 12 issh years....absolutely no reason.

 

If you're not tuning (and I wouldn't tune it without deleting) as others have said you won't gain anything, tuning will only allow so much intake. I'd spend the $300.00 on something else........Just my .02¢

 

I will go against the grain a bit here but it's still a fact that the cai won't do anything for you.

It depends on how you use the truck. Is it your personal "drive it now and then, tow a few times/year". Then no, don't bother.

Is it a truck that gets driven more than 5,000 miles/month? Then yes, you might like having a cai. I like it because it gives me longer filter intervals and I like cleaning and re-using. Doing so one time/year is how I like it.

Y'all can shake your head and tell me I wasted money, it's fine. I like using an aftermarket cai.

 

That's what makes the world go around and the economy with it.

 

Most of the issues with CAI (decent ones) is user error in cleaning and re-oiling them. If you don't oil them properly they aren't going to function properly. Joel mentioned a huge benefit to running an aftermarket CAI, service intervals can be longer. Another benefit that may be important to some is you can hear a slight turbo whistle with most aftermarket CAI filters. I know with all of the aFe and S&B ones you can anyway. A serious drawback to them is driving in snowy powder. If you drive in snowy powder, use a pre-filter sock material on the inlet port (before the filter) for sure. Also those running open CAI intakes think hard about what a CAI (COLD Air Intake) does and ask yourself why it's drawing air from under the hood where it's hot?

Just my thoughts...

 

A large element "CAI" does not create powder snow clogging issues, it reduces them. The stock air box filter has quite a small surface area. A dry element with a pre filter keeps intakes trouble free, and intake tubing dust free too.

 

A few comments from another forum, food for thought...


".... what so many people don't understand, is that these are forced induction engines. on a naturally aspirated vehicle the temp of the intake air is directly relative to the temp in the intake manifold. this is NOT the case of a forced induction vehicle. while in motion, either vehicle will have little but no choice to suck the majority of its air from whatever air is available, which by design will be cold outside air , possibly, even with no heat shield , it's going to get the air that is directed to it , which should be outside air. the engine heated air, has little or no chance of getting to the intake due to air flow direction and design.

in relation to forced induction ( super or turbo charged) , not only do they take the available outside air ( mostly cold ) , but they go thru a heat builder ( turbo or super charger ) which can take intake air from ambient to 400* , which is then it is intercooled , then returned to the intake manifold and the intake air temp is whatever the heat exchanger ( intercooler ) was able to reduce. these truck benefit a tremendous amount more from flow vs "cold air " . typically the hood makes a very good lid, and they all " suck " air from the same spot , and if that spot gets wet , even if it has a lid, will get wet if moisture is present because the lid has nothing to do with where it sucks the air. even at that, if moisture was to become present at a high level , it has to go thru a turbo running at or close to 400* , then make its way thru the piping to the intercooler, then make its way to the intake manifold, it just doesn't happen on these trucks.

I have over 1000 open element intakes sold for 6.4 powerstrokes which suck more air than a 6.7 , and have NEVER had a truck suck water ( at least no reports in 3 years ) , but I do offer custom water/dust repellant pre filters for customers who do have such concerns.

I can say 2 things for sure, engine heat has never had an effect on my 6.0 . 6.4 or 6.7 intakes , as they have all far out performed any aftermarket intakes available , and there has never been a moisture issue that has caused any sort of issue with a truck ."

 

Thank you all for the feedback. This forum is an excellent place to get opinions and guidance.

 

Do some reading. Tests have shown that the oiled elements let in more dirt and particulate then the OEM filters.
Period.
I don't run K&N and the like in my rock buggies anymore due to this fact.
If you are going to be on pavement, and want to spend the money you may not see any harm in this. And I know I can run an oiled pre filter ect ect.
But the simple fact is the factory filter keeps out the most dirt.