ok, i am confused about cold air intakes, are they used on EFI only, or on carb too? And if they do work on carb applications, is there anyone who makes a kit for the big 6? i would like to get one for my '78, and also would it be worth it?

 

No love for the carbed engines, the pre-fab intakes are only available for newer model vehicles.

BUT...the whole air intake thing is very simple, and you can easily buy a decent size high-flow filter and make one yourself. My old van came with Ford's ca. 1983 version of a cold air intake. Scoop mounted beside the radiator fed a big rectangular flex hose which connected to the air filter housing. Would still be using it but the factory plumbing wouldn't work with the new intake/carb setup.

 

come to think of it, i have a box mounted beside the radiator that has a flex hose to the air filter housing, this is probably the same thing as your early cold air intake is it not?

 

no matter what application coller air = more hp

 

For those with the stock hose setup, make sure the vacuum-controlled flapper in the snorkel is working properly (outside air when engine warmed up) or is at least stuck open all the time. My vaccum actuator was defective, flapper was closed all the time (intake air always coming from around the exhaust manifold). A hundred degrees outside and I'm pulling hot air from around the exhaust manifold.....crazy! Didn't seem to affect it tremendously, maybe a little pinging (predetonation).

 

i made one for my one barrel with a k&n cold air filter

 

herman... would you describe how you did that?

 

3 in. elbew pipe hole in the middle and an air cleaner stud kit from local auto parts and a coulpe of pieces of exhaust 3 in pipe and a 3 in. k&n universal filter

 

Your truck had a perfectly good "cold air intake" when it rolled off the assembly line. The cold air stuff is way overblown. The only thing you're trying to do is draw from someplace rather than under the hood where it has been warmed by the engine. You can do this with a piece dryer vent hose from the hardware store or any number of ways. My 1974 F100 had the original and it very much resembled a "dryer hose".
The "kits" for this are very popular with the late model crowd for different reasons. They too have factory air intakes but they tend to be convoluted and include sound baffles to meet federal noise regulations. Some of these sound baffles are truly awful looking things. Removing all that mess and replacing it with something less restrictive (and prettier) is probable a good idea.
A young friend bought a late model used Maxima and immediately hit the catalogs looking for performance parts. He bemoaned that fact the he could find nothing but these intakes and filters. Everything else was just BS stickers and such. So he bought an intake and filter.
Cold air intakes shouldn't be confused with "ram air" which is similar but more complicated to figure out. In most cases it's performance benefits are also dubious.

 

My truck (F150 1986 carby) has that standar air intake beside radiator, some day after replace air filter I forgot replace again and my truck was closer to over-heat on trafic...

 

Yes but warm air will give you better gas milage.

 

Well, it's time to make clarifications:

Cold air, less than 70F has more weight but it takes longer to burn inside cilinder so reduce power...

Hot air, over 140F has less weight, it burns fast BUT can produce knoking so engine runs with advanced timig wich reduce power...

Air temp around 100F is the best for power/performance...

 

Cool thanks for clearing that up