i have read soo many articles and websites about K&n, volant, and others air intakes and they claim you can get 10-20 hp gains just by installing their intakes, does this really happend just for changing the stock air intake from your truck or it's just marketing?

 

Maybe 10 HP gain but that's probably a little high. Key on freeing up trapped HP, with any mod really, is getting the motor to burn more fuel. You can't burn more fuel without more air. Atmosperic pressure or a blower/turbo along with the cam control how much fuel you can burn.

By taking out breathing restrictions, the motor can rev up faster but you are not putting more air/fuel into the cylinders each intake stroke. So yes, you can get more perceived HP by removing the restrictive factory air box. But then you need to get the used air out faster too. Motor can't breath in faster if it can't breath out. So you should really start with the exhaust - free flowing CAT back, headers... Then go to the cold air intake. (OK colder air is denser so theoretically this does add more air/fuel into the motor but that's micro scale compared to a super charger.)

 

I have used k&n air intake systems and replacement air filters on different fords over the years, never measured horsepower, but could feel the difference in most cases.
If dual exhaust are added along with k&n more power can be gained. dont forget filters are lifetime.

 

So what's the ROI on a cold air intake vs replacing filters? Let's say $200 roughly for a system. Divided by $6.50 for a paper filter and you start getting your payback after changing 30 paper filters. I guess you'd have to factor in the fun additive and the cool new sound from under the hood too to finalize the justification to the wife huh?

 

I think you know that you have to use different economics when talking to the wife. Say something about increased fuel economy or safety while passing or something.

I know K&N claims better economy, but just between us guys, that only works if you keep a light right foot.

 

Of course. What the hell was I thinking?

 

dont have to worry about wife, sold her to buy k&n system along time ago. girfriend likes the sound. what brand of air filter are you buying for $ 6.50 ?

 

None anymore. My K/N went on 3 years ago. Told the wife afterwards. Always found it easier asking for forgiveness rather than permission.

 

well i saw some difference from stock intake and the exhaust when i change to K&n intake along with the Flowmaster 40 series dual exhaust system on my FX4-05 but my question was more regarding about the "numbers they use", can those numbers be real or the companies are just playing with the numbers as marketing tool. i haven't test my truck neither, but if i follow their numbers my fx4 has to be like 25 hp more than with the original intake and exhaust.

 

I would say no way.

 

flowmaster 40 series dual exhaust systems claims 10 hp gains, K&n intakes for f150 is around 15hp (15-20hp) well that's according to the "DYNO" test. mmm?well it seems to be a marketing tool, daam i fall pretty ease.

 

I believe any horsepower numbers they come up with are obtained on test engines under ideal conditions. actual power to the end user most likely will be less. putting h.p. numbers aside if you can feel a gain in performance with the exhaust and intake changes, horsepower and torque had to have increased. not to mention fuel mileage, if you can keep your foot out of it.

 

that's the problem i CAN'T

 

Sure, a better flowing intake will make more power! It's been proven over and over again on all kinds of cars from all different mfgr.'s. I dyno'ed my SVT Focus at 153.4hp/138.6tq stock and then installed an AEM CAI and immediatley dyno'ed it again, same conditions, same dyno, same day. I dyno'ed at 165.5hp and 147.4tq, and overall increase of 12.1hp and 8.8tq, and this was mid 5k RPM's, which is about the center of the powerband in this particular car. That's roughly a 10% increase. Now on these big truck motors, a ~10hp increase only comes out to about a 5% increase, and on a 2+ton truck that isn't much of an increase, but it's there nevertheless. So, to say that they don't increase power is not true, they just don't increase to the percentages of other applications.
Get a good intake and exhaust and you can't help but increase both HP and TQ, and probably increase your gas milage if you can do as stated above and keep your foot out of it. K&N and comparible companies do dyno all or most of their products and their claims are usually averages of a few runs on a few different vehicles in varying conditions. They know good and well that people dyno their own cars and they would lose major credibility if they couldn't produce similar results.
Bottom line: No you will not get the same feeling or results as a FI setup, but you aren't paying $5K for an intake either.

 

Well, I my 03' V10, I have added the Banks Powerpack. Which included a drop in K&N filter with a larger intake element. It also included a complete increase in exhaust pipe diameter, along with headers. Basically, the pipes are 2.5" downpipes into the y pipe and 3" all the way to the FM70 muffler with a 3.5" tailpipe. After doing all of that, the only seat of your pants HP gains were in the 3500+ prm range. Anything below that was not even noticable. It did gain me about 1-1.5 mpg.

After saying that, the Banks kit cost me $1500. The best bang for my buck was adding a Superchips Microtuner. You feel noticable HP gains from 1500-5000 rpm. What it does to the tranny shifts is worth it. It shifts firmer and more crisp and hold each gear just a bit longer to really feel the power. It delivers so much added power that i can get my serpentine belt to squeel at every shift. The tuner cost $340.

In hindsight, I would have skipped all the intake and exhaust stuff and just baught a tuner. I realize that I get more out of a tuner due the intake and headers but the gains dont justify the $1500 for the Banks kit.

BTW, all those aftermarket intake HP claims are in the "peak" RPM range. Which is usually 4600+ rpm's. So 10 extra HP at 4600? And how much HP at 1800? I know In my 7000# super duty 10 HP is squat.