Hmmmm.....let's see..Wendell has 5304 posts and the mad modder has 18. If it were me I would sure listen to someone that has been around the block and HAS tried a few mods, but to each his own. Not trying to start a pi**ing match here boys but experience goes a long way. A CAI is not going to help much for horsepower or MPG gains on a 4 cylinder just by itself. JMO

 

Posts mean nothing hydro. Just that the user has said a lot. Experience can't be measured by posts.
I just find it hard to believe that a CAI would have NO effects. A real CAI brings in air that is farther away from the engine(ideally behind the bumper). Cooler air not only increases power(even if a tiny bit more), but also allows the engine to run more efficiently resulting in a slight increase in fuel economy. You may need to reset the computer(by unplugging the battery) for it to work correctly.

Now I know that it won't give the feeling that I just dropped in a 550 hp GT engine, but it should help out a little.

 

Ok, first off, yes, you can increase the power of the engine by drawing in colder air, which is why the truck comes with a cold air intake. Secondly, it does not increase the efficiency, sure you can use slightly more timing advance if the air is colder, but the computer is making its decisions based upon load, not temperature. If the idea is that you use slightly less throttle this is irrelavent. The throttle position means little unless you are either no throttle, (sorry dude, you can't idle to where you are going), or wide open throttle, (you definitely aren't saving fuel there). Between those two points, the sensor is only used to anticipate acceleration, i.e. if you add slightly more throttle, the computer needs to add slightly more fuel that it would otherwise need until the speed stabilizes. When you stay at any given throttle position, it makes over 90% of its fuel and timing decisions base upon the Mass Air Flow Sensor, with the final adjustments being made by the O2 sensor.

If you have a cold air intake, and it does give you better flow, the MAF will interpret that as more air, and will add more fuel. I there is a lot of air, the computer will read that as high load, and reduce the ignition timing, negating the benefits of the colder air. While there is an air temp sensor to offset this to a great degree, these sensors are calibrated for the factory intake, so they really don't offer much benefit with an aftermarket intake. This is why a cold air intake is not effective by itself. Now if you get a tuner, you can go in an recalibrate the settings in the computer and take advantage of the changes. You can add more timing advance in anticipation of the colder air.

 

Well, if the computer and sensors are going to screw it up I may as well leave it. Manufacturers just have to have computers controlling the whole %$&@ vehicle!!!

 

This is the magic that makes the whole system work as well as it does and makes them extremely low maintenance, plus it is also the magic that makes these trucks get up to 34 mpg from the factory.

Why should you get mad when the OE did it so well that it is really hard to improve on? The factory system isn't restricting you, it is already giving you the best overall package while keeping the costs down. To make further improvements to the system is very expensive, and anything beyond the factory system is the point of diminishing returns.

the only real way to enhance the performance significantly beyond the factory system is to turn to forced induction.

 

Well said Bear River!!!!

There you have it folks, said straight out, no bias, just the facts!!!!