I am looking to buy a cold air intake system for my truck. I have narrowed it down to three but I can not decide. Which one will make the most power and sound the best. K&N, AFE, or Volant? Any advice will be helpful

 

None of them will make any noticeable power without retuning and an exhaust to match. However, the volant sounds real nice due to the enclosure. Avoid any unit that has an open filter element in the engine compartment. You don't want to be sucking in hot engine compartment air.

 

Also avoid any that use oil soaked filter as they tend to foul up MAF sensors. Use only dry filter CAI systems.

 

k&n works great, put it on with 30 miles, got 112k now and still works and sounds awesome

 

I have been upping the power on many cars and trucks since my younger days and have seen and tried just about every intake system out there. My personal thought is the oil covered filters can cause your maf sensor to get gummed up if someone puts to much oil on it when they clean it. But dollar for dollar and HP and TRQ gains K&N are the only way to go. I have one on my 05 supercrew with 5.4 3V and gained 3 mpg with a heavy foot and 5 mpg with my wife driving. Pulling power is nice but you will get a better feeling if you ad a programer to go along with it.

 

I just installed an S&B cai and it may have e few more seat of the pants horsepower and it sounds freaking awesome almost like an old 4 bbl carb. No noticeable MPG change.

 

A K&N properly prepared will not mess up the MAF. However use a dry filter if there is the slightest chance of the prep not being done correctly.
Remember any hp gain will need more fuel to make it. So mpg will not gain when hp does. You gain mpg by adjusting your driving habits.