Hi. New here. I would like to get a cold air intake for my 04 F-150 Heritage. I want the fully enclosed type. What is the best one to get? I like the Volant but I do not want to have to oil it. Maybe there is a replacement filter that I could get for it that doesn't require oil? This forum looks like a really great resource!

Forgot to add I only have the 4.6L.

 

If you have a 5.4L and unless you're prepared to get a programmer/tuner with a custom tune, stick with this: http://www.f150online.com/forums/exh...4l-engine.html

If you don't you risk running lean and damaging your engine.

 

The cold air intakes are for looks only. If you want it so you can look at it and be happy, get what ever you want, just dont get oil into the intake tube... If your buying it to get more power and better milage.. put your money back in your pocket.

 

Steve is right on. Unless you want to waste money, stick with the stock intake or the DIY intake mod.

If you're looking for performance gains, look at a tuner with custom tunes.

 

Repeatedly companies come out with performance enhancing products which claim to increase performance and fuel economy. Yet on newer fuel injected vehicle, most of these claims prove to be invalid, and are the result of placebo effect of the percieved change in sound being confused with an actual increase in performance.

Ford engineers all their vehicles with Cold Air Intakes. They then engineer a filter which can handle the maximum airflow of the engine at wide open throttle max RPM, and can continue to do so even if the filter is 50% plugged.

Companies that offer these aftermarket CAI systems are basically going to flow like the stock ones, the difference being that the aftermarket ones do not have the sound deadening qualities of the original. This means that the intake will be louder, which the customers will perceive as an increase in performance.

The OEM filter is designed to remove virtually all harmful particles to protect the engine. Many aftermarket filters use lower density filters that use that lower density to increase airflow at the cost of actual filtering performance. They attempt to use oil to "make the dirt stick to the media". This is not only not as effective as an actual filtering media, but only works when the oil is relatively fresh. Once it starts to accumulate dirt, it becomes less effective, and can even release dirt that it had previously trapped.

Oil based filter have a history of fouling the MAF element. This is the opposite of improving performance. A fouled MAF results in decreased economy, decreased performance, and then you are stuck with regularly cleaning the MAF, and can get stuck with having to replace it. All for a gain in performance that is within the margin of error.

A tuner is a better investment, as are exhaust modifications. An intake only really becomes effective when combined with other mods anyway, mods such as porting, forced induction, tuning, etc.

Within the realm of aftermarket filters, the oil based ones such as K&N should be avoided. The new synthetic dry media is much more cost effective and reduces the risks of MAF contamination. They are easier to clean, and some are as efficient as OEM filters.

 

very well written Khan...... and 100% accurate.