cold air intake?
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 633
Likes: 2
From: So. Utah
Well no one has answered you so I'll chime in, from what I've read over the last 16 yrs. since owning a diesel a "cold/fresh air intake" really doesn't do much. The stock intake brings fresh ambient temp air into the engine, not necessarily cold, just whatever the outside temp. is. Same thing with a $300 special intake. You could change the filter to one of the conical types but again very little gain for the work.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 80,535
Likes: 97
From: Norlina NC
agreed.. for diesels theres very little improvement unless your filter was super clogged at the time of change.. and short of you pulling a ton of boost over stock and way more power its just not worth the swap.. (and thats being said with fact i switched to AFE intake after getting the truck but been playing with the idea of switching some of it back to stock).
for gassers.. with my other non SD vehicles ive seen fuel mpg improvements but nothing by the butt-meter for performance improvement. they may improve more on the gassers than the diesels as theyre not pulling a high amount of air in via a turbo like the diesels are. since you didnt specify if yours was a gasser or a diesel is why i listed both there...
for gassers.. with my other non SD vehicles ive seen fuel mpg improvements but nothing by the butt-meter for performance improvement. they may improve more on the gassers than the diesels as theyre not pulling a high amount of air in via a turbo like the diesels are. since you didnt specify if yours was a gasser or a diesel is why i listed both there...
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 1,357
From: NY/Canada border
My experiences:
1997 F Super Duty 7.3 diesel I put a K&N kit in it. I kept the hardware but sold the K&N filter element and replaced with a Donaldson marine unit. Combined with a DP Tuner I could hear the turbo whistle where I could not before the switch. I think any performance improvement was mainly due to the chip. That motor was a dog.
Early 2000's F150 with 5.4:
Got a like new K&N cold air kit cheap from a friend. MPG actually got worse, so I removed it and sold it on ebay.
Bottom line: money probably could have been better spent then on CAI.
1997 F Super Duty 7.3 diesel I put a K&N kit in it. I kept the hardware but sold the K&N filter element and replaced with a Donaldson marine unit. Combined with a DP Tuner I could hear the turbo whistle where I could not before the switch. I think any performance improvement was mainly due to the chip. That motor was a dog.
Early 2000's F150 with 5.4:
Got a like new K&N cold air kit cheap from a friend. MPG actually got worse, so I removed it and sold it on ebay.
Bottom line: money probably could have been better spent then on CAI.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 10,157
Likes: 8,003
From: Texas
I have had experience with 2 CAI's, I had a K&N on a Jeep wrangler, and an AIRAID on a 2011 Ford SD/6.2L gas. Neither unit did any more, really, than sound cool. On the SuperDuty, it actually got obnoxious loud in the cabin while pulling my 5er Raptor. It wasd not 'bad' until I started pulling for long trips....then tne noise got real old, real fast. If one was just pulling to a lake for a weekend, then pulling home again, an hour each way, it would have been fine. But when having to listen to the loud drone all day, every day for 2 weeks......no!!!!!!!
As far as actual fuel mileage, I could not tell any noticable difference. But then, I do not hand calculate every tankfull of fuel either,,,,,,the rig will burn what it burns, regardless of how many times we calculate it!!
Good luck, do what you want, but don't have too many great expectations!!
As far as actual fuel mileage, I could not tell any noticable difference. But then, I do not hand calculate every tankfull of fuel either,,,,,,the rig will burn what it burns, regardless of how many times we calculate it!!
Good luck, do what you want, but don't have too many great expectations!!
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 7,460
Likes: 85
From: Kent Station, WA
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New User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: jacksonville
HAVE A 2000 EXCURSION 7.3, JUST INSTALLED A GTP38R TURBO. WOULD THERE BE MORE IMPROVEMNET WITH A COLD AIR INTAKE? IF SO WHATS WORKED WELL FOR EVERYONE? HAVE EDJE PROGRAMED FOR TOW.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 3
From: West of Chicago
No, the stock intake setup is just fine, unless you are pushing 500+ horse
Token Redneck
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 9,337
Likes: 346
From: Breckenridge, TX
For the 7.3L the 6637 filter is popular. Donaldson makes the stock filter on the 6.0, I would pick that filter option.
Riffraff Diesel 6637 Ford 7.3L Powerstroke Intake Filter Kit
Riffraff Diesel 6637 Ford 7.3L Powerstroke Intake Filter Kit
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dvldog458
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Jan 19, 2006 09:33 AM