is the cold air induction really worht it? I ask because a guy i know has a BBK cold air and he said he felt a diffrence but he told me the non fender well style cold air doesnt get as much HP as the fender well style does so what do yall think?
cold air induction
- Thread starter 1991GreeNLX
- Start date
bgjohnson
Founding Member
technically the stock routing is a cold air setup, just remove your air silencer, put a K&N box filter in there and it's almost as good. except for smoother piping, that'd be the only advantage i could think of
I've had all three.. went from stock to an underhood k&n conical (got it for free) and I didn't notice a difference. It sounded a little different, but that's about it. The thing with the underhood open filters is they end up sucking in hot air from the engine bay and the fan wash may effect your maf readings. It ends up becoming a hot air intake and hot air=less power. I went to the mac fenderwell system after that and well, it sounds a little different. To be honest I think just removing your air silencer and putting a k&n panel filter would be just as effective as one of the fenderwell systems. They all claim "up to 15 horse" but that's usually on cars where the filter is the weakest link. For a mostly stock engine I don't think it will make much of a difference at all. It sure looks nice, though. 
Legendary
Founding Member
bgjohnson said:
Correct. Unless you just want it for looks I wouldn't waste my money. Now if you're doing some serious mods (h/c/i) I would change to a CAI that has a bigger induction pipe going to the tb. Otherwise just do what bgjohnson said.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
Here's the tech article that backs up the comments above:
http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2002/03/coldair/
http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2002/03/coldair/
Legendary
Founding Member
Legendary
Founding Member
aete2 said:I disagree, i went from stock to cold air induction and really noticed a differnce it felt more powerfull.
When you say stock, is that stock air filter and silencer?
Legendary
Founding Member
Well you felt the increase from removing the silencer and changing to a better air filter. If you would've just changed the air filter (k&n) and removed the siliencer you would've felt the same increase minus pretty pipe and the 100+ price tag.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
aete - did you read the whole article at the link? It's pretty clear....the stock box IS a cold air set up. What gets in the way are the stock filter being more restrictive and the silencer assembly being flow restrictive. Take out the silencer, and drop in a K&N flat filter, and you've got pretty much the same effect as every cold air kit out there.
As for "it felt more powerful" - well, you'd be surprised at the number of mods that are made that 'feel' more powerful, but when checked via dyno or track times, turn out to be no more powerful, or even less powerful. So seat of the pants testing is questionable at best.
Main thing is not to hang a conical off the end of the maf where it's pulling in hotter underhood air - that's a hp killer to the tune of 1% decrease in power for every 10F degree warmer intake air.
As for "it felt more powerful" - well, you'd be surprised at the number of mods that are made that 'feel' more powerful, but when checked via dyno or track times, turn out to be no more powerful, or even less powerful. So seat of the pants testing is questionable at best.
Main thing is not to hang a conical off the end of the maf where it's pulling in hotter underhood air - that's a hp killer to the tune of 1% decrease in power for every 10F degree warmer intake air.
25thmustang
Mustang Master
It will only flow as much as the smallest opening, whether its your MAF, TB, intake, etc. Adding a 4" pipe will flow more air until it hits the MAF, where all that air does nothing!
On the dyno we did back to back of a stock box and a MAC fenderwell CAI...
0 rwhp, 0 rwtq!
On the dyno we did back to back of a stock box and a MAC fenderwell CAI...
0 rwhp, 0 rwtq!
Yeah...from what I have noticed on mine...well, nothing! I went from K&N and no-silencer to a CAI. Other than MAYBE a slight different sound with WOT, I have not noticed any change. Oh well, the $30 I paid for it is fine...just glad I didn't waste money on a BBK for $150.
And yes, any REAL dyno test of it I have seen shows LITTLE or NO HP gains for a CAI.
And yes, any REAL dyno test of it I have seen shows LITTLE or NO HP gains for a CAI.
88stangmangt
Active Member
i can see 15hp for a svt 03 cobra or a lighting but i noticed a difference on my gt in the morning in fall when it was like 40 deg outside..........sounded bad @ss.
Similar threads
