Cold Air Intakes - Junk or Good
04-07-2017, 05:27 PM
#21
Super Moderator
04-07-2017, 05:36 PM
#23
JK Enthusiast
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04-20-2017, 04:34 PM
#25
JK Super Freak
04-20-2017, 07:21 PM
#27
JK Enthusiast
The only way to really measure any sort of gains is on a dyno. Usually a CAI by itself without other airflow modifications will actually lose you some power and torque. Occassionally in conjuction with high flow cats, a cat-back exhaust system and tune, a CAI will actually produce a finite amount of power. It's usually nothing to write home about.
Of course, it will give the engine a more throaty sound which many like I suppose it adds some bling under the hood if that's your thing. I myself grew out of all that stuff long ago and like a quiet Jeep with a sealed airbox. I have a drop-in filter just for the sake of longevity.
IMO - junk (but oh what a money making biz it is!!)
Of course, it will give the engine a more throaty sound which many like I suppose it adds some bling under the hood if that's your thing. I myself grew out of all that stuff long ago and like a quiet Jeep with a sealed airbox. I have a drop-in filter just for the sake of longevity.
IMO - junk (but oh what a money making biz it is!!)
04-21-2017, 02:47 PM
#28
Former Vendor
As previous posts have mentioned, typical cold air intakes don't really do much. With fuel injection the computer adjusts air/fuel ratio on the fly, so if, in theory you do get more air in there, the computer just adjusts the fuel to compensate. As someone mentioned, the air is often hotter, which has less energy.
They sound louder better, and that makes us feel better, and noise always increases the seat of the pants speed feel
Unless your factory airbox/filter is completely clogged, you really shouldn't see a difference. A tuner is a much better way to get a couple of relatively low buck horsepower from your rig.
The only thing that really is going to help you is an intake that really gets more, cold air to the engine. Colder air is denser and contains more oxygen, giving you a better burn. Back in my ricer days we would do crazy stuff, like pack ice in the intake, and it did equate to better quarter mile times. A JK gets hot under the hood. A good way to cool intake temps is actually get a heat reduction hood. Because of the way the 3.8 fuels itself when intake temps get hot, you can actually improve fuel economy a wee bit by cooling the engine bay.
Snorkel systems pull colder air in the outside and are the only real way to improve performance. Any gains will be negligible, but your engine will run better, especially when you're on a hot trail in the summer, and if you have forced induction your engine will ping less when it gets hot.
Unless you're going all the way with a snorkel system, you really aren't going to improve over the factory airbox, really. Maybe combined with a free flowing exhaust and a tuner it might really get you some sort of bump, but it won't be much. We don't ever bother on our personal rigs.
That's Trail Jeep's $.02 on the topic!
They sound louder better, and that makes us feel better, and noise always increases the seat of the pants speed feel
Unless your factory airbox/filter is completely clogged, you really shouldn't see a difference. A tuner is a much better way to get a couple of relatively low buck horsepower from your rig.The only thing that really is going to help you is an intake that really gets more, cold air to the engine. Colder air is denser and contains more oxygen, giving you a better burn. Back in my ricer days we would do crazy stuff, like pack ice in the intake, and it did equate to better quarter mile times. A JK gets hot under the hood. A good way to cool intake temps is actually get a heat reduction hood. Because of the way the 3.8 fuels itself when intake temps get hot, you can actually improve fuel economy a wee bit by cooling the engine bay.
Snorkel systems pull colder air in the outside and are the only real way to improve performance. Any gains will be negligible, but your engine will run better, especially when you're on a hot trail in the summer, and if you have forced induction your engine will ping less when it gets hot.
Unless you're going all the way with a snorkel system, you really aren't going to improve over the factory airbox, really. Maybe combined with a free flowing exhaust and a tuner it might really get you some sort of bump, but it won't be much. We don't ever bother on our personal rigs.
That's Trail Jeep's $.02 on the topic!
04-22-2017, 06:19 AM
#29
JK Enthusiast
I have a quick question and hopefully I didn't miss it in the thread but, will a snorkel (let's say AEV) increase intake sound? I'd like to add a snorkel but don't want increased intake noise.
04-24-2017, 08:14 AM
#30
Former Vendor
The snorkel is designed to piggy back off of the factory intake, so any increase will be negligible.