Installed a new Airaid Cool Air Dam Intake on my '08 JKU auto 2 months ago. My MPG's have gone from 16-18 with the stock intake down to 13-14 with the new intake.
Is this normal? From everything I've read and the people I've talked to, I didn't expect this result. Actually, I expected the same or better MPG's. Perhaps a rookie mistake? Is there anything I can do to change this? (insert smartass answers here)

Any help on this would be great! This is probably easy stuff for most of you guys but being my first jeep, I've got a lot of learning to do!

 

it should improve

 

More air requires more fuel. So your EFI is compensating for that.

I noticed the same thing when I installed a K&N FIPK on my Toyota Tacoma, years ago. Mpg went down & it also seemed to lose some low end power. Top end power did seem a bit better though.

I ended up going back to stock.

 

try disconnecting your battery for 10min to reset computer, then drive for ~25mi w/stop & go (city) to let the computer do it's thing in adjusting for the new CAI.

 

When I installed the intake, I disconnected the battery. It was disconnected for about 30-40 minutes while I put the new intake on. Seems like that would have been plenty of time for the computer to reset, and most of the driving I do is stop and go city driving. It's been about 1500 miles since I put it on. Should I try to reset it again?

 

...damn. I was hoping you wouldn't say that. I would say no, don't reset it again, it probably wouldn't have any affect. Do you know what kind of material the filter is made of?

 

This is Airaid's description of the material: "multiple layers of cotton gauze combined with our unique filtration technology"
Not sure what their "unique filtration technology" is but the rest of the filter is cotton.

 

I installed one of these also and it didn't really change the mpg +/-. Maybe you are just "testing" it out a little more than usual by giving it some more gas.

 

+1 I'm willing to bet you're driving a little bit harder now

 

It does sound better when you get on it with the CAI.