There are a few reasons a cold air intake is a popular modification for someone who's just starting to modify a car. Cold air intakes generally cost just a few hundred dollars (depending, of course, on the manufacturer of the intake itself and the type of car you own). They're also relatively easy to install with just a few hand tools in an average-equipped garage. And despite their simplicity, a cold air intake actually provides a decent horsepower boost for a small investment. Show
A cold air intake works by moving the engine's air filter away from the engine, so that the air being sucked in is cooler. Normally, air is drawn from the area right next to the engine, which, of course, is very hot because the engine heats up everything under the hood and all around it. Cooler air carries more oxygen, so if you can help your car somehow reach air that hasn't been heated by the engine, that extra oxygen makes a bigger bang from the same amount of fuel. That might not sound like such a big deal, but think about exercising outdoors on a hot and humid day, as opposed to a day with a cool refreshing breeze. Unless you're an elite athlete, no one's diligently measuring how the weather affects your body's performance. But the difference in the way you feel has a very scientific basis, and the same basic principle applies to your car. That's why weather reports give smog warnings on gross, congested days -- hot, dirty air leads to all kinds of ailments. Cold air intakes are designed to flow more efficiently than your car's from-the-factory, traditional airflow assembly. Stock tubes are often small and restricted; an aftermarket intake has larger diameter, smooth tubes to encourage stronger airflow. That doesn't mean that factory-installed systems are completely useless -- all that "extra" filtration is designed to help your car stay clean under all circumstances. But if you want extra power, you have to be willing to compromise a little in the hopes of attaining optimal conditions instead of average conditions. If you want your car to run better, opening up its airflow is a good start. That's why a cold air intake is a small investment with a rather big payoff. It makes such a big difference, in fact, that the simple process of redirecting the filter to draw cooler air is good for a horsepower gain of about 5 to 20 ponies in most cars. It might even improve your fuel efficiency, and it'll probably make your engine sound better, too. And the standard disclaimer, of course, is that your exact results will depend on the specific make and model of your car and the cold air intake system you choose. Lots More InformationAuthor's Note: How much horsepower does a cold air intake add?A cold air intake is one of the rare modifications that works pretty well on its own, and that's one of the reasons it's so popular with people who are just beginning to modify a car. (The other reasons are low cost and ease of installation ... plus the cool sound that wannabe street racers crave). It doesn't make sense to spend thousands or more on a turbo or supercharger if the engine's airflow is still restricted from the factory. So, while we usually caution that modifications, especially engine and drivetrain upgrades, should be carefully researched and planned, a cold air intake is a pretty safe -- and logical -- place to start. Related Articles
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There’s a lot of sources on the web stating that you’ll gain upwards of 30 horsepower by installing a cold air intake. It’s true that cold air intakes increase power as the concept is backed by science, most people have the wrong idea of what a cold air intake actually is. This article will provide you with a definitive guide on how the cold air intake works, what are its benefits, and whether or not to expect a power increase. The short answer is that cold air intakes provide a marginal increase in power, and are primarily installed for better engine sound. On big-block V8s, they can slightly improve performance through better throttle response. Every cold air intake definition states that it’s a system designed to relocate the air filter out of the engine bay in an effort to reduce the heat of the air going into the engine. The engine bay is enclosed on all sides, and as internal combustion generates a lot of heat, the air inside can turn very hot. Cool air is denser, so it contains more oxygen, and more oxygen means more powerful combustion. This is achieved by installing a cold air intake.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. K&N is a reputable company and if they guarantee an increase in horsepower, I would trust them. However, they claim a power increase of 15.26 horsepower on a Ford Mustang GT, which has 300hp out of the factory. That’s at most a 5% power increase for a $300 part. The problem with cold intake kits is that most are not actually mounted outside the vehicle, and are just a larger diameter hose with an exposed cone filter. For significant improvements in performance, the intake has to be positioned to the side of the radiator or underneath the bumper where it can catch cold air that hasn’t entered the engine bay. How Much Horsepower Does A Cold Air Intake Add?Increasing the horsepower of an engine is not as simple as it seems. The most significant improvements are gained from a turbocharger or a supercharger kit, but other than that, every component added marginally improves performance.  The cold air intake will not provide a set number of horsepower. Those 5, 20, or 30 horsepower gains you’ll find online have no foundation. Will you gain 30 horsepower with a 100 horsepower engine? Absolutely not. Will you gain 5 horsepower with a 300 horsepower engine? No, you’ll more. When talking about the performance gains, we have to consider three things: aspiration, displacement, and base horsepower. The modding community largely agrees that cold air intakes will not benefit smaller naturally aspirated engines, as stock intake is well suitable for the job. Larger engines will benefit from a cold intake not necessarily because of the cold air, but because most aftermarket intakes significantly improve airflow. The modification is particularly effective on big-block trucks and SUVs. Supercharged and turbocharged engines gain the most out of a cold air intake, as they use forced air induction which can heat up the air and requires high airflow. The more horsepower a vehicle has, the higher the potential horsepower gains are. The exact amount varies, but a good cold intake kit could boost the power by up to 5%. The Benefits Of A Cold Air IntakeSo why should you consider upgrading your intake? The power increase is not guaranteed, but most actually don’t care much about that. The main benefit cold air intake brings is the better sound of the turbo. The stock intake muffles the sound of the turbo, and by installing an open-design cold air intake, you can really hear the whistling of a spooling turbo and the woosh as it expels the excess air when you let go of the gas. SUV and truck owners have reported a slight improvement in gas mileage as the cold intake system significantly improves airflow and therefore the air-fuel mixture. Top 5 Cold Air Intake BrandsSince we’re talking about the benefits of cold air intake, it’s important to mention the best aftermarket intake manufacturers. 1. K&NK&N has been one of the most dominant companies in the air filter industry since its inception in the early ’60s. In 1992, the company designed its first cold air intake system and has been improving upon the formula since to deliver some of the best products on the market. Their cold air intake kits come with everything you need to install them in under 2 hours. They’re backed by a 10 year or 1 million miles limited warranty. The kit comes with the K&N washable and reusable high-flow air filter that is capable of crossing 100,000 miles between services. The average cost of a K&N cold air intake kit is $330. Check Price 2. AEMAEM doesn’t have as lengthy of heritage as K&N does, as it was founded in 1987 in California. However, it has been in the modding business since its inception, and proudly claims it was the first to coin the term “cold air intake” in the mid-nineties. Whether that’s true or not, I can’t say with certainty, but what I can tell you is that their cold air intakes are really effective. AEM has a wide range of vehicle-specific and universal cold intake kits as well as all the spare parts you might need. The price of AEM cold intake kits starts at $300, but depending on the option the can be as much as $400. Check Price 3. VolantVolant is another company based in the United States and has been making cold air intakes since 1998. Their products have been used in all branches of the auto industry, and are a very popular option for performance builds. Both the metal open and closed box air intake kits are priced between $300 and $330, keeping them close to the competition. Assembly is fairly simple and the be done without the help of a professional. Check Price 4. SpectreYou’ll struggle to find a good cold air intake kit for under $300, but Spectre Performance manages to deliver high-quality kits for just $215! That’s enough to put the Spectre on the map as the manufacturer of best-value intakes. But when you consider the regular sales on Amazon where the prices can go as low as $175, that’s practically half the cost of kits made by other manufacturers. If you want a cold air intake on a budget, Spectre Performance is the right brand for you. Check Price 5. InjenInjen is a fast expanding company that has certainly carved its portion of the marketplace with slightly more affordable intake kits. There are several intake designs to choose from, and the high-quality construction guarantees an unobstructed and colder airflow. You can find some Injen cold air intake kits for under $300, but a significant number crosses into the $300-350 range. At that price point, I would recommend either K&N or AEM as they’re more widely used and are a safer option. Check Price How To Install A Cold Air IntakeIf you’re installing a cold air intake for the first time, make sure to buy a model-specific kit as it’s perfectly designed to fit in the tight space of the engine bay and comes with detailed instructions on how to install it. In this guide, I’ll show you what tools you’ll need and the basic steps so you can get an idea of what to expect. Tools You’ll NeedPrices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: Step-By-Step Guide
The following video explains the basics of installing a cold air intake, but more importantly, it shows a properly routed intake route. If you want to notice the difference in performance, you have to route the filter out of the engine bay. Drawbacks Of Cold Air IntakeWhenever you’re installing an aftermarket part on your vehicle, there’s always a chance of something going wrong. With cold air intake, as long as you properly secure all the pieces and install the MAF sensor correctly, there should be no issues with the car. The check engine light might show up as a warning that there’s something odd with the intake manifold – if the car is performing well, you can ignore it. The MAF sensor should adapt to the new readings for ECU to adjust the air-fuel mixture accordingly. To get the best results, you should remap the ECU so it can create a better air-fuel mixture. A properly mounted intake filter sits very low in the vehicle, where it can absorb moisture if driven on a particularly rainy day or through a puddle. This can be a real problem so you have to keep in mind the weather conditions when driving your modified vehicle. FAQsHow much HP will I gain from a cold air intake?The amount of horsepower you’ll gain depends on a lot of factors, but the best-case scenario is a 5% power increase with better throttle response. Most setups will not bring anything in terms of power and are better suited to improving the sound of the engine. Is a K&N cold air intake worth it?If you buy a K&N intake expecting a significant power increase, you’ll be left disappointed. Most aftermarket intakes focus on increasing the airflow but do not actually deliver significantly colder air to the engine, as they’re still contained within the engine bay. Does a muffler delete add HP?Removing the muffler will have no impact on the performance of your vehicle. The delete will only make the exhaust sound louder, and potentially get you in trouble with the police as it’s considered an illegal mod in most states. Does removing a resonator increase HP?Like the muffler, the resonator has no impact on performance. Its only purpose is to reduce the noise coming through the exhaust pipe. Is cold air intake illegal?This is a difficult question to answer as the regulations vary between states. Cold intake manufacturers will designate which kits are street illegal and which can be installed in all 50 states. What are the cons of a cold air intake?Apart from costing a few hundred dollars, cold air intakes do not come with significant drawbacks, except if it’s mounted low where the air filter can get wet from rain and puddles. What to do after installing a cold air intake?To gain the most out of this modification, the How much HP does a cold air intake add to a 4 cylinder?With a 4-cylinder engine, you may not see any horsepower gains from a cold air intake. As these engines rarely exceed 2L displacement and have less than 200 horsepower, the gains will be marginal, if not insignificant. Most cold air intake mods on the smaller-sized engines are done to increase the sound of the turbo and add looks to the engine bay. How much HP does a cold air intake add to a V6?V6 engines tend to be larger than four-cylinder engines and as such can benefit slightly from a cold air intake, but only if it’s a supercharged or a turbocharged engine. How much HP does a cold air intake add to a V8?On standard big-block V8s, a high-quality cold air intake will make a difference. A large engine will benefit from increased airflow and deliver better throttle response and a slight power boost. However, if you’ve got a spec-tuned engine straight from the factory, an aftermarket intake may even be inferior to the carefully engineered intake already installed. How much HP does a cold air intake add to a Mustang?It’s very difficult to determine whether an aftermarket cold air intake would even have a positive effect on the performance of a Mustang. Unlike V8 engines in trucks and SUVs, Mustang’s engine is factory-tuned for performance. The 6th generation Mustang GT outputs 460 horsepower from its 5-liter V8, and a $300 cold air intake is unlikely to be better than the one installed in the factory. Consider the upgrade on older Mustangs with low output V8 where the swap could bring as much as 5% more horsepower. SummaryLike I’ve said several times throughout the article, getting a significant power boost from a cold air intake is difficult, if not impossible. The real difference in power can be noticed only after installing more high-performance parts and cutting down the weight of the vehicle. Still, the upgrade can be useful for larger V8 engines installed in trucks or SUVs, or sporty turbocharged cars where it unleashes the sound of the turbo. If you decide to go with the upgrade, the K&N cold air intakes are the best choice as they combine high-quality design and materials at a reasonable price. Discover more tips with these related posts: Does A Cold Air Intake Make Your Car Louder? How Much Horsepower Does a Camshaft Add? How Much Torque and Horsepower Does a Toyota Tacoma Have? How much HP does a cold air intake add to a 5.0 V8?How Much HP Does a Cold Air Intake Add? When upgrading your air intake, truck owners can expect an increase of between 5 to 15 horsepower, though this number can be higher or lower depending on your make, model, engine size, and type of intake.
How much horsepower does a cold air intake add to a 5.7 L V8?5.7 HEMI cold air intake horsepower gains can vary widely. On a bone stock 5.7L V8 it's unlikely you'll pick up much more than roughly 3-7whp. However, with additional mods it's very possible to see gains of 10-15 horsepower and torque from the intake alone.
How much HP does a cold air intake actually add?Cold Air Intakes are said to improve your vehicle's performance by 5-20 horsepower. This number will vary depending on the make and model of your vehicle. While this isn't enough power to put you back in your seat, it will give your car or truck a little pep in its step.
How much HP does K&N cold air intake add?However, K&N intakes typically add an average of 15-25 additional horsepower over a stock system**. Each kit undergoes significant testing to help ensure that the filter and intake tube are positioned to deliver large increases in airflow and horsepower.
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How much horsepower does a cold air intake add to a v8
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