confused about CAI

[Sunk]

I favor more or less stock exhaust. It's less obnoxious, and I've done my share of half-assed exhaust mods in the past. Most people I know who have messed with their exhaust say they wouldn't do it again, but then again, they've gone to the trouble of building it themselves.

If you want to, it's up to you but I don't see you gaining that much from exhaust alone besides a change in sound. If that's what you want, go for it.

 

[pfaiazza]

well i no im not going to gain much from that alone, but i have to start somewhere right?

 

[ZMan]

Are you trying to solve a specific problem?

If not, you're just wasting time and money, and introducing additional possibilities for problems.

Changing headers won't just void the warranty (that's illegal in the US; probably in Canada as well). However, if they can prove your mods contributed to a problem, a specific claim can be denied. Like, if it leaks and you get lean codes, that's going to be your problem. But if your air conditioner blows up, that's not related.

hey just because modifying your car is illegal in California doesn't mean its illegal in the entire country.

Anyway, the only way I could justify buying a CAI for a Ranger is if it were CHEAP. $250-$300 is way too much for what you get out of it.

 

[pfaiazza]

thats why i was trying to justify it, because i was going to just get the cone filter from k&n, and just attach it to my factory intake, replace the box

seemed like it made sense

 

[Mark_88]

CAI? You live in Canada...it's winter...instant upgrade~!

Not sure about aftermarket performance parts on your engine anyways...I would expect that it is as performance oriented as you're going to get without serious $$$$$ investments...which would probably be better spent paying down the truck if it's financed or socking it away for gas cards when the price starts to go through the roof again...

Anyways...it looks like you've gotten enough good advice to decide...

 

[1996 fordranger 4x4 stx]

Somebody should do a before and after test on a DYNO!!

This will factually answer this question and put it to rest.

 

[Bryan22]

+1

 

[97ranger4x4]

Somebody should do I before and after test on a DYNO!!

This will factually answer this question and put it to rest.

I do all the time. Its called my Butt Dyno. My butt is very sensitive!

 

[4x4junkie]

i wanted to get a K&N filter anyways because i heard they are better since they last forever, you just have to clean them properly

Another problem with K&Ns (or any oil-type filter for that matter), the tiny amount of dirt that gets through tends to foul up electronic sensors over time. This is due to the particles being left with tiny specks of oil on them after passing through the filter, causing them to cling to everything inside the intake (K&Ns tend to let much bigger particles through than paper as well).

Definitely not worth the money (I had a K&N drop-in filter in my Ranger for awhile... I went back to paper filters for the reasons above).

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

A CAI is a huge waste of money. $300 for a plastic tube and a cone filter????!!!!

The idea isn't all bunk though. For my explorer, I made one out of 3" PVC pipe and an Ebay (about $15, I think) cone filter and aluminum adapter to bolt it to the MAF. The whole thing cost me less than 30 dollars.

Don't expect any improvement in 0-60 times, but it does make a very noticable difference in engine sound when you step on it. Also the throttle response is much faster. Before I had my homemade intake and a flowmaster muffler with dual outs (also made myself), the RPM's would rise much slower than they do now when you stepped on it. Now you hit the gas and tach instantly jumps 2000 rpms.

So yes, they do make a difference, just not the difference most people are hoping for.

On another note, K&N style filters are a real pain to clean. Cone filters also get dirty faster than a panel filter inside an airbox.

Now my ranger's a different story. The stock airbox would have been a significant restriction to the turbocharged engine. Anything less than a perfectly clean 6" cone filter starts to hurt performance. I'm thinking about switching to dual filters on that thing.

 

[Quartermile]

If you have a filter in the engine bay, it will suck in HOT air. So it may be called an cold air intake, but thats not its function. It will suck in air heated up by the engine. Your factory air box takes in air from either the fenderwell or from behind the headlight. So you had a cold air intake from the factory already.

 

[badmts]

if it ain't broke then don't fix it.- F@CK THAT! friends don't let friends drive stock!

 

[JohnnyO]

A proper cold air intake will seal the cone off from the engine compartment heat. Cheaper or homemade CAI's look flashy but are essentially hot air intakes.
Agree with an earlier post that Ranger engines aren't big enough to flow enough air to need a low-restriction intake, except maybe at very high rpm.
If you want a low-restriction CAI for cheap just drill some 1" holes in the bottom of the airbox, remove the silencer, and use a K&N drop in.

 

[Blacked-Out FX4]

Somebody should do a before and after test on a DYNO!!

This will factually answer this question and put it to rest.

Look at K&N's site. But I'm sure they boosted the numbers by having perfect circumstances.

 

[Boghog1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lspx24I9rZY