Does a custom cold air intake improve the sound of the engine?

[sauceman]

Hello everyone. I was thinking about purchasing a cold air intake for my 92 ford ranger 4.0L. I've always been skeptical as to how much a Cold air intake improves performance, but for a bit of extra sound quality, it would be worth it. Do any of you guys notice a sound difference with one installed? I'm aware the truck has a factory cold air intake, but I;m wondering if an aftermarket one will increase the sound of the engine

 

[Dirtman]

Your truck already has a cold air intake.

 

[bobbywalter]

That is subjective.


And like mentioned. Your truck has a highly restrictive cold air intake

To keep it nice and quiet

 

[sauceman]

That is subjective.


And like mentioned. Your truck has a highly restrictive cold air intake

To keep it nice and quiet

Have you used a custom cold air intake on your vehicle? What do you recommend

 

[Curious Hound]

For a while, I was using a home made intake. My truck has the 3.ol engine. The OEM intake has several restrictions in it.. I used the air filter box from a 4.0l Explorer that sat right behind the passenger side headlight. I ordered aluminum intake tubing and silicone couplers to join that to my intake. I used my 3.0l MAF sensor and housing because it is calibrated for that engine. The 4.0l filter box had a piece that fit between it and the radiator support that necked down to a smaller diameter. I made something to replace that.

My theory is that no part of the intake should be smaller than the opening in the throttle body. Plus, you want to make sure you are sucking cold air from outside the engine compartment, such as the hole in the radiator support directly behind the headlight, or some newer trucks draw air from between the inner and outer fender. Any intake that sucks air from the engine compartment is just sucking hot air.

 

[bobbywalter]

Have you used a custom cold air intake on your vehicle? What do you recommend

Yes. But I use modified everything. And try to dyno tune against it so we know what is actually going on.

In the case of an oem ford. I only redirect the inlet of the air box to higher and cooler ground via the shortest route possible. ... When possible.


Problem with typical ford maf systems, the meter is generally smaller then the throttle body... And opening up the route between the two will detune the engine. So you have to dyno tune these a majority of the time if you open up the intake just to maintain oem power....usually have to cut up and rebuild the tube several times so the meter is on unless you swap to gm style.

Some engines respond much better. Like the inline Jeeps. But the ford maf equipped v6..is tricky.

The 4.0 I see quite a bit develope spark knock that is a pia to scale drivability around.


Just depends on goals. Sometimes you get lucky.