K&N Cold Air Intake

[Hawkeyes3312]

Installing this tomorrow:

Who else has installed a CAI and what do you think so far? It's a standard upgrade that I perform on all of my Jeeps, but excited to experience it on the JT.

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[WXman]

I think it's interesting that they claim "will not void vehicle warranty". So is K&N giving a written guarantee that if your engine gets hydrolocked because it's now easier to suck in water and larger particulates and FCA denies coverage due to the non-factory part, K&N will step in and pay for the repair?

I've used these kits on Jeeps and pickups and cars in the past. But I tend to shy away from them these days, especially the K&N kits that use oiled filters. The oil can coat the MAF sensor and over time it can lead to poor readings coming from that sensor. Also, there is zero fuel savings because the ECU will always keep the stoichiometric ratio where it's happy. So, more air in equals more fuel in. So really, all these give you is more sound, and sometimes 5 HP at RPM above 5,000. It's sort of a waste of time.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Your Jeep, your Money do as you chose. I did a lot of testing on CAI when I lived in the Sonoran desert. I have seen temps in the 120's.

What I found was few of the so called CAI work, in fact, they should be called HAI, the H for HOT. The big problem is the THIN Aluminum tube. Aluminum is a VERY good conductor of temperature and depending upon location and length of the tube all that is being accomplished is heating UP the air going into the engine.

I ended up building my CAI and it was the ONLY one that provided both an increase in mpg and improved performance. I will not take any credit for my design as for years Jeep came with an OEM CAI and it worked exceptionally well. All I did was take the Jeep design and make it fit my Jeep.

Anyhow that is a good looking unit and if that is your goal then you have won, so go for it.

 

[Hawkeyes3312]

Your Jeep, your Money do as you chose. I did a lot of testing on CAI when I lived in the Sonoran desert. I have seen temps in the 120's.

What I found was few of the so called CAI work, in fact, they should be called HAI, the H for HOT. The big problem is the THIN Aluminum tube. Aluminum is a VERY good conductor of temperature and depending upon location and length of the tube all that is being accomplished is heating UP the air going into the engine.

I ended up building my CAI and it was the ONLY one that provided both an increase in mpg and improved performance. I will not take any credit for my design as for years Jeep came with an OEM CAI and it worked exceptionally well. All I did was take the Jeep design and make it fit my Jeep.

Anyhow that is a good looking unit and if that is your goal then you have won, so go for it.

Already started a return back to K&N. Going to go with the MagnaFlow Rock Crawler Cat-Back Exhaust over this 'upgrade'. Thanks all!

 

[Hawkeyes3312]

Installing this tomorrow:

Who else has installed a CAI and what do you think so far? It's a standard upgrade that I perform on all of my Jeeps, but excited to experience it on the JT.

Edit: Returning this item tomorrow.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Already started a return back to K&N. Going to go with the MagnaFlow Rock Crawler Cat-Back Exhaust over this 'upgrade'. Thanks all!

Have you looked at Borla? I put them on my Jeeps and on clients and they had an FCA part number...I have no idea is Borla is still an approved supplier or not. FCA used to have a performance catalog and I ordered stuff out there.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

OEM CAI

This works it is what I based my design on a noticeable difference in + mpg about 1-1.5 mpg improvement city/hwy. Jeep ports the intake hose directly to the back of the headlight bucket.

 

[Hawkeyes3312]

Have you looked at Borla? I put them on my Jeeps and on clients and they had an FCA part number...I have no idea is Borla is still an approved supplier or not. FCA used to have a performance catalog and I ordered stuff out there.

I've put Borla on other Jeeps, but have stuck with MagnaFlow for Wranglers and now the JT. It was more due to the sound of each as it relates to the vehicle it's on. Just a personal preference I suppose.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

I've put Borla on other Jeeps, but have stuck with MagnaFlow for Wranglers and now the JT. It was more due to the sound of each as it relates to the vehicle it's on. Just a personal preference I suppose.

They make good stuff, I would say the Borla is a bit quieter, but what I liked about the Borla was the PERFECT fit. They were a breeze to install, never even a minor alignment issue.

The MagnaFlow is well made and they actually TEST their products on the dyno, so does Borla, you are not going wrong with either.

 

[Hawkeyes3312]

They make good stuff, I would say the Borla is a bit quieter, but what I liked about the Borla was the PERFECT fit. They were a breeze to install, never even a minor alignment issue.

The MagnaFlow is well made and they actually TEST their products on the dyno, so does Borla, you are not going wrong with either.

I looked at both initially. I don't think Borla offers anything for a JT yet. What I liked about the MagnaFlow was the rock crawler fitment as it keeps everything out of the way. I contacted them and spoke with a tech and he indicated the 'perfect fit' for a JT as you described above. Interesting that your experience with the sound was that it was quieter; Mine was the opposite. I was trying to avoid the JT from sounding like a Challenger upon start and while driving. Perhaps, I've gone too aggressive with the Borlas in the past?!?!?

 

[Hawkeyes3312]

I looked at both initially. I don't think Borla offers anything for a JT yet. What I liked about the MagnaFlow was the rock crawler fitment as it keeps everything out of the way. I contacted them and spoke with a tech and he indicated the 'perfect fit' for a JT as you described above. Interesting that your experience with the sound was that it was quieter; Mine was the opposite. I was trying to avoid the JT from sounding like a Challenger upon start and while driving. Perhaps, I've gone too aggressive with the Borlas in the past?!?!?

As I write the above I realize the aggressive sound of the MagnaFlow!!! Oh well, perhaps the length of the bed will help with keeping interior noise down!

 

[Astephan1284]

OEM CAI

This works it is what I based my design on a noticeable difference in + mpg about 1-1.5 mpg improvement city/hwy. Jeep ports the intake hose directly to the back of the headlight bucket.

That is interesting to me. Did you happen to test any kind of "semi-ram-air" style snorkel or just CAIs?

 

[Ole Cowboy]

That is interesting to me. Did you happen to test any kind of "semi-ram-air" style snorkel or just CAIs?

I did play with it and it really worked, almost too good. I had a hood and cut a hole in the side and used 2 OEM plastic tubes + OEM filter box and a # 10 Folgers can. It was quite comical but worked great.

The snorkel does have a drawback albeit minor. Due to the intake runner length, the engine has to suck a lot harder to get a gulp of air, now this gets offset as your speed goes up. So you lose some on the streets but gain some on the highway where you get the "ram air effect.

I have found over the years that almost everything you do is a trade-off, a +/- if you will. The orginial OEM setup on the CJ Jeeps was truly a win-win and I found it to be so when I adapted it to my Jeep.


After that I went to the OEM design using my right front headlight bucket.

One of my best mods in terms of results and cost

More pics and the write up: http://www.savagesun4x4.com/enter/fabwerks_-_projects/tj-projects/cold_air_fab_and_install.html

 

[rvillano8188]

I did play with it and it really worked, almost too good. I had a hood and cut a hole in the side and used 2 OEM plastic tubes + OEM filter box and a # 10 Folgers can. It was quite comical but worked great.

The snorkel does have a drawback albeit minor. Due to the intake runner length, the engine has to suck a lot harder to get a gulp of air, now this gets offset as your speed goes up. So you lose some on the streets but gain some on the highway where you get the "ram air effect.

I have found over the years that almost everything you do is a trade-off, a +/- if you will. The orginial OEM setup on the CJ Jeeps was truly a win-win and I found it to be so when I adapted it to my Jeep.


After that I went to the OEM design using my right front headlight bucket.

One of my best mods in terms of results and cost

More pics and the write up: http://www.savagesun4x4.com/enter/fabwerks_-_projects/tj-projects/cold_air_fab_and_install.html

My hero

 

[MojavePierce]

I looked at both initially. I don't think Borla offers anything for a JT yet. What I liked about the MagnaFlow was the rock crawler fitment as it keeps everything out of the way. I contacted them and spoke with a tech and he indicated the 'perfect fit' for a JT as you described above. Interesting that your experience with the sound was that it was quieter; Mine was the opposite. I was trying to avoid the JT from sounding like a Challenger upon start and while driving. Perhaps, I've gone too aggressive with the Borlas in the past?!?!?

Have you done any research on the AFE Rock Basher exhaust?

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