I droped in a k&n filter and also drilled out the front grill holes. It made a difference in iat’s both in traffic and cruising and no water issues at all. My car is daily driving and been driven thru some good rain storms and not a single issue with water getting into the inlet.
Thumbs up simply for a solid video description lmao. Thanks for the info tho! I have longtubes and Lund flex fuel, stock intake. Tbh IAT temps always are within 10 degrees of ambient, everyone always asks why I don’t have a CAI, simply don’t need it. 🤷🏼♂️
Most “non tune” cold air intakes for the new mustang make very little difference on hp for the new 18+ mustang. The difference is the restrictor in the air intake with a tune. The Roush for the 18+ has the restrictor that can be removed. With the restrictor it is very similar to stock with out it, it needs a tune and takes more air in. Simple. It’s not like cars from the year 1999. Stock parts are very good for high performance cars. Ford did a lot to squeeze as much power as they could out of the 18+ mustangs. So with that being said. The best intake in my opinion is the Roush Cold air intake for the 2018+ mustang GT which is very similarly designed to the stock intake with a shield and cover blocking the hot air out.
I have a 2018 5.0. A few years ago I replaced the stock intake with a roush cold air intake which came with a tune. It could run with or without a tune. There was nobody here who could install the roush tune so I’m running it without a tune. The throttle response is instant. Without the roush intake there is a little bit of a lag when I floor the gas pedal. Is the car faster, maybe not but it is quicker.
Best CAI to stay close to stock and get slightly more air is the Injen Evolution. I used it when I had my 2016 GT and loved it. With just the intake and a tune I ran 412 HP and 387 TQ to wheels. Those where literally the only mods I had. Not much of the increase was from the intake as usual but the intake temperatures were 3-4 degrees above ambient with the Injen and 5-7 with stock while moving. They would creep up when in traffic but nothing like my GT350 does. I hit 151 degrees today with an ambient temperature of 82 degrees at idle. That’s what happens with open element intakes. And I’ve never seen anything less than 5 degrees above ambient in the 350 except in a cold winter morning with temperatures around 30 degrees
This video would have saved me a headache of trying a cold Air. Dealing with high IATs then swapping back to the stock box for what felt like an improvement in comparison 👍
Alex thanks as always. Big thumbs up what I have learned with my 18 Whipple is not to stomp it when IAT's are high. I have the stock Whipple CAI open system. It is open at the top and the bottom. Plus holes around the tube, lots of heat entrainment possible. I took my hoodliner off and am working on modifying my cooling vents in the hood and the rear hoodseal to try and get the heat out and cooler air in.. without changing out the entire Cai for a lided unit. If you get fired Cletus is looking for a canyon car tuner. Just got to make it fly..
Airaid design is the best then. It’s enclosed and works exactly like the stock design but you get more air. And it also still uses the ram air induction from the grille.
If you are looking for a little more noise without causing any loss of performance I highly recommend the airaid intake modular tube , it works great, just leave the original box and that is all, no problems, your not going to make any extra HP but also not going to lose any but you can make more throdle noise
@@YDBT4LIFE Alex, any update on this? I'm looking at CAIs for my 18 GT currently. Great info. Everyone seems to go JLT, but great point about the IAT. If the Steeda MAF signal is wonky, I may stick with the stock for now and just add a tune in the short term.
@@YDBT4LIFE Thanks, man. Will likely be going with your flex tune, as I daily it and only have reliable E85 close to home. Will probably save headers, x-pipe, CAI for next year.
I put an Injen CAI on my 2015. Doesn't require a tune so you're using the factory MAF sensor, closed box design and it works. Ran 2/10ths quicker 1/4 mile in 2000ft worse density altitude. Keeps those air intake temps down as well. I put a little foam tape where the Injen meets the factory air inlet since it doesn't have the rubber molding like the factory intake and my intake air temps are about 6-7 degrees above ambient.
Hi vxer, I'll be getting the same filter soon, it's good to hear it works properly. What kind of foam tape did you install? I guess it must be temp/humidity resistant?
@@dennylazzari8175 I found some foam tape at O'Reillys Auto. I used the thin stuff (maybe 1/8" thick). Not a perfect seal like the rubber factory seal, but better than nothing. Can't remember the name brand.
I've been telling people this for 2 years. The aftermarket CAI kits are senseless in a NA car. If the CA box doesn't seal it from the engine compartment completely, your defeating the purpose of having one to begin with.
I always scratch my head when I see the air filter hanging in the engine bay, drawing in hot engine bay air. The factory unit is just fine for mild mods, jmo.
I admit my first mod for my 11 GT was a K&N Typhoon CAI. Thought it looked awesome in the engine bay. I went to a Dyno Day at a local tuner and he said the metal air tube completely defeats the purpose because it absorbs the engine heat and feeds hot air in. Needless to say, I ditched the K&N and went back to the stock Airbox and my IATs are lower. Thanks for your honest opinions, love the channel!
I bought mine with a k&n Blackhawk and idk what’s wrong with it but it always made the car struggle after 6.3k rpm so I got the stock air box and now I’m waiting for a pmas
So Steeda closed lid..if not stock. That's what I have and honestly, the IAT's still creep. Far better the any open lid I have used though. I have experienced the MAF signal issues a little. Dakota said my car is 2-3% lean and the signal is as good as it's gonna get beyond OEM. I am curious about the revised version. Alex, the truth hurts but you put it out there for us. Good vid man.
I heard Steeda close air box for mustang have maf signal issues. I heard they are working on revision, because they have problems with e85 flex tubes. I have a 2020 mustang gt. I want the e85 Flex Tune
I kept my factory airbox on my '13 GT with a K&N panel and just replaced the tubing for an Airaid one. Works well! I try to explain this to so many. Every expensive "CAI" I had in the past on previous cars always worsened performance due to high IAT numbers. In the fender or in the engine bay "shielded off," it didn't really matter.
Rouch has the best one I have seen so far it actually takes air in from the front just like the stock, Steeda Makes a great one too that looks stock.....
Since my "application" is a gen1 2013 coyote with minor mods, what I get from this is....bigger diameter intake tube coupled with the stock air box would probably be best - possibly increase airflow (especially with a better filter) and keep IATs down. Got it, I think?
Great video, been going back and forth weather to get a CAI or not on my 2020 GT, all I have is a SR X-pipe. Will be getting a tune in the next month or so
I had a steeda cold air on my S197 coyote but after researching about cold air aftermarket intakes ( this video included) it only gains about 8 hp advantage over the factory cold air if that. I reinstalled the factory cold air and now prefer how it looks even. It kind of makes it more of a sleeper, LOL, if you can call it that anyway. I've thought about the K&N modular intake tube but the price just makes me want to cringe.
Im installing mine tomorrow. I just uploaded my 93 Lund tune to my SCTx4. Not really expecting too much but I got a used system for $200 so I said fuggit lol
What do you think about the power packs that ford created for the 15-17 that’s open? Did they f it up? What your saying makes perfect sense, so I wonder why ford made these the way they did.
I always thought cold air was a waste of money. Just increase the diameter of the OEM intake and keep the air box. I have done this method for yrs and it has given me very gd results
this is 100% true. My pmas in traffic or low speeds below 40mph is heat soak galore. Yes once im rolling for several seconds it hauls and I have a 2015 which doesnt have the better intake then the 18's+.
I reworked my PMAS and partitioned certain areas so that I get almost the same temp as stock on the highway, and it’s way better in traffic than out of the box. Completely happy with the setup, but to be fair I did have to get inventive to get results. Out of the box, IATs at long red lights were shocking.
I thought it was well documented that PMAS was the way to go. After this video it seems that the route to go is a hi-flow filter and a smooth tube. Good food for thought.
Ford has been giving us cold air inlets running from the front grill for years now. Intake manufacturers should have adapted by now to use the stock inlet location to feed a new closed box designed with air flow in mind. It's like the innovation in this area stopped 15 years ago for some reason.
Would be nice to see dyno numbers. I agree with you. It's the same on an F 150 ecoboost. Dyno numbers don't show any improvement over the stock air intake.
The intake tubes themselves are bigger on aftermarket kits, thus allowing the car to breath more air, regardless of temperature. JLT witch is a lot bigger than stock, also uses ducting to the front, and seals on the underside of the hood when you shut it.
That's a great video Alex. Ford is now using LS1 aftermarket technology from 1998. The stock coyote housing is just like the aftermarket "whisper lid" that we used to get for Ls1 cars F bodies back in the day and we would do the "free ram air" mod that is now stock on the mustang. That alone was worth 15 rwhp on an LS1 car. This video gave me flashbacks of the LS1 aftermarket lid and free ram air mod. It looks just like the ls1 aftermarket induction except from the side.
I’m from az. Do you think it was worth the purchase? I’m debating if I should get a pmas but due to the hot temps in THR summer I’m not sure if my car would like it
Had a well known Mustang shop advise me against it in the mid 90s. Said it just picks up trash, water, leaves and they had a customer go through a big puddle and hydraulic the engine. Plus heat off ashphalt can be an issue.
Obviously Roush CAI would be the best , I mean they work directly with ford right ? And have the ducts and closed off and are 105mm 🤔 all makes sense now thanks
I have a heat shield blocking the open element, coated with the thermal protection. IAT’s are like a factory box. The factory box is amazing though. It’s just ugly. We all know guys can’t leave shit alone.
I know very little about cars but I have recently been trying to put a little money into my 2017 Ecoboost Premium. I know I'm not going to get a V8 roar so the next best thing is the beautiful sound of the turbo. with what you were saying about sticking with something close to stock.... That sorta suggests that I should go with the closed box option like AirRaid, but once the hood is closed, the Roush option with the shield... wouldn't that suffice?
Very informative vidio . Do they make a stock filter element such as k& n that can be substituted for original square filter that would let a little more flow?
Do you think the larger 2018 cold air intake is adaptable to the 2012 gt?. And if so would it be worth any horsepower? Along with a 2018 intake and a tune? Just curious. Thank you
Somebody Didn’t get any nookie last night .lol Great vid and all the manufacturers need to leave are boy alone if not for Alex most of us wouldn’t own our be buying mustang parts. 👍🏼
Dude I already knew this LoL keep em coming YOLO! My procharged 2012 mustang is toast . Now I'm sporting 18 gt350. Need opinion on twin or single turbo.
great video and this is something I have been thinking about lately. I am curious about going back to my stock air box for drag racing so that IATs are not insane staging up to the tree. High IATs rob HP, so if I can bring those back down, I wonder if I can improve getting out of the hole faster and harder. I have e85, headers, CAI and pulled my interior. I raced another 18 with same final gears, he had full interior and only e85 tune. we had same tires and we both cut the same 60 and trap speed, mph, everything.
I have Long tube Headers on a 2017 Gt, I was planning on adding a ported 2018+ manifold with a stock 2018 Intake, would it be a waste if I don’t add an actual aftermarket intake?
This is all just a one off deal with particular cars. I ran the steeda, Ford performance and it’s not gonna be any better than the factory…then your 350-450 in the hole. There isn’t anything better than a complete custom build on your intake. I have a Injen that goes down into the wheel well with the weaponR adapter kit that connects through the straight through air filter onto the AFE air filter. I took the left lower fog light out and the filter sits right there.
Ah yes my friend... We get older (I'm 55!), and we finally realize that not all shiny things under the hood are necessarily the best option for our Rides!!! 😲 Seriously though, you're right. That 18-up Coyote intake setup is incredible for a CAI!! 👍👍 BUT, for us guys who like our older Stangs.... The Stock Intake SUCKS! 😖 And I'm referring to SN-95 & S-197.... I'm actually surprised that NOBODY made a CAI with a Closed Element and enough plumbing to run a 4" Tube to the Grille. Wouldn't it work???
Hey Alex you started touching base on the turbulence and the design of the air box. What do you think about drilling out the rest of the holes in the grill?
