Cold Air intake on Mustang GT '07

[Lionel]

hi,
I am thinking about a CAI on my gt, but i am a bit lost with the CARB and the engine tune-up after a CAI installation.

What's CARB ?

About the CAI, some models are requiring engine tune-up, and others don't. If I take one, I want to install a heat shield, but what about a cheap model like this one ? http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/23895760/aview/FD5_1_B2.jpg

I see that AEM or BBK has the best performance, but they also have the highest prices !!

I don't think I need the best one, but I just want to find the best compromise and the carb-smog-legal.

[Bluemeanie]

california air resurch board (smog laws)

[97SnakeBite]

california air resurch board (smog laws)

for the longest time i thought i ment california automotive repair burea

[97SnakeBite]

the heat shield honestly u dont need. no matter what your intake is goin to be suckin hot air..try JLT, Mac , BBK, K&N, i think mmr has one now..the list goes on..as for the engine tune up..neever heard about needing a tune up after a CAI install..u r thinkin maybe like a hand held tuner which u should get after like a CAI, pullies, exhaust done

[Lionel]

OK glad to read that a tune-up is not necessary.
I read on several websites that a remap have to be done after a modification in the intake system, but I agree I was really surprised because the MAF sensor is here to manage an eventual increasing of the air flow volume.

[markolson]

You will want one with a CARB EO number (Exemption Order) for your year car if you can get one. That way yo uwill avoid hassles with the cops if you get stopped. If you don't get one with a CARB EO number, keep your stock one so you can put it back if you get a fix-it ticket.

There are two things you want from a CAI, cooler intake temperatures and laminar flow through the MAF.

A heat shield does no good if hot air from the engine compartment is pulled around the heat shield. You definitely want one with a somewhat sealed air box. I managed to get the last Volant for the 96-98 Cobra. The volant has a sealed box that pulls air from the fenderwell, and the plastic they use in the box and pipe has a high thermal insulation value. I logged both the stock air pipe and box and the Volant in equivalent ambient conditions and got consistently 8-10* cooler air. This is important as cooler air is denser so you can get more power and cooler air is less likely to promote detonation. The PCM actually reads the air charge temperature and retards the timing as the air temps go up, reducing your power output. But it also automatically increases timing as the air temps go down, so no need for a retune for that reason.

If the CAI you buy gives you laminar flow through the MAF, then the reading the PCM gets for the amount of air going through the MAF is accurate. Laminar flow basically means that the density of the air moving throught the MAF is equal across the cross section of the MAF.

Where people need new tunes is when the air flow through the MAF is not laminar, such as when the MAF is located right after a bend in the air pipe. In that case, the air near the outer radius of the bend in the pipe is denser than the air near the inner radius. The density of the air going through the MAF depends on the density where the actual heated MAF wire is in the MAF sensor.

If the MAF sensor is in an area that has low density, it will tell the PCM that less air is coming in than is really coming in, so the car will run lean. If it is in a part of the pipe where the air is denser, then it will tell the PCM that more air is coming in than really is, so the car will run rich. Some people try to kludge around this by "clocking" or rotating the MAF to try to find a happy meduim, but this is kludgy because it changes with different rates of air flow. This is when a tune is necessary to try to compensate, but it is much better to get a CAI that gives you laminar flow. I would try to avoid CAIs that have bends anywhere near the MAF sensor.

If you can find one that gives cooler air and laminar flow, you should not need a tune as the PCM compensates for the cooler air, and the MAF reads correctly so it knows how much fuel to add. Unfortunately Volant does not make a CAI for your car, so that is not an option for you.

This is probably a lot more information than you wanted. :)

[Lionel]

Thx a lot for your answer.
Yes you're right , I have much more information than I need, but it's really interesting.

About the CARB, if I understand everything, it's only a state company which delivers agreement number on aftermarket and automotive part. If yes, I think the chance to be controlled by a cop and a verification of my air intake system is really low, so I dont think I will look for a CARB EO cai.

However, definitely I will find one whit a laminar flow. the problem is : how to be sure that the CAI will be ok with that ?

[Twinkie]

JLT is better than AEM or BBK... The JLT you will need either a Diablo Predator or a SCT Handheld due to the MAF calibrations... But JLT delivers the most consistant numbers. JLT claims 28-34rwhp depending on the vehicle and the tune. I love my JLT intakes...

[saleen249]

Lionel,

I would definitely recommend one that does not need a tune. Once you tune the car your warranty CAN be voided by Ford if something goes wrong. The ones that do not need a tune can still get you about 15HP. I would recommend getting a S&B unit... it's inexpensive, easy to install, and doesn't require a tune. I had a S&B on my 2006 and liked it...

Here's a article I wrote about the S&B

http://www.apexmotorsports.com/images/CAPEX_1106DV.pdf

http://www.rpmoutlet.com/images/snb375212.jpg

[reddevil]

I dont think there is a CAI for 05-08 mustangs that is CARB legal. (California Air Resources Board)

[saleen249]

I dont think there is a CAI for 05-08 mustangs that is CARB legal. (California Air Resources Board)

Not true...

S&B, K&N, Ford Racing (must be purchased in the Power Pack), Roush (made by Air Raid) and Air Raid are....

[Lionel]

I would definitely recommend one that does not need a tune. Once you tune the car your warranty CAN be voided by Ford if something goes wrong. The ones that do not need a tune can still get you about 15HP. I would recommend getting a S&B unit... it's inexpensive, easy to install, and doesn't require a tune. I had a S&B on my 2006 and liked it...

It's true that I want to find something very safe and not to avoid my warranty. Your article is very interesting. The only point where I have some doubt is the gain of hp... with the stock intake system, you got 270 rwhp and 278 with the S&B... the difference is 8, not 20 ;)

[saleen249]

It's true that I want to find something very safe and not to avoid my warranty. Your article is very interesting. The only point where I have some doubt is the gain of hp... with the stock intake system, you got 270 rwhp and 278 with the S&B... the difference is 8, not 20 ;)

The 20HP gain is at the flywheel. The GT is rated at 300HP and after the CAI it got about 320HP... BUT.. the car made 305-310 before the cold air.

[Twinkie]

you guys arent making any sense... is the 305-310 at the wheels or the fly... 20hp at the fly doesnt calculate 8 at the wheels



if 8 is 15% of 20... then next time you have a 15% off sale... let me know and I'll be there in a jiffy

[saleen249]

you guys arent making any sense... is the 305-310 at the wheels or the fly... 20hp at the fly doesnt calculate 8 at the wheels



if 8 is 15% of 20... then next time you have a 15% off sale... let me know and I'll be there in a jiffy

305-310HP is at the CRANK/ FLYwheel... after the car was dynoed it made close to 320HP... so if you base it on what the manufactured rating is.. it picked up 20HP.

BUT, based on the dyno results the car picked up anywhere between 10-15HP

[markolson]

I love watching dyno races.

[Lionel]

No problem Twinkie / Mike, it was just a simple remark to notice that the gain is not as big as expected, but there is gain and this is the most important !

[Twinkie]

10-15 at the wheels is justifiable if not having a tune. I'm sure there are a few cases where the pciks up 20, but I'd say thats as rare as my 02 gt having the power it does.