Order_66

hey guys

im a new member here and while i have no plans to take my car to the impressive heights some of you have taken your mustangs to, i do want to upgrade it. I have 2 questions that id love to get some help on. I am kinda in a time sensitive situation because my buddy who can help install this stuff is only here for another week. yes, i am a clueless buffoon when it comes to using tools of any kind, whatsoever. dont judge me. lol.

1) should i allow more of a break in period for the car before doing CAI and a BAMA tune? i have 3200 miles on it.
2) which is the best choice for intake. Airaid, JTL, C&L or Steeda?

right now im running stock. plan on doing exhaust AFTER CAI.

thanks

Sand4u

Welcome! I am impressed you made it this long without the CAI and tune. I only got to about 1500 miles before I did it

As far as the different CAI manufacturers, it is pretty much a matter of personal preference. They all perform pretty much the same, the harder choice is probably which tuner to go with.

You can view some more details on the CAI differences (or lack thereof) at https://mustangforums.com/forum/5-0l...look-here.html

jcieutat

You are gonna get a whole lot of different opinions on this one. On my previous Mustang (2010 GT), I went with the C&L / Bama tune combo. The tune I liked but I feel the CAI is a waste of money. I personally would just get the tune and put the rest of the money towards an exhaust or suspension. If the CAI cone filters were that great, Ford would have put it on there to begin with. These companies market these things as if they are gonna totally transform your car. They do not.... Just my opinion on the matter.

Order_66

wow...ok. this is the first ive heard this side of the coin. everyone always preaches add ons that allow the car to breath better. CAI and exhaust are usually the first 2 things to accomplish this.

so you think just go with a BAMA tune and maybe a drop in K&N?

will the CAI make my engine sound more aggressive? or is that strictly a blower or exhaust thing? im not putting a blower on it, just wondering. i thought i read somewhere that adding a CAI will SLIGHTLY alter the sound of the car in a more aggressive tone.

tj@steeda

The combination of a tune and CAI will yeild larger horsepower gains than just a tune itself. You add other items then that HP will continue to climb.

You can do some great searches on the forum to find out which would suit you best.

I can help you with one of them:

http://www.steeda.com/store/steeda-5...ir-intake.html

PM if you would like me to provide you with forum pricing.

Best Regards,

TJ

tj@steeda

Yes, the CAI will allow for more sound from the engine compartment.

You can also read up on the Steeda CAI here:

http://www.steedablog.com/2010/06/20...ld-air-intake/

Best Regards,

TJ

Order_66

does anyone else feel like intakes are not needed? what intakes do you guys use, or rather, are there any discernible differences between them I should know about?

Entaille

intakes seem to provide very little, but honestly.. I like the way they look, and sound. if you plan on showing your car at all, it's a little under hood bling depending on what you get. there is a LITTLE to gain from the intakes, but I am not sure it's worth the price difference.

regarding tunes .. I have mixed feelings. I feel as if Bama is a good choice due to their additional #8 cylinder failure warranty program.. as that is my largest concern about tuning. on the flip side though, they may very well offer that warranty to ease concerns over failures that may have occurred? total rumor/unconfirmed.

nobody else really offers that extra piece of mind. I want a steeda tune/CAI myself, very impressive gains and I haven't heard any complaints about it.. but I haven't yet reached a level of comfort to tune the car. I keep thinking about the what if's.. in prior cars (like my WRX), if I popped an engine, it wasn't a significant cost.. but these coyotes are not cheap!

Order_66

well you raise some good points.

are you saying a steeda intake with a BAMA tune or SCT? a lot of people swear by the intake/bama combo from AM. RWHP gains are close to 40-50 ive been told. and even without data, people are swearing by the noticable throttle response improvement.

i called my dealership and spoke to the service manager and he said that an intake and tune would not void the warranty. i also wouldnt be driving around town in race mode...but i think, where else am i going to get 40+ bolt on HP for under $700?

Entaille

if i had to do it, I'd want to do a steeda CAI with a steeda tune.. but the scared part of me would want that #8 cyl warranty from BAMA.

your dealership is giving you crap info. you pop an engine, it's not up to them, it's up to Ford. when it reaches that level, the hammer will drop. if you can get it in writing that an intake and tune will not void the warranty nor hinder a claim, do it! I think you spoke to someone uninformed.