njl2016

I have a 2003 Mustang with a 3.8L V6 and I am looking to put a cold air intake in it. What's so good about them? Will it increase my gas mileage?What are the performance benefits?

stangant

i have an 2000 manual and i felt a small increase in power with the bbk cai but not sure in gas mileage.

raz54

They let the engine breath in easier which will help a little with hp and tq. You can get the same results with a K & N filter and removing the silencer and it will cost a lot less.

302 Deja Vu

I had a 2001 Vert...3.8L With AEM CAI, K&N filter, catback dual exhaust,
H pipe, Flowmasters, Jet computer module.

Worked great. Never got it tested (dyno) but I guarentee...35-40 rwhp gain.
You have to work with a good combo from the start. I made all of these mods when I bought the car brand new. I have since sold it and traded up the the Saleen but never, ever regretted the little 6er!

Had I kept it, I'd gone with the 3.73 or 4.10 gear in the rearend, and a set of power pullies. Except for the exhaust, and rearend...(do it right), you can do all of these othermods yourself for under $600-$700.

You'll be happy you did!

Eric

Blainestang

35-40whp from Intake, exhaust, and a mail-order chip? Absolutely not. *Maybe* on an '03 Cobra... not on a 3.8.


BTW, with regard to the original question. I had a K&N with the silencer removed and went to a BBK CAI. I picked up ~5whp according to Roush's dyno. So, from my personal dyno experience, CAI> K&N w/ silencer removed.

DaNkENsTInE

what is this intake silencer you guys r talkin about.
and where would one be on a 05 v6 stang

stonedaily

i dunno u guys, i bought mine off of ebay. had it installed myself. and yes u will feel some power, but not that much. don't think because u added CAI u will have 20 or even 15 HP, the max u'll get is around 5-7. it will help u'r engine to breath better, and u'r stang will sound much better especially on 2000-3000 RPM.

i paid $40 shipped, and it works like a charm. i am not saying that K&N wont work w/ removing the silencer, but why settle with u'r stock tubing.

that's my personal openion

raz54

One benefit to keeping the stock box and tube and a K & N filter is it's 50 state legal and most CAI's are not so if you have inspections it may not pass with a CAI. As for sounding 'better' that's a personal opinion. I think they sound like crap, like a huge vacuum leak. The silencer is the funnel shape tube on the air box that goes into the fender well. It not only keeps it quiet but it's restrictive.

Blainestang

The 50-state thing is only a benefit to certain people. Most, like myself, couldn't care less if Commiefornia likes my CAI or not. For those people that live there, though, it is very important, of course. If that's the case, there are a couple CAI's that have CARB numbers that are 50-state legal as well.

With regard to sound, there is not only the often-added whistle of the CAI, but it also can change the exhaust sound a little as well. Of course, either is going to be subjective.

Different people have different opinions on silencer removal. It seems that here, people tend to promote silencer removal as a cheap hp gain, whereas conventional wisdom at other 3.8 sites is the opposite... many claim removing it results in no gain or even a loss of power.

Most, if not ALL, of these claims are anecdotal, as no one seems to ever be able to provide anything but butt-dyno's and heresay when it comes to proof.

Therefore, having personally seen a 5whp gain (on Roush's dyno) after switching from a K&N filter (minus silencer) to a BBK CAI, I'm going to stick with that, at least until someone provides more compelling evidence to the contrary.

indisposible_teens

I didn't really notice that big of a difference with the MAC CAIexcept for it made the engine sound louder. I have a 98 singleport though so that may be why I didn't feel very much.