Volant has the direct ram air and they aren’t even on TP’s list of maybes. He did R&D on them too and posted about 9 months ago or so on the outcome.

 

Apples to Oranges... it's not the same as an enclosed AF1 pulling the same cfms.... and the volant design just looks like it's packed with restrictions.... your killing me.

 

Does anyone build a true CAI for the 04+ F150 with at least similar flow numbers to the AF1? I don't think anyone is arguing that your theory is incorrect, just that it doesn't exist.

From the testing that Mike T did, the AF1 is the quietest CAI available and also the one that gives the most power gains.

 

That's what XLT is trying to get across... it DOESN'T exsist... but if it DID, odds are very high it would outperform the open-element designs.

And 'quietest' is subjective. The AF1 is not even close to quiet. It has the worst moaning and groaning from 2-3.5K RPM I've ever heard. Horrid. If my AF1 is the quietest on the market and produces WOT noise of 93db + then I hate to hear the others...

 

See I had an open element (conical) K&N on my Infiniti SUV and never had a loud moaning noise. Just a grunt when it sucked in air when I punched the gas and then it quickly was gone. There was an extremely low hum, and by that I mean that just having a quiet conversation with the person next to you and you couldn't hear it. This is why I have doubts that the AF1 is the quietest on the market. Best performing but unlikely the quietest.

 

Since it doesn't exist you can't possibly KNOW that it would produce any power gains. You can believe that it would, and think that it would, but not KNOW that it would.

Quiet is subjective, quietest of the SAFE CAIs is not.

 

Ok, your slowing getting the point of XLT's argument... it's all theoretical at this point. Now, if there were such a system, it is practically guarenteed to product more HP based solely on the fact it would be getting cooler air during your inital launch... get it now? Cooler air = more power. That's fact. Now, if said system did in fact exsist, it would have to produce more power. The unknown is how much more and how it would effect ¼ times....

 

It’s simply a bogus theory. Surely you don’t think it hasn’t been tried; tried and failed is why you don’t see all the CAI manufactures doing it because horsepower sells at any price.

 

Haha. You have to love that statement "It's like comparing apples to oranges." I love to hear it because it is such a funny cliche. Everyone is trying to say you shouldn't be comparing these two things, but I see apples and oranges compared all the time. In the morning, you can have apple juice or orange juice. They are both a fruit. They are both sweet and tasty. They both grow on trees. Sounds like two things that are very similar.

I use the cliche, "It's like comparing apples to football players" and people give me a weird look.

Haha.

 

The theory is solid. You see true CIA's all over the place... how can you possibly deny the fact that if you have two systems with IDENTICAL air flow properties and the one that is pulling in significantly cooler air will product more power?!

Now, like Mike said and proved, at speed the difference in engine baby temps and ambient air temps are so close the point is moot. That's why manufactures don't do it, it's not worth it. The AF1 and others are good for upper-end power when the engine needs all that air, that is were the biggest gains lie and where the advertising goes. They don't care if they can make an extra 3 ponies down load when the maximum power gain is in the upper RPM range... that boils down to marketing.

This isn't complex as defusing a nuclear bomb for pete's sake. Simple engine principals! Sheesh! Cooler air = more power and if you can deliver cooler air ANYWHERE in the powerband you'll get more power. Uhg. Stop the insanity!

 

I couldn't agree more. You said the AF1 and others are only good for upper RPM gains and gain very little on the low side. Read this.

As far as decreased IAT temps go, read this.

If that doesn't make it plain to you I don't know what will. You can only live in theory for so long, then it becomes time to PROVE your theory.

 

so should i fabricate a pipe that sends cold air from my a/c to my intake so that when i want more power all i do is turn it on MAX A/C? wish i had known all this before i purchased my af1

 

Just get a little window shaker and mount it on the hood

 

what if i got one of those stick on hood scoops? would that keep it cool enough under the hood? the hell with under the hood.. the outside would look cool!

 

I have tried to make it as simple as possible for you but you refuse to understand physics. Therefore do a search on the internet dealing with physics and air temperature. If you find a site it will explain that colder air is MORE dense and air that is MORE dense contains more oxygen molecules.

MORE oxygen per square inch of air EQUALS more HORSEPOWER. It is NOT a theory it is FACT. What do you think NOS does? It’s basically compressed cold air that expands into a gas state and provides MORE oxygen per square inch over ANY air intake system there is. When using NOS you have to insure to feed the motor PLENTY of fuel because if you don’t it will lean out and blow up.

As a matter of fact the prototype Gen III Lightning was going to use a principle very close to what you’re talking about in using the A/C. It was stated it would provide an approx. 50hp boost for I believe 15 – 20 seconds. It would have been like a free small shoot of NOS.

What I have been stating is not theory but FACTS easily proved by some studying, research and perhaps a few simple internet searches…

While a few extra seconds of cold air may not mean much to a street driving normal F150 it can make the world of difference in the ¼ mile. Look at JohnnyLightning's Lightning, it has a box to shield it from the motor compartments heat.

Johnny runs 10’s and I believe a few 9 second runs in his Lightning and has done a TON of testing. So you can beat if shielding the open element intake did not provide a few extra tenths in the ¼ mile the box would not be there…

If you look at any of the 10, 11 or 12 second Lightning’s you can just about bet you will not find any open element air intakes like the AF1. You will either find complete cold air intakes or open elements with the box shielding them from power robbing heat generated in the engine compartment. These guys know this from “real world” testing in the ¼ mile…