Just did my intake. Works well, almost as well or as well as a CAI. try it if you're short on cash.

 

no pics???


edit: nvm the pics did not load the first time.....i feel dumb

 

did you honestly notice a difference??? im really tempted to do this but it looks somewhat ?odd? i dunno. something is keeping me from doing. i guess id like to hear from some more ppl who have done it. any thoughts on just cutting a rectangle out of the top of it??? would i just have to clean my filter more? is this why the factory makes it enclosed??

 

no one else has done it (at least that i know of. many people have with cars, but not trucks) but cutting a rectangle wouldn't work as well because it's collect more dirt and wouldn't have as much sucking power. this forces air in through the holes for more power. i really do notice a difference with it like this

 

Wonder if you could get a spare airbox from the junkyard and say come 1 inch or so from the airbox clamp/union area and just cut the rest of the airbox off? That way the entire filter would be exposed and just like a CAI, just use the old airbox leftovers to fabricate a splash guard for it.

 

you can also cut off the top of the intake cover and leave the bottom for a splash guard. i was going to do that but i decided not to because i need a lot of water protection. there is a DIY somewhere that shows how to put a piece of metal over the filter to attach it to the back to take off the filter cover and have the filter exposed. i'll post it up if i find it

 

does't this just allow hot air in the engine? I don't see any benefits, more air in but less dense air thru the same old tube.

 

no it works just like a CAI. the air in a CAI isn't as cold as it's sold for. it works just like it.

 

CAI's have a heat shield. Yours doesn't. By popping holes in it you're letting in warmer air than it would stock.

 

holes aren't all the way around. and CAI's have a fully exposed filter. where's the heat shield there?

 

If anyone wants to try this and is worried about the results, I still have my stock air intake sitting in my garage that I will let go for cheap ($15) plus shipping. I already bought a K&N air intake so have no use for my stock one. I just haven't had time to throw it up on EBAY yet. Or, if you are local (Ann Arbor, MI) you are welcome to save shipping and pick it up. I'm curious to see if anyone else sees a difference. It is the complete stock intake with MAF. It is off of a 5.4L triton but I think it's the same AI for the 4.6 also.

It sounds like a good idea but I could only image what a future buyer of my truck would think once he pops the hood, if I ever decide to sell it. :o

If interested, email me at johnnyhardclose@yahoo.com

 

Here. See the heat shield?

 

but the holes are only on top of mine. there's no heat shield on top of that. and i've seen plenty without that shield.

 

No offense, but I'm not buying it. Betcha the 'gains' you felt are from the 3 less ounces of plastic you now have on the truck. Honestly if you could get gains out of that wouldn't everyone else save the $300 and do it that way?

As for the heatshield, that shield pictured above has no top, it uses the hood as the top.

 

the stock intake gets air from the fender through a small tube. this skips the fender/tube part and sucks it right through the filter. it does affect it.