Whats the pro's and con's of each?? I want to buy one or the other and be able to run an Edge Tuner and not have any lean issues. I can also get a K&N for $175 from a friend.

 

Ive heard the AF1 is the better of the two- I guess the K&N runs a little lean at higher RPMs from what ive read on this site
But the AF1 is about double what you are gonna pay your buddy for the K&N, so I would go with it because of price-same reason I got the K&N, I was able to get it at discount price for half the price of the AF1
But if price is of no matter then the AF1 is probably the way to go

 

I totally agree with this post. My K&N runs great with my Edge. However some have had issues with it. From what I "here" the AF1 is probably your best choice not to have any lean codes. But again your going to have pay ALOT more for the AF1.

If its a good friend I would ask him if he mind you install it, gave him a deposit and ran it a week to make sure you didnt have any problems and if not pay him the rest. Again depending how good of a friend he is.

 

The 3" AF1 and the K&N FIPK have very similar power addition amounts on the 04+ trucks. However, AF1 makes a 3.5" version that makes more power then both. It requires custom tuning though.

The K&N is 50 state legal and has a lifetime warranty where the AF1 has neither. The K&N also wasn't as expensive. These are the reasons i chose K&N.

 

Anybody else?

 

The K&N FIPK 57 series uses a plastic type of material for the tube, where as I believe all AF1's are metal.

The 3.5" AF1 will definitely produce more power then any available K&N CIA (but like mSall said, it will require a custom tune). Although I haven't seen dyno numbers, I'm fairly certain that the 3" AF1 will produce more power then the K&N 57 series, but the K&N will stay cooler in high temps due to the plastic material - which is always good for hp on hot days.

 

The AF1 was tested having the lowest temps by Troyer.

$175 for a K&N or $239 for an AF1 (lower actually, since your a member of the forum) --- For the price of a tank of gas you could have the best intake for your truck...

 

I'm sure it was.

 

More like $300+

 

Hmm.. I bought my 3" AF1 intake through Troyer and it was $249 with no discount. Free shipping though.

As far as intake air temps, why do y'all not understand that something BLACK, as in black plastic, will absorb and hold heat more readily and longer that a stainless steel surface with a reflective surface? It's basic thermodynamics, although it's also pretty much a moot question with these things as the air being drawn in has very little time to absorb any heat from the tube that carries it. The issue performance-wise between intake kits has more to do with the volume of air and the laminar vs. turbulent flow.

A stainless steel or chromed intake tube will have lower air temps by it's very nature vs. a black anything. Not by enough to make much difference, it's the amount of air and how it's being delivered that matters on these engines.

Man, I'm really drunk, got a bottle of Wild Turkey for a Xmas present, excuse the rant.. lol

 

my k&n runs great with my edge
ive never had a problem with it
extremely happy with mine. wouldnt exchange it for nothin

 

I never will understand why anyone would purchase a "cold air intake" kit that is made out of metal. You dont have to be a physics major to know that metal conducts heat better than plastics...

Pure silver, copper, and aluminum are the best heat conductor's known....
So, why would you want a "cold air intake" made from aluminum in a hot engine bay?

Kind of counter productive dont you think?

I vote for the K&N....

 

Yeah as much as I wanted the chrome metal look I went with the plastic to get more HP.

 

Yikes... I didn't major in physics but I learned enough to know that material density and reflectivity make a difference in the absorbstion and distribution of heat over a given surface across a given period of time.

Again, not that it makes that much difference in the 24"'s or so of these "cai"s, even at idle the engine is drawing air at a rapid rate and it's not gonna have a chance to soak up heat.

None of these devices we commonly refer to as cold air intakes are anything of the sort. They're made to increase the airflow, not necessarily reduce the tempurature of the air to a huge degree (so to speak).

The issues with running lean arise due to the amount of air drawn in, it needs to be what the programming can most efficiently deal with, no more. The stock programming can deal with a lower flow, obviously, but it's very possible to draw in more air than can be properly adjusted for, resulting in running lean. Lean = HOT = burned plugs, pistons, cylinder walls.

By all means, use any intake that looks the prettiest to your eye. It may not be the best thing to use for your engine in the abscence of custom tuning but as long as it looks sweet and is a couple of dollars cheaper... hey, go for it.

 

Damn...You're right... Sometimes ignorrance is bliss.