So I have searched the threads and I am torn between 3:

K&N Cold Air Intake (77-2514KP)

VOLANT CAI Cold Air Intake

S&B Cold Air Intake

after I purchase the intake I will be getting a Troyer custom tune. I have a 2002 XLT 5.4 with a Gibson exhaust. Which one should I choose?

 

K&N is an open intake, not as good for performance OEM might actually be near better. Best to stick with an enclosed design.

Volant is an excellent kit. Dry flow design and its enclosed, making it a great performing kit

S&B is also an excellent kit. Enclosed but it requires an oiled filter like K&N. Other than that its a good and affordable kit.

I would go Volant.

 

I just purchased the S&B kit. Its still in the mail, but hopefully ill remember to post up when i get it installed. It'll be paired with a custom tune from VMP on my Xcal 2

I too dislike oil type filters, but once the original filter has run its course, ill most likely get an AEM dry flow.

 

I talked to Groovy Chick a few months back on the phone about a cai/custom tune best combination and she said that best performance cai with their tunes for my truck (04 5.4 3v) would be 1)AF1, 2)K&N 3)S&B. She said that Bill has the hardest time getting the drone away from the S&Bs. I will be going with the K&N i think since AF1 tanked.

I like the oiled filters especially when in dusty conditions. In my Honda on the trails it gets really dusty in the middle of the summer and when I take my K&N off of that to clean it (which is extreeeemly easy by the way) inside the intake tube is as clean as it was from the show room floor. The dirt sticks to the oil and doesn't go through the filter. Just don't dousch the filter in oil and you'll be fine!

 

I have the S&B CAI, and I like it. I liked the idea of it being enclosed. I didn't really notice a drone when I put it on, but have a Borla cat back, if that makes a difference. Have noticed a few people talk about a drone with it, you can do a search and find them. I also went to a custon program from PHP.

 

thanks for your input, I ordered the Volant CAI last week, I was going to get the powercore filter as well but only the most expensive filter fit and they didn't a $35 upgrade option for my truck. I am going to hold off for a while and pick up powercore dry flow filter down the road....

 

I have the power core filter on my volant cai and think it was worth the $35. Its suppose to last 100,000 miles before it needs to be change i believe its guaranteed. I have had mine on since Dec 08 and looked at it the other day and still looks as clean as it was when i first put it on. I love the volant cai , its enclosed keeps heat out, no oil to have to worry about , k&n have issues with the oil some times getting on the maf .

 

i have heard that the holes in the K&N filter are a bit too large and manage to let larger particles into you intake, dirtying up vital engine components. thats just what ive been told but im sure a little research can discover if that is true

 

I have the same K&N also and love it, I could have found it a little cheaper on ebay, but I wanted a valid warranty so I got it at here. K&N 77-2514KP, or you can try one of the vendors on the forum here, you can usually find a good deal that way as well. This was very easy to install and I love it. good luck

 

Man I have had my 77 series K&N for at least 5 years and never had problems with it. I bet with a ram air hood it would even be better

 

The first mod I did on my '06 SCab with 5.4L 2WD F150.... was to install a Volant CAI with Scoop. First encounter of noise was Vibration, the Air Box contacted the Power Steering Fluid Reservior. Made the necessary modifications to create a gap. Then Upon getting behind the Wheel I drove it around then neighborhood and Immediately noticed the Drone.... I installed all kinds of Sound Insulating Material... on the Outside and Inside of the Air Box... I even put sound insulation on the Air Pipe to the Throttle Body. Still no Noticeable reduction to my satisfaction to the Drone Effect. I drive up to New Jersey from Texas at least 3 times a year and at Highway Speeds the Drone Effect is enough to drive one to Insanity. My "Ultimate" solution was to reinstall the OEM Filter Assembly with a K&N Filter and replaced the OEM baffled Inlet Pipe with an AirRaid Jr Inlet Pipe. Drone is GONE! Sanity Restored. Oh! I have an Edge Programmer with my own "tried and trued" version of Custom Tune... and "T" Speed Rated Tires. At Level 3 Tune... I do 0-60MPH in 6.6 seconds (once I did it in 6.3 sec.) Wind it up to 118 MPH and still manage to average 18 MPG when driving across Ohio and Indiana. My Truck has 156K on it and still runs strong. Love my Truck... Best Truck I have owned

Bill
BS in Mechanical Engineering
Service Engineer in the Medical Imaging Industry
Trained Machinist
Formula 1 and Sports Racing Entusiast