Can you feel the difference in power with a Air Raid. And also if you can feel a difference is the price worth it

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97 F150 4X4
4.6 V8 K&N Filter
Manik Grill Gaurd with 2 KC daylighters
American Racing Baja rims
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R 305/70/16 Dual Exaust with 40 series Flowmaster
Panasonic DF-600U and MTX Thunderforms with MTX 6000 in it with a MTX Amp

Web Site http://hometown.aol.com/steveng0143/...sBlack4X4.html

If you have any Questions Email me at Steveng0143@aol.com

 

Okay, I have the Airaid. True, I could feel a power increase. But there is a slight whistle that comes from it... sounds like a turbo charger, charging up or something. But I think I am going to jump the Air Force One, just cause its all chrome sure it is more expensive but all the chrome sure looks good.

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99' Ford F150 XL Sport
(Black) V-6 3.55 manual
Mods:
Airaid, Bosch +4 Plat.
Ravin Z-33 SI/DO
Color Keyed Carpet
AVS Headlight covers
AVS Bugdeflector II
AVS Ventshades
Lund Wiper Cowl
Lund Tinted Glass
Lund Soft Bed Cover
V-tech Taillight covers

 

I'm running the identical intake-exhaust setup as headless, although I have the 5.4. There is a noticeable difference in power through the higher RPM's. I did lose a little low end power, but the sacrifice was well worth it for me. I think the power loss is due to "opening" the entire system up from intake to exhaust.
As for the whistling, it has never bothered me, and it really can't be heard unless you are listening for it. It is noticeable with the hood up if you rev it. I personally think that when other people notice it, it gives you an ego boost!

 

headless,
if you are thinking of selling your airaid give me a holler...shouldn't be too bad of a drive from me to you...Rich.

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-1999 F-150 4X4 XLT SC
-4.6, auto
-3.55LS
-Westin chrome nerf bars
-dual straight pipes
-goodyear mt/r 265/75/16
-hikerdadrich@aol.com

 

i know it's not an air raid, but i did buy a K&N fipk that was supposed to gains similar to the air raid for my 4.6. honestly, i don't think it was worth it. the power gains are only slightly noticable and you only feel it when you rev the **** out of the truck. i also think i lost some low end which is the place you want to gain power w/ these engines. the biggest reason i bought it was bc i thought it would pay for itself by the gas milage increase... another disappointment. i'm very maticulous about logging mileage over the same places i drive, under the same conditions. no improvement and if anything, it became worse. if you're still interested, i'd be happy to cut you a deal on mine. it's practically new. $100, your filter(if in good condition) and it's yours! i know, what a convincing sales pitch, but if you like holding your right foot to the floor when you drive, you might like it.

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98' 4x4 S/C F-150 Flaireside, ORP, K&N FIPK

 

The SOTP (seat of the pants) meter is not a very good one for judging performance gains or losses. I have a fair amount of experience with K&N, AMSOil, Fram, and a couple of other not so free flowing filters betwen my truck and my wife's SS camaro. I also have done some dyno playing and 1/4 mile stuff with the Camaro. Here's what I have found combined with what I know from being something of a gearhead:

Reducing the resistance to flow on the intake side of the engine if done properly can be at worst, no gain and in general, gives something back. The very least you will find (as I did in the truck) is a better throttle response from any of the intakes. On the Camaro, there is a measureable increase in HP showing up mostly at higher RPMs. (BTW, HP can be thought of as Torque affects over time so an increase in HP has some corresponding increase in torque somewhere in the power curve).

I know of no instance where the replacement of a filter with a higher flowing one or the replacement of an airbox with a higher flowing one caused a decrease in anything. Now, there are intake side modifications that on the surface appear to do good things but in actuality decrease laminar (smooth) flow into the plenum and thus muck things up but these are almost always throttle-body or behind modifications. Note that with the truck intake mods you could mess up the MAF and thus mess up performance but I believe it is unlikely the way they have packaged it.

On the exhaust side, the equation is different. A more free flowing exhaust does not always translate into more "power". Why? Well because most of the exhaust system, even on stock vehicles is "tuned" such that the effects of scavenging (having the exhaust flow from one cylinder make the exhaust flow from another easier) has a positive effect. I could lauch into a whole explanation of this but there is a mid-2000 Hot Rod magazine article that explains it very well.

What happens with some of the free flowing exhausts is that they reduce scavenging and thus actually make it harder for the engine to dump exhaust at low RPM's at least. Thus torque is lowered. So why does HP increase? Because the loss of some scavenging, especially that you get towards the back of the exhaust as opposed to the headers can be more than made up for by the fact that at high RPM's there isn't as much resistance to flow and thus the engine works less to push out the exhaust them. Make sense?

So for adamski, the loss of torque is most likely the exhaust modifications not the intake. For tfratzke, it is hard to judge in general what is "worth it". It is very subjective. Is 10% more throttle response without any HP gain worth $120? Depends on you. I can say that if you do plan on doing any real engine modifications later, such as heads, then you will end up modifying the intake anyway. From my perspective, a few HP and better response is worth the money and little time it takes. It also looks a lot cleaner under the hood. Is the chrome AF1 worth the extra bucks, yes if you plan on showing it off.

Remember, this is my $.02 and worth what you paid for it

Chuck

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2001 Gen I Screw Lariat
Air Raid, Superchip

 

The truth on FIPKs is that the increased breathing is only utilized at upper mid to top rpm with throttle mostly to fully open. You don't use the increased breathing of a FIPK or exhaust mod idling around with your throttle body cracked open. At maximum flow the FIPKs dyno out at approx. 10HP or more.

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2000 F-150 XL, RC, LB, 5.4L, 4R70W, 3.55LS,
Class III tow, Payload #3, & Convenience pkgs.,
4-wheel disc/ABS, Chestnut/Parchment 40/60,
Ford bedliner w/Paintsaver & gas/wheel/spare locks,
K&N F.I.P.K. w/Outwears pre-filter, Superchip,
Dynomax ultra-flow welded 3" cat-back w/ 3" Y-pipe,
Hellwig front & rear anti-sway bars, Rancho RS 9000s,
Mobil 1, K&N oil filter.

 

so far, the last 2 posts have been right on, for the most part. i talked to K&N and they told me that they dynoed a 14hp gain @4500 on a 4.6.

is it worth it? my ride tips the scale at over 5000 lbs. w/ a 3.55 rear end, 275/60/17 , and a 4r70w slush-o-matic, this baby rarely sees the tach go above 2500rpm. well below the 4500rpm that you see the gains in power. w/ all that working against me, it just isn't worth it. but on the otherhand, if you owned a 2wd, short bed, 5spd, w/ 3.73's, and small diameter tires, the gain in power would not only be more noticable, but usable. now that might be worth it.
so think about your application and weather or not you like to wind out your mule. it might be worth it for you.

hope this helps

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98' 4x4 S/C F-150 Flaireside, ORP, K&N FIPK

 

On my V6 there was a noticeable but not huge power gain at high rpm, say 3,500+ rpm.

Also at Wide Open Throttle (any rpm) the engine sounds much healthier and the FIPK looks good under the hood, which might be worth something to you. Also, the air filter element should last a lifetime, which saves a little money, and there MAY be a SMALL mileage improvement (hard to tell).

Plus if you buy it through the online store, you are supporting this site. That's my $0.02.

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1999 XLT S/C, 4.2 V-6, auto, 3.55 rear, dark torreador red/harvest gold, Ford bed liner

Clarion ARX8570z Head Unit, Sony 10 disc CD, Infinity 610cs components & JBL GTO7520 speakers; USAcousitcs 4065 amp and Polk 8" subwoofer

Edelbrock IAS, Energy Suspension anti-sway bar bushings, Steeda Rear Anti-sway bar, 2" rear drop.

Superchip, Airaid FIPK, Flex-a-Lite Black Magic electric fan

 

Stevensblack4X4,

The first mod I did was the cat back system, I didn't notice anything but noise, no performance increase. Then I got the Airaid and noticed an immediate response even at the lowest speed/RPM. I noticed I didn't have to press on the accelerator at all to idle down my street where before I definately had to mash the gas. When I got out on the road and hit it hard it was like going from a 2 barrel carb to a 4 barrel carb. Much better acceleration. My next mod was a Superchip and I noticed about the same power increase as the Airaid. When I put on the headers I noticed a definate mid range increase in performance. The 4.10 gears gave me a much better hole shot. Stock I was getting 14 mpg around town, before the gear change 16+ and after the gear change 15 mpg. Go for the Airaid but do the cat back first.

WarEagle

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98 F150 Lariat extended cab, Pacific Green/Silver Frost,
Grey Leather Capt chairs, AM/FM/Cass/6-cd changer,
full tint, color matched bug deflector, vent shades,
A.R.E. hard bed cover, Ultra type 50 polished wheels,
BF Goodrich 315 55R x 16 Sport Truck Radial T/As, 4.6L,
AT, Towing Package, Airaid, Superchip, JBA headers,Flowmaster dual
exhaust, Flowmaster 50 series muffler, 4.10 gears

 

I just ordered an AF1 through the online store. I got it for looks, a bit of sound, and to support this site. I've taken a lot from the site and its saved me numerous times. Changing fuel filter, etc etc. I also think that a catback and this intake work well *together. I believe that it will help me in towing my sportsman 500s up the mountain. my .02. I did notice a difference when towing on my last f150 with an airaid, and think they are worth the money.

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J
Old: '97 f150 XL SC 4x4
NEW: 2001 F-150 XLT SC Flare 5.4L ORP 4X4
Az Beige
so far:
Westin Black Nerfs
Ravin Z-33 SI/DO
Aerovisors-off road
Bugflector II
AF-1
Duraliner(FORD)

 

White elephant,

Welcome to the board! Check out the off-roading trip to Sandusky that Cow Lady has started. Hope to see you there!

 

hmmm, i'm wondering about these things too, now...myself, like others, have read posts both praising the intake work and saying it did nothing...i don't know what to do either...most of my driving is lugging around with stuff in the bed, or a trailer hanging off the back...i think it might be a good addition with the straight pipes...who knows? oh well, good luck to all, Rich

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-1999 F-150 4X4 XLT SC
-4.6, auto
-3.55LS
-Westin chrome nerf bars
-dual straight pipes
-goodyear mt/r 265/75/16
-hikerdadrich@aol.com

 

I put slightly oversized tires on my truck and it started to feel like a dog. I could barely chirp the tires from a stop and after I put on the airaid I could actually spin the tires. The cat-back system gave it a nice roar at full throttle and purrs at idle. My next mod would be a Superchip if I keep this truck, but I'm looking at superduties for future trailer towing posibilities.

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'97 F150 4.6L XL WHITE,FLEETSIDE R/C L/B, LEER SHELL W/FISHING POLE RACK, BED MAT,LIMMITED SLIP,245/75/16 DESERT DOGS ON POLISHED ALUM, WHEELS.
AIRAID, 3" CAT BACK OUT THE SIDE w/MAGNAFLOW MUFFER

 

This is what completely confuses me. You can search the threads for FIPK and find other ones where people did noting but praise FIPK, and say it is definitely woth every penny. Now you read this one and the general consensus is "Don't waste your money." Well, which is it?
Tony