I am considering installing a FIPK and staying with my stock exhaust system so I don’t lose low-end torque.

Will this be waste of money?

Will there be a noticeable increase in HP and torque with just the FIPK?

What do you guys think is the best FIPK?

Thanks

 

Hello Nitro, I just wanted to let you know what I have read/heard about the diffrent FIPK's out on the market. I read an article done on the three top selling FIPK's out there right now/ K&N/Airforce One/Volant. The testing was done on a stock 5.4 truck not sure of the year, newer modle. Supposedly the K&N did the best as far as Hp somewhere around 7 HP, until the engine became heat soaked. After this happend the gains were about 2-4 HP. for all three systems.
However my theroy on this dyno testing of the FIPK's is bull. This FIPK's cannot really produce much horsepower in a controlled enviorment such as a dyno. I mean lets face it if they could dyno this same truck going down the highway at 45-60mph the horsepower gains would be much more with any of these systems. My theroy is in order for these systems to create Hp they must be feed cold air. Which sitting in a garage on a dyno not moving would not do this. However if this same truck is being driven down the highway, being foce feed cold air the HP gains would be much more.
Also, you mentioned about keeping your factory exhaust so as not to lose low end seat of your pants. This article also mentioned that these horsepower gains could be much greater given that Cat Back Exhaust and a Computer Chip Program was also being used. Let me tell you I have just installed the K&N FIPK and I love it. I have read all the articles saying that they don't work as well as they say the will. Well let me tell you, they work, There is a noticable HP diffrence. However I will say more top end Hp then Low end Hp.
I myself have Flowmaster 40 series Cat back system and a Diablo Sport Computer Chip. But from what I have been reading on this site the Magnaflo Cat Back system is supposed to be the best. I.E. you don't lose any low end with this system. I can't say I have lost much on the low end with the Flowmaster System maby a little, but I deffiently gained top end. I would say any aftermarket system is well worth the little bit of loss you will notice on the low end. My advice would be to go with some sort of After market Exhaust. Like I said, check out the Magnaflow system I have heard very good things about it.
Sorry for the longwinded explanaition, I just wanted to tell you what I have seen with my FIPK, and exhaust, and let you make the deccision.

 

dont know bout the intake, but i can tell you get a gibson supertruck exhaust. mine rocks~ NO loss of low end whatsoever, and definite gaind on high end. Plus it sound so cool~and you can install yourself~ Another important thing is the gas mileage, i went up 1- 1.5 mpgs with the exhaust. GO supertruck!

 

Thanks for the info guys

 

Most dyno testing I've seen uses some pretty serious fans - blowing air at the front of the truck... simulating 45-60 mph.

 

And they have the hood up also, now who drives like that?

2-7 HP gains, who can really fell that in a 4500-5500 lb truck?:o

 

This is for Petrol, Hey we all have are opinions on here that is what this site is about. I just wanted to tell you I have recently installed the K & N Fipk on my 97 4.6. All I can say is there has been a noticable HP as well as Throttle Response gain. My question to you would be, Do you have a Fipk? If you don't I really don't see that you have any validation to be down Playing them. If you do, well then that is a different story. But still even then it is your opinion only. Obvesiouly Thousands of People don't agree with you, because their purchasing Fipk's Daily. Sorry Petrol, I'm not trying to be rude at all. But I know what my truck ran like before and after I installed the Fipk. And Their is deffiently a diffrence. And last but not least as far as your quote about the fans, the article I read on the testing of these systems, said nothing about using any fans at all. All they mentioned was about the hood being up.

 

As for gains with the stock exhaust, yes you should still get them.

On my '95 I did the ignition, intake and pulleys before the exhaust. It still gave me noticable gains, even with the stock exhaust. Really it was rather fun when it was still whisper quiet. Other than the intake sound everyone would have thought it was stock.