Best Aftermarket CAI

[Nixon1]

That's the question... I've got an aftermarket Cobra intake manifold...I THINK I have a larger throttle body but am not 100%..same with the MAF. But the filter assembly is stock...even has a paper filter in. What's the best Cold Air kit available for power? I want to build this thing the right way, and even though Home Depot work is cheaper, it's not always reliable, won't produce the most power possible due to sloppy bends/angles and ridges/rough parts in the tubing, and just plain looks ugly. I've looked at a BBK setup but that's about it.

Thanks everyone!

[ultraflo]

I don't have an opinion on which one is best. However, a couple more companies to check out would be MAC, AFM, and WMS.

Here's a pic of the 4" Hi-vol. AFM power pipe:

http://members.mustangworks.com/ultr...ck306combo.jpg

...it's kinda big, so I figured I'd just post the link rather than the image.

[jj_jonathon]

im partial to my K&N fipk...dunno about for a 91 though...but either K&N or MAC would be my choices...

[Nixon1]

Wonder how much the Mac one is... The K&N FIPK's are always god-awful expensive...usually well over $200 around here...it's sickening to pay $200+ for a filter and a plastic arm....

[90GT Vert]

we've got Moroso for our 90. they fit 86-93. cheap as hell to, $89.99 works great too!

[Nixon1]

I've seen those...curve into the fender and have a conical but it's not a cone..it's more oval-like right? Yeah...my buddy's GT has one...hell, can't beat that price..that's probably what I'll get then. That's awesome. Is the filter element good? Oiled cotton?

[90GT Vert]

it looks just like a k&n filter if you ask me, its a great filter. just make sure you tighten the clamp good or it will fall off while you are goin down the street

[Nixon1]

That sounds like advice from experience!!

[Casper5.0]

You can get aluminized piping from *cough, cough* some of the import shops for a very reasonable price and make your own. I ended up spending $50 for mine with the filter, piping connectors and everything and it looks as good if not better than the manufactured ones. I did have to get a breather for the oil cap because the factory one is piped into the intake track. Here's a pic.

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/funkyman5...c=ph%26.view=t

Sometimes these links don't work but it's worth a shot. Good luck whichever way you choose to go.

RYAN

[Nixon1]

Yeah, that PCV system is just a pain...doesn't harm anything slapping a breather on it...probably better than piping that crankcase carbon and crap back into your engine. But that setup looks awesome...I want that!
Niiiice... Is that the MAF before the blue connector, painted chrome? And...correct me if I'm wrong but, it looks like your manifold does the angle forwards with the TB mounted to that so the intake piping doesn't have to do any bends....how'd you get that?? I'm pretty sure my manifold and TB point straight out, perpendicular with the car, and the intake tubing is what does the bend... Or is that just a characteristic of a Cobra engine...?

[NotchJohnson]

The 94-95 intakes have that bend in them, the older ones go straight out. Personally, I dont see cai as a gain in power at all. I know for a fact that you wil not feel any difference in power between a cai, or a drop in k&n with the silencer removed. I have a mac unit, and it ran me 109 bucks. Although they look great, I dont see any gain in power.

[jj_jonathon]

Originally posted by Nixon1
Wonder how much the Mac one is... The K&N FIPK's are always god-awful expensive...usually well over $200 around here...it's sickening to pay $200+ for a filter and a plastic arm....

i paid $208 shipped for mine...and the MAC one was about $200 w/ shipping for my car too....so i preferred K&N....i dunno where youd even buy a k&N FIPK locally (you said "around here"...makes me wonder)...

[USMC302]

I have the MAC and I agree with the above comment about little to no gain except for all in your head. The C&L tube it nice, it won't heat up as much as the dinky aluminum (chrome) tubes that come with the BBK and MAC version, which case in point would help with the goal of "cold" air induction. I have heard the anderson power pipe is worth the money too. I will be going with either the C&L or Anderson's model.

[Nixon1]

Well my silencer is already removed...and it doesn't look like that bad of a system..the intake hole is nicely sized, although it could be bigger.. Maybe I'll just drop a K&N in and let it be...

[jj_jonathon]

Originally posted by USMC302
I have the MAC and I agree with the above comment about little to no gain except for all in your head.

i honestly cant speak for the 5.0s, because ive never driven one with a CAI unit...but hes right...theyre for flash more or less..the only time i get a noticable difference from my 4.6 w/ the FIPK is when its cold out...i drove my car before i had the kit for about 12k miles and itd been in cold before, but now when its cold i squeakl from 1st-2nd w/ traction control on...and my tires havent been wore down much...i can feel the extra then and only then...i think any other time i "feel" it, its because my tranny downshifted nicely or something, so i feel the extra boost...its hard to distinguish when you drive in OD...

so youre prolly better off just paying the $45 for the filter...unless you want perdy chrome under the hood..hehe

[Casper5.0]

I noticed a big difference when i swapped my cold air and MAF all at the same time, it was seriously a different car afterward, but i think a big part of that was the MAF (the MAF on 94-95 cars are pathetic.) That's a PRO-M 75 mm bullet mass air that you see there. You can buy bends from those import places by the way, like someone else said the 94-95 cars have a bend in the intake that the fox bodies don't.

RYAN

Originally posted by jj_jonathon
so youre prolly better off just paying the $45 for the filter...unless you want perdy chrome under the hood..hehe

I agree. Just slap a K&N in there & save the $$ for something that might actually increase power. That's my motto!