Opinions on cold air intake

[94StangGT]

What is the best deal on a cold air induction kit for a 94 GT? I've been thinking about purchasing one, but i dont want to go overboard on cash. I will take any suggestions, just wondering what i'm looking at in general.

[cyberstang5.0]

I like the BBK one the best (IMO). Make sure get the one that mounts the air filter inside the fender. You'll see a big improvment. My friend bought a C&S (or something like that) and it never fit correctly. I haven't had any problems with my BBK.

[302 LX Eric]

I like my BBK kit too (fenderwell mount). However, the one thing I don't like about it are the blue silicone connectors. Especially the one that connects the TB to the tube. Due to the curveature, it doesn't seem to fit properly when you tighten down the clamps. It works, it just isn't a perfect fit as I would like it to be.

Other than that, it's a great kit.

Oh, and if you have an aftermarket MAF (like my Pro-M 75mm Bullet) you'll have to trim off a portion of the tube with a hacksaw. No bigee.

E

[Mr 5 0]

I have the Moroso fenderwell cold air induction kit and I like it, a lot. I've had it for three years with no problems at all.

Under $100., easy to install and perfect fit without altering anything. Yeah, it has a black plastic intake pipe but so what? Unless you're chroming up your engine this is a minor point, in my opinion and it looks fine.

Based on my personal experience, the Moroso is my recommendation for an 'economy' fenderwell cold air intake kit.

[jimberg]

Mustangs come from the factory with cold air intakes. All you need to do to improve them is add a K&N filter and a rigid intake tube. C&L Performance sells the tube that goes with their 76mm MAF kit for about $90. A setup like that would be a lot easier to plumb, as well.

[USMC302]

That is true jimberg, I have heard people doing the same with just the K&N on the stock setup as well as the cold air setup I have the MAC on both 88's.

[Stang_ROTY]

I like the cold air BBK intake but i had to modify it a little to get it to fit on a 351 block since it's a little taller and wider. I basically just grinded down the tube coming off the fender and used a little muscle to get it to fit in the blue silicone connectors. Not too bad but I'd like something a little bigger, if possible. One thing's for sure, I'm not real fond of the C&L intake because it seems as if it just sucks in hot engine air rather than some fresh air from under the fender. Just my .02

[jimberg]

I am going to be using the C&L Performance intake pipe and 76mm MAF sensor with my stock air box and K&N panel filter. That is a cold air intake.

[sn95gt19]

i called up to order a bbk (fenderwell mount) cold air kit, and they recalled all the bbk ones for the sn95 years, due to one of the tubes being too short, and when the motor would torque it would pull one of the tubes out of the blue "things". so i ended up just buying a mac cold air kit. it fits good, the only thing that you have to do is make sure that you install it from the front to the back, or it wont go together. also if you have an aftermarket intake with the adapter elbow the fit is a little bit tighter.

[Stang_ROTY]

JIMBERG! How's it going. Haven't heard from you in a while. I guess I was considering using the C&L unit also but it seems like it defeats the purpose of using a cold air kit when the engine entering the filter is hot, or does the tube itself cool the air??

[jimberg]

I've been pretty good. I ordered a new TFS 351W intake, C&L Performance 76mm MAF kit, and 30# injectors. I hope to get them in Friday, but it doesn't look good.

The stock airbox pulls the cold air from the fender just like the kits that place the conical air filter in the fender. The real advantage of cold air kits, however, is replacing the rubber acordian style intake tube with a rigid tube. That's what the C&L kit comes with. It's a nice aluminum tube that has a better design to it than some of the other cold air kits. You just put that tube between the stock air box and the TB and you're good to go.

[mysweetlx]

I'm currently running a 10" K&N hot-air intake ........I'll be getting a BBK fenderwell CAI soon. Will there be a noticeable difference?

[Lethal5Oh]

I just have a small opinion to add. If anyone disagrees thats fine. CAIs are pretty much worthless, the metal just absorbs the heat from the engine and then what do you have? Unless you fork out the extra cash for the DEI CAI insulators that velcrow around the tube then i could see it. I have to ask, whats so much better about a CAI than a stock setup with a K&N airfilter and the air silencer removed? Does it flow better?

Well.... I have a cone in my fenderwell and the cold air tube is a piece of PVC pipe that I bought. I think I have $7.41 invested in it(from memory). Works for me and it got the filter out of the engine bay where the hot air would make the engine surge. I could put a piece of cardboard between the filter and engine and see how much better it idled. CAI.. I say save your money and just go to Lowe's or Home Depot and get the pvc pipe to make one.

[USMC302]

Most likely the chrome. I do understand completely where you are coming from though. It does get hot too!

[LowDown]

I just ordered Holley's new CAI yesterday. It's not fenderwell mounted, but it does have a modified air box that mounts in the stock location to keep the conical filter somewhat isolated from the rest of the engine compartment and it will still be pulling air from the same hole as the stock air box - just better flow. They claim better flow numbers than K&N - and I trust Holley, so hopefully it's worth the money......plus it looks cool

[Mr 5 0]

Originally posted by Lethal5Oh

CAIs are pretty much worthless, the metal just absorbs the heat from the engine and then what do you have? Unless you fork out the extra cash for the DEI CAI insulators that velcrow around the tube then i could see it. I have to ask, whats so much better about a CAI than a stock setup with a K&N airfilter and the air silencer removed? Does it flow better?

I can't speak for the other cold-air intake kits but on my Moroso set-up the filter-to-MAF intake tube is black plastic and does not 'absorb' much heat due to it's location and composition. The K&N cone filter is in the fenderwell and does receive cooler air than the stock airbox as it's directly in the airflow stream.

I also have a metal flowpipe from the MAF to the TB that is ultra smooth for better airflow than the factory rubber tube with it's many ribs.

Now all this is probably worth a total of about 5 HP, tops, but on a near stock 5.0, every little bit helps. Frankly, if you have any kind of serious mods, like aftermarket heads, than a cold air intake kit isn't worth it. For me, and others, it is.

[ChunkFunky]

I'll just add... any of these cold air intake systems dont require you to cut any holes in teh fenders, cause the hole is allready there... cause that's where teh stock box intakes from... so teh cold air kits just use the existing air route... and like others said, they are usulay metal, wich absorb heat as well. granted they look cool.. dont get me wrong.. but I think the performance advantages are nill, though technicaly the smooth surfaces allow for better flow over the stock accordian tubes, so that's where you see any power adding.. but you can get replacment tubes for you stock setup..

I guess I'm not FOR or againt them, but aside from looking cool, they do free up a little space.. so with all the facts in place.. you dont gain much performance but you do gain other things... so it's mostly just an asthetics thing...
-as