I'm looking for advice on what's the best cold air intake kit to buy for my 05 V6 stang. I've been looking at the K&N ones which are cheaper than the Ford Racing kits. Any brands or models I should look out for or avoid?
Anyone know what difference in noise, bhp any particular brand provides?
p.s. looking to spend around $200 - $300.
I'm not familiar with the new body style OR the V6, but I'll tell ya what I've learned through working on a 92, 93, and an 89 5.0. What a lot of companies sell as a cold-air kit puts the filter under the hood. The K&N FIPK does this. Even the relatively restrictive stock setup pulls from inside the fender. I'm sure the K&N kit flows better, but drive your car for an hour in rush hour, pull over and open the hood. Hold your hand in the spot under the hood where the K&N cone would mount. Is it hotter or cooler than the outside air? The kit that worked best for me was the BBK in-fender cold-air kit. My kit is
The only thing is I was looking at the BBK site for my kit, and they claim a 20hp increase. Don't believe everything you read. If you had a race-prepped 306 making serious power still on the stock air filter and intake, their kit would 'unbottle' some good numbers, but otherwise... not so much.
Good luck, and have fun!!
All that about "underhood", plus:
I've had a V6 and a jones for more HP for 18 months now, but still no "CAI", cold air intake.
In order of importance: Almost any claim related to CAI HP increase is posited on requiring a "tune" which requires a TUNER ($350-400) K&N are among the few who offer tuneless "CAI", which is not really that cool, or that "cool" At least one major magazine did comparisons under stringent conditions, and just one "CAI" actually was intaking significantly cool air: Somebody's (Western?) RAM AIR kit*, that cost quite a bit and for full effect requires an under-hood channeling system, another hundred-plus dollars. But the mag decided it actually worked; takes cool air from in front of the radiator, where it piles up waiting its turn.
You figure a decent tune (requires a tuner, remember) will give you 20 rwhp, and cost (for example) $400; that's twenty dollars per HP Adding a $200 "CAI" will increase HP by (optimistically) 5 rw HP that's, uh, forty dollar per rwHP, and what have you got?
The S197 V6 is said to have 210 HP stock. Actual dyno statistics show about 176-180 rwHP for stock, untuned engines. I have a K&N drop-in filter, and at the time of the dyno run (on the JBA Racing setup) a GT takeoff muffler and a BAMAchips 91 octane Performance tune (via SCT 3 tuner). My automatic 2006 Mustang gave results: 194.5 rwHP, 225 rwTQ. I conject that a "CAI" would make that close to 200 rwHP, with mail-order tunes. Mr JBA said they more-or-less guarantee to get advertised HP up to rwHP by tuning and adding full dual exhaust (another doesn't-pay-off mod for the S197 V6: just a few horsepower for quite an investment in money and hassle)
After all that, the best bang-for-buck is a tuner and and a decent tune. Anything else (with noted exception) is pretty much feel-good add-ons.
I finally did go for the dual exhausts, and I really, really like the symmetrical look, and the stereo sound from back there. Otherwise, 14 eighth-mile drag race passes have demonstrated essentially no improvement in performance related to the exhaust system. I do get a lot more compliments on the sound, though (FRPP M-4230-V6 system: 100% bolt-on, just a couple of cuts required), which to me may not be totally justified, as the "x-pipe" and GTA mufflers are a little raspy in mid-range.
*
Good stuff, Frank ess. The only thing I want to add is my .02 on the hp #'s. I've heard a rule of thumb of 20% hp loss from the flywheel back, which would explain the difference between advertised (at the flywheel?) numbers versus measured rwHP. I've heard a chip / custom tune is the first mod for any OBDII car, which is anything after 93. The fox bodies I've worked with aren't quite as computerized as the newer ones, and certainly the S197. I think a chip / tune scares people off, because it sounds intense, and $$ for a first mod, but if that's what the original poster is driving, do it. Do you have to have the custom tune changed with every bolt-on you add afterwards? Cause if so, the original poster might want to do his bolt-ons (CAI, exhaust) before the chip tune, so they can dial it in. Is that right?
New bolt-ons may change the tune requirements, many do not; however, most reputable tuners that I've heard about will email a new tune free (BAMAchips) or for a nominal charge. That way the users can start anywhere and keep current as required.
As far as being scary, tunes had me deer-eyed for a while: I had the tuner, loaded with the three tunes I had requeste, for two or three weeks before I actually hooked it up. There are horror stories out there - many true - about taking a car to a dealer for service, the dealer flashed the computer to upgrade per Ford procedures, and having the custom tunes disable the car completely. The tuner will read the state of the computer and reporting the change to the tuner-shop allows them to do a new one and email it.
I've never actually had a problem, cautious as I am, and now change tunes between drag racing passes as a matter of course. The major tuners are all very good about individual help, and are intent on making things work well. I do return it to stock before letting the dealers get their hands on it (still a little warranty left) and check the code before reinstalling the custom tunes. I also have a piece of tape over the connector, with a note Sharpied on it: "No Flash, Please!"
If those are reservations, I can't unreservedly recommend a tuner/tune as a Number One Mod, but darn close.
One of the seldom-mentioned benefits of a tune (after improved throttle response and increased performance) is the way each of the styles (performance, torque) changes the character of the exhaust note. It seems "punchier" in slightly different ways with the different modes.
Thanks guys for the info. I think I would go for the tune now and spend a bit more. I do like the sound of the ford racing CAI they use on the shelby GTH. MAC kit looks pretty good as well. I had thought about the GT take off exhausts as well but I would have to get a new rear bumper with two cut outs for the exhaust pipes. Need to save some $ for that!
I hate when I get ideas! Always costs me a lot!
You need just one GT takeoff muffler. No cutting necessary. I painted mine with black caliper paint before installing it. Hi-temp paint looked gray and flat. The painted muffler was on there for more than a year and still looked good when I took it off.
I only replaced the V6 muffler with the single GT muffler. Now I have two mufflers in my basement that I'll probably just throw in the trash. Anything more than that requires more money and more effort. And it won't provide any more performance.
-------- .boB
2006 FXDI hot rod 2008 Mustang Coupe 2001 Dodge Dakota QC 5.9/4x4/3.92 1965 FFR Cobra - 427W EFI, Damn Fast.I thought the GT mufflers only came in pairs. Thats good, I'll probably go for the single one now.
Should have mentioned, I'm in the UK and what I meant was all the GT takeoff exhausts I've seen which I can get shipped to the UK came in pairs so I thought I'd be wasting a lot of cash. I'll have a look for a single one.
I have the two GT mufflers and the V6 one, out in the shed. I'm actually thinking of trying the GT mufflers in place of the GTAs, which, in case I didn't mention it, seemed a little raspy to me, midrange. Otherwise, I like the sound; an earlier drone problem seems to have been resolved by realigning the pipes.
For your reference, here are some youTube URLs with:
Single GT takeoff, four WOT road runs
After the Friday night drags, the trip home, Part One
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.