I was wondering if anyone had tried one of those after market performance chips or a cold air intake devices to improve performance. I’d like to get more out of my ford but some of the
claims on these things sound too good to be true.
thanks
A performance chip might help, but messing with the air intake or exhaust is not likely to help much if any. Modern cars generally all breath easy. Back in the 50’s young drivers discovered that the OEM air flow was poorly designed and a cheap correction made a difference. By the late 70’s the manufacturers caught on and that weakness had been corrected.
If the truck is out of warranty, go right ahead. However if they make any difference at all you would need a dyno to tell. We are talking 5 hp, 5 ft/lb. sized gains. Generally not worth the money.
If it is under warranty do not do any of these modifications. A person on this board ruined her engine a couple of months ago and was denied a warranty claim because she had made modifications to attempt to improve the truck’s towing ability. Sounded like a real headache for her.
Also don.t forget you already have a cold air intake. Chances are if you install an aftermarket “cold air intake” on your pickup, it will actually be a hot air intake due to the fact it doesn’t leave the engine compartment. That wont increase hp.
The only place I have seen anyone use them and like them is on television, and they were shilling for the product at the time.
I agree with mleich that (a) you might void your warranty, and (b) you won’t get much bang for your buck. Generally, you can spend big bucks on aftermarket performance upgrades to eek out a little extra horsepower, but in my book, it isn’t worth the expense. I would rather spend my money to baby the vehicle with proper maintenance to make it last longer.
You may gain a tiny amount with some of these things but the results will be negligible at best and if you can’t even notice the difference then what’s the point.
A seriously noticeable difference usually means a combination of modifications with some of them not being cheap.
Knowing the year and engine might help a bit in offering any advice.
CAI usually drop into the inner fender area, SRI(short ram intake) usually sit atop the engine in the engine bay. Most reputable sites/shops will call them by these terms.
The OP’s best bet would be to find an F150 forum specific to their year/engine and ask around. I know Roush made some aftermarket gear for the truck, depending on the year
Don’t worry about performance, it will still be a truck. Most cars will leave it in the dust. Go for appearance and wax the thing now and then.