It’s easy to build big power these days, and automotive shops all over are making this easier and easier by making what you need readily available. Personally I work at a parts store, and anytime I work the counter, I want to see that customer walk away with everything they needed, and maybe save a couple bucks.
You don’t need to break the bank to build power, in fact some of the biggest jumps in power you can get are the easiest and cheapest.
In this post we’re going to be taking a look at intake systems, more specifically, going from a stock box to a cold air intake, or a ram air system. Please note that I don’t touch turbos, superchargers, or sensors in this article very much, because they are huge subjects all their own, and I know that exhaust systems are related as well, but that’s for another time, I’ll be cooking up some data for them for you soon enough, but for now, we’re talking power.
Where to start? Starting at the basics, most cars, trucks, vans, and what have you, have an intake system that is usually called naturally aspirated. What this means is, there is a box with a filter on it, with usually an intake ducted into the quarter panel or where ever the manufacturer decided to put your intake, it takes in what the engine needs, routes it into the intake manifold, and leaves the exhaust system.
A cold air intake system, replaces the factory ducting and air box, usually from the mass airflow sensor, if so equipped, and allow more air to enter the intake easier. How does this make power? Well, your power comes from your displacement, among other things, and by increasing the air flow drawn in, you effectively make the easier for the car to breathe, and work will become much more effortless.
Well, that’s all fine and well, but something like that has to be complicated and expensive right? Wrong. For around 50$ depending on you’re vehicle you can buy a K&N filter for your car that will direct fit the stock box, these are much less restrictive, but that’s not cold air. If you want cold air, you need to make slight modifications to your vehicles intake, this is usually as simple as popping a hose off, removing your factory box, and using a clamp to attack a cone style filter.
Now you heard talk about K&N, personally I love them. Drop in a filter and the difference is night and day, and that’s stock box. Now there is another brand extremely similar to K&n in price and design, Spectre. I’ve never use one personally, and they don’t make stock fits, but they advertise to be fastest air filters in the world. I’m not sure how researched that it, from what I understand the two are about on par, coming down to cost, fit, and which ever sticker you think is prettier for decorating your windows and body. I don’t see any reason the parts aren’t interchangeable, but I haven’t messed with a Frankenstein kit like that yet. Both brands are pretty amazing in my opinion, as long as you clean and oil your filter [they never go bad] they carry a million mile warranty. Good look beating that.
Another option, if you can afford it is either brand of complete intake systems, designed to replace, if they have one for your vehicle, and are car designed and tested. Personally I’d go for K&N, they make theirs intakes out if plastic which is heat resistant, and will keep the air cooler, a very good thing, and even better of you’re going to be turboing, adding a supercharger, and the like, be comparison Spectre uses pretty chrome pipes for all their intakes. I’d be tempted to actually call some of these ram air systems, the way the ducting come forward, usually with a plenum, to capture as much air as possible, and isolate the intake.
Now we turn to cold air intakes big brother, the ram air intake. Ram air is also know as forced air induction, any guesses why? These are usually more involving and can either be hidden under the hood if to have room and air flow, or you can drill/cut a hole in the hood to facilitate a hood scoop. The idea is to position the intake so that while driving down the road, or tearing up a drag strip, that the intake captured air as it passes. This increases the amount. of air in your intake, increasing its density, and creating what’s known as boost. Boost is usually measured as how much pressure is in the manifold compared to atmospheric pressure, measured in psi.
Now, the more you increase the flow of air, the more modifications you may have to make to keep your cars computer and sensors happy. Generally if all your doing I’d cold air, or ram air, personally I say don’t worry about it. You’ll know if the computer is unhappy because, if equipped, it should give a check engine light. Don’t be scared of this guy, he’s just telling that the sensors signals are out of spec from what it expects and is running in a default mode I appropriate, usually can be cleared up by flashing your computer, but once again this is generally not necessary, and I’ll probably throw it in with sensors.
I’m gonna put this warning here as well, though its playing super safe, and not necessary for this, engine do have a breaking point, and too much compression for an unprepped, or even a prepped engine will bend/break/destroy the internals. But also keep in mind that with ram air, all you should expect is 1-2 psi, ricers and Honda kids run 5psi boost and more, with stock engines and sensors, without a problem.
Keep posed for sensors, coming up soon.
Power isn’t expensive, if you follow one of these methods, you’re probably looking at anywhere from $50-$400 depending on how into you get . Even the most basic filter swap for a higher will be like night and day, I can promise you that.
If I missed anything or you want to see something specific, let me know and I’ll get on it as soon as I can. Work hard, play hard, but most importantly, have fun, life’s an adventure.
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Alex.Sev3n 