CAI question

[Colton]

So recently i had some flowmaster cat backs installed and i love the performance and sound, now im considering a CAI.
I sort of considered a Vararam intake, (anyone who has info on the price of one would be appreciated). But mainly im considering a K&N intake and was wondering if the engine cover must be removed to instal it. Just because id like to keep the look of the cover as im going to paint it.
This is the intake im looking at.
K&N® - Dodge Ram 2014 77 Series High-Flow Performance Air Intake Kit

 

[lrydbom15]

Personally, I'd recommend the S&B CAI. Great fit and performance.


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[audio1der]

Vararam if you live somewhere without snow; it provides the most power.
S&B if you live somewhere with snow.
K&N is marketing hype. It allows warm engine air into the intake, making LESS power, and can be REALLY loud at wide open throttle (WOT). K&N filters are proven to have prro filtration as well; any power they do increase is by allowing more unfiltered air through.
The enclosed CAIs like Vararam or S&B add nice sound at WOT without sounding like a howling monkey, and have very high quality filter elements.
If you want to stay stock-ish, look into Green (that's the band name) filters for the stock box. Very high quality stuff.
My $.02

 

[Colton]

Vararam if you live somewhere without snow; it provides the most power.
S&B if you live somewhere with snow.
K&N is marketing hype. It allows warm engine air into the intake, making LESS power, and can be REALLY loud at wide open throttle (WOT). K&N filters are proven to have prro filtration as well; any power they do increase is by allowing more unfiltered air through.
The enclosed CAIs like Vararam or S&B add nice sound at WOT without sounding like a howling monkey, and have very high quality filter elements.
If you want to stay stock-ish, look into Green (that's the band name) filters for the stock box. Very high quality stuff.
My $.02

well vararam is off the table lol. I live in northern BC. 9 months of the year is winter and filled with snow.
Now the K&N and the S&B cai, Can these be installed without removal of the engine cover? i keep seeing pictures with people having them removed, although id like to keep mine

 

[Beauregard7765]

Any cai will work with the engine cover on.

I have had the K&N and I personally feel as if it did better than the vararam. Also sounds a lot cooler too.
I'm sure someone is going to argue that though

K&N is faster off the start but they say the vararam is faster off the 20mph start

 

[xrsman]

S&B is the second best CAI for these trucks from a performance stand point. If K&N offered a closed box filter I might look into it. Being open it will get dirtier way quicker, plug up way quicker, and let warm air into the engine instead of cooler air from a closed box. Now you also won't be able to wash the inside of the engine for fear that you get the open K&N wet.

You can use engine cover with a CAI

 

[CMil527]

S&B for your needs!

 

[Colton]

Must say you guys have most certainly changed my opinion lol. Ordered a S&B last night.

 

[EagleChief]

I don't think you'll be disappointed. If you are, I'll send you my address and you can ship it to me.

 

[Casper]

I have the S&B and my engine cover is still there. As previously stated, don't waste your time with K&N unless all you want it throttle noise under the hood. Its not a cold air induction intake its a HOT AIR INDUCTION intake. Now, if you're still deciding you can do a K&N drop in filter in the OEM air box--not as much flow, but the OEM is relatively cold air induction through the fender.

 

[CMil527]

Must say you guys have most certainly changed my opinion lol. Ordered a S&B last night.

congrats!

 

[NorthTexasHemi]

I have the S&B and my engine cover is still there. As previously stated, don't waste your time with K&N unless all you want it throttle noise under the hood. Its not a cold air induction intake its a HOT AIR INDUCTION intake. Now, if you're still deciding you can do a K&N drop in filter in the OEM air box--not as much flow, but the OEM is relatively cold air induction through the fender.

So I was curious and took a peek under the hood, on the stock box where the airfilter is located is connected to the top of the wheel well. I looked under the wheel well and noticed a flap. Is that the air intake point? Doesn't that restrict the airflow, or am I missing something?

 

[audio1der]

I guess the flap opens with enough backpressure from the engine breathing?
That hole in the fender is why even the stock setup is better than a WAI like the K&N and a couple others.

FWIW I kept my stock engine cover with the S&B. Hell, I even run the scoop all year round. I just add a pre-filter sock over the filter element in the winter to make sure if I happen to scoop some snow with all that air, that it doesn't make it past the filter box.

 

[SlowRoller]

I looked under the wheel well and noticed a flap. Is that the air intake point? ?

There is no 'door or flap' in the OEM intake system

The only 'flap' that you can see by looking up from below in the wheel well is an access door for your headlights.

If you remove the 'snorkel/duct' on the front of the airbox, you can see inside the fender where the OEM intake draws it's air.

Plenty of outside air (for most drivers) makes its way from the front of the truck past the grille/headlights, around the front clip, and into the front fender.

Not as 'direct' a path as the vararam, but it does an excellent job of keeping 'unwanted' items from entering the intake. (Rain, snow, most any 'foreign material' you might encounter while driving)

Regardless of your choice of 'CAI', unless you are running WOT, the biggest restriction is your TB, and not the CAI/intake itself.

 

[NorthTexasHemi]

Thank you SlowRoller for the clarification. I will try to see where it actually goes to. Does TB mean Throttle Body, all the acronyms are a little tricky.

 

[gofishn]

There is no 'door or flap' in the OEM intake system

The only 'flap' that you can see by looking up from below in the wheel well is an access door for your headlights.

If you remove the 'snorkel/duct' on the front of the airbox, you can see inside the fender where the OEM intake draws it's air.

Plenty of outside air (for most drivers) makes its way from the front of the truck past the grille/headlights, around the front clip, and into the front fender.

Not as 'direct' a path as the vararam, but it does an excellent job of keeping 'unwanted' items from entering the intake. (Rain, snow, most any 'foreign material' you might encounter while driving)

Regardless of your choice of 'CAI', unless you are running WOT, the biggest restriction is your TB, and not the CAI/intake itself.

Was too busy laughing about the back pressure "flap" door opening to reply, then saw you had it covered.

Yes, as stated above, that FLAP is so you can reach in, lift up the white plastic latch for removal of the front headlight assembly, in order to change out the bulbs.

 

[SlowRoller]

Thank you SlowRoller for the clarification. I will try to see where it actually goes to. Does TB mean Throttle Body, all the acronyms are a little tricky.

Yes, Throttle Body.

Modern FI systems can compensate for 'a little' intake system inefficiency without taking a hit in MPG or power UNTIL you are at WOT (Wide open throttle)

At all times (other than WOT), the 'bottleneck' is the throttle body itself, and not so much what happens before then. (Assuming your OEM intake system is functioning as intended and the filter is not plugged)

Another way to look at it is the TB is a door into a room. The intake manifold is the 'room' with virtually no air pressure inside. The 'CAI' intake tract is a hallway with ~normal~ atmospheric pressure that leads to the door. At the beginning of the hallway is a filter that's multiple times larger than the hallway.

Open the door a bit, and air from the hallway rushes into the room.

Unless that door is positioned wide open, the biggest restriction of air flowing into the room is the door itself,,, not the hallway or the large filter leading into the hallway.

Unlike carbureted engines, FI systems can (typically) monitor A/F mixes (or other attributes) and adjust the amount of fuel needed to match the air being released by the Throttle body. This difference between systems allows for greater fuel efficiency and the ability to 'adjust/overcome' ~some~ restriction in the CAI system, Except when the TB is at WOT,,,

Folks who run WOT on a regular basis may benefit from an aftermarket CAI, but IMHO, Mama Mopar has done a pretty decent job with the OEM set up. (I'm not a WOT kinda guy! LOL!!!)

I can also see buying a CAI for looks, for sound,,, Nothing wrong with that either!!!

 

[Sir John]

Yes, Throttle Body.

Modern FI systems can compensate for 'a little' intake system inefficiency without taking a hit in MPG or power UNTIL you are at WOT (Wide open throttle)

At all times (other than WOT), the 'bottleneck' is the throttle body itself, and not so much what happens before then. (Assuming your OEM intake system is functioning as intended and the filter is not plugged)

Another way to look at it is the TB is a door into a room. The intake manifold is the 'room' with virtually no air pressure inside. The 'CAI' intake tract is a hallway with ~normal~ atmospheric pressure that leads to the door. At the beginning of the hallway is a filter that's multiple times larger than the hallway.

Open the door a bit, and air from the hallway rushes into the room.

Unless that door is positioned wide open, the biggest restriction of air flowing into the room is the door itself,,, not the hallway or the large filter leading into the hallway.

Unlike carbureted engines, FI systems can (typically) monitor A/F mixes (or other attributes) and adjust the amount of fuel needed to match the air being released by the Throttle body. This difference between systems allows for greater fuel efficiency and the ability to 'adjust/overcome' ~some~ restriction in the CAI system, Except when the TB is at WOT,,,

Folks who run WOT on a regular basis may benefit from an aftermarket CAI, but IMHO, Mama Mopar has done a pretty decent job with the OEM set up. (I'm not a WOT kinda guy! LOL!!!)

I can also see buying a CAI for looks, for sound,,, Nothing wrong with that either!!!

great explanation.

 

[Sir John]

I could not justify the $$$$$ for a CAI when all that really needs to be done to the stock intake is add a performance air filter and do the OEM intake mod. The mod is, in a nutshell, cutting a 3 or 4 inch hole in the bottom of the OEM filter box and running a 3 or 4 inch hose (such as a aluminum dryer vent hose) to the front or bottom of the truck to double the air intake volume. There's a huge thread on another forum (rules don't allow me to say...do a Google search) that goes into great detail on what I'm talking about. I did the 3 inch hole/hose and I bought the Green Performance air filter.

 

[NorthTexasHemi]

I could not justify the $$$$$ for a CAI when all that really needs to be done to the stock intake is add a performance air filter and do the OEM intake mod. The mod is, in a nutshell, cutting a 3 or 4 inch hole in the bottom of the OEM filter box and running a 3 or 4 inch hose (such as a aluminum dryer vent hose) to the front or bottom of the truck to double the air intake volume. There's a huge thread on another forum (rules don't allow me to say...do a Google search) that goes into great detail on what I'm talking about. I did the 3 inch hole/hose and I bought the Green Performance air filter.

I found the thread. Thanks for the heads up. Looks interesting