Performance Air Intake Systems

Air intakes are simple systems, but they have an impact on complex aspects of vehicle performance, such as the general functioning of the engine, power output, and fuel economy. They are designed to deliver optimal volumes of clean air into the cylinders for efficient combustion. We have everything needed to help that mill under the hood breathe easily, from air filters to intake manifolds to throttle bodies, and all of the related components such heat shields, scoops, and snorkels.

Air Filter Replacement Options

When it’s time to change your car’s engine air filter, you can install a new OE-style paper intake filter meant to be disposed of when dirty, or you can go for a performance-oriented alternative that is washable and reusable. If you choose to stick with a disposable unit, here you’ll find a quality replacement designed to provide a direct fit and the same level of filtration as the factory part. We also offer replacements that catch contaminants better than OE and maintain their effectiveness longer. This is made possible by using higher-capacity media, higher-quality sealing materials, techniques that prevent the deformation of pleats as dirt builds up, and more.

On the other hand, a performance air filter is one of the easiest mods you can make. While it has a higher initial cost, it's offset by future savings as you can wash it and use it again and again. These filters improve airflow for more power without impeding filtration efficiency, and here is how they achieve this:

• Cotton or synthetic media. These maintain optimal filtration throughout the depth of the material, unlike factory-style paper media that tend to keep dirt particles on their surface. Cotton passes up to 40% more airflow than paper. Such filters flow better than OEM even as they accumulate dirt.
• Greater surface area. The larger the surface area of the filter, the more air can enter the powerplant. This is achieved by increasing the size of the filtering element or, if air box limitations do not allow that, by utilizing more pleats and making them deeper.
• Additional protective layers. Filters made from cotton gauze need to be oiled after cleaning. A layer of oil helps trap the tiniest contaminants. Some performance air filters don’t require oiling as they are made from synthetic materials. A combination of oiled cotton and synthetics is the type of media used in the filters of some Airaid cold air intakes, and this construction helps keep oil from clogging the MAF sensor.

Are Cold Air Intakes Worth It?

Increasing the volume of air fed to the engine is an easy way to gain power, and reducing the temperature of the air charge with a cold air intake kit helps to push performance improvements even further. The idea behind this is that “cooler air has a higher density, thus containing more oxygen per volume unit than warmer air.” More O2 means improved combustion and more horsepower.

An engine is essentially an air pump, so the better it can breathe in and exhaust out, the better it performs. That’s why performance intake and exhaust systems are the primary power-adding mods. How do cold air intakes increase HP? They achieve this by:

• Pulling cooler, more oxygen-rich air from the outside, rather than the hot air from near the engine;
• Using high-flow filters with larger surface areas than OE;
• Featuring larger-diameter air intake hoses with smoother bends to pass more air the easier way;
• Removing sound baffles to minimize restriction.

When properly engineered, such a system does bring a power bump. We offer kits designed by top manufacturers, and dyno testing has proven the claimed horsepower and torque gains. An increase typically ranges from 5 to 20 HP depending on the vehicle. Case in point, all K&N cold air intake systems have been tested and proven to provide extra power within that range, with the numbers backed by dyno measurements at the wheels. Another example is that chassis dynamometer charts show that certain Injen cold air intakes installed on specific vehicles can add more than 20 horses.

Short Ram vs. Cold Air Intakes

Both are meant to increase HP, but they do that in slightly different ways.

Short ram air intakes use the pressure of incoming air created when a car is moving to cram as much of it into the cylinders as possible. A short tube means the shortest channel for the air, thus minimizing the resistance along its path. Shorter piping is often dictated by the lack of space under the hood. Because less material is used, such systems are lighter and usually cheaper than more elaborate designs.

Cold air induction systems are engineered to deliver cooler air to the cylinders. There are several ways to achieve this. We have systems that use shields to isolate the filter from engine heat or have air boxes that enclose it. Other kits on offer relocate the filter outside the engine bay to areas where the temps are lower, such as below the radiator or in the wheel well.