Intake question?

I have a 2016 TRD off-road, I live in Denver but I'm in the mountains a lot and find that when at high altitude (ex.Vail pass)on I-70 my truck switches gears a bunch when trying to maintain 65 to 85 mph. I feel like it can't breath. Should I get a K&N drop in or is it worth the extra money to get a cold air intake that claims to gain 18hsp?

 

It sounds like you're dealing with an air density issue. Up in the mountains, you lose 20-30% of your oxygen in the air, so engine performance is seriously affected. Since cold air kits really only provide noticable power gains towards the top of the power band, I doubt this will satisfy you. Typically, the best answer for a lact of power in high altitudes is to add forced induction (turbo or supercharger). Maybe someone else has other ideas. Sorry to sound so negative, but the physics of high altitudes sucks.

 

Yeah i know the supercharger is the way to go but they're over 5 grand now and would screw my warranty. Thanks for the honesty. If you were going to do the intake mod would you just do the drop in then and save $300 instead of buying the cold air intake?

 

Neither a filter or CAI will do diddly to the trucks performance. And certainly not the dual OD trans behavior.

Power is what it is. There are different driving techniques that some have had success with. You might look around here and find some of those.

Related to the shifting, is your trans been checked to verify it's full of fluid, and has the reflash of the trans ECU been performed (free, via a TSB) Those have both helped some folks.

 

I agree with Clearwater Bill. An intake, whether drop in or complete CAI, will not really be noticeable. If it were my money, I wouldn't do it. I would make sure the trans fluid is good and get the TSB. After that, there's not much you can do other than manually shift via sport mode or go to extreme measures to add power (supercharger).

 

It better be full! It only has 6k miles on and I had it serviced at 5k. Lol. Will I see any power/ torque/mpg gains with air intakes or exhaust? Was thinking of doing a cat back or even headers and back?

 

Ill just continue driving it in manual when that starts happening. Let's forget about that and focus on HP gain. Exhaust or intake? Lil somethin? LOL

 

just hammer down do its riding at 4k rpm the whole time up the pass and then coast down the back side. no gear hunting there ha.
I drive on those passes all the time, the 7% grade for multiple miles doesnt help anything. Save your money on the bolt on parts unless you just like the sound of it. or give me 300 bucks and ill ride with ya making air sucking noises and strange v6 exhaust notes ha

 

All right. Thanks everyone for shattering my cheap fix dreams. Lol. Anyone have an opinion on the soft toppers? Do they hold up to Colorado hail and sun?

 

Checking that is not part of the service. It's a bit complicated process, Toyota doesn't require it to be done (sealed unit is their excuse) and it will never be done unless you ask for it. And are willing to leave it long enough to cool down, often overnight. Call your dealer and ask. Dozens of threads on here regarding the topic.

No. Even if there was a noogie of power, it's $/gain would astronomical. With no side benefits other than noise.

 

FYI, supercharger program was discontinued. I have heard nothing of one available for the 2016+. Even from Magnuson, the OE provider for TRD.

 

In Denver, the "Mile High City", your '16 V6 will have lost 44 HP because of the reduced air density (this is a screenshot of this calculator):



At 6000 the loss is 50 HP, at 6500 54 HP is gone. Other than going to forced induction there is no way to make this up...

 

Thats a pretty neat website, i've been on trails at 13,000 ft ha no wonder it felt like even more of a turd.

 

Say the guys that don't have a TRD intake.... just sayin. Prove what you say... you can't sorry.

BTW - the TRD intake is NOT a CAI - our box already has CAI. Lift hood and look for yourself. Air intake in in the fender not in the engine compartment. The TRD intake is labeled a "Performance Air Intake". Labeled by Toyota ... accent on "Performance". When you try one out then take a dump on it. They work great... and look good too.

Going to give the OP better pedal feel up in dem der hills when he hits it to do the climb up.

 

Wow! at that altitude the loss is 108 HP...

 

Having been all through "Performance" intakes on Miatas and Mustangs 15 to 20 years ago, and finding barely noticeable gains if any with all (some of the "eBay" el cheapos even robbed power) I have just this to say.

Show me back-to-back, nothing else changed, dyno charts showing any significant gain attained by swapping out the stock intake for any other system, and then I'll believe it.

Do those runs in Colorado between 5000 and 13,000 feet and I'll be a true believer...

 

I live at 3400ft and just deal with it, it's part of living high altitude near mountains. I'll usually just shift later or leave ECT on. I find premium helps a bit with the mountain driving.

 

A good portion of my back lot is at 3.4 feet...

 

ha yeah, have to put it in 4L for even the easiest of trails up there just to have enough grunt to move anywhere without getting stuck on a rock ha. ive only found 1 trail to 13k feet to an old mining site. but quite a few trails i hit get to 12-12.5k ft and power loss is very noticeable.

 

I just thought of this, that 108 HP loss is 18 HP more than the maximum output of my old '85 Corolla--which I bought new and sold in 1998 with 335k miles.