Which Cold Air Intake Should I Buy??

I have a 2011 TRD Off road and am torn between the Volant and TRD intakes. I know that the Toyota one is more expensive, however, it also is rated for an 11hp increase, whereas most reviewers have said they havent Dyno'd their Tacos with the Volant. Any help or experience with either of the two would be greatly appreciated! Thanks guys and gals.

 

Welcome to TW,
may want to spend a bit of time getting familiar with TW's functionality and features, there are a number of threads already that may net the answer you are after.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/search.php?searchid=10274536

 

Honestly both bad choices if the reports are correct here.

Volant can throw check engine lights.... Not for everyone, but there's always a few who do get them and end up selling the volant.

The newer TRD cold air intake is made by k&n and based off of the Fj and 4runner intake... The tubing iirc is just slightly different. Just enough to cause a lean condition.

If ur speaking of the older TRD intake made by afe which has a silver metallic lid, that one works perfectly fine.
Also the afe stage 2 si works perfect..

Keep in mind that at around 40mph I have measured intake temps from the stock setup, afe, and urd.... They can all get ambient air temps at that speed.

The stock intakes problem is the bends, and silencers/baffles/other structural means to keep cabin noise down. This will cost a small amount of performance.

Gadget at urd has run the stock v6 intake with all OEM filters, a k&n drop in filter, the charcoal filter removed, the charcoal and regular air filter removed and he gained zero HP on the dyno.

This shows that the OEM intakes sound deadening properties which are used like many non performance oriented vehicles to keep consumers happy (most want a nice quiet ride), is what is costing some performance.

How much I can't recall, but it is not due to air temp issues on the intake.... The TRD and afe draw the same air from the fender as stock. And like I said, I tested those 3 above and seen zero iat changes... U simply cannot draw air any colder than ambient with any intake unless u use an icebox. The stock design is fine for air temp. The only improvement will be due to a straight shot and not in needed bends or chambers/silencing devices.

When gadget did change to a different intake he did see gains.

 

I also don't like the fact the stock filter box sits on top of the hot engine either.

 

Good point

 

Completely off topic here. At least with power gained. Alot of my friends here at Hood run aFe. Love it never dynoed it just says it feels more responsive. I pretty much hear the same thing for most of the other intakes as well. I think most have come to the fact that you won't gain much with just an intake. Now I could possibly see intake header exhuast plus a tune of sorts making a little more power. Its all subjective to the money you want to spend.

Side note anyone on here running AEM? I'm not really worried about gains but I hear the brute force intake helps make the engine bay look slightly better.

 

Also a side note...
I'm just about the only one here who doesn't run a cold air intake and who believes that it's a not negative. Because when you're driving, the whole engine compartment is constantly being flooded with a hurricane of ambient air.

For a little over 200 bucks I got an Injen intake, and like the simple minimalist design with no big clunky air box filling up the engine compartment.




And I really like the sound it makes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6ofUy8_-6Q

 

Kind of like how the aem looks I believe. Gorgeous intake.