Anyone use this cold air intake?

Interesting point, but using that logic, why wouldn't you keep the whole truck stock?
You know, to keep it as reliable as possible?

I understand there will always be differences in opinion and Not all here use their vehicles the same way.
Do whatever you feel comfortable and competent enough to your own vehicle.

 

A survival vehicle has to be reliable....

However, I don't think I could "survive" owning a Tacoma without bolting something to the engine. Is there a TRD oil cap I can buy???

 

Because covering the underside of the gas tank with a steel plate presents very little risk and high benefit. If you want to talk about suspension components I'll start to agree with you, but there does come a point where the benefit of an extra 2 inches and extra load capacity outweighs the risk of non-stock suspension components which are inherently much simpler than engine components. However even in a truck with a stock 4 cylinder and 1000 lbs of crap in the bed the engine will never be the limiting factor in the vehicle's capability unless you're literally racing (which there's nothing wrong with, just sayin').

 

Because it's a terrible design for second gens

 

Ahh, had a dumbass moment and didn’t see 2nd gen. Oops

 

Lol, it's easy to miss that... I do it often in first and 3rd gens

 

Sounds like little risk but little gain. If anything I will try it at the price I can get.

Otherwise I like the urd one, but seems risky due to water ingestion.

Thanks all

 

So all this just for some change in sound?

 

Yep, it sucked in water when I was on the highway and caused the truck to stumble..it happened quite a few times, lots while merging. Pucker is real when ur getting up to speed, then ur truck falls on it's face. Sometimes just driving past a truck flinging up the smallest amount of water off it's tires in the lane next to me.... Say his rear bumper being about 6ft from my front bumper (still in different lanes) was enough to cause a stumble.
Even worse was trying to get support from urd. Gadget is hit/miss

I was using the splash shield with the urd at the time too. I tried the hydrophobic sock and it felt like it was starving the engine. Response went out the window.

 

Kids....

 

All what exactly?

This discussion? Informative and entertaining. At least for me.

I may try it or not, either way I am not expecting much. Oh yeah and the urd one for me is out.

 

Oh don't start with that. People will start buying train sets and have money for real emergencies and Bob will be poor. This whole site is about spending money!

 

I'm going to come out and say it....
I have this AEM Brute force CAI installed.....
Shields up for flaming.

I got it for $100 used, figured why not give it a shot. I get a $59 value filter, some shiny chromed up pipe, some silicone sleeves and clamps, sheet metal shield..why not.
Washed the the filter...installed it. Had it in for 8 months now. My review is good. I feel no negative effects. A little worried about water coming but I'm a city cruiser, no off road or mudding. I've been checking for any evidence of mud or water coming in and have found nothing of concern.

In fact it'a fairly clean still which leads me to wonder if it is even cleaning the air... Is my engine sucking in dirt and dust that is not getting trapped in the filter?

Performance: YES I feel an improvement! The 4.0L engine feels less restricted and it revs up easier than before. Not that it feels like more hp, definitely more throttle response leading to feeling like more powa!
It hits 4000rpm quicker than stock air box.

On 50-80 kph ( 30-50 kph) acceleration, it definitely kicks down to 2nd or 3rd gear and revs up to 4500rpm real quick.

And at this 4500 rpm ... It's LOUD!! Almost a ear piercing low tone resonation coming through the firewall. I've had people driving next to me snap their heads to look wtf the noise is coming from!

When you cruise normally, you can still hear it as if it were a turbo engine. I have a 92 Supra turbo. The engine at idle sound similar since you can hear the engine vacuum at idle and low throttle.

To me, it's pretty wicked. No negative effects and really no real change either way but maybe slight better throttle response and more noise!

I'm keeping it installed, no need to go back to stock...

Also being the first winter with it installed now, it's snowy and around -15 C ( 0 - 3 F ) these days...
Hella COLD AIR...
It's going to be -40 C ( yes -40 F ) some day soon around these parts of Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada... I'm afraid of frost build up, but I'll see how it goes.

Most will never experience that kind of COLD air! I will!

O yeah, and no change in fuel economy... I log my fuel in and odometer every fuel up to an F. So I can say it has no effects greater than usual tank to tank or seasonal fluctuations.

 

For $100 seems like a reasonable risk. I would keep the stock box just in case you get tired of it. Thanks for the feedback on sound.

 

Looks like that thing pulls warm air from the engine bay

 

I'd have to monitor the intake air temp with my obd connector thing and torque app.

There's the shield there with a rubber seal once the hood is closed to separate the warm engine air. The air inlet coming from the fender is still there. It's not like the engine bay is a sealed chamber that traps heat. The air flow coming in the grill, all around from underneath and all around should carry heat away under the truck while in motion.

 

Here are some screen caps of my Torque app showing the intake air temp.

Ambient air outside was -3 C today.
At 60 km/h with some air movement the intake air measures +3 C ( 37 F ).
At idle when stopped after 10 seconds it warms to 12 C.

It would seem that when stopped, yes it may be pulling warmer engine bay air, however when in motion the airflow does dissipate the heat and the air is warmed only slightly but still plenty COLD at +3 C which is only 6 degrees warmer than ambient.

That's still colder than most vehicles in warmer climates will ever see.

I'll check again when it's -25 C ( -13 F ) tomorrow morning outside to see if the air is actually below freezing temps for some real cold air!

Although called a Cold Air Intake, it could only be the ambient air temp with a slight warming from the engine bay. I'd have to check it with a stock air box but guess that the air would still be warmer from the engine bay.

Conclusion: it's not as if the intake is consuming air that is heated to 85C ( 185 F )like the coolant temp shows just because it's in the engine bay.

 

no, the stock intake draws ambient air at approx 45mph.
Ive already tested the k&n, urd, stock, and afe

NOTHING will draw colder than ambient........stock draws ambient, therfore, stock is cold air.

If its not pulling ambient, just goose the throttle, it cools right down.

Trust me, I watch my intake temps like a hawk.

 

Yes I know stock is also a cai and yes obviously ambient air temp is the only air you could get unless you some a/c system cooling the air.

Which is the same reaction with this AEM Brute force kit.

Just saying. It's not really pulling in hot engine bay air like many people seem to think. While in motion, it is pulling in ambient temp air, only slight warmed which I would think the stock air box would react the same way. Draw ambient air while in motion but slightly warmed up. Even a turbo with intercooler will be warmer than ambient.

 

@Big2Customs