3rd Gen TRD Cold Air Intake: Snake Oil?

I've been reading up on CAI options for my Tacoma as throttle response is getting really sluggish in this humid/hot Midwestern weather. I really don't get any pull from the truck until 3,500 rpm right now and unless I'm flooring it like a douchebag I'm not getting anywhere fast.

Before you start throwing stuff at me, I've researched CAI obsessively for the last couple of days. I've read virtually all the 2nd and 3rd gen forums I can find on the subject. (I've even looked at some Silverado and Tundra forums too!)

I have some questions that no one seems to have come to a concise answer on:

1.) What is so different about the TRD intake? To me, it looks slightly bigger and red and comes with a TRD filter that I'm guessing is less restrictive than the stock paper filter. Hows that worth 400 bones?

2.) Are all the K&N, AFE, Injen ram airs just noisemakers?

3.) Furthermore, are they just sucking in a ton of hot air from the bay rather than a little cold air from the wheel well?

4.) Further, FURTHERmore, whats with all the different types of K&N's? There's a the most expensive shiny metal one with the greatest HP increase (won't that conduct heat?), There's an up-charge "all black one", and then the cheapest "regular one". What gives?

5.) Lastly, should I just chuck a TRD or K&N filter in the stock airbox and call it a day?

Please answer all you can. Based on what I've been reading around the interwebs there are a lot of people who could benefit from some community support on this.

 

Snake oil or worse. Some aftermarket CAIs can foul your MAF.

Welcome to the TurdGen Lifestyle. Floor it every.where.you.go.

 

Best route is a AFE Dry FLow!

 

An intake is not going to help you with that issue.


Either get the OV tune, Pedal programmer, Custom Supercharger, Engine swap, or new truck.

 

This.

Or get a MT.

You've got a motor that wants to run hot and a transmission that won't let it.

 

I have a MT and its still slow as shit. Toyota dropped the ball tuning this thing. Response is absolutely the WORST.

 

I'm trying to stay positive about it, but its pretty damn bad in this weather.

 

Im in Texas, so we don't have it any worse than you. Honestly ive just come to terms with this truck being the way it is.

 

You're not pushing the pedal hard enough.

Let her get around 3-3.5K before you shift.

 

It's my understanding that ALL K&N CAI's will pop your check engine light.......EXCEPT for the blackhawk

 

Any harder and my foot will be passed the floorboard. Trust me, I know how to drive. These trucks just blow performance wise.

 

I do a lot of towing with mine and I've never been at a loss for power.

BUT... that's just my experience. Yours is obviously different.

 

Most cai's come on around 4000 rpm and up and unless u r racing it, how many beat the crap out of their truck and stay in a high rpm range?, it's a truck not a race car, u want a fast car buy a mustang/Camaro or challenger, the truck has 280 hp, mine runs fine..very happy with it..

 

I actually think the truck drives better with payload. Its these commuting trips that are pissing me off. I need a little more low end torque and its just not happening. I give it gas and it seems like I really don't get any pull until I get up around 80+mph. I basically end up speeding just trying to get this thing up and moving.

 

Thats just it. I'm trying not to beat the shit out of it. Seems like all the power is in a really impractical spot with this motor.

 

I added the shift sense pro and it really helps, so does the ect button..

 

Thanks, man. I'll look more into shift sense.

 

Good luck

 

Honestly its mainly the throttle response. You don't want sudden acceleration when you are towing, so the performance the truck offers is fine.

However, if you are trying to take off from a light, pass, or accelerate quickly, this truck is terrible. A good way to see what im talking about is by placing the truck in a low gear and quickly press and depress the throttle pedal. In any normal vehicle the whole vehicle would buck because of the throttle being applied. In the Tacoma it doesn't do SHIT. The throttle is sooo unresponsive and limited by the ECU.

That's why I said the best thing would be either an OVtune or pedal commander. I don't have experience with either so take that fwiw.

 

Bingo