exhaust and cold air intake mods to high miles 1996 2.4 tacoma questions

New to the site and have done some reading on it before becoming a member...

got a 1996 tacoma 2.4 2wd manual from a friend that has close to 190,000 miles on it. as far as i know it is all stock and running fine. did a tune up and some body work to it. noticed a few days ago that the exhaust manifold was cracked so started to do some searching online for a new one. quickly found out about headers and bought a tri y header for it. while learning about the difference between manifolds and headers i seen other things that can be done to improve performance throughout the exhaust system and a k&n cold air intake. not interested in a turbo after reading on it, not comfortable testing out that expensive system that will most likely blow up the motor.

on my inexperienced and uneducated searches would like to put header (already bought), gutted or high flow cat and a flow master 40 in the exhaust system and also a k&n cold air intake. while reading up on this on tacoma forums it seems there is a fine balance between performance enhancing and causing problems with any engine regardless of how old/high miles it is.

I am not looking for it to be a race car and do not drive like a pissed off teenager. just want to do a few mods to it a get as much hp with simple things and not be harmful to this high miles engine.

any advise? Thanks

 

Afe drop in filter. Watch this:



Save that $$$ for some better suspension so you have performance when you enter a turn

 

Take all the money you plan on spending on parts, buy gas when the needle gets close to E.

 

Thanks for the replies. thanks for the video. the afe style filter is already whats in the truck. I am guessing i should be looking for one that claims its a performance one? did some searching could only find "performance" ones for 2.7. do you know of any for 2.4 that will fit in the stock air filter box.