i just got my first f150, its a 1987 5.0 efi, and i want to put a cold air intake system on it. i've heard people say you can take the air hose off of like a 1995 f150 and just stick a k&n filter on there. my pickup has the maf sensor on it and i was wondering if the different hose and filter would mess with it? maybe someone knows a better way to put a cold air intake on it?

 

well a true CAI takes in air from outside of the engine bay. one that you're seeming to go for will just help you suck alot of hot air from the engine bay. to see a real performance gain, do a drop-in K&N filter into the stock air box then insulate all the components of the intake with a heat insulation so that as it travels to the engine, it can actually stay cold. some people craft up a sort of ram air intake that goes from the grill to the air box. basically as you start to move and air is flowing through your grill, the pipe you fabbed up is having air forced into it and into the box. oh, and welcome to the forum

 

thanks for the advise, will that help with the gas mileage as much as the "cold-air intake" filter?

 

it'll help out with mileage a bit. check out post #8 on this thread.

https://www.f150forum.com/f10/better...y-truck-47148/

 

thanks a lot, much appreciated

 

'87 doesn't have MAF. Did you put that on there?

 

Your EFI engine is already CAI. The problem is, your engine is MAP not MAF, so it can only process so much air flow before leaning out. So, stick w/ a K&N drop-in and call it a day! You have the same engine/yr I do. It will always do better w/ cooler, denser air than warmer, thinner air.

 

forgot about lean/rich! maybe he actually does have a MAF, lucky....

 

My "Vulcan senses" say no! On an 87' a MAF conversion requires money, elbow grease, or both. Not to many people want to put too much of either in one. Unless their milage is low like mine w/ only 83K. Anyway, possible, but not probable!

 

I don't know what your intake configuration looks like, but I have fashioned cold air intake systems before and I've seen other CAI's fashioned by other gear heads. I made a CAI for an Integra GSR By taking a long flexible but ribbed plastic hose. I clamped it into the intake in front of the sensors, etc and routed it down close to the ground and added a cone K&N filter. It worked pretty well but it was dangerous due to the possibility of sucking in water and hydro-locking the engine when driving in deep enough water. I've also done things like cutting holes in the fender well and building a sealed box over the cut out with the K&N cone filter and a hose of some type leading the air into the MAF or MAS.

My friend with a '93 Mustang GT also fashioned a similar set-up. Other units are similar to the stock intake in my '94 F150 where they pickup air fron under the hood but before the radiator, etc.
I some Japanese cars like the early Miatas, there is actually a high pressure area just in front of the windshield where the windshield wipers' mechanism is. Some folks made intakes that pull the air from that area and route it to the intake via a variety of hoses.

You are only limited by your imagination, ingenuity and your finances

Good luck