I have driven a Ford F-150 XLT since Oct 2005. Sadly, my baby decided she needed to cross the Rainbow bridge and 1 month and 1 day shy of 13 years, and 235,000 miles - it was time for a new one. I added an AirRaid CAI and an Edge Evolution tuner on the last truck 2 weeks after buying it and would guess that driving it right, keeping the maintenance up, etc. contributed to the 235k on original engine and tranny. I added the Edge pretty much to get the tranny to not shift like I was driving my grandmothers station wagon.

2018 F-150 XLT, 2.7l is the new one. I am not planning on tuning the new truck but am considering the CAI. On the last truck, I had a noticeable (although slight) increase in gas mileage. Factor that slight increase in over 13 years and 235k...

If I am not planning on tuning it, daily driver, nothing special, normal or eco mode 90% of the time with almost zero towing and sport mode on occasion for some fun - would I be wasting my money on the CAI? If not, and I go that route - open air box like the K&N or closed air box like the AirRaid?

Would my needs be served by just replacing the stock filter with a K&N drop in replacement?

Thanks in advance.

 

Not sure about your old truck, but these newer trucks (at least back to 2011) come from the factory with a CAI. Most of the aftermarket intakes that claim to be a CAI are really more of a WAI (Warm Air Intake). They pull air from the factory location in (cooler air), but also pull hot air from under the hood.

 

My guess. your MPG increase is/was from the tuner. I have a hot air intake and it does nothing but look "cool" and sound a tad louder.
IMO, yeah...you're wasting your money.

 

There's no way that you know your mileage improved if you added the tuner and "cold" air intake after just two weeks.

You haven't defined your "needs". Plus you're blending tuner gains with "cold" air gains. Even though, as above, there are no known gains.

How is the air "cold", compared to the stock system?

Product marketing is powerful with these magic performance "upgrades". Bright red filter media, tiny performance gains amplified in the ad literature, no mention of the downside of dusty air. Lots of customers though.

 

but it's so shiny...

 

Open the hood and look where the intake of the factory air box is, then look at the aftermarkets. It is quite apparent that the aftermarkets are not true CAI. The only thing that can improve on the factory box is if it has a larger intake that draws outside air, and a larger pipe to a larger throttle body. Other than that it is as stated above, Glimmer. If you were to put a larger intake on, then of course a tune is required to make any benefit from it.

 

I think what folks are trying to tell you is to save your money. You will not have any performance or mpg gains.

Ford is trying to squeeze all the gas mileage they can out of their engines. They've done a pretty good job. Leaving your engine stock, you won't do anything but lighten your wallet by replacing air intake. (CAI)

 

After looking at this a little closer, to be honest, functionality wise, I just can't see much of a difference between the stock air box and intake vs. the AirRaid. Maybe I'll just put a K&N filter in the stock box and call it day, and take that $400 and put it somewhere else.

Needs - daily driver pickup, barely any towing. Buggie and trailer stay at the camp now - I've used my trailer once in the last 18 months. Gas mileage and longevity are my primary concerns - I had my last truck a long time. Would like to do the same with this one.

Trying to research this brings up 1000 forums and 10,000 posts going back 15 years. Don't have the time, or patience, to wade through all of that. I just always wondered if the cold air kit and filter helped me get the use I did out of the old truck, or not, and figured I'd err on the side of caution.

However, the stock airbox on this truck looks suspiciously like a lot of the CAI I am seeing in the research and a lot like the closed box version from AirRaid I was really looking at, just not as shiny or... not stock... looking. Overkill on air supply is overkill.

As to adding a tuner, not sure. Wasn't planning on it. It seems as if they are all about LOOK HOW FAST MY TRUCK CAN GO! and not the more sedate mentality of how much damn money can I save on gas. I don't drive like a grandpa coming back from church on Sunday, but my days of doggin' my truck because I can are over. Repairs are expensive, gas is expensive, tickets are expensive.

Probably just drop in the K&N or equivalent high end stock replacement and call it a day, unless I can find research somewhere that says otherwise.

 

With that being said... go with the K&n or is there other premium quality filters I should be looking at? Remember, I have had an AirRaid for 13 years so a little out of the loop on replaceable filters.

 

Stick with a Motorcraft filter, it flows as much air as the engine will ever need and is the best protection for the turbo charger.
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