I bought a CGS cold air intake on E-bay for my 2004 5.4l 3valve. This is the new body style. It causes the engine light to come on.

Guy at CGS says: “Yes it will cause the engine light to come on because the computer thinks it is seeing too much air flow. We quit making the intake for that model a couple of years ago. We even bought intakes from K&N and Airaid and they do the same thing! K&N and Airaid tell customers to ignore the engine light. Using our intake will not hurt anything on your vehicle but we choose to not tell our customers to do so.”

Apparently, if I get a flash programmer, I can correct this problem that seems to exist only with the 2004 new body style. Is this correct? I don’t know squat about flash programmers. I have googled them and do not find anything that is helpful with the workings of these critters. Does anybody know of a tutorial for these? I’ve heard of this being done with a laptop also.

I see that SCT has programmer models for performance and others for economy. Are here models that will program for either/or?

Thanks

 

Um...gonna cal B.S. on the saying it won't hurt your truck. The light is on because now your truck is running very lean for the OEM program on your computer. And they were right, there is no part listing for the 5.4 04+. Wonder what their issue was???

By adding a programmer, the new tune that it uses helps to alter the a/f ratio (among several other things) to use all that extra air you are getting in.

AS for the SCT performance/mileage tune. When you get a perormance tune you get the increase in MPG's. As long as you can keep foot out of it. If You get a MPG tune, it will increase your MPG's over the performance, but only slightly and the shifts and power will be sluggish. Especially compared the the performance tune. You best bet is to get the tuner you want, *cough SCT* and get a custom tune for your truck with it's specific mods.

 

I agree. Put the stock intake back on until you get a tuner (SCTX3) and get the truck tuned properly. Good luck.

 

DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT ignore any check engine light. Any reputable dealer who tells you to do otherwise isn't a dealer I'd be doing business with. The CAI is probably making your engine run lean and to continue to do so will only cause more damage to your engine. Put your stock intake back on there until you can get a proper tuner (SCT Xcal III or Livewire) and some custom tunes designed specifically for the CAI you want to run.

 

Thanks for the help. I'd already shelved the CAI until I can get a tuner. I was hoping Santa would deliver one but I realy haven't been that good this year!

 

i was thinking of getting a cold air intake for my 05 f150 5.4, does this mean that i have to get a tuner at the same time i get an intake, or the same thing will happen to me?????

 

I suggest getting them together and having the tuner programed for your intake. To me if the CAI really works it makes sense that you would need a re-tune to adjust for it.

 

No, most of the CAI's do not require a tuner. This one had issues and is no longer in production apparently. The 3.5' AF1 requires a tune, but I think that is it. The MFG's would not sell any if everyone they sold required a tuner. They will make your vehicle run on the lean side, but it should not cause a CEL issue.

My AFE lets in alot of air. When I ordered my Troyer tunes they requested alot of data logging because "those AFE Stage 2's let in lots of extra air" per their order dept. I have had no issues and I ran it for months before exhaust or tunes.

 

All CAIs should have a tune. Even if the CEL does not come on the engine is running at the ragged edge of its control on the AF ratio. From the factory Ford tunes these engines lean. Adding a CAI makes it worse, or at least harder for the computer to compensate. Even if the CEL is not on if you did an AF Reading I guarantee it is in the high 14s low 15s. N/A it should be 13.1