Hi, I have a 2005 f150 4x4, 2inch level and 33's. 5.4 with a k&n CAI recently installed, it has 105, 000 miles and is a daily driver, i have been the only owner. I recently ordered a gryphon and am waiting on it to arrive. I purchased and installed the CAI before doing an extensive amount of research which I now regret. I have read almost every post on these forums about CAI's and have realized they aren't really necessary with a gryphon programmer. My question is about the long term problems that could be associated with having the CAI installed due to it making the engine run lean. The k&n website says the the 5.4 can adapt to the change in air flow, is this true? Would it be a better idea to just take the hit on the cai and replace the factory intake? Also, is the gryphon programmer known to have any issues affecting the engine, provided I keep everything in spec with the manufacturer and do not tinker with things i have little knowledge of? My primary goal is to get a bit more power but I do not want to sacrifice the long term life of the vehicle.

 

Have had a K&N 77 Series on for about 25,000 miles now. Have not had an issue, yes it runs lean. It is more opinion than fact as for whether it will damage the engine. My engine is still running strong, but it does bog at takeoff due to too much air being sucked into the engine. The Gryphon will fix this issue. Cold air really doesn't affect your engine much, I see maybe a 1mpg increase in mileage, and a cool sound, but that's about it. Obviously the pickup is only able to suck as much air as the entire air intake system will allow, so you are bottlenecking at the throttle body and the intake manifold, and even after replacing those with high performance parts, you are probably going to bottleneck at the fuel injectors or the fuel pump. So for the intake to do anything they are "advertised" to do, you are looking at 10,000 dollars in upgrades before anything is affected. In fact, I remember reading that they don't really allow an increase in horsepower until after the 700 horse mark.

 

So is a K&N cold air intake bad for your truck? I have an 04 f150 5.4l V8 and I've been wanting one for a while but now I'm thinking twice about it. I found a good deal for one on craigslist so any feedback would be helpful. Thanks!

 

Krucyfyx,

thanks for the response. It's hard because you would think that if CAI's were destroying engines there would be more definitive proof on the subject. My Gryphon is in the mail so hopefully it wont be an issue. How many miles are on your truck? Are you running a custom tune with the gryphon, or just using their "canned" tunes?

 

I have 83,000 on my truck at this point in time. I'm running Gryphon custom tunes (I have alot of engine work into my truck now too) and I have pulled off the k & n and put stock back on and felt absolutely no change. K&N is smoking crack if those dyno sheets on their website are real.

I honestly dont think it is destroying the engine at all, Ive worked on vehicles since i was 10, and at 20 years old even my father (Who has been a mechanic for 30 years) doesnt think it does **** to the engine as far as performance or hindrance.

 

When everyone says the truck will run "lean" is anyone actually using a wideband to test this or are they going off of factory O2 sensor readings?

 

When I bought my truck it had an airaid CAI and at about 65 mph I had a very weird vibration and thought it was the famous torque converter shudder but I replaced the CAI with a stock one I bought from a member and the weird vibration went away. So I'm thinking it was combining with the straight exhaust and making bad vibration. But now it's gone and I'm getting better mpgs with stock intake and gotts mod. 35s 6in lift 4.56 gears and edge programmer.

 

I checked using a wideband and checking diagnostics after downloading to my laptop. they definitely lean out the engine, but not enough to cause any long term damage.

 

That's cool, I was just asking because so many people read one person's post (I don't mean yours) and then it becomes gospel. I just found it hard to believe that just by adding a simple CAI that the ecu wouldn't compensate for the incresed airflow.

When was it lean? - and what kind of numbers were you looking at? Did you have a bung welded in and where? Just curious. I have tuned using a innovate wideband, it's the only way to go.

 

I dont remember exact numbers, but there was no need to weld a bung in. It isn't running THAT lean. It only seems to run lean under heavy acceleration. I thought the same thing though so i decided to research myself. Turns out the stock ECU does not have the capability to adjust to the Mass Air Flow that the cold air provides.

It is a very easy fix with a custom tune, however.