Increasing the performance and power of your truck does not require installing a new engine or transmission, although these can definitely be options. An easy-to-install option that is gaining popularity with trucks is the cold air intake. Cold air intakes have long been a staple of race cars and street racing, but they can just as easily be applied to your truck. Why would you install a cold air intake on your truck? Let’s see how they work, first.
A cold air intake system replaces the OEM air filter and intake system. You will usually need to remove the original breather box as well as the pipe leading to the engine. By installing a cold air intake, you can add horsepower to your truck. This happens because a cold air intake brings cooler air to your engine. Cold air is much denser than hot air. This means your engine can burn fuel much more efficiently, increasing its available power. While the gain won’t be incredible, it will be noticeable.
The cold air intake system is usually routed similar to your OEM system, on the engine. However, as you travel from there, you’ll end up in a different location. This is usually low on the engine, behind the headlights, or even lower. The goal is to move the heat intake away from your engine as much as possible. This is the only way to get cool enough air to do the job properly.
What else does a cold air intake do for your vehicle? It can increase fuel economy under certain conditions, although that’s not why most people install them in their vehicles. The main reason, of course, is to add power in the form of speed and torque. Some of the more popular brands are K&N and Volant. Understand, too, that adding a cold air intake to your truck will change the way your truck sounds. While it won’t sound like a street racer, it will definitely sound different.
Now, let’s look at some of the drawbacks of adding a cold air intake.
First, there is the expense. While they are relatively inexpensive compared to other truck accessories and performance enhancers, they represent at least a modest investment. You must also modify your vehicle; many times by yourself. Some dealers will not install these devices on trucks, while others will charge hefty labor fees.
However, the biggest drawback comes in the form of water. This threat is much more prevalent in shorter vehicles, such as passenger cars, but is also present in trucks. The location of the air filter makes it possible for water to splash from the road or mud onto the air filter. From there it is sucked along the intake pipe until it reaches your engine. Once there, it wreaks havoc. Of course, it takes more than a few drops of water to disable the engine, but the threat is there and needs to be considered when discussing adding one of these systems to your truck.
That said, there are some drawbacks to this, especially in exchange for the extra power you’ll enjoy. You can find several quality systems that will work well in this situation, although K&N has been a trusted name for years. Their filters are designed to last a lifetime, and only cleaning is required to continue using the filter.
