What is your guys thoughts on an air intake for the 4.0? Is it worth it or is it a waste of money?
Thoughts on air intake?
- Thread starter TJDave
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- air intake cai ram air
A bigger throat, cold air intake, less restriction is always good.
But if it costs more than $50.00........
Just replace the filter more often.
But if it costs more than $50.00........
Just replace the filter more often.
05LJ
TJ Enthusiast
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- Nov 1, 2015
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Don't waste your money, the stock air system on TJ's is very good. Always a hot topic on the "other" boards but from actual personal experience? Lot spent, nothing gained except cleaner air over a spectre (K&N style) intake. Current LJ has stock air cleaner and will stay that way. Been there, done that.
There's no (!) benefit to a larger intake or "free-er" breathing air filter since the stock OE air intake system can easily flow far more air than the engine can possibly consume at wide-open throttle at redline rpms. It was specifically designed to be non-restrictive as opposed to some car air intakes which were designed to be restrictive for various reasons. 05LJ's advice was dead-on, don't waste your $$$.
Complete waste of money unless you're getting it for free. My TJ came with a Banks air intake. I sold it for the stock airbox and didn't lose any power whatsoever. In fact, I didn't notice a single difference at all when going back to the stock airbox.
The myth of an air intake has to be one of the Internets oldest ones.
The myth of an air intake has to be one of the Internets oldest ones.
True on the Wrangler TJ. It can help on some cars though, some air intakes have purposely added restrictions for reasons that include making it quieter to (surprisingly) reducing power. The Corvette brass at GM forced the Camaro people to reduce the power of the Z-28 because it was found to be faster than the standard Corvette... they did do by restricting its air intake. The Mustang 5.0L also has a restrictive air intake. Replacing their intakes with a performance/non-restrictive air intake can really boost their power.
The TJ, however, does not have a restrictive air intake so its performance won't be enhanced by swapping on an aftermarket air intake.
Yeah, I overspoke a bit there. It's one of those things where you go on just about any automotive forum and the first thing people will tell you is, "get an air intake" without any rhyme or reason.
I agree that there are some vehicles that can benefit from them due to restrictive stock air intakes. However, I think that's the minority as most vehicles don't have that issue. I wasn't aware of the 5.0 Mustang and the Camaro!
05LJ
TJ Enthusiast
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- Nov 1, 2015
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Ok for the old guys..... back in the day 60s and 70s, we would turn the top of the air cleaner over on our small block chevy powered pickups. Did it help with power? Who knows, we did it because it sounded pretty cool when you opened up that quadrajet carb.
badlieutenant
TJ Addict
I really want a new intake, simply for a little more throaty sound.
The one I want was like $300.
So no. Heh.
The one I want was like $300.
So no. Heh.
Ha yep I'm an old guy and I know what you mean on that Quadrajet carburetor, it could really make some noise with its air cleaner off. I was a kid in '64-65 driving my dad's '62 Olds Starfire with a 394 and Quadrajet and used to take the air cleaner off when we'd go cruising, it sounded pretty awesome to us high school kids for sure. I was sure shocked how badly it got beat by a buddy's 327 Chevy Nova in a street race behind the school. I was was even more shocked to hear him chirp his tires shifting into 3rd gear about a hundred yards in front of me on the street as his Nova blew my doors off lol. Those were the days... big V8s that rumbled!
Edit: Oh hey, I found this pic of a '62 Olds Starfilre with the same color as my dad's... was that a cool weekend ride for a teenager or what!
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I installed the MCAI system on mine and didn't notice any increase in power. I did gain about 1 to 1.5 mpg. What I really loved about the system was the filter it provided to my cabin air. In fact, although my current engine does not use it, I retain the scoop and the air filter for the cabin air.