K&N Cold Air Intake Installed... Sounds Terrible

[Farva20]

Purchased and installed a K&N Cold Air Intake for my 2021 5.0 Lariat. I have always installed a CAI in all of my trucks and when you go full throttle on this it sounds terrible. I know they do not have a 2021 released version yet but I saw a video on here that it was a carry over accessory just need to add a vacuum seal which I did to one of the ports on the tube. I am truly contemplating returning it. Anyone else install a CAI on their 2021 5.0??

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[Agashi25]

Purchased and installed a K&N Cold Air Intake for my 2021 5.0 Lariat. I have always installed a CAI in all of my trucks and when you go full throttle on this it sounds terrible. I know they do not have a 2021 released version yet but I saw a video on here that it was a carry over accessory just need to add a vacuum seal which I did to one of the ports on the tube. I am truly contemplating returning it. Anyone else install a CAI on their 2021 5.0??

Personally, I would pass on a CAI. I would wait a year and see what’s out there. Not a fan of carry over parts with mods.

 

[Pinero]

The only thing they really add is noise, anyway. Vehicle intakes aren’t nearly as restrictive as they used to be. You’re better off just doing a decent drop-in filter.

 

[LIVRaptor]

Purchased and installed a K&N Cold Air Intake for my 2021 5.0 Lariat. I have always installed a CAI in all of my trucks and when you go full throttle on this it sounds terrible. I know they do not have a 2021 released version yet but I saw a video on here that it was a carry over accessory just need to add a vacuum seal which I did to one of the ports on the tube. I am truly contemplating returning it. Anyone else install a CAI on their 2021 5.0??

Any way to get the sound on video?

 

[Farva20]

Any way to get the sound on video?

I will see if I can try and get a video today. It really only sounds terrible at full throttle.

 

[Farva20]

The only thing they really add is noise, anyway. Vehicle intakes aren’t nearly as restrictive as they used to be. You’re better off just doing a decent drop-in filter.

Yes... there is always the guy that says "it only add noise"... To each their own.

 

[Pinero]

Yes... there is always the guy that says "it only add noise"... To each their own.

It’s not really “to each their own” when there’s data to back up a statement. I install intakes on every vehicle I own, but all they add is noise. Good noise.

Also, where is my god damn liter of cola?!

 

[Pedaldude]

Maybe, if you had a car or motorcycle built in the bad old days of the late 70’s to late 80’s, you might improve performance by tossing the factory intake but anything from the last two decades you will be ruining your torque curve and hurting overall performance. The factory intakes have resonance chambers and tubes tuned to maximize flow and eliminate standing waves at certain rpms, they’re really quite remarkable, building on knowledge from the most cutting edge performance engines, oil soaked filter elements are as much of an anachronism as fuzzy dice on the rear view mirror.

These newer factory intakes are all very well tuned and some take advantage of the ram air effect on the highway. They all take the air from outside the engine compartment and most of these “Cold Air Intakes” should be called “Hot Air Intakes,” because that’s what they are; literally and figuratively. On an otherwise stock engine, your best performance will be with the stock intake.

 

[Jim Bandy]

All I plan on doing is dropping in a K&N air filter itself. Had one on my 2016.

 

[Pedaldude]

Somewhere on YouTube is a pretty good comparison of the drop-in filters. There’s a test rig and the flow and particulate filtering is tested. I believe that the K&N did well for airflow but naturally, didn’t do as well for particles as the paper filters.

I’m in the desert and there’s some days where it’s so dusty I won’t go outside. I also change the paper filters every other oil change unless I get stuck in a dust storm.

For the past eight years, I’ve been riding my bicycle while wearing a dust mask. I used to get funny looks now and then but not anymore!

If K&N were really on the ball, they would be selling Covid masks!

 

[Pinero]

Maybe, if you had a car or motorcycle built in the bad old days of the late 70’s to late 80’s, you might improve performance by tossing the factory intake but anything from the last two decades you will be ruining your torque curve and hurting overall performance. The factory intakes have resonance chambers and tubes tuned to maximize flow and eliminate standing waves at certain rpms, they’re really quite remarkable, building on knowledge from the most cutting edge performance engines, oil soaked filter elements are as much of an anachronism as fuzzy dice on the rear view mirror.

These newer factory intakes are all very well tuned and some take advantage of the ram air effect on the highway. They all take the air from outside the engine compartment and most of these “Cold Air Intakes” should be called “Hot Air Intakes,” because that’s what they are; literally and figuratively. On an otherwise stock engine, your best performance will be with the stock intake.

There’s a few exceptions to this, but this is mostly correct. Any intake that doesn’t seal to the factory air box or route to an actual cold air inlet is dumping hot air into your engine. Air density is one of the biggest factors in engine performance.

 

[apMechorse]

If K&N were really on the ball, they would be selling Covid masks!

Ask and ye shall receive!

https://www.knfilters.com/masks

 

[Jaylars]

Modern fitments won't gain anything from a CAI unless they are either turbo or supercharged. Almost every NA engine today is already CAI from the factory and gains will be little to none and definatly not worth the crazy prices being asked for from aftermarket dealers. When tuned, the story changes though.

 

[canes1]

Going to wait until there are cai's for the 2021 here.

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