This is just a little diddy about my take on intakes (no pun intended) from my experiences, opinions will differ I'm sure. What do you believe about the OEM intake on the new style trucks because different intake manufacturers take different approaches to making an intake system? While all the companies provide a high flow filter with their intakes, there are several different designs out there. AirAid and Pro Cold only replace the airbox saying the OEM intake tube is OK and doesn't hurt power. True Flow only replaces the tube and UPD replaces the lid and tube both saying the airbox flows enough air to feed the engine and the restriction is in the tube which contradicts what AirAid and Pro Cold say. While Volant and K&N replace everything! What are you suppose to believe? After trying and finding out that the Pro Cold is not head and shoulders above the rest (although I don't regret buying it and trying it), I believe there is no sure fire best. The Pro Cold is a quality intake, sturdy and well made unlike the UPD in my opinion, or why have people cracked the UPD intake tubes? My modifed OEM intake (ram-air mod) worked just as well as the Pro Cold in my opinion. I believe the ram-air (more of a cool air) mod works on the OEM airbox. I don't think it's benefits can be measured on the dyno, it helps when the truck is moving although it's not "raming" the air into the airbox but it does provide additional cool air which can't be bad. If you're strapped for money or can't see yourself spending $200 plus for an intake, do the home-made ram-air mod for $20-30. If you don't want to cut the air box, get a K&N drop in filter and an AirAid MIT intake tube and you'll basically have a True Flow intake for half the money. I didn't like the K&N FIPK, the filter was always hot which told me the engine was sucking in very hot air which hurts performance. Out of all the FIPK intakes I've had, I would say the UPD is the best for all around performance. Although, it's a bitch to get the tube on and off the throttle body, and it needs to be made sturdier. I would like to see it made out of the same plastic and be as thick as the OEM intake, say what you will about the OEM intake but it is very sturdy. Well what ever route you take, you may wonder if you should have got the other one instead. My little diddy is now over.
Jim

 

Since you have electric fans, you really need to try one of these $20 homemade jobbers: (your choice on the filter and filter placement)

 

i agree, seems to me the only limiting factors are: inlet size, filter media, tube diameter, air path [turns], and air temp. the stocker on mine had a squashed section near the tb, and the box inlets came from under the fender other than that it seemed fine. seems like the maf and tb diamter would be more of a limiting factor. a larger diameter tube with a restriction at either end doesn't seem like it would do much. insulating the tube seems more important to keep the charge cooler longer. these companies are trying to sell a product and my guess is , their testing and results are a little biased if not outright lies. be nice if consumer reports tested these products to see how valid their claims are. or the magazines, i read an article a few years ago where they bolted all the mods on one by one and dyno'ed them most helped, some like the $300 gms maf showed no gains.

 

i like the UPD, but would I buy it again?


Probably not. The quality is "home-made" and you got to admit, that the fit is shitty. It dosent align well, and you got to move the stock lower airbox up to make the UPD align correctly with the maf, lid, etc. The TB was a pain, and i had to use vaseline.


I did the air box, and felt a pretty good improvement. Overall I'm happy, but if i was gunna have $290 bucks to spend, I think the UPD would be a little further down on the list.

Good luck.

P.S.
The smoked UPD looks pimp though

 

I used to have an silverado. I had the AEM and Pro Cold after.....hands down the Pro Cold makes the power.....the most power...when I dynoed the truck at SLP a long ways back it made 18 RWHP.

Its worth the money. Only thing it squished the filter.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Another vote from me for the homemade kit.

 

Although it would be nice to see side by side dyno's of airbox/filter
replacements, with and without replacing the inlet tube to the t/b, I think
alot of the debate is marketing and manufacturers trying to get a pricepoint where people will buy the stuff. The full kits are going to be more expensive and may or may not make more power.
When I first put the Volant airbox/filter kit on my truck, they didn't offer the
inlet tube and told me by email the factory tube was designed to give a reserve of air for wot, that's why those chambers were there and they were working on a design that won't hurt performance. Now, volant's
kit includes an inlet tube that is similiar to the factory one, with a chamber on it.So, what does that tell me? That the factory tube is a good design and
volant's kit mimics it, they want to offer a high end kit for those that are willing to pay for it and that a kit that doesn't replace the intake tube is
probably pretty good.

Best, David

 

18 rwhp

 

any car that I've put an intake on made a marginal difference. It seems unless you are running forced induction or have a reason for the motor to suck more air than before, the gains will be minimal because there just isn't a huge restriction even in the stock intake. I could see maybe 5 rwhp out of a free flowing intake kit on a stock vehicle, and maybe 10 or 15 on a heavily modded or f/i vehicle.

I swapped the UPD for a Volant mainly because it was 'wet shot nozzle friendly', but also because I have had an Volant on my wife's focus for a few years and it it seemed like more of a quality peice. The material (I think polypropelene (sp)) does not get hot, and for the truck it has a 3" flange on the bottom for an easy ram air setup. Plus I got it on ebay for $250 shipped

 

LOL Tiburon....the AEM did 11.7 RWHP on the dyno for me. All I had was exhaust headers and intake. The pro cold did 17.8 to be exact.