CAI Did I screw up?

[Bambohunter]

Haven’t had my truck a week and I already purchased and installed a JLT catch can and an AFE cold air intake. After reading these forums I’m wondering if I just wasted $350. Thoughts? I was told if I didn’t like it I could return it.


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[dts828]

Haven’t had my truck a week and I already purchased and installed a JLT catch can and an AFE cold air intake. After reading these forums I’m wondering if I just wasted $350. Thoughts? I was told if I didn’t like it I could return it.


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IMO CAI intakes are useless performance wise unless you have other modifications and a custom tune to go with it. Then you will see some(but nothing crazy) performance benifits other wise just some addition noise on stock trucks. My opinion for what's it worth

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[HemiDude]

Depends, what were you looking to achieve with your mods? Cai's do offer benefits including a look or sound you might get be after, and can help increase needed airflow if you do further upgrades. Catch can benefits are also arguable. Neither upgrade will result in negative effects, so at the very least you are no worse off than stock. I have a cc, and a high-flow air filter, and am happy with my choices.

 

[Bambohunter]

IMO CAI intakes are useless performance wise unless you have other modifications and a custom tune to go with it. Then you will see some(but nothing crazy) performance benifits other wise just some addition noise on stock trucks. My opinion for what's it worth

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I plan on doing a cat back exhaust for sure. Not sure about the tune just yet.


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[Ramjack]

Personally, I would ditch the CAI and keep the catch can.

 

[MValdez]

My first mod was the exhaust. I went with the Magnaflow catback 19429 and I was happy with the decision being that the exhaust note was not too loud & aggressive but just right IMO. Then I swapped out the stock intake and installed the afe stage 2 cai on my 5.7 hemi and instantly noticed a power loss in acceleration But Boy I tell you when paired with the magnaflow exhaust the AFE CAI my truck sounded soooo good the loss of power was fine with me.

 

[Trooper4]

The engine is just a fancy air pump. Volume in, volume out. But without some internal mode, and computer adjustments, it's hard to improve much over stock performance wise. On a Duramax I had I went to a bigger freeflow exhaust, cold air intake, and tuner. Saw some great gains in performance and fuel mileage with the superchips, but the Duramax was an '05, so it was fairly easy to get some decent gains. The 5.7 is a little tougher at a stock near 400hp, besides being gas.

 

[dts828]

I plan on doing a cat back exhaust for sure. Not sure about the tune just yet.


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The tune is where you will see the increase and get the additional benifits from the Cai and exhaust. Of course FCA doesn't make it easy since they lock the pcm against tuning so now after you buy the tuner you either need to send your pcm out to unlocked or buy a new unlocked PCM.

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[SD Rebel]

The only mod my dealer service advisor warned me about was a CAI, mainly because it could change the airflow and negatively effect the factory "tune" as it were. At least that's what he thought based on his experience with aftermarket CAI. They could care less about exhaust, mufflers, wheels/tires, and most basic suspension levels and kits.

I'm not sure modern trucks are tuned in a way were it honestly would matter, but if I were to get a CAI, I would have gotten the Mopar one to avoid any issues with the dealer.

Either way, I suspect it's similar to changing a muffler. As in you get additional sound instead of performance.

 

[Bambohunter]

My first mod was the exhaust. I went with the Magnaflow catback 19429 and I was happy with the decision being that the exhaust note was not too loud & aggressive but just right IMO. Then I swapped out the stock intake and installed the afe stage 2 cai on my 5.7 hemi and instantly noticed a power loss in acceleration But Boy I tell you when paired with the magnaflow exhaust the AFE CAI my truck sounded soooo good the loss of power was fine with me.

I guess I didn’t drive it long enough with the stock box to notice a power loss


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[Ramjack]

The only mod my dealer service advisor warned me about was a CAI, mainly because it could change the airflow and negatively effect the factory "tune" as it were. At least that's what he thought based on his experience with aftermarket CAI. They could care less about exhaust, mufflers, wheels/tires, and most basic suspension levels and kits.

There is so much misinformation out there on this. The ECU senses the amount of airflow and adjusts accordingly. This has been the case ever since mass airflow sensors have been used (over 30 yrs). If not, our trucks would not run right at high altitude. Granted, they lose significant power at high altitude, but they run as designed. Yes, you can gain from a tune, but you can gain from a tune w/o a CAI also.

Under federal law (see Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act), they cannot void your warranty due to the use of aftermarket parts unless they can prove it was the cause of the failure. However, from a practical standpoint, they can say they are going to void your warranty and put you in the inconvenient (and expensive) position of having to fight them over it. Only you can decide if it's worth it. If you're willing to take them to small claims court, they likely won't fight. You'll either win or they will settle. The challenge might be getting them to comply with the judgment/settlement.

 

[brian42]

The engine is just a fancy air pump. Volume in, volume out. But without some internal mode, and computer adjustments, it's hard to improve much over stock performance wise. On a Duramax I had I went to a bigger freeflow exhaust, cold air intake, and tuner. Saw some great gains in performance and fuel mileage with the superchips, but the Duramax was an '05, so it was fairly easy to get some decent gains. The 5.7 is a little tougher at a stock near 400hp, besides being gas.

As others have mentioned there is no real gain outside of visual and audible satisfaction unless you're going to get an unlocked PCM and tune. Even then you can only get so much from those bolt-ons (intake, exhaust, etc.) without any engine modifications.

Like Trooper4, I had an older pre-emissions diesel (2003 Ford F-250). Diesels are easier to "hot rod" as they are truly an air pump with no spark plugs so the more air you can stuff in and the more exhaust gases you can clear from the cylinder each cycle means more power available. A freer flowing exhaust (that removes kinks in the bends), a higher flowing intake, and a modified turbo coupled with tuning and you're off to the races. A gas engine has more factors to deal with to raise the power level.

Just my .02

 

[SD Rebel]

There is so much misinformation out there on this. The ECU senses the amount of airflow and adjusts accordingly. This has been the case ever since mass airflow sensors have been used (over 30 yrs). If not, our trucks would not run right at high altitude. Granted, they lose significant power at high altitude, but they run as designed. Yes, you can gain from a tune, but you can gain from a tune w/o a CAI also.

Under federal law (see Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act), they cannot void your warranty due to the use of aftermarket parts unless they can prove it was the cause of the failure. However, from a practical standpoint, they can say they are going to void your warranty and put you in the inconvenient (and expensive) position of having to fight them over it. Only you can decide if it's worth it. If you're willing to take them to small claims court, they likely won't fight. You'll either win or they will settle. The challenge might be getting them to comply with the judgment/settlement.

Absolutely, I noted that as well. I don't believe it would be an issue, though I've seen people have issues on modern cars with CAI before where it would trigger a CEL for some reason.

Also agree on the Magnuson-Moss act, but I've also seen dealerships clamp down on a repair and dragging it out to the point where it needed to go to court to get them to do it and at that point it wasn't financially worth the effort.

Just noting that some cold air intakes have had issues with modern car and be careful here.

 

[Ramjack]

Absolutely, I noted that as well. I don't believe it would be an issue, though I've seen people have issues on modern cars with CAI before where it would trigger a CEL for some reason.

Also agree on the Magnuson-Moss act, but I've also seen dealerships clamp down on a repair and dragging it out to the point where it needed to go to court to get them to do it and at that point it wasn't financially worth the effort.

Just noting that some cold air intakes have had issues with modern car and be careful here.

Sure, there are some CAI's that will throw a code because it puts things outside the parameters within which the ECU was programmed to adjust. Absolutely a fair point.

 

[Bambohunter]

Sure, there are some CAI's that will throw a code because it puts things outside the parameters within which the ECU was programmed to work.

If it’s going to through a code will it usually do it immediately?


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[Ramjack]

If it’s going to through a code will it usually do it immediately?


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Good question. I think the answer is: Usually but certainly not always. (Not very helpful, eh?)

 

[Bambohunter]

Good question. I think the answer is: Usually but certainly not always. (Not very helpful, eh?)

Pretty much the response I expected lol. I like the way it looks and sounds now. So may just keep it. The more I think about it I’ll probably never do a tune but I’m sure I’ll do an exhaust.will the exhaust sound change much with CAI? I’ve never done a full cat back always a muffler swap. Going borla s type for this truck


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[Ramjack]

Pretty much the response I expected lol. I like the way it looks and sounds now. So may just keep it. The more I think about it I’ll probably never do a tune but I’m sure I’ll do an exhaust.will the exhaust sound change much with CAI? I’ve never done a full cat back always a muffler swap. Going borla s type for this truck


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Are you asking if an aftermarket exhaust will sound differently with CAI vs stock airbox? I wouldn't think so, but somebody else will know for sure.

 

[brian42]

Since it has to go through the engine first an intake change alone won't have any affect on the exhaust.

 

[MValdez]

The AFE Magnum force stage 2 CAI is designed with an open face heat shield housing replacing the covered factory intake box and there is a noticeable sound note from the engine up front.