K&N cold air intake going offroad?

[jleffert]

I never would have paid full freight for a K&N CAI but I happened find one used for $20 bucks and figured I couldn't pass it up. I'm a little concerned about installing it because I do some offroading. Nothing crazy and only a a few times a month, but I'm not sure if water/dust will become a major issue? Also if I do install it, should I look into getting a dry cone filter as opposed to the oiled K&N?

Has anyone else installed one and gone off road and if so what has been your experience? Thanks!

 

[nobb]

Those CAI's are junk and serve no purpose on a truck. Stick with the OEM setup...it's already drawing cold air from the fender!

 

[pluton]

Just so you know, the reason the K&N flows more air is that it also flows more airborne particles. Get a nice Toyota or Denso filter and know you have the best available, unless you want to frankenstein a big cyclonic filter from an earthmover onto your rig.

 

[JayRolla]

Get a dry filter. Don't cross deep water. If you do go very slow.

 

[dogtail]

I never would have paid full freight for a K&N CAI but I happened find one used for $20 bucks and figured I couldn't pass it up. I'm a little concerned about installing it because I do some offroading. Nothing crazy and only a a few times a month, but I'm not sure if water/dust will become a major issue? Also if I do install it, should I look into getting a dry cone filter as opposed to the oiled K&N?

Has anyone else installed one and gone off road and if so what has been your experience? Thanks!

Seems they're a waste when shown on a dyno, related myth busted stuff in search. I have seasonal cold air intake in Winter when its snowing, doesn't seem to make a difference.

 

[JayRolla]

Seems they're a waste when shown on a dyno, related myth busted stuff in search. I have seasonal cold air intake in Winter when its snowing, doesn't seem to make a difference.

If you add better flowing intake, cat, muffler, piping and headers you may get a little gain. It will help gas mileage.

Now on a turbo or SC vehicle gains are very noticeable. My turbo dsm makes noticeable more power in very cold weather. It love cool dense air.

IMO just the sound of a high flowing intake is worth it. I hate quiet motors.

 

[BackOff]

The K&N CAI Do actually work if you retune.
You need to use something like this.
http://urdusa.com/store/Electronics...1/URD-MAF-Sensor-Calibrator/product_info.html
Underdog Racing Development

If you don't it will just add more noise.
You will not see any MPG improvement.
You will use more fuel.
May not meet emissions testing.

They work just fine in the dirt and dust and mud.
Most likely the K&N will out last your 4runner.
You don't have to drench the filter with oil, lite spray, let it sit 10min., pat with dry paper towel...GTG.
True 'cold air intake' seems over rated.
Looking at my air intake temps, as soon as you start moving it read around 10* over the outside ambient temps.
Just sitting there it will read hotter, but I am not using any horse power or actually moving, so why then do I need colder outside air sitting still? I am not drag racing.

I am in no way, shape or form, affiliated with K&N.

 

[JayRolla]

The K&N CAI Do actually work if you retune.
You need to use something like this.
Underdog Racing Development
Underdog Racing Development

If you don't it will just add more noise.
You will not see any MPG improvement.
You will use more fuel.
May not meet emissions testing.

They work just fine in the dirt and dust and mud.
Most likely the K&N will out last your 4runner.
You don't have to drench the filter with oil, lite spray, let it sit 10min., pat with dry paper towel...GTG.
True 'cold air intake' seems over rated.
Looking at my air intake temps, as soon as you start moving it read around 10* over the outside ambient temps.
Just sitting there it will read hotter, but I am not using any horse power or actually moving, so why then do I need colder outside air sitting still? I am not drag racing.

I am in no way, shape or form, affiliated with K&N.

Not true. I have CAI and have monitored fuel trims. The ecu has more than enough compensation to handle an intake. More air is metered and mad tells ecu which they adjusts for good air/fuel ratio.

If your fuel trims max out then yes you need to retune. The cai won't add enough air to need tuning.

 

[BackOff]

Not true. I have CAI and have monitored fuel trims. The ecu has more than enough compensation to handle an intake. More air is metered and mad tells ecu which they adjusts for good air/fuel ratio.

If your fuel trims max out then yes you need to retune. The cai won't add enough air to need tuning.

I am just relaying what I have experienced.
The CAI by itself just made it louder, noticeably faster after the MAF CAL.
ScanGuage2 reads more HP after the retune.
I have not played with the 3rd gen runners.

 

[024rnrSport]

In my opinion, using a K&N filter to gain power is like running a quart low on oil to reduce weight.

MAYBE on a weekend turbo sports car but never on a 4runner.

 

[thenightman]

My experience running a K&N filter on my previous 4x4 is why I will NEVER use one on a 4x4 or a car I care about ever again. I installed one on my last "other brand" 4x4 and took it for a few trips to the local spot. Upon inspection I found fine gravel embedded in the mesh of the K&N, somehow even on both sides of the filtering element! What is even worse, there was even a few small pieces of gravel in the intake tube and filter box past the filter. I can only assume this fine gravel got sucked all the way through. I am not talking road sized gravel here, but fine stuff not much bigger then 1/8" across.
This is my two cents based on my experience. The area I was at has a ton of gravel, maybe as much gravel surface as dirt. If I could get some gravel past though who knows how much dirt came through.

 

[JayRolla]

I am just relaying what I have experienced.
The CAI by itself just made it louder, noticeably faster after the MAF CAL.
ScanGuage2 reads more HP after the retune.
I have not played with the 3rd gen runners.

Scangauge hp estimate is a joke. Butt Dyno works better. If power was gained it was due to the tune and nothing to do with cai. Stock tune is rich and leaning out can give a little hp.

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

actually the air from behind the fender isn't cold.. it is just cool air.

Those CAI's are junk and serve no purpose on a truck. Stick with the OEM setup...it's already drawing cold air from the fender!

 

[024rnrSport]

Cold air intakes are marketing b.s.. especially in a NA application.

 

[BackOff]

Damn you guys are even more hard headed than the 5th gen guys.

I would be more than happy to shut you guys up.
Point me to a local, Oregon, Dyno and we will see.

If its all just snake-oil, I will eat crow, no problem.

 

[024rnrSport]

Do whatever makes you happy. No need to sway my opinion. Gains are marginal at best and (when using a k&n) expose your intake/motor to more debris. There is zero "cold air" in the engine bay when the motor is running and the hood is shut. It doesn't take a dyno to point out these obvious facts. To each their own so I digress.

 

[gamefreakgc]

IMO just the sound of a high flowing intake is worth it. I hate quiet motors.

Haha, I drove a stock 4Runner a little while ago and besides having no power, I was unable to tell what the engine was doing because it was so quiet. Needless to say I like mine better.

To contribute to the thread, I noticed that more CAI's for 4Runners are actually making them as true CAI's. They either have the filter in a box which is attached to the stock air hole in the fender or have a barrier you install between the hood and the fender wall to keep hot engine air out. No idea if this makes a difference but noticed some companies are trying:

https://www.knfilters.com/air_intak...mp_mt=&pdv=c&gclid=CJ672aLLttQCFRVsfgod1BACMw