F150 Cold Air Intakes

F150 Cold Air Intake Breakdown

Cold air intakes are some of the most popular parts out there for the 19997-2018 F150s, and despite their general simplicity, there's still a few things you ought to know before taking a plunge into the wide world of cold air intake kits.

Dry vs. Oiled Filters

Oiled filters are the most common type of air filter on aftermarket intakes. These use a filter media material that requires specific oil, which is a design that goes back decades. In general, oiled filters tend to flow better and more efficiently capture particles than dry filters, but you do have to re-oil them periodically which adds to maintenance time. Over-oiling a filter can also gum up your MAF or MAP sensors, which can cause issues. Dry filters use a media that does not require filter oil. Some dry air filters are reusable, while some are disposable. Whatever dry filter you end up with will be less hassle than an oiled filter and can save you time on maintenance and cleaning. However, dry filters tend not to flow or filter as efficiently as oiled filters, though you won't have issues with engine performance or longevity.

Open Air vs. Closed Box Intakes

Basically all intake systems feature one of two general designs for their air box assemblies: open air element or closed box. Open Air Intakes feature a filter that's either fully or partially exposed to the rest of the engine bay, while Closed Box Intakes encase the filter with a more comprehensive air box assembly. In theory, Open Air Element Intakes offer a larger volume of charge air, while a Closed Box System offers cooler temperatures. In practice out in the real world, the difference between the two power-wise isn't really measurable, though closed-box intakes tend to be much quieter than Open-Air Element Systems.

Power Gains

One of the most common questions we get asked is "what kind of power can I get from an intake?" It's a surprisingly difficult question to answer given that manufacturers quoted numbers can vary pretty wildly between each other and the real world, intake power levels are heavily dependent on other modifications and tuning, and the the fact that it's tough to find real-world dyno results for just intakes alone. All results are going to vary, and we can't guarantee any particular power gains. That being said, typical gains from an intake alone can range from 5-15 peak horsepower on most engine types with just an intake alone.