Post by 20007.3stroker on Nov 20, 2009 13:13:54 GMT -6
OK, so one of the most common modifications that anyone does when buying ANY type of vehicle is an intake modification. Weather it be a simple drop-in replacement filter or a whole custom setup that will put you back $400-500. Don’t worry, you CAN have your cake and eat it too!!
Aftermarket intake solutions are provided to the consumer to make it easy for anyone to bolt on a few extra foot/pounds of torque, but at what price. As of early 2007, the average diesel truck enthusiast is looking at spending anywhere from $200 to $500 for an intake system for a 99-03 Powerstroke pick-up. You can go mild to wild with this. AFE, Jobe Performance and may other companies offer many different configurations for the Powerstroke. These kits include replacement filter boxes, filter elements, and intake tubes and they can be installed by the average wrench turner in about one to two hours. These ‘one for all’ intake kits do work, though not all are willing to dish out the money for these kits. For the dollar minded enthusiast there is the Tymar Knockoff DIY kit. You can piece one together for about $40-50 and still have maximum filtration. Remember, filtration is very important for turboed engines and especially important for diesel engines. Hence, 200% more important for a Powerstroke.
When it comes to filtration, many believe that a high-flow filter provides better flow and better filtration than a stock filter element. How can this be? How can a material that allows more air past it capture more dust particulates? Simply, it can’t. The only way to truly get greater flow and filtration is with a larger filter element. Many have spent the money on the K&N filter elements over the years with the promise of a One Million Mile warranty only to find out that these filters are allowing large dust particals into their engines which are pitting turbos and scoring cylinder walls. Not to mention that the oil from these filters destroys the engine sensors in your intake tract. Your best bet for a filter element is one similar to Napa Part number FIL6637. It is MUCH larger than the stock unit and designed to replace heavy duty stock filter elements. Now, this filter is not a drop in for a stock or even some aftermarket intake systems. It would be up to you, the enthusiast to fabricate something if you choose to utilize this type of filter. If you MUST run a K&N-type oiled filter, I strongly suggest you use a prefilter or something similar. It will trap most of the larger and smaller particals before they get to the actual filter, reducing the number of particals that have the chance of getting past the filter. If you have a performance filter that is un-oiled, your doing better, though these filters still do not provide the protection against dust like the stock filter does.
I think we have covered all of the bases. We went over a wide price range of aftermarket intake solutions as well as some filter element solutions. When it all comes down to it, it’s all about what you, as the vehicle owner, wants and needs. If you only have $100 to spend and need the best you can get, then probably a Tymar DIY is in your future. If you want proven performance and have $300-400 to drop down, then maybe an AFE stage 2 is what you need, or, if you have $500+ to throw down and you don’t mind making some additional modifications under the hood, then maybe you would like the Jobe Performance intake. It’s all about what YOU want to do.
For DUSTY conditions I would certainly get the AIS like if you work on a ranch in Texas. For HIGH performance dragsters the AFE/Volant/Jobe is the way to go and for the regular chipped trucks the most bang for your buck is the DIY intake.
Aftermarket intake solutions are provided to the consumer to make it easy for anyone to bolt on a few extra foot/pounds of torque, but at what price. As of early 2007, the average diesel truck enthusiast is looking at spending anywhere from $200 to $500 for an intake system for a 99-03 Powerstroke pick-up. You can go mild to wild with this. AFE, Jobe Performance and may other companies offer many different configurations for the Powerstroke. These kits include replacement filter boxes, filter elements, and intake tubes and they can be installed by the average wrench turner in about one to two hours. These ‘one for all’ intake kits do work, though not all are willing to dish out the money for these kits. For the dollar minded enthusiast there is the Tymar Knockoff DIY kit. You can piece one together for about $40-50 and still have maximum filtration. Remember, filtration is very important for turboed engines and especially important for diesel engines. Hence, 200% more important for a Powerstroke.
When it comes to filtration, many believe that a high-flow filter provides better flow and better filtration than a stock filter element. How can this be? How can a material that allows more air past it capture more dust particulates? Simply, it can’t. The only way to truly get greater flow and filtration is with a larger filter element. Many have spent the money on the K&N filter elements over the years with the promise of a One Million Mile warranty only to find out that these filters are allowing large dust particals into their engines which are pitting turbos and scoring cylinder walls. Not to mention that the oil from these filters destroys the engine sensors in your intake tract. Your best bet for a filter element is one similar to Napa Part number FIL6637. It is MUCH larger than the stock unit and designed to replace heavy duty stock filter elements. Now, this filter is not a drop in for a stock or even some aftermarket intake systems. It would be up to you, the enthusiast to fabricate something if you choose to utilize this type of filter. If you MUST run a K&N-type oiled filter, I strongly suggest you use a prefilter or something similar. It will trap most of the larger and smaller particals before they get to the actual filter, reducing the number of particals that have the chance of getting past the filter. If you have a performance filter that is un-oiled, your doing better, though these filters still do not provide the protection against dust like the stock filter does.
I think we have covered all of the bases. We went over a wide price range of aftermarket intake solutions as well as some filter element solutions. When it all comes down to it, it’s all about what you, as the vehicle owner, wants and needs. If you only have $100 to spend and need the best you can get, then probably a Tymar DIY is in your future. If you want proven performance and have $300-400 to drop down, then maybe an AFE stage 2 is what you need, or, if you have $500+ to throw down and you don’t mind making some additional modifications under the hood, then maybe you would like the Jobe Performance intake. It’s all about what YOU want to do.
For DUSTY conditions I would certainly get the AIS like if you work on a ranch in Texas. For HIGH performance dragsters the AFE/Volant/Jobe is the way to go and for the regular chipped trucks the most bang for your buck is the DIY intake.