Well there are a few things to consider.. Colder Air= More Air as the air is more dense meaning more of it.. Hotter Air= Less because the air is not as tight together.. Like trying to breath on a Hott day vs a cool day.. you can breath easier on a cool day. This is why. Just like when a cold front moves through and temps drop you'll probably notice a little better performance from your truck.

That is the concept behind a CAI. However there is a draw back. Most of the CAI setups you see around the forums and what's being petaled on e-bay are not CAI AT ALL!!!! Unless it has a good enough heat shroud to block the engine heat.. as well have a direct flow of cooler outside air.

That little bit coming in through the headlights is nothing. The right side of these trucks are the hottest point in the engine bay other than right there by the Exaust manifolds; being the fan is slinging all that hott air strait that direction.

Dont think so go get some temp stats put on on top of the engine somewhere.. another on the right side of the truck and one on the left.

The right side of the truck is the hottest being all that hott air is being thrown off that direction.

So to really get full functionality off a CAI you have to block the heat from the engine bay.. get cooler air direct to the filter (area) else the only thing you get is a more even flow through the tube to the TB; and maybee a little more air flow going in that tube being its coming in through a conical filter rather than through the air box.. squeezing down 1 small tube; into the box then through the filter and then into another tube that is **** poor and can slow down the rate of flow to the TB. Then into the TB passing through the butterflys.

Now on to the "Hot Rod Style".. will suck more air faster than a CAI at the same given temp.*** WHy? its right over top of the TB and there is no travel time of the air..

The draw back though is it's sucking in hott air from right around the engine. But even at that.. your sucking hella large volumes.. just about as much air as the engine can inhale as quickly as possible depending on size.

As far as HP gains; what you do gain is the engine's response curve changing. I mean your engine is only going to inhale so much air.. your cylinders can only suck in so much.. the ports will only allow so much and your TB bore size can only allow so much through.

SO we are faced with the question what is better.. Well that depends on what your trying to achieve.

IN my opinion on what i have observed is a CAI if you can get cooler air than what's in your engine bay is probably the least expensive with the best results.

A hot rod style will most likely provide a little less than a CAI (getting actual cooler air) because it's sucking in warm/hott air from top of the engine esp. being these trucks have very little air space.

A smaller V6 would probably get better results than a V8 being the V8 is going to generate more heat.. as well takes up more space.. The V6 also has a deeper fan shroud to really channel air and cool the radiator.
causing a more of a wind tunnel than the shorter more choppy fan of the V8.

But really the best* option in my opinion would either be a sealed off Hot rod style with a hood scoop; but would cause less aerodynamics; or the optimum a Cal hood.. being its backwards; lower air pressure there and greator going over the truck would cause it to suck/force air in and have direct exposure with minimal heat gains as it would not have to travel thorugh a tube; through the hot engine bay.

I slapped a conical air filter on my truck messing around some time ago; im partial to the hot rod style because frankly the CAI setups remind me too much of Ricers and 4 bangers. It just looks out of place on a pickup.

The Hot Rod style will make your engine also sound a hell of alot more powerful if your looking for one hell of a deep sound. We always did this when i was a kid with our v8's turn our air hats up side down on our old Carb air hats or get an open air filter..

 

Thanks for taking the time to explain all of that - I thought I had a decent idea on how CAIs worked but it's obvious that I still have a lot to learn.

My Dakota is my work truck and my only means of transportation. I do not care about how a CAI looks under my hood as long as it's more of a help than a hurt. Just looking to find the closest sweet-spot between optimal performance/ HP and MPG. MPG, of course being more of the focus.

I have a 3.9L V6 so, please correct me if you disagree, I should just stick with the CAI that I already have but maybe look into getting a heat shroud to better help with heat deflection?

 

Yeah your not going to see much differences; you might get a little sound.. mostly.. if you can get actual cooler air you might get a little better performance but that does not always mean you will see gains of MPG.

Like wise.. intake setups like CAI is not going to go give you tons or HP even if combined with an exhaust mod. Your only going to be able to barley achieve a little bit above stock with out having to go in and do major mods like cams; intake; boring it out.. or reprogramming the computer.

The only real difference I have ever seen is how the engine responds.. how quickly it can rap out it's RPM.. as how quick and how much air can get into the engine. you open up too much air to the engine and it bogs down if the ECM cant adjust quick enough.. to little and it starves for o2. That would be why even if they are just shoved off in the engine bay people say they help increase performance.. because there is a little less restriction increasing the velocity of the air to the TB> Just as a Hot rod style will yeild a little better results than stock air box and such.. its sucking in air as quickly as possible. right there on top of the TB. but it's draw back is its sucking in hot air.. but still at there is a little better than factory air box.

But getting cooler air will yield better performance response.

 

I figured as much and again, I appreciate the time you took to reply to my post. There is only so much one can achieve with a truck as old as mine in regards to the wear & tear. I think I’m at the point now where I’m just splitting hairs. I have done as much as I can with what I have available without recreating the wheel. It is what it is.

I have many ideas for what I could do to/with my Dakota but for what use my truck for, I should just keep it simple.

 

hay
jondakotaguy sorry i have been having troubles. i going to sign up for pay pal latter tonight and send you money. i was having trouble with my mom, and my eyes, its ok now. sorry. i still want the air cleaner.

 

no problem its sitting in my shop boxed up.. no worries it's not hurting anything sitting there..

 

I really like your brush guard..

 

Thanks! It was a labor of like to put on but I'm real-happy with it.