I have been looking into ways to get just a bit more power and aggressive sound out of my 4.7 Dakota. A local truck acces. shop suggested Flowmaster exhaust and CAI by K & N. After doing a lot of looking into the CAI I just couldnt find any proof it did much more than make more noise. So, today, I took my stock intake apart and compared it to pictures I saw online of other CAI's such as Airaid and K & N. From my own observations, the stock system is just a large diameter tube taking air from the fenderwell to the filter box out a large diameter tube which enters a box on top of the motor. That box is just a large tube inside that directs air to the intake. So, comparing that diameter and path to the other systems I really dont see a big difference other than the filter. In fact, from what I saw of pictures of every aftermarket CAI it looks like the stock system will pull COLDER air than the aftermarket systems. Which leaves "Volume" and the restrictiveness of a stock filter as the only issues. As big as the stock tubes are , I dont see volume of air being an issue. Which to me means the only improvement would be a low restriction filter, which, could cause problems by not filtering enough and allowing dirt or worse, oil from the filter into the intake system. Soooo......where am I off on this observation?

 

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