found some cheap intake kits plus filters for cheap and buy it now, not an auction. i was going to make my own but aluminum would be better than pvc right?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/03-06-Dodge-...ht_2488wt_1037
http://www.ebay.com/itm/03-06-Dakota...ht_2800wt_1270

 

I really don't see a difference between using aluminum or PVC, although a lot say PVC doesn't absorb heat like aluminum does. I've made a bunch and don't see much difference in temp at the IAT between them.

You should make your own, EVERY "cheap" one I've seen has broken before too long. Usually road vibration kills weak pot metal and poor welds. I've actually made a good half dozen out of PVC as repairs for cheap, ebay, broken ones...

 

Plastic may be more resistive to heating up than aluminum, not sure if it would make a difference in air temperature going into your engine though.
But you really should have some kind of heat shield so you're not sucking in hot air from the engine bay.

 

THere has been talk about using PVC before. IF you go that way use CPVC, it will withstand the "warmer" temps inside the engine bay better. Pvc will give off chemicals that arnt too good for people or the enviroment or your truck, i cant remember which. ABS is also acceptable, but as my old man, and my buddy is a plumber, they say that just layin on the ground in the sunlight, it will expand or shrink a LOT!!!

Check out this site, it tells about different types of PVC, and it will also tell about abs...
http://www.mcmaster.com/#pvc/=fdhq9b

 

If you check out the reviews on the cold air intake kits, you'll see that many of them show (through various tests) that these kits give you no measurable impact on mileage or power. My experience in using the OEM airbox setups vs. a piece of shiny pipe with a K&N filter gives me the same opinion, so if I really wanted or needed a different cold air intake, I would make my own from ABS or PVC thin walled pipe. Here's one I made for my current jeep using standard plumbing grade ABS piping & joints - I made this because the engine came from a late model TJ and the new style intake manifold and power steering pump configuration blocked off the traditional use of the air box.

AirIntake-04.jpg

AirIntake-03.jpg

 

Yeah unless you have other mods that make some kind of use of the added airflow a cone filter's increased surface area provides, there is very little benefit to one other than the fact it takes the restrictive "hat" off of the front of the throttle body.

Now if you have a ported tb, heads, headers and/or a more aggressive cam, having a CAI is a whole 'nuther story...

 

i was going to do ported TB and chip. others said heders wont do anything for our trucks

 

There is also a fire-rated plastic pipe drain pipe out now. Should be no problem with the temps under the hood. I'll check with the fire and life safety guys and mechanical guys at the office for some direction.

 

ABS pipe needs to be heated to over 871°F (465°C) before it will self-ignite, so you'd need to really misplace a "cold air intake" for it to be in jeopardy of bursting into flames.

 

power/mileage gains aside, they sound sooooo neat....like the old 4 barrel carbs with both barrels open....a sound you dont get any other way....i had one of those cheapo-s on for almost a year., aside from cheap/flimsy attaching hardware and cheap grommets (what do you expect for cheap?) I had no issues with it. Nothing wrong with getting more air into the engine, just make sure you also get that air out by opening up the exhaust as well.