Hello everyone been awhile since i have been on here cuz well everything seems to be running great on my truck!!!. I was looking for a little upgrade that i can do. I have an '08 Ram 1500 Hemi With 4in pro comp life and 3in body with 37' tires Superchips programmer and Flowmaster 40 series with 3in pipe to 5in tips and was looking to get a Cold Air intake system... but unfortunately dont really know the difference between them. so if yall could help that would be great and im not looking to break the bank either.... one more question i was looking at the Air Raid system and it talks about a Oiled and unoiled filter whats that mean??? Again yall were great when yall helped me pick out the programmer and cant wait for yalls input on this i learn a ton from yall.... Take Care

 

First and Foremost something you should know about Cold Air Inductions. With the exception of the models that draw air from right behind the grill or through the hood, these systems are NOT Cold Air inductions. They actually draw in much warmer air then the stock setup. This has been proven by people who run intake air temp (IAT) gauges, myself included. The reason for this is they are mounting a large filter IN the engine compartment where it will suck in hot air. The stock air box set up encloses the filter and draws air from very close to the fender. Some very simple (and inexpensive) mods can further insure the air only comes from the fender area.

What these inductions systems are is simply High Flow inductions. They typically have larger diamater and less restrictive tubing then the stock induction system has. But do not be fooled by the "Cold Air" marketing nonsense. You don't have to be too smart to know that putting a huge air filter IN the engine compartment where it's filled with hot air from the radiator, engine and exhaust is NOT going to get you "cold" air.

As for the high flow filter? Sure, these system will flow more air then a stock setup. But if your throttle body and heads are stock and you don't even have headers, these systems will at best gain you a few HP. Nothing you will even feel. The stock setup delivers all the air a stock engine an use already.

As for filter types? Oiled filters are made by a few companies. Instead of using paper filter elements they use foam or gauze as the primary filter and then are coated in a type of oil that will help to trap dirt. This is an advantage for two reasons. One, they have a higher flow (CFM) rating then comparable sized paper filters so if you have an engine with major mods and your air filters CFM rating is hurting performance, they can help. The other reason for these filters is the fact they can be cleaned instead of thrown away like a paper filter. For people who do a lot of driving in very dusty conditions this can save you money. But for the majority who drive on paved roads 99% of the time, you will not even own the truck by the time the filter pays for itself. The cleaning process is time consuming and messy as well. That combined with the fact they do NOT filter fine dust particles as well as paper filters (a proven fact) which over time can decrease engine life keep me away from them. I have a fairly stock truck, never drive off road and want this truck to last as long as possible. So i have no use for them. I used one in an earlier Dodge Ram diesel and saw contaminates in oil, specifically Silica rise sharply when i used a K&N filter. Many people have done tests showing they do indeed pass dirt through far more then paper.

So to sum up your questions, in my opinion, i would steer clear of any "Cold Air Induction" and instead buy what is known an a Modular Intake Tube or MIT. Airaid makes them. They replace the factory Hemi Hat and all the tubing that goes from the Throttle Body to the stock Air box. This gets rid of the factory set up restrictions but allows you use much more effective paper filters and draws cooler air into your engine.

 

Man thats a lot of info..... hmmmm.... so there is really no point in getting the system then??? just get the M.I.T and get a really good filter to go in the stock box??? kind what i got from that??? so as for the throttle body... i am hearing variying things about it... i sort of understand what it does but would it just work with an intake system??? and is it hard to put on??? im am not the best at working on my truck but with enough help from you tube and you guys i think i might be able to manage....

 

I was simply sharing my opinions on the subject. You will likley hear others. You can decide on your own.

The single biggest and easiest performance improvement these trucks can get is a programmer. And you already have that. No other mod is as easy or as effective. After that, Headers and a good exhaust system would be the next easiest and effective mod. But that will still not further the gains the programmer alone did. After that, a high flow throttle body and a high flow induction. Once you have done all that, to get any more noticeable power gains means doing work to the heads and/or a camshaft. Neither of which is quick, easy or cheap. And ALL of which will void any warranty you have left.

You simply need to ask yourself what you want. Is this your primary vehicle that you drive every day and rely upon to get to and from work? If so, reliability should be important to you. So after that, are you really at a point where the power output of the truck is seriously limiting you? Are you drag racing and losing or towing loads so heavy that the stock engine cannot handle it unless you boost the HP?

A throttle body upgrade is failry easy. One electrical connector and four bolts. A 30 minute job if you have the Hemi Hat already replaced with an MIT. But if you don't have headers and high flow exhaust, this mod alone will do all that much. My buddy put a BBK 85mm high flow Throttle Body in his 300C with a programmer and it made a difference, but not much. Getting more air into the engine helps, but unless you do the mods to get that additional air out, you will not reap the benefits.

Another fairly easy mod that will make a difference is putting in an Electric fan. They make direct bolt-in's for your truck. This will improve MPG's and free up some HP. But this mainly pays off in around town driving, not highway.

If it were me, i would spend the money you have on things like a deep sump trans pan, larger tranny cooler, a monitor gauge setup (Watchdog, Interceptor), Electric fan, etc. These things will help your truck last longer.

 

I agree with everything he said, with one addition. An e-fan is another mod that a lot of guys run that shows modest gains for the money.

 

Right. I'm replacing my clutch fan this weekend. Also, to add, gearing is another huge improvement in performance. I installed a "CAI" with the knowledge not to expect any noticeable performance gain, but the engine bay looks less cluttered and the tone of the engine under load is pretty bad *** sounding IMO

 

Gearing can help performance wise but at a price with losing MPG's. Also not something the average wrench turner can do himself. Requires proper setup by a good machine shop or you will eat gears.

 

Yes and no. You don't loose but 1-2 MPG on the highway, maybe - and gain about that in the city. You are correct in the fact that it is not an easy task to tackle, I'll give you that.