I think it would be tough to truly tell if any aftermarket part gave any gains under 10 hp/tq. I've always noticed a variation in hp/tq in consecutive dyno runs (which is most likely due toheat variations). So say an intake/tb spacer/etc. does give you a gain of 5 hp or tq, you may not see a difference because you don't have your best run of the day. A power gain like that at a 200 dollar price is pretty bad for hp/$, but if you notice that you get an increase in mileage or just have more fun driving (sound and butt dyno) it could very well be worth the price.

For example, I recently installed a dmh electric cutoout after the factory y pipe for 240 bucks after buying the parts and having a shop weld in the cutout pipe. It seems to me like I lost some low end torque but gained hp up top. The estimate for the gain is about 12-15 hp, which I did not dyno test to try out. However, even if there is no actual gain in power for my truck, because I feel like there's more power and have the added benefit of snapping necks when I floor it (goodbye gas mileage), it's well worth it for me.

While some people talk down about intakes, in the long run a good cai combined with an exhaust that flows better will impact larger mods. Also, in regards to tb spacers, in addition to possible power gains (hard to prove and not really cost effective to dyno) a tb spacer makes an great place to mount nitrous jets. (as mentioned earlier).

Unless you are huge into competitive racing at the strip, mods are mostly personal preference.

Summary: If you like it and it seems to work for you and isn't causing harm, stick with it; it's your truck

 

i beg to differ, the spacer is good in three ways. 1) paper weight, 2) projectile weapons, 3) if it has nos injectors in it. otherwise, expensive waste.

 

All these guys calling it a paper weight and cup holder but none for sale?

 

I didn't get the option. I had Dodge install my CAI and it appears they installed a spacer between the tube and the manifold or am I seeing things. Based on that, I'm confused with what HankL contributed. If it was designed by Dodge not to need one, then why would they add one @ CAI installation?

 

Everyone is confused by Hank, including Hank!

 

I would sell you mine, but I have my NOS jets in it, it makes an awesome place to plumb it without having to drill / tap the thin aluminum of the CAI

 

I put the helix tbs and k&n cai (I forget the model number but it was the bigger one) on the same day. I don't see any throttle response difference. My opimum fuel mileage to speed reduced from about 57 to about 50. I hear no whistling from the tbs. You can hea a slight sipping of air from the intake when the mds kicks off, kinda sounds like a blow off valve. The greatest thing though is when you get on it it sounds MEAN I love it I have a stock exhaust but I'm tellin ya with that cai my truck sounds bad *** under the hood

 

There certainly have been vast profits made
by people who realized how easy it was to fleece WAG'ers
who were greatly satisfied
if all the engine did was get noiser.

I have seen stuff in the past
from highly skilled engineers at both
Flowmaster Muffler
and at Ford
who showed off very expensive and complicated
sound analysis electronics equipment
that they used to create products that
...sounded 'tough' and sounded 'powerful'

It is not just in the USA.
A few years ago when BMW came out with the Z4
they actually put a little hole in the dashboard on into the engine compartment that you could open up to make the engine sound 'tougher' and more 'sporty'

To be fair and to give both sides of the story, however,
I do admit that I have heard the theory
that if a vehicle is much more noisy and has more gear whine
the excited driver of that vehicle
will usually back off the throttle more
and lift his foot to let the automatic transmission shift sooner
because the 'powerful' loud sounds
make him feel that the vehicle is now 'sporty' enough to please him.

The video game generation is after excitement in their lives
and have grown up playing games with loud noise effects
and think loud noise = i am living the life of action.

Perhaps I should organize a 'Red Team'
of middle aged men who have seen too much action to suit them
and we could go around with cordless drills
and drill holes in all the exhaust pipes just in front of mufflers.

Perhaps the next day the USA would start getting 1-2 better MPG ?

Better to punch a small hole in an exhaust pipe,
than punch a small 5.56 mm hole in a human body
and see the matching big red hole out the back.

Perhaps the way to slow down the wars over fuel and oil
is to make more noise.

Is is easier to change equipment
than to change human nature.
People have died because I did not learn that quick enough.

Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

 

save yourslef a hundred bucks

 

I am trading in my truck tomorrow and just removed the airaid throttle body spacer. It is part 300-577 and I am selling it. First $50 sent via paypal and its yours. That includes shipping.

It fits the 03-07 Ram Hemi's.