Its not so much they design it for fuel mileage, or looks. Its a air silencer, it quites down all the intake noise. It will give you a nice throttle sound when its removed.

 

how could removing it cause a loss of touque? Does anyone have pics of a 4" system (PVC) installed?

 

IDK but I can tell you my truck is a lot faster than a stock truck so I can say I know I didnt lose anything.

 

the passages and restrictions in the hemi hat are likely for sound reduction. just like the resonator and huge muffler on the exhaust (both somewhat of a restriction) are for sound reduction.

 

Here are a couple of pics of my do it yourself CAI....

 

I just replaced the "Hemi Hat" with 3" pvc from the airbox to the throttle body and added a K&N filter. I then cut larger holes in the bottom of the airbox so it can get more air.....and i already know that guys are going to come on here and say this wont do anything and blah blah blah....BUT i did try the other way aswell i ran 3" pvc pipe to a open K&N cone filter behind the headlight they both performed the EXACT same using my superchips logging and 1/4 mile drag and mph times....the airbox actually let me take off faster from seat of the pants as stuff on my dash flew off allot faster lol....the airbox also makes a mean *** sound when u punch it as the open cone filter did not. Now maybe a 3" to a 4" pipe and filter would perform better as it has more air sitting in the pipe for the initial take off but in my runs after i reset the computer on both CAIs and let it adjust they ran almost identical mph readings.

 

Well I built a 4" system today and its drying in the shop right now. I took it for a ride beofre painting and wow is that thing loud! about 1/2 throttle you can start to hear it, then WOT it houls! It is louder than I thought it would be. I hope its not annoying when pulling my large enclosed trailer, otherwise I will be going back to stock if its too much. I hate annoying things when driving. It souds good, just really loud at WOT. I'll post pics soon, when its 100% complete.

 

The runners in the intake manifold are the same length regardless of what's on the throttle body....so no you won't lose torque. Why would a CAI dealer tell you that...doesn't seem like good business sense.

 

BINGO, it's like having an unsilenced air cleaner from back in the old days.

 

Here is my intake with 4"


Here is my air deflector I made too: