Hey folks, so I’ve been busy as heck getting things going with the project and it’s coming together quite nicely. I wanted to start off the series with an easy mod just about anyone can do with a few basic tools and some minimal mechanical know-how. One of the things every enthusiast wants to do is get better performance out of their ride. There aren’t a whole lot of performance modifications available for the EcoBoost engine at the moment for several good reasons. First, the engine is built to such tight tolerances, that going outside of some very strict parameters can have catastrophic effects on the engine. You won’t see any chips, tuners or flashes for these engines for quite some time, if ever. There are lots of companies working hard to figure out a way to add performance to the EcoBoost without voiding your warranty. But for now, your options are really limited to air intake systems and some fairly minor exhaust mods. Venture out beyond that, and you are in voided warranty land.
That being said, Airaid has recently launched their newest product, a cold air intake system for the F-150 EcoBoost engine. Airaid has quite a solid reputation and is known for putting out very high-quality components. This High Performance Air Intake system is no exception. When you open the box and pull out the air filter, your first reaction is “holy *h!#, this thing is MASSIVE!” I’m not kidding here, this is one seriously BEEFY air filter. One thing to note is that for EcoBoost owners, you want to make sure and order the NON OILED (SythaMax) air filter. Using an oiled (SynthaFlow) filter on this engine can quickly lead to a bad day due to the EcoBoost’s twin turbos. Once you verify you have the non-oiled filter and all the parts for the kit, installation is fast and easy. Removing the stock air box, filter and mass air flow sensor is pretty straight forward. Assembling the new box, reinstalling the MAF sensor and re-attaching the hose and clamps is straight forward as well. Total install time was well under 30 minutes.
Specs from Airaid’s dyno have this simple mod adding an extra 20 horsepower and 39 lbs/ft. of torque! That’s a whole lotta bang for your dollar from a simple mod. I haven’t had a chance to make a road-trip with the new CAI system installed, but I’m expecting that it will add a bit of a fuel economy boost as well, which is hard to complain about. Some of you might be wondering what it sounds like with the new filter installed so I’ve cut together a before and after video for you. Pics after the jump…Hope you enjoy!
[oqeygallery id=4]
