Has nobody here actually TESTED the results of various intakes?
I have yet to modify (may or may not ever do it) my 14 Ram Laramie.
But have been considering an intake for a bit more burly sound and a bit more power, if they so indeed give the truck more power.
Lots of people seem to be reporting, "I can definitely feel more power."
99% of the time, this is a placebo affect, especially if the sound of the engine has increased, it will sound louder and faster and may in fact not be.
Furthermore, as a person who has tuned and tested many, many cars over the past two decades or so, I can also tell you, in a 5500-5900 lbs truck with 390-395 hp
YOU WILL NOT FEEL a 10 hp increase.
Add 10 hp in a 4 banger in a 2800 lbs car and yes you will feel it.
But in the size and power of these stock trucks?
That's like saying when you put a couple bags of mulch in the back you can feel the truck is slower.
So, has anybody actually TESTED the trucks with various intakes in one or more of the following 3 ways:
1. Dyno test on the same dyne and preferably the same day (or on a day with similar temps, humidity, atmospheric pressure). Post dyno chart.
This can be tricky with CAI's however. And you need to do it right.
So often I see people at dynos, testing their cars with the hoods up.
When you use a CAI, especially an open air element, this is giving it an unfair advantage.
The closed element intake has no difference whether hood is up or closed, as the only air coming in, comes in through the intake slot in grill or wheel well.
With a open element CAI, if you test with the hood open, it's getting air into the intake that it would not get if the hood was down, like when you are driving!
Also, you need to make sure you are at a dyno that has REALLY GOOD fans. No weak little fans. When you dyno test, it's usually in 4th gear and that means the wheels are turning what's equivalent to triple digit speeds by the end of the dyno run.
They need fans that will blow air into the grill and front of the car that will replicate triple digit winds.
2. At a drag strip (but here, launching each time varies so this is a bit difficult to replicate and remove driver error in launches.
3. The best way is with a VBox (which I have used for years to test my cars) and go out on a road (same road each time, same direction each time) and do rolling runs.
Set it to time two different speeds, like 20-60 mph times and 50-90 mph times.
Then go out on the designated road, start at a slow roll of 5 mph, mash the gas.
Let it be fully auto.
Do this at least 3 times on the same section of road, with at least 5 minutes cool down in between runs.
Swap out intake.
Go to that same road again and repeat test.
Record the times of each.
Average the times of each set of 3 runs.
See if intake actually did lower your times.
If it did, you got more power.
If it didn't, it's all sound.
If I order a CAI I will do just that. But its surprising nobody here has and everyone just seems to speculate.