Cold Air Intake

[Ret]

I've owned this car about five months and still learning, it's a 2012 GT 5.0 convertible. So, my son and I are entering the car next weekend in a Mustang car show and getting it ready. As we're cleaning the car engine compartment, I see that it has a Cold Air Intake. I had a 2008 Mustang GT, it did not have the air intake.

Given that it is black and doesn't have a bunch of chrome or something shinny I'm assuming it was a factory install at the time of assembly. But it raises a few questions.

1) The book says the 2012 GT has 412 HP. Does that include the Cold Air Intake or it's 412 plus some additional number?
2) I read an article that stated a factory install was superior to after-market citing that factory install actually has cooler air coming in. Where a after-market install is also sucking in warm air from the engine; true?

On the 2012 GT 5.0 is this automatically part of the package or an add on accessories.

So, I went with my stand-by, Utube and watched a number of video's on Cold Air Intake. Overall, the opinions were they were a waste of money. Granted these were the opinions of the people making the video's.



So, I'm looking to you members with mechanical knowledge.

 

[Midlife Crises]

I believe the factory fresh air inlet first appeared in 2010 as standard equipment on the GT. It does a very good job of delivering outside air due to is closed filter box and ducting through the core support. You can replace the flat, pleated paper filter with a K&N washable filter if you like that type of element but I would not say you will gain anything. An aftermarket CAI won’t do anything you air box isn’t already doing and could be worse.

 

[JC SSP]

Intake Looks stock and it has a K&N sticker on the lid, so it might have one in there?

There is a lot of debate about CAI actually yielding any benefits. I personally think they are better than stock, but that just me. I like the sound they make and I have seen some sort of improvement (performance and fuel economy). Also they look nice too! Lol

All my Mustangs/cars have someone sort of performance intake. My 05’ has JLT and I love it, but that one requires a tune.

Good luck at the show and post pics when you can.

 

[Juice]

Stock unit. Still has the "sound tube" on there too.

 

[GlassTop09]

1) The book says the 2012 GT has 412 HP. Does that include the Cold Air Intake or it's 412 plus some additional number?

Hi Ret,

On this aspect, all OEM Ford HP\TQ rating numbers are gained from testing the engine w\ all OEM accessory drive components & full exhaust as equipped in the vehicle installed & measured at the engine flywheel, not at the rear wheels. So, the 412 HP rating will include the OEM airbox (or CAI if you prefer) installed (the 1 you have installed currently in your picture......using an OEM type air filter element instead of the K&N aftermarket air filter element the sticker indicated is currently installed).

Hope this helps.

 

[Ret]

Thanks Glass Top & JC.

Juice, Sound tube? Contributes to tone coming out of exhaust?

 

[BullittSS]

It may have a Ford Performance ProCal tune. My 2014 GT/CS has the ProCal tune, and it came a K&N filter and sticker.

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-9603-MGTB

 

[Juice]

Thanks Glass Top & JC.

Juice, Sound tube? Contributes to tone coming out of exhaust?

Sound tube channels intake growl into cabin. Kind of a substitute for a louder than stock exhaust. Its that larger tube next to the pvc connection. A lot of guys deleted it.

 

[Robert Larimer]

Thanks Glass Top & JC.

Juice, Sound tube? Contributes to tone coming out of exhaust?

 

[WJBertrand]

My ‘13 GT, bought new, says cold air intake on it. It seems to work very well. Running down the road at constant speed I can compare intake and ambient air temps on the instrument panel and they will be the same. Intake air temps rise higher than ambient when in slow traffic or stopped however.

I can’t imagine that an element open to the engine bay would work as well. Those set ups must actually reduce performance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Ret]

Thanks, everyone for your responses.

Bullitss, thanks for the Web site. I don't think I have that as I've run regular gas without any problems for over five months. No hesitation, stomp on it, it's off and running.

 

[pass1over]

My ‘13 GT, bought new, says cold air intake on it. It seems to work very well. Running down the road at constant speed I can compare intake and ambient air temps on the instrument panel and they will be the same. Intake air temps rise higher than ambient when in slow traffic or stopped however.

I can’t imagine that an element open to the engine bay would work as well. Those set ups must actually reduce performance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I have this style on my '12. Most people consider it "open to the engine bay", but it's sealed at the top.
I can watch temps on my dash as well and it performs exactly like yours does. When moving, intake temp is the exact same as ambient air, I've actually seen seen it 1 or 2 degrees colder than ambient, but I don't believe it.

 

[JC SSP]

Passover1, you need a tune with the JLT?

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

I can’t imagine that an element open to the engine bay would work as well.

I modified my JLT 3 CAI to completely isolate the filter from the engine bay in order to bring the IAT much closer to ambient.

https://www.s197forum.com/posts/2548825/

 

[pass1over]

Passover1, you need a tune with the JLT?

with this one, yes. I think they make one that doesn't require a tune, but I could be wrong.

Looks like I also need to clean my engine bay. Sucks living on a dirt road.

 

[Ret]

I don't want you to feel bad I live up in the mountains at the end of a dirt road too. Probably, the difference is, I'm retired and have time to keep after this.

 

[WJBertrand]

I modified my JLT 3 CAI to completely isolate the filter from the engine bay in order to bring the IAT much closer to ambient.

https://www.s197forum.com/posts/2548825/

Yeah, that’s the problem. How many of these aftermarket “cold air” intake systems seal well enough to completely block sucking in hot under-hood air?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[pass1over]

Yeah, that’s the problem. How many of these aftermarket “cold air” intake systems seal well enough to completely block sucking in hot under-hood air?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I started keeping an eye on the IAT sensor temperature delta's on my 2012 car because of where my air intake sensor is located on my EFI swapped '66. It's in one if the back runners of the intake manifold, which gets a ton of heat soak being mounted on top of the engine. IAT will be around 25-30° higher than ambient temp. I'd really like to see if I can get a cooler charge to the engine, but I don't want a tube going to a fender or anything. The engine bay in my car is super clean and minimalist, especially for an EFI car, I'd like to keep it that way. I was thinking about creating a mount on the bottom of my carb style air cleaner to see if it will be cooler than it's current location. Even 5 or 10° would be great.

I was surprised to find that in my '12, they stay at ambient if the car is moving like I stated before. No modifications were done to the airbox.

 

[JC SSP]

I relocated my IAT from the intake manifold to the air intake tube on my 87' Coupe. Funny, later 94-95 5.0L have the IT on the intake elbow.

 

[Laga]

Here you go.
https://www.s197forum.com/threads/interesting-cai-observation.140561/#post-2532609