Intake decision...
 

Im going to buy an intake pretty soon for my 04GT but dont know which is best, i have heard and felt soem very good things from the K&N cold air, but i have heard alot of the steeda cold air, and MAC straight shoti like the straight through design because bends cause problems with the MAF. so which is best K&N or MAC straight shot, or Steeda?? :confused:

-Mike :cool:

I have heard really good things on the K&N. Can't say much about the Straight shot, but if I were to purchase one it would be the straight shot. Don't know if a CAI is worth the money for you yet though. I would go with some gears if I were you. Also get some sticky tires for that traction problem.

I agree with him, I wouldn't spend the money on a CAI, or the straight shot. Get some gears and tires, that's next on the list for me. If you are serious about going to the track, and you really want a new intake, I'd go with the steeda straight shot, you can take your headlight out and it works like a ram-air.

well all of the intake are straight through designs so they would all function as a ram air with the headlight out, i took my headlight out at the track for my runs, there is definetly a difference, i have the stock intake with the silencer removed and i hada small prop to hold the filter element out to hole..
but yeah most likely it'll be the K&N..good products, and plus..i have a nifty key strap with K&N logo on it :D thanks

-Mike :cool:

Both Mac, and Steeda make EXCELLENT intakes. i would go for which ever is least expensive.

I have a Steeda CAI and I love the kit. It does not have a lot of bling but it looks nice in my ride. I know that it does not add a lot of HP but it looks good. I would get gears first if I were you.

Looking for some Bling Bling under the hood..- MAc Str8 Shot WITHOUT that MAF that come with it..

Looking for a more of a better performing intake...- K & N system.

The MAC was chrome piping while the K&N is um rubbery plastic i think...The MAC gets hot

i dont give a crap about under hood bling bling, just performance....i had a seriously hooked up v6, i mean body kit rims, HID's..inderhood chrome...it was nice...but slow..so now that i have a clean slate to start from i'm doing right this time...and fast, and the K&N intake looks real nice..very "sleeper", no chrome.

-Mike :cool:

STEEDA all the way! The MAC kit does not fit as well as the STEEDA....it went in so easy!

Go Steeda or K&N. I've heard alot of negative reviews about the MAC straight shot. I've got the K&N FIPK. Not much HP gain at all in my 04 GT but does give a slight gas mileage improvement.

the steeda is a nice system, always heard good things about it.

I wouldnt spend the money, I picked up a full tenth from just a K&N replacement filter. I think unless you got a Mach or Cobra, cold-air's are a waste...

I would agree with this...i've decided to save up for a supercharger. That's where the real HP increase is. :p

I have the Steeda. I think it is one of the best on the market. I also really like this one:

http://www.apten-us.com/performance/03cobra/cai.asp

that looks like a great product but they dont make it for the gt.

If your looking to improve performance spend your money on something else. For looks go with the Steeda just remember for true improvements the air has to come from outside the engine compartment. Most of the gains you see from CAI systems are from the conical filter that you add not the cold are it draws.

i got a denscharger system and i did not notice a damn thing. Then i started reading about how it ca cause you to run rich because of the big bend in it before the maf so i modded it and took out the bend. runs fine but i figure i got more out of the k&n filter than anything else in the kit

the steeda is nice but is it worth the money. a cai is going to be one of the last things i do, im going to put it on right before i get a dyno tune.

Yes they do. i posted the wrong link. here is the one for the GT:

http://www.apten-us.com/performance/gt/gtcai.asp

get the K&N FIPK. i have one and love it although don't expect to feel the power. If any you'll feel it at the top end. DON"T get chrome. the chrome heats up and you lose HP as opposed to plastic. I have heard great things about STEEDA as well. I would get either one of those or a Densecharger which I have heard excellent things about.

that is great. thats what ive been waitng for. thank you.

There really isn't much to be gained from these kits other than looks. I run my best with the factory silencer pulled and a drop in K & N filter.

I think cold air inductions are an improvement, albeit, not a great one. I had one on my V-6er and it felt more responsive. Having said that, several small improvements add up.

I had a MAC CAI and they claimed 10 hp. Don't know. Here is something you might want to take a look at. Dynos charts show increases.. Who knows..?

http://www.jlttruecoldair.com

You will see bigger gains on the 4V engines. Most of the gains are from the filter on the 2v. The inlet pipe is only worth a coupe of hp on a 2V. The filter and air box are the parts that need replacing. Those kits (JLT's) are a really nice looking kit and a good value price wise. I also like the looks of the Apten kit. The biggest pain in the rear with these 2 valve cars is most of the mod's we can get offer very small gains. Ford did not leave alot on the table for us. Pullies don't get you much, intake mod's don't either. The only area where you can make decent gains is the exhaust. I want a set of aftermarket heads and cams that will give me 100 hp or a intake manifold that gives me 30 hp. Call me greedy.

I have the MAC and the K&N.

Go with the FIPK II