If you installed a CAI and had and engine problem due to a lean condition, check in. Lets hear what happened. I keep hearing about this lean condition with a CAI. Not that I dont believe it or nothing, but seems like no one has actually had a problem with there motor (I actually havent read about one person with a motor issue froma cai). Just a tuner saying we are lean, and maybe pushing product?
Dont get me wrong, I am all about a tune on and engine. They make a world of difference. I have had them on almost all past vehicles. I just wanna hear about actual people with and actual issue from a CAI and not tuning for it.

 

I get it on very cold days on harder accelerations. I can almost always tell when it's going to happen anymore. I'm sending my edge in to gryphon to get a custom tune for it.

 

I've had a K&N CAI on my '04 for nearly 3 years now. My truck ran fine and I didn't notice any problems at all.
I've read the warnings about the lean condition this creates so I am aware of the potential hazards. I have a supercharged Mustang so I know how important a good tune is.

So Last year I had a custom tune created for my Superchips flashpaq tuner to fix the potential problem.

As I mentioned above, I didn't experience any problems but after the tune my truck really came to life and runs strong.

 

I had a AF1 CAI 3" on mine for about a year and half and my motor took a crap and locked up. But of course if your oil pump goes out, that tends to happen.

 

It is confirmed that the oil pump crapped and thats what killed the motor?

 

Most find out it is running lean and rectify the problem before it does permanent damage. If they don't, they can crater a piston, eat up valves, destroy the rings and cylinder walls.

 

Well, I wrote an email to Spectre and asked about the lean condition with a CAI. The way he responded, he acted as if they knew that there was a condition and that they went back to the design and came up with a solution. This solution was included with my intake. Here is a copy of his answer when I asked if I should get a tune (keep in mind, I will be getting a tune anyhow, and he knew I already bought and installed his product).

"We do not recommend or specify that your engine needs a custom tune after installing this cold air intake kit. In designing this cold air intake kit we engineered a solution to a lean condition that might be caused by increasing the amount of air entering the engine. Our solution to this preconceived concern is our mass air flow sensor calibration insert that surrounds the mass air flow sensor. When our 9925 cold air intake kit is installed following our installation instructions (including disconnecting the battery prior to installing), the maf calibration insert keeps the long fuel trim in the range that Ford Motor Company originally designed into fuel parameters for this engine. The tuner companies that say this kit needs a custom tune possibly have not tested this kit and/or monitored the long fuel trim. If you have any questions you can contact me at the phone number below."

So they apparently have taken time to look into the issue, and try to resolve it. Like I said, I WILL be getting a tune very soon, but just wanted to get an idea if anyone has had a motor granade from an intake right away.

 

If his solution eliminates the lean condition, then you would not be running lean. If I had a 2004 or 2005, I would definitely want it tested before I just accepted a sellers word on it. I don't see how they can fool the computer into thinking there is more fuel with the increased air, but I am not an expert. If they don't need a new tune, then I doubt it is providing any more airflow. I would like to see dynos before I put it on my 2005.

 

Okay.

Perhaps your next step is to contact several well-known custom tuners to see if they have had a chance to validate what the manufacturer has claimed.

I went down this road with Volant, and have since not been inclined to take any manufacturer's claims without independent confirmation.

S&B I beleive was also considerd a risk, but has since been shown to 'comply' for the *most* part with little to no adjustment.

To compund this - these trucks have literall hundreds of strategies - which on(s) did the manufaturer use as his benchmark? I donl;t think it was on many vehicles.

The second-best way to be sure is to have a properly defined & accurate Mass Air Transfer Function for that intake configured, and then validate on a wide variety of different platforms. Actually - the very best is to have this done live on a dyno, but not everyone is going to go that route. Said tuners that do thus have a compendium of accurate MAF TF's on file at their disposal for several intakes.

Not very many tuners have the time, resources or the inclination to do that. (you wonder why MT is so busy )

Example: a simple Airaid MIT - just a tube, was shown empirically to cause changes at the MAF on some trucks - which is why you gotta be careful when doing any changes to the tube. Always best to check the results - but folks seldom do. You can never know just be looking or relying on the CEL.

Lastly - it's your truck, but, would it kill you to NOT run that intake until you have your custom tunes loaded?

What I'd do ....

EDIT - just saw the 'ol feller's post - good one BJ Note that you can still have an intake that does not flow any more, but STILL peckers the MAF TF - the area in the vicinity of the MAF is a Magical place

 

Thankfully, there have hardly been any issues of people detonating their engines because this board always warns new members of the dangers of running a CAI on an 04 or 05 without the proper tunes. The engine won't fail right away, but the CAI can push the AF ratio over the edge, and over time, the engine is damaged.

Sometimes you can get away with running a CAI and having stock tunes. There are a few members you have dared and nothing bad came out of it. We treat every engine on this message board that it will cause damage because the percentages were so high for those years of F150's.

Thankfully, this is only a 5.4 issue, not a 4.6 issue.

 

It became a 4.6 issue when Ford adopted the placement of the MAF wafer "wherever-the-fek we-want to" approach on more recent MY 4.6's

 

I hear ya! But one of the reasons that I ask these questions is that I really dont wanna buy the tuner until tax return (within a month or two). But if this issue is something that happens quickly, then I will buy it right away. My stock intake cracked when I took it off and the seal around where the filter goes in was shot, so putting stock back on really isnt an option. I dont drive really aggressive especially when I think it could cause an issue. Gonna have to chance it I guess.

You know, if the spectre didnt flow more air than stock I would probably not be all that disappointed. The origional purpose of a CAI is to get COLD air to the engine in a more direct flow. Which the Spectre does that for sure. It has one bend in it which is close to a 45 degree angle. And the intake tube is completely smooth as compared to the stock mess. No turbulance going in makes for better economy and power.

 

I agree with everything you guys are saying. I just wanna see how many people have actually had an engine issue for a CAI.

 

In all honesty, you should have gone with the Gott's Intake. There are no lean issues because you are only replacing a small section of tubing, no mods to the MAF or anything else.

 

I hear ya bud. And the answer is probably not many - in fact I have not seen one at all personally (haven't looked recently though) - the agile fuel trims are allegedly saving the day here. But there might still be a few, perhaps not diagnosed as such .... another question for the tuners, as they see a LOT of vehicles.

I commend you for asking this question.