How often does someone drive their car with WOT. I get on it once and awhile but I have only floor it maybe 1 or 2 times a week, 3 times at best.

I don't drive like a bat out of hell all the time and I know some people that do.

 

maybe this is a stupid question but what is a CAI

 

First the only REAL issue about having a CAI on a vehicle from a warranty stand point is not that they let more air flow but rather how many people tend to over oil the filters. This oil can get on the MAS (Mass Air Sensor) or on the (IAT) Intake Air Temperature sensor and cause them to give bad readings.

Bad readings can lead to possible bad, and sometimes, serious problems. It has nothing to do with how much air flows into the motor because bottom line is the motor can only suck in so much air regardless what you do to the intake and exhaust system.

You have the intake side of the motor, the motor itself, and then the exhaust. You can open up both the intake side and exhaust side and will get “some” more air flow but not a lot because the motor is only going to allow so much air flow (value sizes, intake ports, exhaust ports, etc).

The motor is an air pump system consisting of 3 pieces, the intake, motor, and exhaust so that is something you need to remember when seeing wild claims about how much air flow a filter will allow. Those figures, of airflow, are based on the filter ALONE and NOT your specific motor.

Second, as was mentioned, another issue is you will digest bigger particles of “debris” (dust/dirt) into the motor because the pores on the CAI type filter are bigger then your standard stock paper filter. That is a trade off for wanting to suck more air in.

Third, it is NOT true that the fuel tables in WOT will not be correct for the additional air flow into the motor. It is a myth I have heard over and over. You usually hear:

”The MAS and/or IAT will correct for additional air flow but your out of luck in WOT because the fuel tables are set in the computer and can ONLY be adjusted by a tuner”

Absolutely and completely untrue, when the motor is operating it is ALWAYS in Adaptive Mode there is never a time the computer is not in Adaptive Mode, or learning mode.

The way it works is the Adaptive Control system is used to correct changes in engine operation caused by variations in air metering and fuel delivery devices. The Adaptive Control system corrects the problems of variability by making changes to fuel flow based on what it has “learned” about the system. If your engine is running leaner than it should, the Adaptive Control system can richen the system up automatically.

The same thing if it is running a bit rich. The EEC has a special block of memory called the Keep Alive Memory where it stores information about how the engine is operating. By looking at the oxygen sensors, the EEC can tell if the amount of fuel it is delivering is the same amount actually going into the cylinders at a given Speed / Load point.

In the Keep Alive Memory, there is a table that represents Speed / Load points normally used during Closed Loop control. As the EEC reads the oxygen sensors, it updates this table if it finds any differences in the fuel delivered and the A/F ratio measured.

Most people think Adaptive only works when in Closed Loop. This is wrong! Adaptive is only UPDATED during Closed Loop. It would be naive to ignore changes in the air and fuel system in Open Loop and only correct them in Closed Loop. If you have a serious fuel problem, your car might not even start if the EEC didn't have some way of correcting things all the time.

The way the EEC uses Adaptive in Open Loop is similar to Closed Loop except it doesn't update the table. This means it's not looking at the oxygen sensor for feedback. It is merely relying on the information stored in the table to make corrections. Since the Adaptive table only contains Speed / Load points normally seen during Closed Loop, where does the correction factor come from if I'm at WOT?

The answer is, it uses the last value it was using while in Closed Loop. Since the Keep Alive Memory has power to it even when the ignition key is turned off, the Adaptive table retains its information. The only way to clear the Adaptive table is by disconnecting the vehicle's battery. Do that and you're back to working with a clean slate and the whole process starts over again. Now there are limits to how much the Adaptive Control system can change the calibrations. The adaptive system has a range of roughly +/- 25%.

 

Not stupid at all, its Cold Air Intake, or rather a replacement for the stock Intake system.

 

Sonic Boom NH
Thanks for the real info for everyone and not talking about spelling.

 

You’re welcome…

I forgot to mention something that is important and many people may not know about which is routine replacement of the oxygen sensors.

While you would be hard pressed to find information for recommending when oxygen sensors should be replaced it is a good rule of thumb to replace them every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.

Why? Because from day one they begin to degrade and as they degrade over time, in large part due to high exhaust temperatures, they give less accurate readings. Generally what happens is they report back a “leaner� condition over time, by design, which causes the computer to command more fuel to the motor creating a “rich� condition.

A rich condition means less fuel economy or a degrading mpg (miles per gallon) plus deposits in the motor and exhaust system. Usually for people who monitor their fuel mileage when they change their oxygen sensors around 30,000 to 50,000 they will see an increase in fuel mileage. While it won’t be huge it is nonetheless an increase which of course means you are making more horsepower and torque then when running richer…

 

Cold Air Induction
Throttle body forward replacement usually

KCobra...yeah I know what your saying, I'm the same way.
I'll drive spirited a lot, but its not a full all the way WOT more than a couple times a week...
You should be fine

 

Oh and thanks Nick for correcting us...

I was only going on what I was told...
which was close, but not the complete story...
This tightens up the loose ends...

Thanks

 

Thank you and trust me when I say I will be taking much more then giving when it comes to this site. I know a few things here and there but absolutely love to learn new things and intend to here, even at the age of 42, there is still a ton of things to learn...

 

You're correct, The MAF sensor will compensate and adjust for additional airflow.. However, the spanish oak computer is programmed, to only allow the MAF sensor to adjust for an either -5 degree decrease or +5 degree increase.. Anything over that 5 degree limit, the computer will read as an unsafe air/fuel lean condition, thus will cause the check engine light, to light up...Which is part of the reason, why a computer reflash, is required and recommended..

 

I guess that means the K&N is within those parameters.

 

Yes, that's correct..Any cold air kit, that does not require a computer reflash, is within those parameters, because the intake tube and MAF housing, are similar to stock..However, on the other hand..You also will not experience any of the additional benefits, that only a computer tune can provide..So it really all depends, on what is more important, to you..It's either real performance or limited performance ?, in other words..(restriction)

 

merged topics

 

I have had my Airaid CAI for a few months and I'm very pleased with it. mitch e

 

What's really important to me for the next 3 years is having something I can switch back to stock in 15 minutes (just in case).

 

It takes less than, 2 min. to reflash back to stock, and no more than 15 min. to uninstall a cold air kit, and then reinstall the factory air box..It's really not as complicating, as you may think..

 

Didn't say it was complicated. But if it takes 15 for the CAI and two for the flash I'm 2 over my limit.
My real point is that I don't want to mess with it until the warranty is up. For me, time is on my side. My truck that I drive every day to work is a 2003 and is almost up to 18k miles. My Mustang will not reach that kind of miles. The car I sold to buy it I drove 20k in 13 years. I will drive my Mustang more than that.

 

Dude, I'm still under warranty as well, In fact, I also purchased an extended ESP warranty, so I stand to lose much more than you..However, you're dealership cannot void your warranty, unless it's proven that the aftermarket part or parts, were directly responsible for causing any of the factory parts, to fail, and if you don't wish to take my word for it..I did all the research, concerning Ford's warranty policy, with 2 of Ford's field service engineers, and they both confirmed what I'm explaning to you right now, and they also confirmed that there is no way, your dealer can tell, if you made any changes..So you really have nothing to worry about..All you need to do is, before you take you're car into your dealer, for servicing..Just uninstall you're cold air kit, then reinstall you're factory air box, and finally reflash back to stock, and after doing it a couple of times, you should be able to change everything, in under 10 min. Anyway, hope this helps out, and wish you the very best of luck...

 

Thanks for the good information.
You don't need to take me so seriously though.
Didn't say I was worried, I just don't need the hassle. I don't care how many times I do it, it would still take me more than 10min (I'm really not in any rush and I'm very careful). Didn't need any of that explained to me. I used to work at Ford dealerships. Don't need the best of luck, already have it.
Thank you for your support.

 

Well excuse my inability, to read you're mind..If I had known that you used to work at a Ford dealership..I wouldn't have bothered to explain anything, that you didn't need to begin with..The bottom line, is this..I responded to you're post, because I was under the impression, you were looking for support..Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered wasting my time, in the first place..And although, I may be guilty of taking things too serious, at times..At least, I know how to show my appreciation, whenever someone is trying to provide their support..However, if you don't need any advice..Then perhaps, you shouldn't ask for any, to begin with...As for my statement about, wishing you the very best of luck, was concerned..That was meant as a figure of speech and was also, another way of providing support..However, you can do whatever you want, with it.. as far as I'm concerned..