Yeah, the engine will only suck as much air as it needs. If you're driving slow, less sucking of air.

So an aftermarket CAI with low rpms will draw way less air than a stock airbox at WFO.

These CAIs can't deliver that much more air !

 

The biggest issue here is not about harming the motor. It's the probability of the motor actually running. Perhaps you don't have an 05+ Mustang, and are unfamiliar with this particular PCM, so I will give you the benefit of a doubt.

Any drastic change to the MAF size will result in the engine immediately going into limp mode, and in almost all cases, stalling within seconds of being started. If you are able to drive the car, and put any kind of load on the motor, you will be running extremely lean and yes, you definitely run the risk of detonation. Advising differently is just silly, and makes it seem like you don't care if your peers blow their motor.

None of that really matters, because 99% of intake changes won't even allow the car to settle at idle. They stall. And stall. And stall. And stall.

 

Actually the cars run with the MAF disconnected. They revert to running off the map or table and throw a fault light but they do run and if you drive gently you won't damage the engine. With a CAI it might run lean because there is less restriction to filling the cylinder.

 

once i was taking my 2005 V6 back to the dealer to get some work done under warranty. i had the C&L Cai and a brenspeed tune, so i swapped everything back to stock, shut the hood, backed out of the driveway and started to go when my car stalled up and went into safe mode. i was barely able to bring it back to my driveway. i looked under the hood and saw i forgot to connect the MAF to the sensor. perhaps the management on the 4L is drastically different, but i would say that going without a tune on a bigger CAI is a bad idea.

also, all the people saying you could do this...would you? i wouldn't want to risk ruining my $30K+ brand new car.

 

Yeah...I'd just put it on. It takes some time for the long term fuel trims to readjust to changes, so assuming you're pretty close and drive it easy on the way, no harm will be done. I plugged my Scangauge into my car today and found the Trims to show slight (4%) lean corrections, so the stock fueling is already pretty aggressive. Without a tune and WITH a CAI it would just trend leaner. I ordered the Steeda kit with the CAI and the SCT/Tune... Soundsl ike I'm going to like it from reports here!

 

You'll love it, i've had mine tuned for a few days now and having a blast. Only thing i was told it would do is dissable the skip ship which is still there. Besides that, the car pulls like crazy.

 

Thanks Dan!....Can't wait to get it on! Just working through the dealer 87 octane fill....Getting better everyday as the 93 octane works into the system. The Steeda should be the icing on the cake!

 

BTW, for those wondering why the Steeda absolutely needs a tune, here's why. They've bumped the MAF tube up to 95mm from 85mm. As you increase tube diameter, air flows through it slower (Basic physics). You get more air but a reduced signal from the MAF which is actually telling the car you need LESS fuel. You need to make some changes to the MAF scaling to compensate. I build larger MAF tubes for VW's and Audi's so have a lot of experience with this. In the Audi scenario, since we don't have readily available tune programs, we simply bump the fuel pressure up to compensate. A CAI that doesn't vary this tube diameter can likely be installed without a tune. If you want to learn more about this check out my page on the tubes I build here: http://www.modshack.info/bamm.htm