One of the first modifications many enthusiasts make to their ride is adding a cold-air intake. This replaces the stock intake, a complex, convoluted contraption of pipes and baffles that keep the engine quiet. The more air you can get in and out of the engine, the more power you can make. We like noise, and we like horsepower, so swapping the stock intake for something more free-flowing is a great way to improve your driving experience. Occasionally, the auto manufacturer even does it for you in high-performance versions. A cold-air intake is also a popular modification because it’s pretty easy to do in most cars, requiring only basic tools.
However, as with anything in life, there are trade-offs. Sometimes the performance benefit isn’t as much as you’d hope, or occasionally the mods even make your car slower. Adding a cold-air intake could also cause warranty coverage problems for the engine, since it’s not an original part. It can still be worth installing in many cases, but it’s worth being aware of the pros and cons before popping the hood and letting the wrenches fly.
There are some real benefits
First of all, play this short video and just listen. That throaty growl under acceleration is the result of the cold-air intake. It sounds great on this VW VR6, but it was even better on my 1.8T, which added the turbo whoosh under acceleration and choo-choo-choo when I let off the gas (yes, those are highly technical terms). With sounds like these, I honestly didn’t care if the intake added any horsepower.
But adding horsepower is what a cold-air intake is all about. It does this in two ways. One is by eliminating the restrictions built into the stock intake and letting more air flow into the engine. More air equals more bang and more power. Additionally, as the name implies, the intake draws in cold air from outside rather than hot air inside the engine bay. Colder air is more dense than hot air and can produce more power.
Finally, for the enthusiast on a budget, a cold-air intake is one of the least expensive performance modifications you can make. They typically cost a few hundred dollars for a commercially made unit, or just a few bucks for plumbing supplies and a cheap cone air filter if you build it yourself, like I did on one of my Saturns. That’s far less money than a full exhaust system or a turbo upgrade, which is why this is one of the first mods most enthusiasts make.
Nothing is perfect
AÂ cold-air intake is a worthwhile upgrade, but it does have limitations. You’re not going to get a massive horsepower increase with an intake alone, regardless of what the intake manufacturer may claim. An intake is just one part of the system. You’ll get far more benefit with a better-flowing exhaust system in addition to the intake. Getting more air both in and out of the engine will do more than either by itself.
Some cars may not even realize a power boost from a cold-air intake without a tune telling the engine how to use it. The Cobb Accessport for my 2015 Subaru WRX offered a tune specifically for having a cold-air intake and no other mods. This implies that the standard tune may not take full advantage of the extra air the intake provides. On the other hand, some intake manufacturers claim that a tune is not required to see power gains. Of course, they want to sell intakes, and tuning companies want to sell tunes, so take all that with a truckload of salt.
One more disadvantage depends on the intake’s specific design. Some place the air filter low to the ground to scoop up cold air before it comes anywhere near the engine compartment. That low location can scoop other things up, too, like water, driving through a deep puddle could suck water into your engine, causing hydrolock and catastrophic internal damage. Not all intakes lie low and have this issue, but if you have one that does, be sure to watch for water.
