When push comes to shove, most Jeep enthusiasts wish to squeeze a little extra performance out of their beloved ride whenever the opportunity presents itself. This is never truer than when notable power gains can be achieved in a simple manner, and with only a moderate expenditure of time and money. This is precisely the reason why cold air intake systems have remained such a hot commodity within the Jeeping world.
These systems can typically be installed by even the most inexperienced DIY mechanics in little more than an hour, and can be purchased at a fraction of the cost associated with many other performance modifications. This tends to be a winning proposition in the eyes of many, as few can argue against the appeal of a cheap, easy to achieve boost in engine performance.
How Does a Cold Air Intake Work?
In order to run, an internal combustion engine requires air, fuel, and properly-timed spark. In the absence of any one of these three elements, an engine simply will not function. Air, fuel, and spark are all used to facilitate the combustion process through which an engine delivers power that is then directed to your Jeep’s drivetrain.
Of these key factors of viability for engine operation, the flow of incoming air is perhaps the easiest to influence. When an engine is in operation, fresh air is continuously drawn into its intake, providing each cylinder with the appropriate volume of oxygen to support adequate combustion.
As each cylinder reaches its intake stroke, its corresponding intake valve opens due to a timed correlation between the engine’s crankshaft/camshaft. Simultaneously, the cylinder’s piston moves downward within its bore, creating a vacuum under which air is pulled from the engine bay inward past the open intake valve, in a bid to fill the cylinder’s void.
This incoming air begins the journey toward its eventual combustion at the engine’s airbox, where the engine air filter is located. This air then passes through the air filter, and into the following intake tube. At this point, air is pulled through the engine’s throttle body, and into its intake, where it finally reaches the intake valves contained within the cylinder head.
A cold air intake system is effectively designed to streamline this air delivery process. This is accomplished in two main ways.
- Minimize Airflow Restrictions: Just as poor aerodynamics impede the flow of air across a moving object, restrictions within an engine’s air intake system stifle the flow of incoming air. In most engines, the weak link within this airflow equation can be found within the stock system’s air filter housing. These housings are typically restrictive in nature and cause incoming air to “bottleneck” upon entry. Cold air intake units eliminate this restriction for increased air flow.
- Cool Incoming Air: As a general rule, cooler air is substantially denser and more oxygen-rich than warmer air. Cold air intake kits take advantage of this fact by repositioning the air filter outside of its respective filter housings. This exposed filter element then serves as the gateway for cooler air to be drawn from the expanses of the engine compartment. Additionally, many cold air intake kits utilize a heat shield as a means of isolating the element and air pick-up from warm air radiating off of the engine.
The culmination of these two factors, in the form of an aftermarket cold air intake kit, provides a Jeep’s engine with a steady, reliable input of oxygen-rich cool air to be used in the combustion process.
Cold Air Intake Benefits
When fielding the question of whether or not to install a cold air intake kit on their Jeep, most consumers are left to ponder where the true value of such an upgrade lies. Luckily, for most this is a relatively easy question to answer, as several advantages are offered through the installation of such a kit, with the following often being high up on this list.
Increased Horsepower
One of the most notable benefits to the installation of a cold air intake kit is that of the increased horsepower that such a modification offers over the use of OEM air filter arrangements. In fact, cold air intake manufacturing giant, K&N, specifies that the installation of their units typically net overall gains of 10-15 horsepower as certified by independent dyno testing, though these figures can vary from one application to the next.
While these high-performance air intakes do not yield as notable gains as the installation of such induction equipment as superchargers or turbos, the uninhibited flow of denser air that they allow into the intake is enough to justify a notable increase in engine power. While some might be skeptical toward the idea of such easy-to-achieve performance gains, the science is certainly there to back up these claims.
Much like in the case with any fire, as the level of available oxygen for consumption increases, so does the volatility of this combustion. As the temperature of intake air is decreased, the oxygen content of this incoming air increases, allowing for more efficient and complete combustion within each cylinder.
Enhanced Throttle Response
Another noteworthy performance attribute that goes hand in hand with the installation of a cold air intake system is that of enhanced throttle response. While this can be somewhat attributed to a cold air intake's viability as a method to increase horsepower, there is also more to the equation.
For your Jeep to respond effectively upon acceleration, an adequate supply of air must be available to burn. Within many stock intake tracts, OEM air filter housings have been known to be a limiting factor toward the volume of available airflow for consumption. These filter housings are generally restrictive in their uptake and do not make the best possible use of available air.
For your engine, this can be like breathing with a hand over your mouth. Just as you would be partially robbed of the airflow that you desire, so is your engine when operating with the use of a stock air filter housing. However, when a cold air intake system is installed, this point of restriction is removed from the intake tract, allowing for significantly quicker air intake and greater throttle responsiveness.
Bolstered Fuel Economy
While the significant bulk of consumers who install a cold air intake on their vehicle do so in a bid to glean additional horsepower and boost performance, another advantage is also afforded to those who perform this modification as well. Under most circumstances, a noticeable gain in fuel economy is observed with the addition of a cold air intake kit.
This boost in gas mileage can be directly attributed to the increased combustion efficiency that is rendered by the installation of a cold air intake system. As your engine runs, several sensors provide continual performance and operational data to the engine’s computer, or ECM. The ECM then utilizes this feedback to meter fuel delivery in a bid for more complete combustion.
Therefore, as a high-volume of dense, oxygen-rich air is introduced into your engine’s intake, the ECM relies on data provided by the mass airflow sensor, coolant temperature sensor, and downstream O2 sensors to determine how much fuel is needed for efficient operation. This higher volume of oxygen-saturated air-intake air burns in a more complete manner than would otherwise be possible, thereby requiring less fuel to be demanded for operation.
Cost To Yield Efficiency
We are all looking to get the most bang for our buck, and this comes as no exception when seeking out the most worthy of engine performance upgrades. This makes the installation of a cold air intake kit a no-brainer for most. While the cost of such kits can vary significantly from one application to the next, the necessary expenditure for such a product is typically modest.
A significant number of cold air intake kits can be found for purchase within the $200-$400 retail price range. Even units that feature a greater degree of under-hood cosmetic appeal, such as those featuring aluminum tube intake ducting and carbon fiber construction, seldom command a retail price that is much in excess of base-level kits.
Pound for pound, there are few available upgrades or engine modifications that can claim to offer anywhere near the level of value that is offered by the purchase of a cold air intake kit. With average performance gains of 10-15 horsepower and notable increases in gas mileage to boot, it is hard not to justify such a purchase.
Cost Savings On Filter Elements
Another virtue associated with the installation of a cold air intake kit comes in the form of cost savings on replacement filters. The vast majority of cold air intake kits come with a washable air filter element that can be pulled out, cleaned, and oiled at its designated service interval. Once this filter has dried for a set period of time, it can be returned to service, where it will remain until due for the next cleaning.
Many of the reusable air filters consist of a cotton gauze design, which does not soil in an irreversible pattern in the same manner that is common of stock paper filter elements. Additionally, many kits come complete with all of the essential products for reusable filter element cleaning. In the event that such products do not come with a particular cold air intake kit, they can be purchased at a nominal cost.
Today, OEM grade paper fiber filters retail for an average of $15-$30, with an expected service life of 15,000-20,000 miles. Throughout the course of an individual’s ownership of their cold air intake equipped Jeep, it is highly likely that at least a portion of the kit’s initial purchase price will be offset by savings on replacement air filters.
More Aggressive Sound
If your Jeep looks the part, why not make it sound the part as well? The installation of a cold air intake unit can promptly accomplish this, with no more than a minor expenditure of time, and the retail cost of the kit itself. This is not only a practical way of providing your Jeep with an aggressive tone but a way of doing so while reaping the other numerous benefits of this upgrade as well.
Much of this difference in overall sound characteristics is not as much a product of a cold air intake’s design, as it is the result of removing an engine’s OEM air filter housing. Stock filter housings are designed to minimize operational noise when a vehicle’s engine is running and typically feature built-in resonators to muffle the normal ambient noise emitted from the engine’s intake ducting.
The extent to which a cold air intake affects a vehicle’s sound varies by the particular kit which is purchased. While a significant number of these kits provide a notably deeper and more robust reverberation, other specialty kits include strategically placed baffles within their ducting to drastically cut down on this sound variance.
Top-Rated Cold Air Intakes
As in any market, some specific brands and models of automotive products naturally achieve a distinction of notoriety for their sound engineering and meticulous craftsmanship. Cold air intake kits are no exception to this rule, as some stand out above the rest for the value that they offer to consumers.
The following are some of the top-rated Jeep cold air intakes currently available on today’s market.
Volant Open Air Element Intake
Volant offers a full line of cold air intake kits that are designed to perfectly fit the Fiat Chrysler era Jeeps from 2012-2017. These kits are part of the company’s Open Air Element Intake lineup and come complete with a washable and reusable Pro 5 Volant air filter. Each kit features Volant’s cross-link polyurethane air duct, which utilized a wide diameter, free-flowing design to rapidly deliver air into your Jeep’s intake.
Included within the Volant Open Air Element Intake Kit is all hardware needed to complete the designated installation process, as well as thorough instructions for additional guidance. Included in this hardware are marine-grade stainless steel clamps, which provide ample fortitude to all of the system’s connections.
Airaid Intake System
Airaid is another manufacturer of high-quality cold air intake systems, and they've experienced more than the typical amount of fanfare. The Airaid Intake system is designed to unleash your Jeep’s true performance potential by maximizing the volume of ultra-dense air that is fed through its intake tract. This kit utilizes a one-piece roto-molded air box from which air is scavenged in a bid to bolster available horsepower.
The vast majority of Airaid Intake Systems are also offered with a consumer's choice of either oiled or non-oiled filter elements. Synthaflow oiled filters are preferable when off-roading or driving in other harsh or dusty environments, while Synthamax non-oiled filters are the perfect option for daily driver use.
aFe Power Momentum Performance Intake
When choosing a cold air intake, the aFe Power Momentum Performance Intake System is also worthy of consideration. This system utilizes a one-piece sealed housing with an auxiliary air scoop to direct the coolest possible flow of oxygen-rich air into the intake on which it is mounted. The use of this filter is specified to yield average performance gains of 12 horsepower and 11 lbs/ft of torque.
All aFe Power Momentum Performance Intake Systems also come equipped with a 7-layer pre-oiled Performance Air Filter. This 8-inch filter provides 360-degree filtration through five progressively finer oil cotton gauze and two layers of synthetic non-woven media. The culmination of these design features virtually eliminates any risk of dirt or other fine particle debris intrusion.
Corsa Performance PowerCore Air Intake System
While Corsa might be known most notably for their production of aftermarket exhaust systems, there is certainly no misgivings as to the high level of quality offered to consumers by the company’s cold air intake lineup. All Corsa PowerCore Air Intake Systems come equipped with Donaldson PowerCore Filters, which require no cleaning and oiling.
The Corsa PowerCore Air Intake System is also quite simple to install, requiring no more than 30-40 minutes to complete the process in its entirety. To aid in this process, a set of comprehensive instructions are included, in addition to all necessary hardware. This gets you back on the road far faster than most would deem possible, where you can test out your Jeep’s newly unlocked performance potential.
The Bottom Line On Cold Air Intakes
Whether new to the world of Jeep modification or a custom Jeep owner of several decades, the addition of a cold air intake is a worthy consideration across the board. In fact, it is somewhat difficult to find any legitimate reason not to install such a kit under the hood of your Jeep today.
When all things are considered, the installation of a cold air intake provides your Jeep with enhanced performance characteristics, all at a fraction of the cost associated with other powertrain component upgrades. With average gains of approximately 10 horsepower and little expenditure of time or effort necessary for installation, there is a good reason why cold air intake systems continue to be a hot commodity for Jeep owners around the world.