Does cold air intake CAI improve gas mileage?

[Zackmix2020]

I recently installed a cold air intake and wanted to see if their was a difference in gas mileage

so from what I can see when I’m light on the throttle I seen an improved mile or 2 per gallon bump

the first picture is when I was on the highway

the. I drove around the city street for a while and this is the difference

Is anyone getting the same gas mileage without the CAI?

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[Bushpilot]

It will make no mpg difference.

 

[LC48]

You will have some argue that it won't improve and others that it will actually decrease strangely enough.
There is this discussion that the 'puter will schedule more fuel to keep the ratio correct now that you have more air.....but you don't have any more air at a given throttle angle than you had with the factory filter, engine just doesn’t have to work as hard to get it. Basic

So, you will use slightly less throttle to achieve the same result and this is where the mpg increase is found.

Most people wind up blowing thru that savings as the response (and noise) of a more open intake are too tempting!

I see 1.87 mpg increase hand calculated at normal driving.

 

[Brian_J]

Anything that reduces pumping losses should improve mpg provided you can keep your foot out of it.

 

[Zackmix2020]

You will have some argue that it won't improve and others that it will actually decrease strangely enough.
There is this discussion that the 'puter will schedule more fuel to keep the ratio correct now that you have more air.....but you don't have any more air at a given throttle angle than you had with the factory filter, engine just doesn’t have to work as hard to get it. Basic

So, you will use slightly less throttle to achieve the same result and this is where the mpg increase is found.

Most people wind up blowing thru that savings as the response (and noise) of a more open intake are too tempting!

I see 1.87 mpg increase hand calculated at normal driving.

Thanks for the detailed response, btw I noticed your profile picture.. what did you do to yours?

 

[LC48]

What super cheap and easy option are you talking about? I could replace the fomoco element 5-6 times for the cost of one element for the one I am running. OEM's make boatloads of compromises to get units on the road, if you think the design is optimized before they produce it you are kidding yourself.

My selected element out performs the fomoco one in BOTH filtering efficiency and flow rate.

 

[LC48]

Thanks for the detailed response, btw I noticed your profile picture.. what did you do to yours?

I used a 3" SS coupler normally used to connect silicone hoses, an Injen X-1058-BB filter, with a hydro-shield cover, and knocked up a quick brace from some AL bar stock.

Drilled the SS coupler to 11/16 for the 1/2" grommet for the air temp sensor.

Filter is a dry type, and is worth the extra money, I left the upper factory cold intake piping blowing on this one.

Time about 2 hours, cost with the Injen Filter just shy of $90.
SS Coupler

Injen

look for a thread by @JJC ..."diy intake" lots of good ideas and sources in there

 

[Guv]

0, Zilch, Nada, Nein
Maybe the $$$ gain is because you have less money to spend on gas because of what the new air cleaner cost you?

 

[Guv]

Anything that reduces pumping losses should improve mpg provided you can keep your foot out of it.

Your main pumping loss when driving economically is the closed throttle plate, not much air flow at this point. The engines air intake/filter system was designed to provide enough air flow for at least 250 hp, not even an issue concerning fuel economy.

 

[Automate]

You will have some argue that it won't improve and others that it will actually decrease strangely enough.
There is this discussion that the 'puter will schedule more fuel to keep the ratio correct now that you have more air.....but you don't have any more air at a given throttle angle than you had with the factory filter, engine just doesn’t have to work as hard to get it. Basic

So, you will use slightly less throttle to achieve the same result and this is where the mpg increase is found.

Most people wind up blowing thru that savings as the response (and noise) of a more open intake are too tempting!

I see 1.87 mpg increase hand calculated at normal driving.

Colder air is more dense and therefore has more oxygen. More oxygen means more fuel to keep the air/fuel ratio correct. That's how you get more power.

But if you say both engines are putting out exactly the same power, then the cold air engine is going to close the throttle plate a little more to keep the power down. This slightly more closed throttle will result in more pumping losses and slightly less fuel economy.

It is the same principle as vehicles getting higher fuel economy but less power at higher altitudes where the air is thinner.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2005-10-09-0510080238-story.html#:~:text=A.,result is better fuel economy.

 

[LC48]

I was initially interested in the need for a box or plate/baffle for my upgraded filter. So I made 4 back to back 2-hour & 40 minute drives over 4 consecutive weekdays, same weather (temp range +/- 5 deg, RH +/- 3.5%), same times and same driving conditions (normal mode, cruise control between same mile markers at same setting), alternating between the stock box/filter setup and my injen aftermarket filter setup:

- Temperature at the filter of within 5 to 8 deg. fahrenheit stock versus aftermarket, checked with a Fluke 80PK-22 probe, current calibration. So no need for a box in my application (90% highway). Others may need a 100% cold air setup, so far I have no need, plenty of airflow under the hood at highway speed it seems.

Since I was doing this temp testing I went ahead and ran the mpg, starting each day with a full tank.

- Hand calculated mpg indicated an overall 1.87 mpg average improvement between setups.

Sustainable gains? Some variables not accounted for? I really am not interested in finding out, nor will I say that anyone else will see the same results. The only new info to me was how this particular vehicle managed underhood temps at the filter, the mpg was nothing new in my own experience. If you want dyno numbers they are out there.

Takes less than 10 minutes to swap between stock and aftermarket, young dude could probably do it faster. You can piece a system together for 50 or 60 bucks with a cheaper filter than mine and try it out, doesn't work for you then sell the stuff as a kit and probably make a profit.

 

[SFB]

You will have some argue that it won't improve and others that it will actually decrease strangely enough.
There is this discussion that the 'puter will schedule more fuel to keep the ratio correct now that you have more air.....but you don't have any more air at a given throttle angle than you had with the factory filter, engine just doesn’t have to work as hard to get it. Basic

So, you will use slightly less throttle to achieve the same result and this is where the mpg increase is found.

Most people wind up blowing thru that savings as the response (and noise) of a more open intake are too tempting!

I see 1.87 mpg increase hand calculated at normal driving.

I had a 2012 Edge with the 2.0, installed a CAI from K&N, noticed a better throttle response, no increase in highway milage but my city milage didn't increase but was more stable! If that makes sense to you. Added noise took a little while to get use to.

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