loveoldtrux

Okay - got the famous 2 lower bolts finally tightened up on my Banks Headers . Since that fun is over with - should I put one of those $200.00+ K&N filter kits on it so it can suck in air better --- that stock one with the big box seems sort of "stuffy".


..or is there a better air intake to use? After that, I guess I need to think about what to do from the cat back now that the headers are on...


Thanks for the read,
Mark

kyle96xj

From what I've read the stock airbox flows enough to suck more air than the engine could ever need. I've also seen tests showing that CAIs do help, theoretically a cowl intake will help the most since it pulls air from outside the engine bay.

Jeepin'_Aint_EZ

My advice would be to spend your money elsewhere. You'll see minimal, if any, gains from an intake system.

extrashaky

Either go with a real cold air intake that pulls air from the cowl or just use the stock airbox with a K&N reusable drop-in filter. The under-hood cone filters are not going to give you significantly more filter surface area, if any.

FYI, early XJs had a rectangular hole in the front bulkhead, right in front of the airbox inlet hole, to allow cold air to go into the airbox. At least some of them also had a tube that went from the bulkhead hole to the airbox hole to block out hot air from under the hood and only let in cold air being rammed through the grille. In later XJs, that hole was closed up so that the airbox is always sucking hot air from under the hood. You can still see where the hole should have been, but it's just a blank indentation there. I'm not sure when the change was made or which configuration the '96 has.

Point is, if you buy one of those so-called "cold air" aftermarket intakes that takes air from under the hood, you're going to get warmer air than the stock airbox would get from the hole in the firewall. I removed my airbox to make room for other stuff (and replaced it with a cowl intake), but if I hadn't, I might consider using a drop-in filter with the stock airbox and finding one of those cold air tubes from an early XJ. The hole is blanked over in mine, but that's not something a saw blade or cutoff wheel can't remedy.

bad_idea

A K&N air filter must be oiled to properly filter. That oil can reek havoc on MAF sensors. That's why I do not run one on my Z28. Not sure about your Jeep, mine is a 90, but if it has a MAF I wouldn't use any type of oiled filter. The air intake setup on the XJs is decent enough, wouldn't mess with it. Throw a good paper filter in it and let it be. Spend that money on an exhaust system.

kyle96xj

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/en...take-shootout/
A cold air intake might actually be beneficial if nothing else just for the smooth inside of tube, I know that it's a tj but it's still similar.

andrewmp6

K&N air filters don't clean as good as they say they do.

loveoldtrux

Okay guys - saving money for next on the to-do list, then. Extra-shaky... yup... found the hole in front of the air cleaner box... lot of good that does with no connection to the air cleaner box!! Just warm air being sucked in :-). I guess I'll change the thermostat next and check that "check engine light" next..... never ends duz it?...


Thanks guys,
Mark

extrashaky

I haven't had any issues at all with mine. I'm running the Spectre cowl intake, which has a K&N cone filter in the tube. If you follow the instructions and don't over-oil it, it's fine.

Wiggleworm

The spectre cowl intake isnt available anymore. I run one and love it. Id highly recommend one. THOR has gone back into production on their cowl intake. http://www.trailheadoffroad.com

Fred/N0AZZ

I have ran K&N filters since the 90's starting with race cars and HP street cars. A properly serviced K&N filter is one of the best made as far as flow and filtering. I have saw on the Dyno using both a dry and it in the numbers not a great deal but an increase. I use the stock air box on my 99 XJ with a K&N filter due to usage off-road dust/dirt.


The cost of a high quality dry filter used on anything other that a pavement princess is not cost effective if only changing once every year or two. I have Wix paper filters on 2 of mine a 2013 Town Car and a 2004 Ford High Top conversion van.

extrashaky

I actually bought an extra cone for mine so I don't have to wait to drive the Jeep when swapping them. I take one out, clean it and go about my business while it's drying, driving around if I need to. Then I come back later, oil it (per the instructions, using the correct amount of oil per the K&N table), seal the freshly oiled filter in a gallon ziplock bag so it's ready to use when it's time to swap them again and put it back in its original box to live on the shelf.

At some point I'll put a K&N drop in panel filter in my Subaru, and I'll probably do that one the exact same way.

cleenrob

id do a cowl intake using the skoct air box and a drop in K&N replacement filter

Turbo X_J

3 wix 46077 > 1 k&n

extrashaky

I dunno. I'd rather just run one filter instead of trying to cram three in there.