AFE Cold Air Intake - Post Installation Thoughts/Review

[kringle]

Well I thought I would post my post installation thoughts on the AFE CAI to help others when making a CAI buying decision.

Make no mistake the AFE product is a great CAI and one of the best CAI's available for the Tundra, however for the premium price of the AFE compared to other CAI's I have basic expectations that may make it seem like I am being picky. However for 350+ I think I have the right to be picky.

Pro's:
1 - Quality CAI with great fit and finish for the most part
2 - Great OEM integration with MAF
3 - Good resulting performance

Con's:
1 - World's worst instructions ever
2 - Would expect better fit around air intake side of engine compartment
3 - Includes sealer strip that is not needed for Tundra install - could confuse some installers

I want to really stress, the instructions are not even worth the one sheet of paper used to print them on. The pictures are in black and white and smaller than the human eye can see. They are not even worth being on the instruction sheet. The specs listed for the tools needed (stock clamp nut sizes, etc) are all incorrect so don't use them when selected your tools needed to disassemble the stock air intake. The instructions are barely complete sentences and will not be adequate for a newb that has not installed a CAI before or are infamiliar with top side engine components. Additionally, the instructions that are there aren't very specific on directional alignment of clamps, flanges, and filter adapters. Again it will frustrate and confuse those doing a CAI for the first time.

for 350+ I expect quality in the little things and that begins and ends with the instructions and documentation included. AFE gets an F in this area and should be embarrassed for a company that makes such a quality product that they disappoint so severely in this one simple area.

Another item worth pointing out is they need to improve the length of the neck piece that comes off the molded filter box that goes into the air intake panel on the side of the engine compartment. It butts up against the hole as opposed to going and and sealing against the hole like the stock air filter box. For 350+ I would have expected better fit in this area. But this is the only area I could complain about regarding quality and fit and finish of the actual CIA.

Finally, my last complaint is that they include a 13 inch sealer strip that is used in some model CAI installs, but for the AFE on the Tundra it isn't used, isn't mentioned in their instructions and no need to have the extra part included other than to confuse installers as to why their is an extra part in the kit and no mention of it in the pictures or the verbal instructions.

One note is that it doesn't create quite the engine "whooshing" noise of some aftermarket CAI's so those looking for a CAI that is more aggressive in how it changes the sound coming from under the hood, your not going to get that with the AFE. It didn't bother me as I don't care, but some expect this and may be disappointed when comparing it to the Volent, Airraid, or K&N etc.

Overall, top notch CAI that is worth the extra money compared to other CAI's construction wise, but my elevated standards dictated by the price point were violated by the obvious corner cutting they took with the installation documentation and packaging of the product. Don't let this discourage you from purchasing one but be aware, especially if you are new to installing CAI's.

They should take a lesson out of Corsa's book and understand it is the little things that make a premium aftermarket product and that customers expect the little things when spending the extra money for top tier products. If AFE included installation documentation of the quality of Corsa exhaust documentation it would be a killer product. Corsa sets the standard IMO on aftermarket product documentation. They should be applauded

-K

[crankytexan]

That "extra strip" is actually used for the tube between the body and the box.

I do agree that the instructions suck.

[kringle]

Thanks, I had an tech support inquiry in asking about the strip but haven't heard back. I question the use of the strip to seal the neck and the engine compartment. I think it will result in poorer seal as opposed to improved seal, but I will add it. They don't even mention installing the strip on the neck in the instructions. More evidence of how poor the instructions are.

thanks for the info ...

[xleratin]

I agree with the ****ty instructions, and I don't like the fact that the intake part that goes inside the fender doesn't go in any farher or have some sort of foam to seal it off from the rest of the the underhood heat. I think It sounds pretty good though!

I just realized you said this too, I didn't read it all the way through!

[kringle]

Ok just went out and took the CIA box back out and put the sealer trim strip on the end of the intake neck on the box per the info from crankytexan above. It does seal better using the pressure against the box provided by the tube from the throttle side of the CIA. I still argue that a better design would be to have the neck actually go into the side of the engine compartment like the stock box as opposed to sealing up against the panel with just a piece of foam trim.

Also reset the computer and with the better seal from the foam strip and the reset, the more aggressive CAI sound is there now. So disregard that note above.

[crankytexan]

Originally Posted by kringle

Ok just went out and took the CIA box back out and put the sealer trim strip on the end of the intake neck on the box per the info from crankytexan above. It does seal better using the pressure against the box provided by the tube from the throttle side of the CIA. I still argue that a better design would be to have the neck actually go into the side of the engine compartment like the stock box as opposed to sealing up against the panel with just a piece of foam trim.

Also reset the computer and with the better seal from the foam strip and the reset, the more aggressive CAI sound is there now. So disregard that note above.

Cool, glad I could be of assistance. Don't worry, I did the same thing when I first installed the intake. P in A to have to remove the box due to shotty instructions.

[jcicho]

Did any one else have a problem with the top Aluminum Plate not fitting right? Did aFe do any thing to fix this for you?

also I was shorted one of the hex screws and a screw for the MAS. I got them to send me out some screws and a new top Plate.

Other than that I'm very pleased with the bad a$$ sound, and the improved response it gives.

[wintergreen]

The aluminum top plate fit best when mounted with the AFE letters upside down so as to be read from the firewall side rather than from the front of the truck. I considered trying to pull the AFE logo off and turning it around 180 but have not tried this yet.

Why does a "sealed unit" have an opening in the lower front? Has anyone tried to block this and if so were the results better or worse?

[JimmyC]

Has anyone thought about possibly creating a new instruction sheet and sending it to the folks at AFE? I know there are some seriously talented poeple on this forum who do some seriously good write ups. Who better to do a write up than one of us who are actually installing the parts.

It would also be a serious show of generosity of one Tundra owner helping another. Not only that but I'll be receiving my AFE next week and it would be awesome to not have to go through the same a$$ pain.

[JimmyC]

Well I just installed my AFE intake. And since no one created any new instructions I went through the same a$$ pain that the rest of you did too. I guess we'll just consider it a right of passage.

Anway the install wasn't too difficult but the sealer strip that went between the filter assembly and the truck opening did throw me for a loop. I had to read this post all over again to figure out what it was used for. While I was driving it around the engine sound wasn't too bad, but I had a whistle which sounded like a turbo boost kicking in, not too bad sounded kinda cool. I'll have to see what it sounds like with the seal strip in. I went and bought some weather stripping to try and make a better seal.

I don't understand how they consider this a sealed system when the airbox has a 2x4" opening on the lower front of the airbox. Seems like hot engine air could would not be kept out and that it would always suck air in that opening vs the fender opening... path of least resistance?...

As far as extra power... don't really know because I installed the AFE and my Corsa exhaust at the same time. I actually don't know how much power it had before because I never got on it before and only had 250miles on the truck when I installed my mods....

Got on it a little today as I wasn't paying attention when the light changed green until the car behind me honked... I got a little exited and got just a little heavy on the pedal only to hear about $5 roll off my back tires.

[can't stop spinning]

aFe Air Intake Toyota Tundra Review with Video Sound Clips | tundraheadquarters.com

there's an explanation in there somewhere as to why there is that opening in the airbox

[quarque]

Originally Posted by can't stop spinning

aFe Air Intake Toyota Tundra Review with Video Sound Clips | tundraheadquarters.com

there's an explanation in there somewhere as to why there is that opening in the airbox

I wonder if anyone has thought about a slight mod for the AFE box. The opening that lets in air from the engine compartment is there because the fender hole is not big enough at high RPM's. My suggested mod is to steal an idea from the design used in my Buick Rainier air box. They had a sping-loaded flap that would partially bypass the filter at extreme RPM's so the engine could breathe properly. The trick would be to find a proper spring so the flap only blocked the opening below 3500 RPM or so. Should be easy to do for some mechanically inclined user here.

[Bruteforce]

I'm kind of a newb on this forum but was reading this thread and remembered reading about this mod today...hope it helps!!!
New Afe Modification , pics ! Please Look ! - TundraTalk.net - Toyota Tundra Discussion Forum