K&N cold air intake = less power?

[black99lightning]

I currently have a K&N on the Taurus and the Airade on the Explorer Sport.  When I originally put the Airade on the Taurus, I did it as scientific as possible.  I went to the track. 

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=118724


short of it, I picked up .05 and .3 mph.  Could've been just the drop in temps.  But I didn't lose anything, except a few $$.  I did pick up the K&N and had it on the ES for a few weeks.  I liked the "sound" of it.  You can hear the air whooshing as it is being sucked into the filter, then the whoosh when you let off the gas.  I switched it to the Taurus and put the Airade on the ES.  Went to the track last weekend and ran a best of 13.17 @ 104.9.  About my average in good, not great weather.  I've seen as much as 105.7 mph with the K&N which is faster than I've ever seen out of the Airade.  Car just ecliped 68K miles and has been dealer maintaned, including the transmission serviced twice.

[68_GT]

I'd get one just for the added sound but not at the possible cost of loosing any performance.

I wonder if the butt dyno he says felt slower becasue of the added noise ? Sometime louder feels slower to me ? Not sure why it just does

[steve142857]

This summer I went to the track with one of our fellow member Bigpelo (Frank). He has a 2013 LMS tuned with K&N «CAI». It sounds amazing. Actually, I thought the Airaid was too quiet after I heard his car. He was nice enough to let me drive his car for a 1/4 mile run. I don't remember the exact number, but I believe it was around 13.3 seconds. As much as I loved the sound of his car (and the overall look for that matter), it felt sluggish, slow. I know I have been driving my SHO with methanol for a while now and it is a full second faster, but I truly felt that something was not right. Could it be the tune, his car or the K&N? Who knows. Until I see great numbers by someone using a K&N «CAI», I will wait. I too want the noise, but not want to lose performance.

[DJE624]

I really would like the sound and appearance the K&N offers.

[panther427]

I haven't got to look to closely at things underhood yet. But to me the worst part of the pre turbo intake is where it y's off to go too the two turbos. Seems oddly shaped and bad angles. And if the k and n style intakes are worthless why has ford and others put them into factory cars.

[DJE624]

Ford put K&N style intakes in factory cars?

[panther427]

The gt 500 has an open element cai, which k and n made popular. Not sayin a cai intake replacement is right or better for every car. And hell that might be the only example of a factory car.

[DJE624]

Very interesting.  I'll have to take a look at that.  Thanks!