How much horsepower does a cold air intake add to a 4-cylinder turbo

There are a few reasons a cold air intake is a popular modification for someone who's just starting to modify a car. Cold air intakes generally cost just a few hundred dollars (depending, of course, on the manufacturer of the intake itself and the type of car you own). They're also relatively easy to install with just a few hand tools in an average-equipped garage. And despite their simplicity, a cold air intake actually provides a decent horsepower boost for a small investment.

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Is a cold air intake worth it on a 4 cylinder engine?
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A cold air intake works by moving the engine's air filter away from the engine, so that the air being sucked in is cooler. Normally, air is drawn from the area right next to the engine, which, of course, is very hot because the engine heats up everything under the hood and all around it. Cooler air carries more oxygen, so if you can help your car somehow reach air that hasn't been heated by the engine, that extra oxygen makes a bigger bang from the same amount of fuel. That might not sound like such a big deal, but think about exercising outdoors on a hot and humid day, as opposed to a day with a cool refreshing breeze. Unless you're an elite athlete, no one's diligently measuring how the weather affects your body's performance. But the difference in the way you feel has a very scientific basis, and the same basic principle applies to your car. That's why weather reports give smog warnings on gross, congested days -- hot, dirty air leads to all kinds of ailments.

Cold air intakes are designed to flow more efficiently than your car's from-the-factory, traditional airflow assembly. Stock tubes are often small and restricted; an aftermarket intake has larger diameter, smooth tubes to encourage stronger airflow. That doesn't mean that factory-installed systems are completely useless -- all that "extra" filtration is designed to help your car stay clean under all circumstances. But if you want extra power, you have to be willing to compromise a little in the hopes of attaining optimal conditions instead of average conditions.

If you want your car to run better, opening up its airflow is a good start. That's why a cold air intake is a small investment with a rather big payoff. It makes such a big difference, in fact, that the simple process of redirecting the filter to draw cooler air is good for a horsepower gain of about 5 to 20 ponies in most cars. It might even improve your fuel efficiency, and it'll probably make your engine sound better, too. And the standard disclaimer, of course, is that your exact results will depend on the specific make and model of your car and the cold air intake system you choose.

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Author's Note: How much horsepower does a cold air intake add?

A cold air intake is one of the rare modifications that works pretty well on its own, and that's one of the reasons it's so popular with people who are just beginning to modify a car. (The other reasons are low cost and ease of installation ... plus the cool sound that wannabe street racers crave). It doesn't make sense to spend thousands or more on a turbo or supercharger if the engine's airflow is still restricted from the factory. So, while we usually caution that modifications, especially engine and drivetrain upgrades, should be carefully researched and planned, a cold air intake is a pretty safe -- and logical -- place to start.

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Sources

Berg, Phil. "10 Bolt-On Auto Performance Upgrades That Really Work." Popular Mechanics. (May 13, 2012) http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/products/10-bolt-on-auto-performance-upgrades-that-really-work-9#slide-9
Huffman, John Pearley. "10 Ways to Make Your Old Car Feel New." Popular Mechanics. (May 13, 2012) http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/maintenance/10-ways-to-make-your-old-car-feel-new-4#slide-4
K&N. "K&N Air Intakes -- Guaranteed Horsepower." (May 13, 2012) http://www.knfilters.com/kits.htm

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It only takes 90 minutes to reap the benefits of a K&N cold air intake system

It doesn’t matter if you own a 15-year-old commuter or a brand new sports car, you can always find a reason to want more power out of your car. Whether it will allow you to merge onto the highway more safely or to pull ahead of your buddy between stoplights, the need for more power is insatiable. However, most power-adders are either too expensive or too labor intensive for a casual enthusiast. What if we told you there was a bolt on solution that can add power and was easy enough for you to do in your driveway?

One of the fastest ways to add more airflow, horsepower, and throttle response to your car while still protecting the engine is with a cold air intake. The way an engine works is by taking in air, mixing it with fuel, and combusting the air/fuel mixture, which then sends power to the crankshaft and onto the transmission. The more fuel you can add to the mixture, the more power you can make, to a point. But if you just add fuel without increasing the amount of air in the cylinder, you will run the engine rich and lose power. That is where the cold air intake comes into play.

K&N air intakes provide a less restrictive, more direct path for air into the engine

Cold air intakes are also called cool air intakes and performance air intakes. They typically consist of a type of plastic or metal tube, a heat shield or air box, and a filter. The way they help your engine is by providing a larger, less restrictive airflow path to the engine. By allowing the engine to intake more air, the vehicle’s computer can add more fuel, resulting in a more explosive mixture, thereby making more power. Let’s take a look at a cold air intake to help you better understand how it can help your car make more power, while still protecting your engine.

This particular intake is from K&N Engineering. They have been making cold air intakes longer than any other company and are the worldwide leader in cold air intakes for cars and trucks. As you can see, the air intake tube is made of a black plastic, which is called high density polyethylene, or HDPE. This material allows the engineers the ability to maneuver around obstacles in the engine bay when looking for the best airflow path. At the end of the tube is a signature K&N red washable air filter. These filters are made from multiple layers of cotton filter media that has been treated with a special oil to help stop contaminants that can be harmful to your engine. Around the filter is a custom aluminum heat shield. When the hood is closed, it seals against the weather stripping on the heat shield, making a sort of air box that helps prevent the intake from ingesting hot engine bay air. That is where the cold in the name comes from.

If you ever questioned the power gains, here is a 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 dyno chart: 56 hp!

The cold air part is also important in making more power. Cold air is denser and contains more oxygen molecules than warm air does. So if you can get cooler air into your engine, your car will be able to mix more fuel with that air, making more power. Combine that with the more air through the larger and less restrictive filter and intake tube and you can see up to a 10-15 horsepower increase. K&N has even reported an estimated increase of 56.96 horsepower out of the 57-2571 intake for 2007-2009 Shelby GT500!

Companies like K&N typically offer several different cold air intakes for vehicles. These vary by type of materials used in the intake tube, to type of filter: from a traditional oiled cotton media to a non-oiled synthetic media. The choice is ultimately up to you. One cool thing about K&N intakes is that they come with a 10-year/Million Mile Limited Warranty and are guaranteed to increase the horsepower of your vehicle. Check them out to see all the intakes they have to offer.

Is a cold air intake worth it on a 4 cylinder engine?

It increases the flow of oxygen to your combustion chamber by providing cool, dense air. The primary benefits of installing one include an increase in horsepower, more responsive acceleration, and a boost to your fuel economy.

How much HP does cold air intake give you with tube?

How Much HP Does a Cold Air Intake Add? When upgrading your air intake, truck owners can expect an increase of between 5 to 15 horsepower, though this number can be higher or lower depending on your make, model, engine size, and type of intake.

Does a cold air intake make a difference on a turbo engine?

The airflow path is intake -> turbo -> intercooler -> engine. In a turbocharged engine, the need for and use of a Cold Air Intake System is typically not deemed necessary or very useful. The turbocharger superheats the cooler air it receives from the intake before passing it to the intercooler.

How much torque does a cold air intake add to a 4 cylinder?

For those putting a cold air intake on a 4-cylinder engine, an improvement of up to 20 additional horsepower can be seen. Cold air intake makes a significant difference.