Stock TJ airbox VS. High Flow Intake

Macdaddy4738

Macdaddy4738

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
Are these high flow intakes worth the cash to get em, or is the stock airbox just fine? I need a new airbox, so im trying to decide if I should just upgrade the current one.

2.5l TJ
 
The stock box offers some water splash protection. Most washable cone filters will let some water into the intake if you get into deep mud or water.
As long you build (or buy one with) a splash shield, they can offer a little better performance.
That said, what happened to the stock box you have?
If it is usable, I would get a high flow drop in filter for the stock box.
 
Keep in mind that no matter what you bolt on to the 2.5, you will always be less than impressed with the performance. As said, the stock box helps keep splash and mess out. I had a coolguy cone filter and when I rebuilt my engine there was grime on the wrong side of the intake (manifold, throttle body, etc)
 
I have a home rigged cone filter instead of the stock airbox on my 4.0 liter. I havent hit any large water puddles or mud holes with it so I dont know how well it will keep wet stuff out.
 
I thought mine kept stuff out well (engine showed no signs of problems).
 
You can get "Outerwear" pre-filters that cover the cone filters to repel water/mud (IOW, keep exposed paper filters from trashing in the dampness)...

they ain't cheap though!
 
uglyjeepoffroad said:
The stock box offers some water splash protection. Most washable cone filters will let some water into the intake if you get into deep mud or water.
As long you build (or buy one with) a splash shield, they can offer a little better performance.
That said, what happened to the stock box you have?
If it is usable, I would get a high flow drop in filter for the stock box.
Click to expand...

Its cracked (has crack about a third of a inch across). It was taped up for a while, but thats not working to well. I have a K&N filter in it right now
 
I ran a bare throttle body with no intake what so ever for a few days and noticed zero difference in acceleration, city, and highway driving.

I bought a $40 K&N cone filter that was the same that fit the diameter of the stock intake tube and have been running that for a few years now. Its a cheaper alternative to the K&N cold air kit.
 
Now, every motor is different, and I don't know the ins/outs of the 2.5L... is it known for being air rescted in stock form?
As a general rule, a running engine is a balanced system. Basically a big lous air pump. You can only suck in as much air as you can push back out... short of forced induction, the amount sucked in is in fact controlled by the exhaust rate. As a result, increased intake will only have really noticeable benefit if you likewise open the exhaust (headers, wider exhaust, etc etc).
Just a thought.

On the cone filters, while they get dirty on the outside, the threat of sucking water/mud through is actually pretty unlikely. You'd have to have 100% of the filter submersed before that'd happen, short of what can just naturally pass through the filter with minimal pull.
 
dfvaulter said:
I ran a bare throttle body with no intake what so ever for a few days and noticed zero difference in acceleration, city, and highway driving.
Click to expand...

As quoted the stock airbox is not as restrictive as people like to claim it is... so whether you put a CAI or K&N filter in it isn't going to make a significant difference. Also don't forget with high flow filters you let more particles in the engine increasing engine wear over time.

As already said snorkels are about the best intake you can put on a jeep ;)
 
had a buddy with a YJ w/4cyl, I think 94, and he had a cheap cone filter setup on it, on the second pass through a mud hole @ URE, it sucked up enough water to stall the engine. We then had to take the TB off and clean the intake runners of the 1/8" clay slime that was now in there. Really sucked, the other 2 of us in the group had jeeps (98 tj, 93 zj)with stock air intakes, and had zero trouble. We did however have a little bit of water/mud in the bottoms of our airboxes, but nothing made it through the filter. And it was a very small amount in my stock airbox
 
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