Cowl intake vs "cold air intake kit"

2001XJ · Dec 12, 2013

So I recently had a Golen stroker installed and want to upgrade the intake. I know the two basic routes are to buy a kit like AirRaid, Spectre or K&N or to make one by going the cowl intake route.

My questions...

1. What would breathe better, the cowl method or cold intake kit? (I am assuming the cowl due to air being taken in from outside the engine compartment but not sure if flow is reduced)

2. Of the kits out there is one better over another?

I am not too concerened with gaining the ability to traverse rivers or standing water I just want to allow the engine to breathe the best possible.

TIA

XJLI · Dec 13, 2013

Homemade cowl intake using the stock air box. Did it in my 93 and was happy. I went with the THOR kit for my 98 but I needed a solution that didn't use the stock air box and I don't like how small the spectre filter is.

Olympus Off Road · Dec 13, 2013

Cowl intake = colder air than a "cold air" intake.

I like the idea of a cowl intake, but they are quite loud when you get on the throttle. Not for me, maybe I'm a pansy.

XJLI · Dec 13, 2013

Olympus Off Road said:
Cowl intake = colder air than a "cold air" intake.

I like the idea of a cowl intake, but they are quite loud when you get on the throttle. Not for me, maybe I'm a pansy.

The THOR kit is louder than I would have liked, but it's tolerable. If you keep the stock air box you can only hear a difference under WOT.

lazyxj · Dec 13, 2013

2001XJ said:
So I recently had a Golen stroker installed and want to upgrade the intake. I know the two basic routes are to buy a kit like AirRaid, Spectre or K&N or to make one by going the cowl intake route.

I have been running a cowl intake for several years on my DD. No downside so far.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157622703531169/

Intake air is much cooler, verified by several thermometers, one mounted in the the air box and also by monitoring the IAT, with a ScanGuage, reading the intake manifold temp off the OBDII bus. At freeway speeds, intake air can run 25 degrees cooler than the stock setup.
I only hear it at WOT and that sounds fine to me, it isn't annoying.

It was a day's project, didn't cost much and can be reversed by sealing up the hole in the cowl and air-box.
Aftermarket kits use small filters which I suspect would restrict air flow. A manometer is handy device when designing intake systems for checking pressure drop or restriction.
I have checked the airbox for water, after water crossings or driving in heavy rain, and it has always been dry. The cowl has good size drains to prevent water from entering the AC/heater intake.
The first headlight deep water crossings made it all worthwhile.

FlexdXJ · Dec 13, 2013

Olympus Off Road said:
Cowl intake = colder air than a "cold air" intake.

I like the idea of a cowl intake, but they are quite loud when you get on the throttle. Not for me, maybe I'm a pansy.

They are loud but the Jeep sounds like a racecar when you pin it!

Of course you have an LS so yours sounds more racecar than us "normal" jeep owners! :looser:

lazyxj · Dec 13, 2013

FlexdXJ said:
They are loud but the Jeep sounds like a racecar when you pin it!

Aftermarket cowl intakes, where the air cleaner is mounted inside the cowl, are a lot noisier than the ones that keep the stock airbox.
As I said before, it only makes noise under WOT and compared to the rest of the mechanical, tire and exhaust noises, it barely noticable.

XJLI · Dec 14, 2013

My THOR is noticeable all the time, and at times (like when I'm trying to have a quiet conversation, driving at night) I have to manipulate the gas pedal so it isn't as noisy.

To be honest, if I could have run a cowl intake using the stock air box, I would have. But I don't have the room.

lazyxj · Dec 14, 2013

XJLI said:
To be honest, if I could have run a cowl intake using the stock air box, I would have. But I don't have the room.

Just about everything in life is a compromise. Wish I had the room for a second battery but the air box is in the way.

XJLI · Dec 14, 2013

I used the THOR so I could get rid of the stock air box and put my winch solenoid there.

Olympus Off Road · Dec 14, 2013

FlexdXJ said:
They are loud but the Jeep sounds like a racecar when you pin it! Of course you have an LS so yours sounds more racecar than us "normal" jeep owners! :looser:

I like hearing engines, not air being sucked into them! (forced induction doesn't count)

The only cowl setup Ive been in was Adam's (XJLI's) and it was noisy pretty much all the time.

lazyxj · Dec 15, 2013

XJLI said:
I used the THOR so I could get rid of the stock air box and put my winch solenoid there.

With a little shuffling, the Warn solenoid box fits here, leaving the stock air box in place.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/4405035331/in/set-72157604557867782

Redsnake · Dec 16, 2013

I had the Spectre on my '01XJ and w/in 4-6 months removed it and sold it ... It was just too loud for me as well. All the time it sounded like a shop-vac running on my passenger floor-board. Was impossible to have a conversation in my jeep w/out feeling like I was yelling and it just wore me out since this is my DD... that and I'm old I suppose. Ha.

Other than looking cool and cleaning up some underhood space, I couldn't see much difference in performance or fuel economy in my case.

Keekleberrys · Dec 16, 2013

After seeing multiple rigs with them get choked up with ice/snow on the trail I no longer have any interest in cowl induction. Maybe if you live in a dry climate, but for areas that see snow & ice its a real weakness.

2001XJ · Dec 17, 2013

Keekleberrys said:
After seeing multiple rigs with them get choked up with ice/snow on the trail I no longer have any interest in cowl induction. Maybe if you live in a dry climate, but for areas that see snow & ice its a real weakness.

interesting point, never thought about that

XJLI · Dec 17, 2013

Never had an issue with mine w snow/ice

srmitchell · Dec 18, 2013

I've posted mine a ton, used 3 inch PVC, and a second stock xj air tube flex joint cut, then pressed into the cowl.

Works awesome. And the issue of snow and ice is irrelevant because the cowl has two large drain holes at the bottom on each side which can supply air.

i973eat1 · Dec 18, 2013

Did you leave the stock filter in the airbox when you made that srmitchell?

GordoSmasho · Dec 18, 2013

Anyone with experience installing this with a manual trans? Looks like the piping goes right where the reservoir is. I'm hoping to switch from the Thor kit to this setup. I'm not old but it's just too loud. I'm also sick of swapping it in and out for smog checks here in Cali.

srmitchell said:
I've posted mine a ton, used 3 inch PVC, and a second stock xj air tube flex joint cut, then pressed into the cowl.

Works awesome. And the issue of snow and ice is irrelevant because the cowl has two large drain holes at the bottom on each side which can supply air.

josefxj97 · Dec 20, 2013

I run a THOR....a little noise never hurt no one.

Cowl intake vs "cold air intake kit"

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