K&N FIPK..how can they justify cost ??

[Ridr]

Or am I missing something ?? They seem wayyyy high on price for all there is to the kit , or am I missing something ?? I am asking before I just make my own

[ECKSJAY]

Because people pay it. The research is done and people don't want to fab.

[Ridr]

SO there is no "magic" to them huh ?? Cool , now I can go ahead and make my own

[ECKSJAY]

SO there is no "magic" to them huh ?? Cool , now I can go ahead and make my own

Not really. :P

[2offroad]

The little sticker.

[TRNDRVR]

The little sticker.Stickers are overrated!!!

[flash_gordon]

Not true! Stickers add 5+ H.P.

[tetsulo]

Sigh...everone talks about the HP that stickers add. It's really all about torque. ;)Matthew

[red91]

Or am I missing something ?? They seem wayyyy high on price for all there is to the kit , or am I missing something ?? I am asking before I just make my own


yeah your missing something....the HORDS of lazy masses that think if they pay HUGE $ for something that is relatively inexpensive to produce that they will have the proverbial "jeanie in a bottle"...

[olivedrabcj7]

"genie" retard

[Lawn Cher']

Oh snap... Truck Nutz just called the Rabbi a retard. Prepare the volcano!

[red_01_xj]

ebay has some K&N's that just replace the box not the whole system for about $50 seems resonable to me
http://search.ebay.com/K-N-jeep-cherokee_Air-Intake-Systems_W0QQsofocusZbsQQsbrftogZ1QQcatrefZC12QQcat refZC6QQfromZR10QQmppfqyZKQ26NQQsatitleZKQ26NQ20je epQ20cherokeeQQsacatZ38634QQcatrefZC6QQmppfqyZKQ26 ampQ3BNQQsargnZ-1QQsaslcZ2QQsadisZ200QQfposZQ5AIPQ2FPostalQQftrtZ1 QQftrvZ1QQfsopZ1QQfsooZ1

[Dr. Dyno]

There's a simple solution to the high cost of the K&N FIPK. Don't buy it. Make your own, save at least $200, and still enjoy the performance benefits. Here's my $60 wonder ($48 of that was for the 7" S&B Powerstack cone filter):

http://www.jeep4.0performance.4mg.com/FIPK.html

[wrong1]

Yeah, I made my last one.

I'm thinking of actually buying one of the Ebay specials this time around because its only $2 more than buying the filter alone.

And you gotta remember the chrome plating will make at least 100 extra ft/lbs of torque.

[flash_gordon]

I dyno'd my chrome, it's actually 102.5 ft/lbs of torque. :sunshine:

[TRNDRVR]

chrome plating Chrome is overrated too!!!

[MN-Cherokee]

Thats right, it is.

That is why you need stainless steel!

Brian

[Ridr]

so when I buy the filter to make mine , I'll be sure to get one with some chrome or stainless on it and if I am really lucky , they will include a sticker when they send it , WOW think of the boost adding shiny stuff AND a sticker would make

[flash_gordon]

I just put a new sticker on my jeep. I now have 2 inch's more axle drop!

[PapaPump]

I bought the FIPK because it was a quick install and the research was done for me. i got it for under $200 shipped on ebay. that's cheaper that any i've seen since. i don't feel entirely ripped off, i paid for:
*a $30 filter
*3 hose clamps
*short piece of silicone/rubber
*heat shield
*some universal rubber weatherstripping stuff
*some hardware
*air tube

the only thing i can justify it with is the R&D on the air tube. it isn't just pipe fittings and it really is smooth and fits pretty well. it does rub slightly on the hood. i could probably fix that by trimming 1/8" off the rubber hose. i could make something with similar function, but i don't think it would flow quite as well.

there is the issue of the notch out of the "bell" area above the TB. there is a molded groove there for some reason. it seems like it might be for the hood release cable, which is retarded. possibly it is there to direct air...i dunno.

there is also the issue of the heat sheild. WTF R&D was done here? it doesnt really conform to anything nicely. it has rubber that i had to cut and push on around the edges of some sheetmetal. with the hood closed i'm pretty sure it doesn't snug up against it to keep hot air out. even if it does seal at the top, hot air could come in around the sides and near the radiator and lower radiator. i think that lower radiator hose heats the air more than that shield can keep it cool.

honestly for cost effectiveness, i think a k&n in the stock airbox is the best value. the stock airbox might not allow as much total airflow to the filter, but it should get much colder air, from behind the headlight.

another option is the turbo city setup. it is more than $100 less than the k&n (retail, not what i paid), but doesn't come with the heat sheild. the intake tube is also metal, which seems like more for your money, but i think the plastic is a better insulator.

also out there is the quickfit, which seems like a ripoff for nearly $200, but still uses the stock box to take in mostly cool air. it looks like decent engineering but still uses the stock pipe to the engine i believe.

rusty's gives you an even more basic way to an open intake for only about $60. there is no heat sheilding and it uses the stock tube, but hey; what's $60 anyway.

[xj_chris]

I am betting that the major factor in the cost is this: low volume.

They probably paid over 300K in tooling alone.
Engineering, Design , and Development probably cost over 200K.

Total yearly sales, maybe 10,000 kits?

Tooling set-up charges are a bitch also on low volume.

There's 2 models for sustaining business, high priced commodity with lower volumes, low priced commodity with high volumes.

[53guy]

I bought one a while back and truthfully, I don't really suggest it to anyone wanting to save time and money. It works great by it self, not rubbing issues, intake air temps are cooler (however slightly), and pretty much functions as advertised. However, throw a throttle body spacer into the mix and then you have some issues to deal with. For one, it rubs on the hood like its cool (I've got a dent in mine now) and every time you accelerate it flexes the hood. To fix that problem, I had to try and cut the silicone coupler down, that worked slightly. Tried to put foam between the hood and the intake, didn't work real well. Tried to trim the base of the intake where it meets the throttle body, now it's not aligned right and contacts the hood in another spot. Adjusted the heat shield so it would sit flat again, no use, it didn't work too well. I left it like that for a few months and the pressure of the hood and the heat from the engine cracked the bottom of the intake where it meets the throttle body. Now I said screw it, cut the tube in half, found my stock neck (the rubber peice that hooks the stock air box to the throttle body) and managed to fit it around the K&N tube and now it works great. I lost some seat of the pants doing all that, but no more rubbing issues and I'm sure the gain wasn't all that great anyhow. Oh well, chalk another up to advertisement. So pretty much, save the $200 and make your own.

[Root Moose]

I dyno'd my chrome, it's actually 102.5 ft/lbs of torque. :sunshine:
I chromed my dyno.

How do I get to the volcano?

[JeepSpeed]

A big restriction in the 4.0L intake is the actual intake tube. If you just use a filter, or a kit that doesn't replace everything to the TB, you aren't gaining as much. It's still minimal though. If you have the money, spring for the FIPK. If not, homebrew works well enough. Honestly, if I had the money, I'd do a combination of both.

[PapaPump]

you have me intrigued dino...i have the FIPK (only because it was under $200 shipped), what should i do to it? keep in mid that it already rubs the hood a little. i like your cool box you made, looks like it would work a lot better than what the FIPK came with. did that just answer my own question?

[2offroad]

The C.A.R.B. sticker is why it cost so much.

[LS1Jeeper]

Most of those kits like that are way over priced ... I have made some for other cars and trucks and have about 50-70 in them total and I can route the tubes anywhere I want.

[MudDawg]

Just sawzall a hole in the hood and use a coffee can for a velocity stack...now thatz cheep...

[LS1Jeeper]

Just sawzall a hole in the hood and use a coffee can for a velocity stack...now thatz cheep...


ha ha do a write up how to on that

[BCParker]

RE getting more air into the stock airbox- where can I get this air from. on my 97 it's blocked by a steel plate behind the headlight- If I open up the box more I'll just draw more air from the engine compartment. where can I get the cold air from?- ps. I ain't putting on a hood scoop.

[53guy]

RE getting more air into the stock airbox- where can I get this air from. on my 97 it's blocked by a steel plate behind the headlight- If I open up the box more I'll just draw more air from the engine compartment. where can I get the cold air from?- ps. I ain't putting on a hood scoop.

the space behind the hood and before the windshield (has some little slit looking vents) is a space for your wind shield wiper motor as well as an intake for your heater/ac/vent. (on the passanger side is where the blower motor is) you can cut a hole in the bulkhead behind the air box (ie, where the emissions sticker is there are three or four bolts that bolt into your wiper motor, to the driver side of them) and that will open a hole for cold air to enter via the heater/ac intake. now remember, that air is OAT, so yeah, not too cold if its hot. go and cut a hole on the back side of your air box, below the filter and then run a hose/pvc pipe/dryer hose/whatever to the bulkhead behind it where you cut a hole. yeah, ghetto cold air. besides that and running a hose to the front grille, you're not going to get much cold air from anywhere else. You can take MudDawg's advice and cut a hole in your hood above the TB though. :laugh3:

[53guy]

here is what I did with my FIPK
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/9/web/741000-741999/741399_56_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/9/web/741000-741999/741399_54_full.jpg

just cut my FIPK because it was rubbing my hood and it had already put a dent in it from acceleration, so the rubber stock peice eliminates that. Just make sure that you cut it after the little nipple where the PCV line goes into.

[BCParker]

that looks pretty good- what is that heat shield made out of?

BUT, The main reason I would want an FPIK would be to get rid of the stock hose from the throttle body- but if it rubs then what the hell's the point?- sounds like an Ebay or rusty's air tube with a cone filter is gonna be my choice

[53guy]

the heat shield is made of aluminum. I really dont think it helps a whole lot, give me a few days and I will be able to tell you what my intake temps are running at. (i'm away from my jeep at the moment)