If there is one thing you can find on the internet, it’s opinions. Be they political, about the best burger chain, or how to increase horsepower, everyone seems to have an opinion. While thinking about possible article ideas for DieselArmy.com, I came across several discussions involving cold air intake (CAI) kits and DPF-back exhaust parts. In theory, adding these two components to your truck should increase power output. Look at it this way, an engine is a mover of air and if you can get more in and more out, you should make more power. But there is a glitch in the process when it comes to diesel pickups, and we’ll get to that later.
The OE filtration system on the left has a pipe that is not smooth internally and creates turbulence. The aFe POWER filtration kit has a smooth connection to the turbos which does not create turbulence and offers better flow.
So, with the question in hand, I thought it might be a good idea to test the theory on Project WorkHorse and see what would happen when a cold air intake and a DPF-back exhaust are introduced into the mix. The first product we added to the test was the Magnum FORCE CAI from aFe POWER and the DPF-back exhaust is from MagnaFlow.
The new aFe filter box mounts in the factory location and utilizes the OE pre-filter ductwork to feed the system cold air.
Both are very reputable companies, and both have tested their products on a dyno and verified an increase in horsepower. That’s all well and good, but how does that translate to the real-world enthusiast? Other than being able to say what power is available, nothing. So, I decided to test in a way that we can all relate to, real-world driving.
The aFe Magnum FORCE intake kit comes with either a dry or oiled air filter. Either is acceptable in a diesel application. The problem arises when enthusiasts over-oil the filter, allowing the excess oil to get sucked into the filter. I chose to use a dry filter media.
Pulling In The Numbers
Initially, I thought I would use a chassis dyno to verify any results. But then I thought, this is a truck so let’s do some real-world testing. I decided that my test methodology would consist of several back-to-back 0-60 mph “pulls” on the highway. I would make test pulls after the addition of each new part. These are work trucks, so let’s test them in a “work” environment. But before I put any parts on WorkHorse, I needed to get a baseline.
The Dragy Performance box is a GPS-enabled device that accurately…
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