'96-'04 Cold Air Induction
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'96-'04 Cold Air Induction
The CAI kit for the modulars features a one-piece stainless steel tube with molded end seals and a plastic insulating airbox that houses a K&N conical filter and is covered by a pseudo-carbon-fiber lid. The airbox has an adapter for the stock flange-type mass air meter and breathes from the stock filter opening in the inner fender panel. The air filter is not shown in this shot.
You know Pro-M has mass air meters in all manners of fuel-injector calibrations, but the company also has a ton of parts you probably don't know about, including custom computer chips, Fox fuel rails that miss the distributor, and even electronic fuel-management units that spike fuel pressure in response to boost on returnless-fuel-system cars.
Everyone knows that the cooler the air and the more air you can cram into your engine, the more potential you have to make horsepower. From the old days of turning air-cleaner lids upside down to allow more airflow into the engine to today's efficient fuel-injected powerplants where conical filters replace the factory "airboxes," nothing is as simple and straightforward as getting more air into your Mustang's engine.
'86-'93 Cold Air Induction
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'86-'93 Cold Air Induction
The CAI kit for 5.0s uses a multisectioned, mandrel- bent tubing between the mass air meter and the throttle body. The tube passes through the 3-inch inner fender opening (which must be enlarged) to minimize the length of tubing affected by underhood engine heat. The kit comes with a throttle-body adapter sleeve for smaller throttle bodies, silicone hose ends, clamps, and a length of pinch-on-molding (to prevent any rattles) for the fender opening. The kit accepts any "hose lip"- style mass air meter, such as the 80mm plastic Pro-M factory Fox meter or the Pro-M Bullet.
There are many choices out there for what has commonly been call a "Cold Air Induction," or CAI. Several manufacturers offer CAI for the Mustang in plastic or metal ducting, with various filter-mounting locations and theories on airflow and thermal dynamics. Some kits leave the filter under the hood but mounted in an insulated housing, while others put the filter in the inner fender. Ductwork can consist of plastic, steel, aluminum, or other media, with each one having its own benefits and irritations. Plastic insulates better than metal, while metal tubing is usually less expensive and sturdier.
We've written about several of these kits in various testing and installation projects, but we've uncovered a new product from the mass air geniuses at Pro-M Racing. Their CAI kits for Fox Mustangs and modular-powered Mustangs take two different approaches but end up with the same result-an increase in the amount of air, pulled from outside the hot engine compartment, and delivered to the throttle body in the shortest, straightest path possible.
Take a look as we install Pro-M Racing's modular kit on a new GT and the company's Fox kit on one of our resi- dent 5.0 projects.
The factory induction system...
The factory induction system on the modulars gets the job done, but there's always room for improvement. Besides, the Pro-M Racing kit looks so much nicer.
Using a 5/16-inch or 8mm socket...
Using a 5/16-inch or 8mm socket (or a good, old-fashioned flat-blade screwdriver), loosen the induction tube clamp at the throttle body.
With the clamp loose, pull...
With the clamp loose, pull away the induction tube and disconnect the two emissions hoses from their fittings. The new Pro-M Racing coupler has fittings to directly attach these hoses to, so no cutting is necessary.
Disconnect the electrical...
Disconnect the electrical connection for the mass air meter and remove the single 8mm bolt retaining the air box to the inner fender and lift the induction parts out of the engine compartment.
On the bottom of the factory...
On the bottom of the factory airbox are two rubber isolators. Remove them from the stock airbox and insert them into the original holes in the inner-fender structure.
Remove the factory induction...
Remove the factory induction hose from the mass air meter. Then remove the four tapping bolts that retain the meter to the factory airbox.