AIRRAID Installation on 2011 6.2L

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Ruger

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The reason I became interested in an aftermarket intake system is because I learned from poking around on the Ford Parts internet site that all of the intake components for all Ford trucks are the same part numbers regardless of engine displacement. Our big high performance 6.2L power plants are trying to suck air through the same components used on the mid-sized V6 powered trucks. Tube, airbox, airbox cover, filter, and snorkel are all the same part numbers. That may be convenient for Ford, but it's very definitely a compromise system for Raptor owners.

I carefully considered all of the aftermarket intakes available for the 6.2L Raptor (K&N, Volant, aFe, and AIRAID) and also considered Spectre's design-your-own system. I was particularly interested in non-oiled filters because I know that they can cause air flow sensor problems, and I experienced that myself on a previously owned vehicle.

I settled on AIRAID. They make only very reasonable performance claims, and are adamant about developing systems that are completely compatible with the factory tune. I really quizzed them on how they do that, and in the process exceeded the knowledge of the customer service rep. So I got to talk to one of their engineers, and that was very illuminating. They put the factory intake system on a flow bench, put power to the air sensor, and record readings across the power band. Then they put their system on the same flow bench and make modifications to it so that it emulates the readings they got from the airflow sensor on the factory system. That way their intake works perfectly with no further modifications to the vehicle or software. The kicker was the dyno sheet the engineer sent to me. In addition to the usual HP and torque curves, it also had air/fuel ratio curves - which proved to me that their system does not cause lean mixture problems. In fact, the air/fuel ratios for the AIRAID system were a little closer to the stoichiometric ideal than the factory system. That's what convinced me. Both customer service and engineering personnel were exceptionally patient with my questions and very forthcoming.

Installation is outstandingly simple. It's a matter of dismounting the airflow sensor from the factory tube, and then removing the factory tube, airbox cover and filter. Additional height for the airbox is provided via a two-piece metal box that is assembled with four nuts and bolts. It fits into the top of the factory airbox the same way that the factory airbox cover does. Then you mount the airflow sensor on the AIRAID tube and mount the tube (two hose clamps and two screws). Install the air filter (one hose clamp) and fit the gasket to the top of the airbox extension, and you're done. It's a 30 minute job. I'll upload photos shortly.

From the above you will note that the factory air plenum is retained. I like "intake honk" as much as anyone, but you can have too much of a good thing. There is a modest increase in sound, particularly at the shift from 1st to 2nd gears. It's not obtrusive in the least, and I attribute it to a non-restrictive intake system. The AIRAID filter (I bought the non-oiled SynthaMax version, though an oiled version remains available) has 72 deep pleats compared to the drop-in K&N filter's 32 pleats. Just visually, the difference in size is striking.

I filled up the tank immediately upon installation to provide a baseline for fuel economy comparisons. I keep track of mpg from fill up to fill up, and for my normal commuting/city driving I've been getting 15.1 mpg on 100% gasoline, 87 octane (no alcohol). Thus far the dash is telling me that the truck is now getting roughly 16.1 mpg for the same kind of driving with the same fuel. I will provide further mpg information as it develops.

Installation photos to follow.
 
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vanilla_gorilla

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Awesome write-up/review, looking forward to more info on the MPG and power feeling as you drive around more. I had the airraid on my 2004 GMC Sierra and loved it.
 

DEADEYE

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Great Post . I have been looking as well and would like to know how much you paid ? Also would be curious of Milage trend . ROI on new intake 1 mile increase per G . Could pay for it's self pretty quick.
 
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I bought PN 401-272 which has the non-oiled, completely synthentic SynthaMax filter. MSPR on the AIRAID site is $349.99. I paid $288.99 (free shipping) with Performance4Trucks.

The oiled filter is called SynthaFlow. It is apparently a cotton gauze filter with a layer of synthetic fiber added. The PN for the Raptor 6.2L kit with the oiled SynthaFlow filter is 400-272 and runs about $10 less than the kit with the non-oiled SynthaMax filter.

If you study the AIRAID web site you will learn that a clean SynthaFlow filter flows more air than a clean SynthaMax filter, but that SynthaFlow filters lose more flow rate as they get dirty. Via independent means I discovered that both filters far exceed the maximum airflow requirements of a 6.2L engine - even when they're dirty. I opted for the non-oiled filter because they're less troublesome to maintain (you just spray them with Simple Green or Formula 409, rinse in clear water, let them air dry, and then reinstall them) and because they won't gum up your airflow sensor.
 

swoop1156

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I had Livernois Motorsports install mine, but I need to find out if I have an oiled or non-oiled filter. I want to run a "dry" element.

Thanks for the write up!
 
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Ruger

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Three photos of AIRAID installation:
- 001 is photo of factory setup
- 002 is photo of the engine compartment after the few factory components are removed to make ready for the installation of the AIRAID system.
- 003 is photo of the AIRAID intake system installed
30 minutes, guys. It isn't even a one-beer job!
 

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Ruger

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Agreed. A truck is an important part of the equation. The AIRAID intake comes in a nice box, but it don't have wheels.

When you do get your truck, look at the factory intake snorkel that sucks air from the inner fender well into the airbox. There's no attention to detail there, and previous to the installation of the AIRAID intake system I'd modified the snorkel so that all of the interior passages are radiused to promote smooth air flow. It may not produce a single horsepower and it may not make 0.1 mpg difference, but it's still something that the factory boys should have done and didn't.
 
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