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The science of squeezing more power out of your pickup is not anything new. Hot rodders from the '50s did everything under the sun to pull more horsepower out of their open-wheeled sleds, including porting cylinder heads, swapping camshafts, and tossing on more aggressive induction setups. Today, with all the most popular computer controlled trucks, diving headfirst inside the engine with a box full of power parts is not advisable. Strict smog laws have made achieving more power increasingly difficult, limiting power gains to mainly external modifications. Performance air intake systems, headers, cat-back exhaust systems, and even superchargers are great ways to slide more power into your driving experience.
Airaid Filter Company located in Phoenix, Arizona, has been in the performance air intake industry for many years and has a reputation for producing top shelf air intake systems that deliver reliable power without emptying the wallet. Our '04 Ford F-150 equipped with the factory 4.6-liter engine was in need of some additional horsepower and torque, so we turned to the pros at Airaid for one of their bolt-on intake assemblies complete with their PowerAid throttle body spacer. For a solid and quality installation we piloted our '04 blue oval to Stillen in Costa Mesa, California, for a half-hour wrench session and some dyno time. Follow along as we give our 4.6-liter Ford some additional ponies with Airaid gear. |  The Airaid intake system includes everything needed to experience more power at the pedal. Included are the Airaid filter, modular intake tube, filter adapter plate, assorted hoses, and clamps and hardware. |  We also threw the Airaid PowerAid throttle body spacer into the mix, which will help with the low-end torque and midrange throttle response. |  After the truck was secured on the Stillen dyno, the negative battery cable was disconnected and the factory intake assembly was unbolted and removed, the Airaid filter adapter plate was bolted to the filter box using the provided 1/4-inch bolts, washers, spacers, and nuts. | |  The factory air filter box is mated to the adapter plate installed on the Airaid Cool Air dam in step 4. The factory intake tube clamp holds the assembly together. |  The Airaid Cool Air dam base plate is bolted to the side panels prior to the unit being installed in the truck. |  The Airaid modular intake tube is mated up to the factory airbox using the supplied hose and clamps. | |  The Airaid modular intake tube is fitted with the supplied hose end for the throttle body side and secured with the supplied clamps. |  Finally the intake tube assembly and Airaid Cool Air dam assembly are put together and ready for the engine compartment. |  Beneath where the Airaid Cool Air dam assembly will sit are two factory rubber grommets. These were removed and replaced by grommets supplied in the Airaid kit. | |  The Airaid intake tube, air dam and factory filter box assembly were negotiated back into place under the hood. |  Before dropping the Airaid filter in position the Airaid Cool Air dam is bolted down firmly using the supplied hardware. |  Our fresh Airaid filter was lowered into its position of power and mated to the filter adapter. | |  The intake hose on the throttle body side is slid firmly onto the throttle body... |  ...and secured using the supplied hose clamps. |  A supplied rubber hose is run from the backside of the modular intake tube to the valve cover. Supplied speed clamps ensure a solid fit. |
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