TRD cold air intake worth it?

Hello,

I went with the S&B CAI on my 2019 Pro and am happy with the over all fit-n-finish, sound and slight performance gain according to my butt dyno.

I then installed a Sprint Booster unit (same concept as Pedal Commander) and noticed improved acceleration. I like the Sprint Booster because it’s very concealable and configurable.

I then installed the TRD Exhaust (came on my wife’s 2020 Pro from the factory…‍♂️) to round out the performance mods thus far.

Overall, generally pleased with these minor mods but nothing like a super charger.

Happy Holidays!

 

BAM WHOLESALE if buy all parts separately

 

with Shipping to me that is (fast as we can get it) $249.80 So I do buy from them a lot.

 

So, could you just put the tubing on a stock airbox and call it a day? It sounds stupid, but I like the sound CAIs make. From what I understand, we already have CAIs stock. Would just swapping the tubes (and getting rid of the stock resonators) do the trick?

 

But it seems cheaper in time and actual dollars to order these, oddly enough lol

 

not really the TRD one has the air horn and other changes to the air box.

 

So, all this chit chat about the TRD intake, it makes me wonder how other brands compare? Have any of the other CAI’s been proven to have a performance gain or are they all just add-on noisemakers?

 

+1 very few intakes will provide more than a few HP at best on modern engines. Like I said above I only did it because its cheap and I like the sound of it better than stock.


BTW, putting the intake on the 23 gave me a nice view of the passenger side cylinder head... #$(%&*&$% Toyota what where you thinking? Usually Toyotas and Hondas are really easy to work on with things laid out to make access easy for home mechanics but somebody thought it was a good idea to relocate the exhaust air injection valve on TOP of the cylinder head, so when the time comes I think we will have to remove the entire thing to get to the front and middle coil packs to change the spark plugs. Ugh

Really surprised as those valves where located someplace out of the way on earlier iterations of the 1GR and I remember changing the plugs on the Taco I only had to move some hoses.

 

Does anyone with a 2022 4R have the TRD CAI? I emailed Bam Wholesale asking if they had one for a 2022 4R, and they said that Toyota doesn't list a part number for the 2022. Can someone please point me in the right direction?

 

Id rather spend the money on other equipment. So many other things taking priority over an intake. It also complicates the setup of my snorkel.Yall enjoy!

 

These 4Runners have a CAI factory correct?

 

I am waiting for someone I know with a 2022 to bring it in so we can take a good look and measurements to see if the same one we put in a 21 will fit Good we think it will but until we pop open the Hood....

 

Shhhhh yeah they do it is just the TRD one improves it a bit however they both pull the air from the front right fender well.

 

I’ve done a lot of research on CAIs and nothing has swayed me enough to purchase knowing our vehicles have one already. The only one I seriously considered was the Injen because it draws air from above the radiator as well as the passenger side fender.

 

Thanks for the replies. If any vendors out there want to send one of those, I'll be glad to test fit, document, and photograph everything. I'm not talking cell phone images, I do product photography in certain areas for my retirement gig, and I use a Nikon Z9. Just throwing that out there.

 

Nikon 4 life
(Just got my Z800mm f6.3 lens recently to use with my Z9)

 

Nice!!! I'm still using the FTZ mount II until I can afford dedicated z mount lenses.

 

I think for CAI, in the past it made sense as many cars it was restrictive or you’d get heat soak. Most cars today are well optimized so even if there are gains, there potentially new risks introduced (more dirt, moisture or actual water risks). For me and my money, I would only modifying this if I’m going the route of a snorkel. You get cooler air, with lowering risk of water, and an added option to put a sock on the inlet when driving in dustier conditions.

 

it fits just fine. I installed mine a couple months ago without any issues.

 

This may have been covered already, so forgive my ignorance - does the filter that comes with the OEM TRD intake:



require oiling after cleaning, or is it a dry filter that only gets cleaned? If it is oiled, is there a replacement AEM type cleanable dry filter that fits the TRD airbox?

Next question - what do these, circled below, do on the stock intake? Apparently they must not do too much, as they are eliminated when installing the TRD intake...

 

The TRD CAI that I been installing Do Not Come with any filter and I am not going to say get the K&N Oil type ones because I have cleaned several MAF Sensors that made a code come up because they were covered with oil film and fine grim So Protect your Engine with good quality Air Filter I been using the WIX - 49350 since it fits very good and I have low pressure air cleaned mine a couple times so far no visible issues.

 

It smooth out Air flow with every rpm change shifting transmission in D making shifting softer and safer for clutch plates.

 

Uhhhh what?

 

Ummm no.

 

A better and more valuable investment would be a tune, such as from YotaWerx Tuning.

 

Every IC vehicle has an AI. Not every one has a CAI. For a very long time 99% of cars had a simple round air filter sitting directly on top of the carb that directly drew in hot under hood air. It was only in the late 80s/90s when FI started to appear that I recall seeing non-round filters and cars with ducted intakes. As late as the early 00s I remember having cars where the intake was ducted to a location that wasn’t really “cold” like for example just to the grill area behind the radiator.

 

Yes it fits fine. You have to piece together the parts but I put it on my 23 without issue.

As noted both the stock and TRD intakes are CAI. The main difference is looks and the TRD lacks the resonators so it changes the engine tone a bit. I did it because I like how it sounds, I think power gains are nonexistent.

 

Lol

 

I have installed them on 5 FJ Cruisers, 6 Tacoma's, 3 Tundra's (2007 and a 2012) two 4Runners a 2020 <--- Mine and a 2021 so that makes 16 total No issues I have all the Part numbers plus I have a person's 2018 Tacoma coming in this weekend to do.

Edit: 1 FJ Cruiser was mine 2 Tacoma's were mine and 2 Tundra's were mine.