Highlander Intake Question

[DarksideHL]

So I've searched high and low on this site and noticed that not one person on here has an actual intake. Someone mentioned a chinese cold air intake or something like that in a post and others talked about modifying an intake for a camry. Just wondering if anybody has tried the route of the MAF Adapter.

http://www.weapon-r.com/index.php?ac...roduct&id=1862

It mounts to the outside of the MAF sensor and allows you to bolt up a regular cone filter to the outside of it. They are only $15 MSRP and was thinking this could be an alternative for us since K&N doesn't seem to want to open up the market for an actual intake for us. It would be easy enough to create an extension and a heat shield for this too if you are willing to modify the factory airbox.

Also, guess I should introduce myself in here too even though this isn't the introduction section. I'm new here, just bought my first Toyota last month, a 2008 Highlander Sport. Loving everything about it. Been in the Honda game since I was 16 so it's a nice change to switch over to something that I can actually go over speedbumps with haha.

[JMSinMD]

Compare the engine bay layout of your Highlander to any other Toyota that comes with the 3.5 2GR-FE V6 engine, most likely you'll see a lot of similarities to the point that you could use a K&N, AEM, etc from a Camry (for example) with your HL.

[TrailDust]

First of all, to Toyota Nation!

I can see why K&N and other companies don't offer CAIs for the Highlander because the demographics of ownership are way against it. Most Highlander owners don't even know what mods are and that they can be done to a vehicle. That notwithstanding, if you go for it and do add a CAI like JMSinMD suggests, then by all means take pics and do a write-up......I'd love to be able to add that to the Maintenance & Mods DIY sticky....

[sweeneyp]

what are the benefits of using a CAI over a stock intake with high performance filter?...since the stock air-box draws air directly from the front of the car it is technically drawing "cold air" into the intake.

Or is the benefit basically the use of the cone type air intake that allows a whole lot more air into the engine.

also I read somewhere that the camry one would not fit straight up to a highlander and that its designed for a v6 with a car tune vs a v6 for a cuv/suv tune (effecting torque maybe?). But again that's something I just read a long time ago and don't know for sure.

[AVConsult]

I read a while back that these aftermarket air snorkels/cleaners can often reduce performance and mileage, as the OEM cleaners are usually (and practically) just as restriction free, but in modern cars, are carefully designed to provide laminar air flow, provide correct flow past the MAF, deal with duct resonance at various RPM's that cause flow turbulence, and as sweeny pointed out, aftermarket units may keep the system from ingesting cooler outside air.

I've always though K&M's marketing far exceeded any real/measured performance gains.

[Subaryota]

I haven't studied the layout of the HL intake system so my comments are limited to my experience with my Subaru WRX.

The MAF on the WRX is very close to the entry of air post- air filter. There have been reports of drivability issues if a cone-type filter is installed that wasn't designed specifically for the application due to the laminar flow issue described by AVConsult.

If you plan on "MacGyvering" a Cone-type high flow filter, be cognizant of the MAF sensor location.

I tend to tinker with cars and try to achieve max performance out of a car. But with a CAI or high-flow filter without a tune, you're looking at HP gains of 3-5HP at the flywheel. For a 4000+ lbs vehicle, I'm not sure how much performance gain you will notice by the "butt dyno". Of note, bolting a cone-type filter in front of the MAF will be pulling air from the engine compartment after the air has gone through the radiator. High-flow heated air. The stock snorkel looks like it does try to pull air in before it passes through so it is somewhat of a CAI.

Stock HL V6 is 270hp giving 0-60mph times of 7-8secs depending on who's testing it. That's pretty darn good for a 4000+lb family oriented SUV.

For driving fun, perhaps investing in good tires and a custom alignment may pay bigger dividends than a CAI. If you really want to get better performance, do your best to lose some of that 4000+ lbs of weight..... I don't know..... may be a custom CF hood, forged 17" wheels, if you don't need the 3rd row, do a 3rd row delete mod, take out the spare tire and use a puncture sealant kit. If you can lose 150-200 lbs and with most of that coming off the wheels, you'll have a vehicle with less mass, lower rotating inertia, and lower unsprung weight. You'll end up with faster acceleration and a better ride.

I don't know what aftermarket dampers would be available but I'm pretty sure the aftermarket support would be nowhere close to that for Honda's or Subarus.

Anyway, as TrailDust mentioned, if you are able to hook up a CAI or highflow filter, post pics and give us your impression.

Cheers!

[Degen]

Ah yes the glorious CAI debate continues. I will add my 2c worth on it. Realistically, there are esentially 0 gains to be had in installing a CAI without engine modifications. Besides the sound cool factor. Your intake will only take in the air that your engine demands, so if your heads are a certain CFM, thats all they are going to bring in through your intake. So unless your valvetrain is modified to increase airflow, the "increased" airflow from the intake is non existant.

Next, we have the cold air factor, which is proven that cars will have a better ET on the track depending on the ambient air temperature. Like someone has already mentioned, modern vehicles have an air intake generally that is tucked into the side near the fender, and mostly to the front. Thats where the majority of the cold-er air is. So if you take a "Short Ram" intake for example, your air intake is now moved closer to the engine, generally closer to the exhaust heat shield. (You Do The Math) Another arguement on this is, most CAI are aluminium, your factory is plastic. Run your car on the highway for an hour or so, open the hood and touch the plastic, then if you have a CAI installed touch it. Which is hotter? So what is keeping your air cooler? (For those of you who can't do this test, the plastic is cooler)

Yes, I am aware of the dyno tests that are advertised. Comparing a 6.0L with 300HP getting bumped to 320HP, to another engine is pointless. You will not see those kind of gains. A 1-2 HP gain is basically useless.




Also, Royal Purple doesnt increase fuel mileage

[JMSinMD]

See below, I don't see any reason that it wouldn't work.


Camry V6 engine bay


Highlander V6 engine bay


Camry 3.5 2GR-FE K&N Typhoon System

[sweeneyp]

Originally Posted by JMSinMD

See below, I don't see any reason that it wouldn't work.


Camry V6 engine bay


Highlander V6 engine bay

those are probably different, the intake resonator's are different on a camry as are the vacuum line connectors it appears. Plus it also looks like the overal length between the TB and air box is shorter on the Camry (the HL is a wider car, ie wider engine bay so everything is going to be spaced wider, look at similar sized things (like the V6 on the engine cover) and compared the distances between the 2 components in number of "V6"'s (its like less than 2 vs over 2), the camry is shorter than the HL's). The camry also uses a smaller filter and box so the bolt holes are probably different.

But 100% agree with Degen

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by JMSinMD

See below, I don't see any reason that it wouldn't work.

I think you need to do it, man. I'm voting for you as guinea pig....

[JMSinMD]

Originally Posted by TrailDust

I think you need to do it, man. I'm voting for you as guinea pig....

Hers, not mine She even turned down an HID projector retrofit using top of the line parts. All she cares about is gas in the tank and every 5k tell me to take care of maintenance, besides that and the mods I did (mainly for safety/visibility) it's not mine to play with.

Someone near K&N should volunteer their vehicle for a test fit.
K&N Engineering, Inc.
1455 Citrus St.
Riverside, California 92507

[DarksideHL]

I like the idea of getting a premade intake for the HL but totally don't want to shell out the cash that K&N wants for theirs. I knew this would become a debate, but honestly I'm not anticipating any wild gains. I kind of just want the intake noise and to hear the roar of the V6. I know another alternative is to get rid of the intake resonator and run just a K&N drop in but I'm wanting to be a little different I guess.

It's definitely on my list of things to do to my HL. Doing it with the weapon-r adapter and a K&N filter will cost me less then $60 which to me is worth a shot to get a little bit of gain out of the truck even if it is all just in the butt dyno section of performance. Whenever I do it I will take pictures, post a how-to, and give my driving impressions. Hoping to do this in the next couple of months.

[05Moose]

This discussion comes up a lot in Tacoma forums. Measured on the "real" dyno, no HP gains. But you do suffer a loss in MPGs. Why? Between the butt-dyno and the new noise, you like to hear it so much (and "feel it"), that you tend to press the gas pedal harder which reduces your MPGs! There are many on the Tacoma forums that will personally attest to this.

[kjharris]

Originally Posted by DarksideHL

I like the idea of getting a premade intake for the HL but totally don't want to shell out the cash that K&N wants for theirs. I knew this would become a debate, but honestly I'm not anticipating any wild gains. I kind of just want the intake noise and to hear the roar of the V6. I know another alternative is to get rid of the intake resonator and run just a K&N drop in but I'm wanting to be a little different I guess.

It's definitely on my list of things to do to my HL. Doing it with the weapon-r adapter and a K&N filter will cost me less then $60 which to me is worth a shot to get a little bit of gain out of the truck even if it is all just in the butt dyno section of performance. Whenever I do it I will take pictures, post a how-to, and give my driving impressions. Hoping to do this in the next couple of months.

If you just want to hear more intake roar, use search at the top of this page to look for Highlander remove secondary air filter . You will see lots of posts on that topic.

[Subaryota]

Originally Posted by DarksideHL

I like the idea of getting a premade intake for the HL but totally don't want to shell out the cash that K&N wants for theirs. I knew this would become a debate, but honestly I'm not anticipating any wild gains. I kind of just want the intake noise and to hear the roar of the V6. I know another alternative is to get rid of the intake resonator and run just a K&N drop in but I'm wanting to be a little different I guess.

It's definitely on my list of things to do to my HL. Doing it with the weapon-r adapter and a K&N filter will cost me less then $60 which to me is worth a shot to get a little bit of gain out of the truck even if it is all just in the butt dyno section of performance. Whenever I do it I will take pictures, post a how-to, and give my driving impressions. Hoping to do this in the next couple of months.

One experiment you could do is prior to installing the cone-filter, take the spare tire off. Drive it and see if you notice performance gains. Take note of your impression. Put the spare back on. Then hook up the cone-filter and do the same test. See what your "butt-dyno" says. However, you'll have to put in ear plugs to mask out the "sound" bias for performance interpretation.

Cheers