K&N FIPK..how can they justify cost ??

[xj_chris]

I am betting that the major factor in the cost is this: low volume.

They probably paid over 300K in tooling alone.
Engineering, Design , and Development probably cost over 200K.

Total yearly sales, maybe 10,000 kits?

Tooling set-up charges are a bitch also on low volume.

There's 2 models for sustaining business, high priced commodity with lower volumes, low priced commodity with high volumes.

 

[53guy]

I bought one a while back and truthfully, I don't really suggest it to anyone wanting to save time and money. It works great by it self, not rubbing issues, intake air temps are cooler (however slightly), and pretty much functions as advertised. However, throw a throttle body spacer into the mix and then you have some issues to deal with. For one, it rubs on the hood like its cool (I've got a dent in mine now) and every time you accelerate it flexes the hood. To fix that problem, I had to try and cut the silicone coupler down, that worked slightly. Tried to put foam between the hood and the intake, didn't work real well. Tried to trim the base of the intake where it meets the throttle body, now it's not aligned right and contacts the hood in another spot. Adjusted the heat shield so it would sit flat again, no use, it didn't work too well. I left it like that for a few months and the pressure of the hood and the heat from the engine cracked the bottom of the intake where it meets the throttle body. Now I said screw it, cut the tube in half, found my stock neck (the rubber peice that hooks the stock air box to the throttle body) and managed to fit it around the K&N tube and now it works great. I lost some seat of the pants doing all that, but no more rubbing issues and I'm sure the gain wasn't all that great anyhow. Oh well, chalk another up to advertisement. So pretty much, save the $200 and make your own.

 

[Root Moose]

I dyno'd my chrome, it's actually 102.5 ft/lbs of torque. :sunshine:

I chromed my dyno.

How do I get to the volcano?

 

[JeepSpeed]

A big restriction in the 4.0L intake is the actual intake tube. If you just use a filter, or a kit that doesn't replace everything to the TB, you aren't gaining as much. It's still minimal though. If you have the money, spring for the FIPK. If not, homebrew works well enough. Honestly, if I had the money, I'd do a combination of both.

 

[PapaPump]

you have me intrigued dino...i have the FIPK (only because it was under $200 shipped), what should i do to it? keep in mid that it already rubs the hood a little. i like your cool box you made, looks like it would work a lot better than what the FIPK came with. did that just answer my own question?

 

[2offroad]

The C.A.R.B. sticker is why it cost so much.

 

[LS1Jeeper]

Most of those kits like that are way over priced ... I have made some for other cars and trucks and have about 50-70 in them total and I can route the tubes anywhere I want.

 

[MudDawg]

Just sawzall a hole in the hood and use a coffee can for a velocity stack...now thatz cheep...

 

[LS1Jeeper]

Just sawzall a hole in the hood and use a coffee can for a velocity stack...now thatz cheep...

ha ha do a write up how to on that

 

[BCParker]

RE getting more air into the stock airbox- where can I get this air from. on my 97 it's blocked by a steel plate behind the headlight- If I open up the box more I'll just draw more air from the engine compartment. where can I get the cold air from?- ps. I ain't putting on a hood scoop.

 

[53guy]

RE getting more air into the stock airbox- where can I get this air from. on my 97 it's blocked by a steel plate behind the headlight- If I open up the box more I'll just draw more air from the engine compartment. where can I get the cold air from?- ps. I ain't putting on a hood scoop.

the space behind the hood and before the windshield (has some little slit looking vents) is a space for your wind shield wiper motor as well as an intake for your heater/ac/vent. (on the passanger side is where the blower motor is) you can cut a hole in the bulkhead behind the air box (ie, where the emissions sticker is there are three or four bolts that bolt into your wiper motor, to the driver side of them) and that will open a hole for cold air to enter via the heater/ac intake. now remember, that air is OAT, so yeah, not too cold if its hot. go and cut a hole on the back side of your air box, below the filter and then run a hose/pvc pipe/dryer hose/whatever to the bulkhead behind it where you cut a hole. yeah, ghetto cold air. besides that and running a hose to the front grille, you're not going to get much cold air from anywhere else. You can take MudDawg's advice and cut a hole in your hood above the TB though. :laugh3:

 

[53guy]

here is what I did with my FIPK

just cut my FIPK because it was rubbing my hood and it had already put a dent in it from acceleration, so the rubber stock peice eliminates that. Just make sure that you cut it after the little nipple where the PCV line goes into.

 

[BCParker]

that looks pretty good- what is that heat shield made out of?

BUT, The main reason I would want an FPIK would be to get rid of the stock hose from the throttle body- but if it rubs then what the hell's the point?- sounds like an Ebay or rusty's air tube with a cone filter is gonna be my choice

 

[53guy]

the heat shield is made of aluminum. I really dont think it helps a whole lot, give me a few days and I will be able to tell you what my intake temps are running at. (i'm away from my jeep at the moment)