Best Cold Air Intake for the Focus ST?

127359 Views 143 Replies 54 Participants Last post by Duece McCracken, Feb 8, 2021

MJDardas

Discussion Starter · Jan 26, 2017

I recently bought a new leftover 2016 Focus ST and im already looking at getting a cold air intake for mainly the sound.

What are your recommendations on one that sounds good and has decent proven power gains? So far, I know of Injen, Roush, and K&N

I will be sticking with a stock exhaust for now.

Thanks,
Mike

101 - 120 of 144 Posts

Go Kart

· #101 · Feb 9, 2017

received the RS airbox today. I will post both airboxes beside each other when I do the install.

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

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blu_H

· #102 · Feb 9, 2017

Go Kart said:
received the RS airbox today. I will post both airboxes beside each other when I do the install.

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

Is that a stock RS filter head i see??

LOST

· #103 · Feb 9, 2017

the RS air box is $47 and comes with a filter...the bottom half of the air box and the filter are the exact same thing as the stock ST box.

I've noticed a bit of top end pick up and noise from my RS box and mountune intake elbow.

luigi90210

· #104 · Feb 10, 2017

adding a BOV to a car with a draw through airflow meter will cause the car to run pig rich, if you want more turbo noise run and open intake box with a KN or other high flow air filter

you'll have the turbo noises that you are looking for without being obnoxious and looking like a ricer, an aftermarket bypass valve(mountune makes one iirc) should also add more sound as well, i remember when i switched from the stock bypass valve on my eclipse to a GFB evo9 adjustable valve, keeping it at 100% recirculation made my car sound like it had a HKS SSQV BOV so i imagine an aftermarket BPV for this car would do something similar

jbeatzs31

· #105 · Feb 10, 2017

Anyone try this system?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

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620speeder

· #106 · Feb 10, 2017

21-25hp at 4600rpm

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UnfocusedST

· #107 · Feb 10, 2017

luigi90210 said:
adding a BOV to a car with a draw through airflow meter will cause the car to run pig rich, if you want more turbo noise run and open intake box with a KN or other high flow air filter

you'll have the turbo noises that you are looking for without being obnoxious and looking like a ricer, an aftermarket bypass valve(mountune makes one iirc) should also add more sound as well, i remember when i switched from the stock bypass valve on my eclipse to a GFB evo9 adjustable valve, keeping it at 100% recirculation made my car sound like it had a HKS SSQV BOV so i imagine an aftermarket BPV for this car would do something similar

We use MAP not MAF so we won't run "pig rich" .

Sent from another garage.

Reactions: 1

luigi90210

· #108 · Feb 10, 2017

UnfocusedST said:
We use MAP not MAF so we won't run "pig rich" .

Sent from another garage.

thank you for letting me know that, not many cars use speed density tuning from the factory now

if you dont mind i ask, what sensor is in the intake piping? is that an air temp sensor or something? i know the map sensor is on the intercooler

UnfocusedST

· #109 · Feb 10, 2017

luigi90210 said:
thank you for letting me know that, not many cars use speed density tuning from the factory now

if you dont mind i ask, what sensor is in the intake piping? is that an air temp sensor or something? i know the map sensor is on the intercooler

Intake only has a temp sensor. There is another sensors on the cold side of the intercooler and one on the intake manifold.

Sent from another garage.

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Hitachi_Bakku

· #110 · Feb 10, 2017 (Edited)

I have the AF Dynamic intake off amazon for $160. Simple to install and looks like every other cai for double the money. Came with the same metal shroud as the injen setup but i hate how it blocked off the air inlets from the front end. So i cut my oem box to accept the new tube. Love how it looks for the money

Left is with bottom box on. Right is metal shroud

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MJDardas

Discussion Starter · #111 · Feb 21, 2017

kprocivic said:
Ford OEM Part # G1FZ-9600-A | FREE SHIPPING* -Sunrise Ford Parts

Is that the RS airbox cover? For $50 i will buy one! I ended up getting a Green Filter and that would go nicely with it, i imagine it will sound a tad bit louder as well.

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Commuter

· #112 · Feb 21, 2017 (Edited)

I have just the RS lid and even though it is as quiet as stock I like the looks, I took the ST badge off the trunk and overlayed it on top of the RS logo. Looks fine to me and doesn't require much effort.

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Hitachi_Bakku

· #113 · Feb 21, 2017

Finished my cut stock lid the other day to work with my cai

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I'm Dave

· #114 · Aug 28, 2017

^^Looks good!

I'm looking to do my first few mods and was considering the intake. Are the snorkels like the Ford Performance really not of that much benefit? I gather the IC will cool the air enough in stock form that an intake really wont make a difference?

I'm a major newb to turbo cars and am studying these threads to learn.

CaliJoe

· #115 · Aug 29, 2017

I'm Dave said:
^^Looks good!

I'm looking to do my first few mods and was considering the intake. Are the snorkels like the Ford Performance really not of that much benefit? I gather the IC will cool the air enough in stock form that an intake really wont make a difference?

I'm a major newb to turbo cars and am studying these threads to learn.

Hi Dave, welcome to the forum.
This is just my opinion but I believe the coldest air intake you're going to get is with the closed lid stock box with a snorkel. Reason: The stock box is keeping the most engine bay heat out with the closed lid and the snorkel is sucking air in from the coolest place possible (front of the grill), plus at speed it's acting like a air ram. I would upgrade the intake tube. Again, these are just my thoughts and I might be way off

opped out:

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20focusSTdriver17

· #116 · Jun 9, 2018

Mountune seems to think the RS airbox is designed to reduce pressure loss, however there was an article in carmagazineuk that stated Ford engineers designed that open section which seals to hood for when the car is running with the hood/bonnet open like on a dyno. I think if you run a snorkel you need to seal every opening (stock lid, closed-end filter) for maximum functionality.

Engineering an icon - Ep 1

20focusSTdriver17

· #117 · Jun 29, 2018 (Edited)

Here was mishimoto's r&d on the closed box vs open style on the RS intake.

https://www.mishimoto.com/engineering/2016/09/respiration-focal-point-2016-ford-focus-rs-performance-intake-rd-part-3-data-time/

and the ST

https://www.mishimoto.com/engineering/category/by-make/ford/focus-st/ford-focus-st-intake-2013/

mikey95hd

· #118 · Jul 13, 2018 (Edited)

Just installed RS airbox on my 2018 ST3, also added the Ford Performance Badge over the RS logo, like the above one with the green filter above. Next will be the AEM filter to replace the stock filter! Want a closed filter end not a open filter end like the green.

AEM Cai on my 2004 Ford Focus SVT works great

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SaxmanUSMC

· #119 · Feb 12, 2019

Yes, I know this thread has been dead for a bit, but.....

I personally believe, based on all the Google Fu I have been involved in since getting my ST back in December, that the only legit intakes for this car on stock turbo (and maybe even on big turbo) are:

Stock with High Flow closed end filter
CP-E Intake w/ the CP-E Hemetic Plexiglass Kit to seal air box (There is still a small spot below the lower inlet tube you have to block off with high temp tape or something similar to fully seal the box)
Mountune Full Intake Kit (maintains stock air box)

The entire premise of the factory intake setup on the ST is to keep the intake box and tubing pressurized, which helps the turbo operate more efficiently. It does not exactly translate into more power. Higher efficiency means power is produced with less work, which means less wear and tear on moving parts. The listed setups above are the only ones that have this ability. I feel these coupled with a snorkel are the best and most efficient for the ST.

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20focusSTdriver17

· #120 · Feb 12, 2019 (Edited)

SaxmanUSMC said:
Yes, I know this thread has been dead for a bit, but.....

I personally believe, based on all the Google Fu I have been involved in since getting my ST back in December, that the only legit intakes for this car on stock turbo (and maybe even on big turbo) are:

Stock with High Flow closed end filter
CP-E Intake w/ the CP-E Hemetic Plexiglass Kit to seal air box (There is still a small spot below the lower inlet tube you have to block off with high temp tape or something similar to fully seal the box)
Mountune Full Intake Kit (maintains stock air box)

The entire premise of the factory intake setup on the ST is to keep the intake box and tubing pressurized, which helps the turbo operate more efficiently. It does not exactly translate into more power. Higher efficiency means power is produced with less work, which means less wear and tear on moving parts. The listed setups above are the only ones that have this ability. I feel these coupled with a snorkel are the best and most efficient for the ST.

Curious, why do you think CPE or Mountune is any better than any of the other 3" intake tubes that use the stock airbox including the oem RS 3" intake tubes that can be had for ~$130? Dont get me wrong i like the full high flow mountune intake but it's $450 vs $135 for the oem RS one with the same dedign. Also You can buy or make a plexiglass insert for ~$10 for the RS airbox lid or just use the oem ST lid and cover in some heat reflective material.

I notice you dont list a snorkel which is actually the only true CAI out of all the boxes and intake tubes since it truly draws in the air from outside the engine bay whereas everything else is just at best modifying/improving the flow of air to the turbo. I believe @UnfocusedST mentioned the snorkel/cai relationship earlier in his post and is absolutely correct in his assessment.

EDIT - Actually, you did say to use those in combination with a snorkel, I stand corrected!!

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