Video Review & Installation

Hey, what's going on guys? Adam here with americanmuscle.com. Today, I'm bringing you a detailed review and install of the K&N Blackhawk cold air intake, available for all 2015 and newer 5-liter V8 F-150s. In this video, I'll be going over the functionality and expectations out of the K&N Blackhawk cold air intake, as well as its materials and construction. Toward the end of the video, I'll touch on the installation, which I'll tell you up front will be solid enough for any novice to take care of, which is why it gets a one out of three wrenches on our difficulty meter. Let's jump right into it.The K&N Blackhawk cold air intake is gonna be for all 2015 and newer F-150 owners out there with a 5-liter V8 engine, looking to replace their factory air box with something of an overall improved airflow, while getting a very aggressive blacked-out look that does not require a tune. The Blackhawk system I have with me today from K&N offers a complete replacement for your factory system, while giving you an overall upgrade in almost every aspect. Of course, the filter from K&N is one of the most famous filters on the market, giving you high-quality materials, superior filtration. The system itself, with the intake tube, offers a free-flowing system over your factory option. Overall, together, offers a blacked-out look for a very aggressive under-the-hood appearance.Now, with all of that said, this one does also utilize the mass airflow instead of the speed density, so it's not gonna require a tune, saving your wallet from taking an extra beating. Now, with that said, I don't want you to think that this one is gonna make the world of difference when it comes to power and torque. Expect single-digit gains, a better throttle response slightly, as well as a slight improvement in fuel mileage, but also getting a very aggressive and attractive tone coming out of your engine bay which, of course, is always a plus.Now, another plus to picking up the Blackhawk system is that it is emissions friendly in all 50 states. If you are located in an emissions restrictive state like California, this one is gonna be street legal and not intended for off-road use only. That is always a plus when you're picking up something that will work with your vehicle, no matter where you are in the country.Speaking of materials and construction here, you can expect the filter to be a multi-layered design here that is specific to K&N's filters, which is what makes them so much better than some of the other options on the market. Now, with that said, expect a multi-layered cotton gauze sandwich routine to Epoxy-coated wire screens for filtration. They're also specially treated with oil that clumps up together in the cotton to really give it that enhanced filtration system, making it one of the best on the market. You'll also notice it has a very unique blacked-out look, which I mentioned in the beginning, this one giving it a very aggressive tone under your hood, which is always a plus.Now, another thing I wanna point out with the kit is the aluminum tubing. This one is gonna be a little bit different than some of the other polypropylene and the other plastic options on the market. This one being aluminum, being a perfect bend from K&N, offers a better airflow overall than your factory option, and of course, is also a blacked-out, very similar kit to the Series 77, which is also emissions friendly. Both of these kits are specifically designed to be 50-state legal, while giving you the performance that you want out of an aftermarket intake, especially from K&N.Now, as far as the pricing goes, if this does peak your interest, expect to be picking it up for just about $350 here, putting it right in the middle of the pack compared to some of the other options on the market. Now, with that said, if you are looking to maximize your performance gains with your V8, you might wanna check out some of the tune-required options to give you that extra horsepower gain, as opposed to the single-digit gains from the no-tune required options. Again, this one is gonna be similar to the Series 77, so if you're not really into the blacked-out look, check out that Series 77 for the polished option and the red filter.Shifting gears over to the installation portion, like I said in the beginning, this one is gonna be simple enough for any novice to take care of with a simple ratchet and socket set, and even a flat head screwdriver. Overall, 30 minutes tops to get the job done, one out of three wrenches on our difficulty meter. All it's really gonna entail is you using that flat head screwdriver to unclamp your factory system, unhook all the connections, and set that factory system aside, as well as the hardware. New hardware is provided for you in the kit from K&N, a very helpful addition to the kit here. Put everything back together in the reverse order with the aftermarket setup, clamping everything down, bolting it all down. Overall, like I said, 30 minutes tops, one out of three wrenches on our difficulty meter, a very simple install job for anybody to do, one of the easiest job you can do to your engine, honestly.Just to wrap things up here, if you're the owner of a 2015 or newer F-150 with a 5-liter V8 engine, and you're looking for a way to completely replace your factory air box system for an overall improved airflow while getting a blacked-out aggression under the hood without requiring a tune, check out the K&N Blackhawk cold air intake, available right here at americanmuscle.com.