How to Install a Cold Air Intake on Ford Falcon EL, AU, BA, BF, FG and FGX
Installing a cold air intake is one of the more straightforward modifications you can do to a Ford Falcon. The basic idea is to replace the factory intake setup with a system that can bring in cooler air with less restriction.
The exact installation varies between the EL, AU, BA, BF, FG and FGX because Ford changed the intake design, sensors, throttle bodies and engine-bay layout over the years. Always make sure the intake kit is designed for your particular Falcon and engine before starting.
What You Will Need
The exact tools depend on the intake kit, but having these ready will normally cover most installations:
Socket set and ratchet
Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers
Pliers
Allen keys, if required by the intake kit
8 mm, 10 mm and 12 mm sockets
Hose clamps supplied with the intake
New intake pipe, pod/filter or airbox supplied with the kit
MAF sensor adapter or fittings, where applicable
Clean rag
Electrical contact cleaner if the intake system requires sensor removal
It is also worth having a small container for bolts so they don't disappear underneath the car or into the engine bay.
Before You Start
Park the Falcon on level ground, switch the engine off and let it cool down completely. Working around a hot engine bay is an easy way to burn yourself.
Open the bonnet and have a good look at how the factory intake is arranged before removing anything. Take a couple of photos with your phone. They can be surprisingly useful when you're putting everything back together.
Do not work on the intake while the engine is running.
EL Falcon
The EL Falcon uses an older-style intake arrangement compared with the later Barra-powered cars, so the installation will depend heavily on which engine and intake kit you have.
1. Remove the factory intake
Start at the throttle body and loosen the hose clamp securing the intake hose. Disconnect any hoses or fittings attached to the intake tube.
If there is an airbox or intake ducting still attached to the original setup, remove its retaining bolts or clips and lift it out carefully.
2. Check the fittings
Before installing the new intake, compare it with the original parts. Make sure any breather hoses, vacuum connections or sensor fittings have somewhere to connect.
Don't leave an open vacuum or breather port.
3. Install the new intake
Fit the supplied intake pipe to the throttle body and tighten the clamp enough to hold it securely. Don't overtighten it and crush the pipe.
Install the filter and secure any supplied brackets.
4. Check everything
Make sure the intake isn't touching the radiator, fan, belts or other moving components. Give the pipe a gentle shake to make sure it isn't going to move around.
AU Falcon
The AU has several different six-cylinder engine configurations and intake arrangements, so check that the kit matches your particular engine.
1. Disconnect the original intake
Loosen the clamp where the intake joins the throttle body and remove the factory ducting.
Disconnect any breather or auxiliary hoses attached to the intake.
2. Remove the airbox if your kit replaces it
Remove the fasteners holding the factory airbox in place. Some kits retain part of the factory airbox or use the original mounting location, so follow the design of your particular kit.
3. Install the replacement intake
Connect the new pipe to the throttle body and fit the filter or airbox supplied with the kit.
If the kit includes a mounting bracket, install it before fully tightening everything.
4. Reconnect hoses
Reconnect every hose that was disconnected from the factory intake.
Double-check this before starting the engine.
BA Falcon
BA Falcons require a little more attention to the sensor and hose connections than the older models.
1. Remove the factory intake
Loosen the clamps around the intake pipe and carefully remove the factory ducting.
Disconnect the relevant breather hose and any electrical connection that is mounted into the intake assembly.
2. Remove the original airbox if required
Depending on the kit, remove the factory airbox and its mounting hardware.
Keep the original parts somewhere safe. They can be useful if the car is ever returned to standard.
3. Transfer sensors where required
Some intake kits require the factory sensor or sensor housing to be transferred to the new intake.
If your kit uses the factory sensor, be extremely careful when removing it. Do not damage the sensor element and don't force it into a hole that isn't designed for it.
4. Fit the new intake
Install the intake pipe, filter and brackets supplied with the kit.
Make sure all clamps are tight and the pipe is properly seated.
5. Reconnect everything
Reconnect the sensor plug and all breather hoses.
Before starting the car, check that no wires or hoses are rubbing against the belt, fan or other moving parts.
BF Falcon
The BF installation is similar to the BA in many respects, although the exact setup can vary between models and engines.
1. Remove the original intake tubing
Loosen the clamps and remove the factory intake tube.
Disconnect any hoses and electrical connectors attached to the intake system.
2. Remove the airbox if required
Remove the factory airbox and its mounting points if the new intake replaces the complete factory assembly.
3. Fit the intake
Install the new pipe and filter according to the kit's mounting arrangement.
Make sure the pipe isn't under tension. It should sit naturally rather than being forced into position.
4. Reconnect the sensor and hoses
Reconnect all sensors and breather hoses.
A loose sensor connector or forgotten hose can cause the engine to run poorly or bring on a warning light.
5. Final check
Check all clamps again before starting the engine.
FG Falcon
The FG uses a different intake arrangement again, so don't assume the BA or BF installation procedure will apply directly.
1. Remove the factory intake
Disconnect the intake hose and remove the original ducting according to the instructions supplied with your particular kit.
Keep track of all clips, brackets and fasteners.
2. Deal with the airbox
If your kit replaces the factory airbox, remove the original airbox and any brackets that aren't required.
If the kit is designed to retain the factory airbox, leave the relevant components in place.
3. Fit the new components
Install the new intake pipe, filter and any heat shield supplied with the kit.
A heat shield is particularly useful because simply putting a pod filter in the engine bay can expose it to hot under-bonnet air.
4. Reconnect sensors and hoses
Reconnect all electrical plugs and breather hoses exactly as they were originally fitted.
Make sure sensor wiring isn't stretched or trapped underneath a clamp.
5. Inspect the final installation
Check clearance around the radiator fan, belts, bonnet and other moving parts.
Close the bonnet carefully and make sure nothing is touching.
FGX Falcon
The FGX is closely related to the FG but uses its own factory components and should be fitted with a kit specifically designed for the FGX.
1. Remove the factory intake components
Loosen the factory clamps and carefully disconnect the intake system.
Remove any brackets or ducting that the new kit is designed to replace.
2. Transfer required components
If the instructions call for a factory sensor, hose or mounting point to be transferred, do this carefully before fitting the new intake.
Do not modify a sensor or electrical connector just to make a kit fit.
3. Install the new intake
Fit the intake pipe and filter and install the supplied brackets and heat shield.
Tighten the clamps evenly.
4. Reconnect everything
Reconnect the sensor plug and all hoses.
Check every connection before starting the car.
Starting the Car for the First Time
Once everything is installed, look around the engine bay one more time.
Check:
Every clamp is tight
Every hose is connected
Every sensor plug is connected
The filter is secure
Nothing can contact a fan or belt
The intake isn't rubbing against bodywork
No tools have been left in the engine bay
Start the engine and let it idle for a few minutes.
Listen for anything unusual such as a vacuum leak, rattling pipe or something contacting the fan.
If the engine runs rough, a warning light appears, or you hear a loud air leak, switch the engine off and check the installation rather than continuing to drive it.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
A cold air intake isn't automatically better just because it has a larger pipe or a louder filter. The quality of the design matters.
An intake that draws air from inside the hot engine bay can actually defeat part of the reason for installing a cold air system in the first place. A properly sealed intake and heat shielding can be more important than simply fitting the biggest possible filter.
Also remember that different Falcon engines and model years can have different sensors, fittings and intake layouts. A kit listed for a BA isn't necessarily going to fit an FGX just because both cars use a Barra.
Keep the original intake parts somewhere safe. If you ever sell the car or decide to return it to standard, having the original components makes that job much easier.
Final Check
Before taking the Falcon for a drive, make one final inspection with the engine off.
The intake should be firmly mounted, all connections should be secure and there should be no possibility of the filter or intake pipe moving into a fan, belt or other moving component.
Once you're happy with the installation, take the car for a gentle test drive and listen for anything unusual.
Always follow the instructions supplied with the specific intake kit you're installing. They take priority because fittings and sensor arrangements can differ between engines and model years.