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Hey, guys. Adam here with americanmuscle.com. And today, we're taking a closer look at and installing the K&N Blackhawk Cold Air Intake, available for the '09 and newer Challenger without the shaker hood. Now, if you're the owner of a 5.7 Challenger, you might be looking to ditch the factory intake and airbox in favor for one that's gonna make your engine breathe a lot better, operate more efficiently, and have an overall big upgrade in the filter department. Now, this particular Blackhawk cold air intake is definitely for the guys looking for an aftermarket intake that gives you a stealthy appearance under the hood. Now, if you're not really interested in the cold air intake for its appearance, there are a ton of other options in the category for you. This one is specifically for guys looking for a stealthy, more aggressive look when you pop the hood, great for show car owners looking to black things out a bit and blend in. Now, this intake uses a Dryflow synthetic media technology from K&N, one of the more reputable brand names in the category, which is gonna give you an oil-free filter experience. That means less maintenance when it comes time to clean the filter. All you have to do is pop it off, wash it and throw it right back in. It is washable and reusable unlike some of the dry drop-in filters that you'd get from the factory like the OEM replacements.This is using a black filter to blend in with that Blackhawk theme, which is very unique for filters in the category. Now, this is gonna also boost some horsepower and torque numbers. Now, while the intake does not require a tune, we're not strapping it down to the dyno today, but just know that K&N does claim about 14 horsepower and 13 torque when installing this intake alone. Now, again, pairing that up with a tune really maximizes its performance and capabilities, but no tune is required here. So, right out of the box, it bolts down under the hood for an ease of use experience. This uses a black powder-coated tubing there which is kink-free, which means it's gonna have an unrestricted airflow from head to toe, unlike your factory unit which we'll compare it side by side to a little bit later in the video.The price for this unit comes in right around 400 bucks putting it toward the top end of the pricing spectrum. K&N is one of the more reputable brand names in the category. And because this is unique with its black-out, price tag bumps up just a little bit. Install, I'm giving one out of three wrenches on our difficulty meter. Anybody can tackle this with about an hour's worth of time in the driveway at home with very simple hand tools. Cold air intakes are known to be one of the easiest things that you can do as far as modifications go to your Challenger, and this guy here is gonna be absolutely no different. There's no drilling, welding, or any of that nonsense involved. I'll walk you through the entire process from start to finish. What do you say we get started?Tools used in the install include an impact gun, a ratchet, 8-millimeter deep socket, 10-millimeter deep and short socket, 13 and 16-millimeter deep sockets, extension, 10 and 14-millimeter wrenches.First step of the install here, of course, pop your hood. We're gonna remove our engine cover. Now, if your Challenger does not have an engine cover, you can skip over that step. But we wanna get that out of the way to get better access to the clamp holding our factory intake to our throttle body. So, let's do that first. All right. In order to do that, you're basically just gonna look straight up, pop that out of place, and set it aside. Next step here we're just gonna unplug our temperature sensor right here. We're just gonna pinch and disconnect. Next up, you wanna grab an 8-millimeter socket or a flat-head screwdriver and loosen up the clamp holding your tubing to your throttle body. Next, we're gonna use the same 8-millimeter to head over to our airbox. There's one 10-millimeter bolt holding that guy in place, so let's get that off. We have one breather line at the back end of our airbox that we're just gonna pull straight back. Just like that. Next up, we can remove the entire airbox. I'm gonna lift up with my hand here on the resonator tube, just like that, disconnect it from the throttle body, lift straight up on the airbox, and set the entire assembly aside.So, we got our factory intake off of our '13 RT behind me and it's on the table next to our K&N Blackhawk intake. And I wanna take you through some similarities and differences here between the two kits. And I got to say head to toe, this aftermarket intake is completely different than your factory option. First and foremost, I wanna focus on our filter because that's really gonna be the start or key player in the kit here. Now, taking a look at this compared to our factory drop-in filter, this is gonna be a dry filter as well, but it's a Dryflow technology from K&N. The Dryflow technology is gonna open up that synthetic filter media to allow a lot more cold air to come through while blocking out some of the excess particles but it's going to be maintenance-free, so you don't have to worry about oiling it when it comes time for routine maintenance. The rest of the kit is gonna be completely different as well. You have an aluminum tubing as opposed to a plastic tubing from the factory which has this flex tube. Now, that flex tube there is gonna be an air restrictor. It's not maximizing airflow and volume like the straight aluminized tubing there. This is gonna be a lot more efficient, gets rid of that ugly sound tube that gets in the way of the engine bay there. So, it really cleans up the appearance as well. You also get the weatherstripping there that's gonna help seal in underneath the hood.The airbox itself is not a completely closed airbox like your factory one, it's gonna be a little bit more of an open option. So, having that weatherstripping, it's gonna seal in under that hood, blocking out the excess hot engine bay heat and keeping in, trapping in that cold air coming through the filter. So, lots of good upgrades here. If you're interested in spending a little bit more money, there are other options out there that are completely closed air boxes which will help keep the cold air in, but in terms of keeping the cost down and cleaning up the engine bay look, this is a great way to go. And especially if you're buying a Blackhawk intake from K&N that's got the blackout filter that's super unique, you wanna be able to see that guy. So, the open filter box there, that's gonna give you eyes on that as well. So, really blacked-out engine bay look, and it's gonna upgrade your quality. With that said, we're gonna have to assemble a couple of things. So, let's do that next.Kicking off the assembly here, you wanna take a look at your factory temperature sensor. We're gonna have to uninstall that and transfer it over. In order to do that, twist counterclockwise, pull straight out, set that guy aside, and then put your factory tubing aside as well. All right. Next up, we can install that temperature sensor onto our new tubing. Take the grommet included in the kit, insert that into the pre-drilled hole. Just like that. Make sure it seats properly in there. Grab the temperature sensor and insert that into the grommet. Now, this might take a little bit of working around in a circle in order to get that to seat. You wanna make sure that that seats completely properly and turn it the same way it was from the factory. Next up, we're going to install our hose fitting. Now, there are two included in the kit. The straight hose is gonna be for the 5.7Ls, the elbow 90-degree hose is gonna be for the 6 liters. Obviously, we're working with a 5.7L, so I'm gonna use the straight one. And that's gonna thread right into the pre-threaded hole. What you wanna do is make sure you're installing it hand-tight first. They're pretty easy to cross-thread because they're plastic. So, install it all the way hand-tight first, then grab a 14-millimeter wrench and do two complete turns to get it perfectly tight. One, two. Perfect.Next up, you wanna take that filter adapter and insert that guy into the filter just like this. Make sure it's seated flush. Once you have that guy in there, you wanna bring the clamp upward. Grab your 8-millimeter socket and tighten down the clamp. Next up, we're gonna take the silicone elbow, insert a clamp over the end there. Now, you'll see one side says K&N, that's gonna be up facing toward your throttle body just so it's legible from the outside of the engine bay. Insert that over the left side of the tubing. Make sure it's seated properly, and tighten down that clamp. Next up, we can do basically the same thing to the other coupler. That's gonna insert on the filter side, and tighten down that clamp.Next up, we're heading under the hood. We're gonna remove the bracket that was holding on that sound tube to the left of the throttle body. Grab a 16 socket and remove this nut. Next up, we have to install this swivel bracket to our rad support. Now, this is gonna go right in between these two layers where this hole is here. It's to the left of the bump stop and to the right of the factory 8-millimeter that hold on our intake. Now, you're gonna use one of the smaller bolts along with a large washer to cover that hole. So, put the bracket in first, drop the bolt in from the top, put a large washer on from the bottom, and follow it up with the nylon locknut. Now, it's a tight space and it's tough to see. Try not to drop that nut in the engine bay. Tighten it down by hand. All right. Now, we're gonna get it nice and snug.Next up, you can grab a 10-millimeter socket, hold on to that bolt head there. Use a 10 wrench to hold on to the nut on the bottom and tighten it down. You wanna get it nice and snug but still leave a little bit of room for adjustment so that you can line it up to the airbox. All right. Now, on the cylinder head, there is a threaded hole and we're gonna use the swivel bracket included in the kit to bolt it down right there. But you wanna make sure you're putting the spacer included in the kit between the bracket itself and the head. Use the bolt included in the kit to tighten it down. Just make sure you're not cross-threading it. Again, we're gonna get the snug but still leave a little room for adjustment. Grab your 13 socket and tighten that guy down. Let's install our temperature sensor extension harness while we have easy access. Plug that guy into the factory harness. The other end is gonna reach all the way over to the new location of the temperature sensor which is now gonna be to the right of the throttle body instead of before where it was to the left. So, we're gonna feed that guy just under the throttle body like that while we have easy access here.Next, let's drop our heat shield into place. That's gonna go straight down where the factory one was. And as you can see, the swivel bracket here lines up to the open hole on the side of the heat shield. So, let's attach that first and then put the bolt through, follow it up with the washer and nylon locknut on the other side. All right. So, now we can tighten that guy down. Grab your 10 socket and wrench and tighten it down. Next, we can install the 90-degree bracket so that it connects to the frame here where the factory 8-millimeter was. So, you wanna grab the bolt included in the kit, put that through, follow it up with the washer, and the nut. Before I tighten down this bracket, I wanna swing it up, grab the factory 8-millimeter bolt and put it back through so I know it's in the right position. And then we can tighten both of those down. I'm gonna use my 10-millimeter to tighten down the bracket first and then we'll tighten down the 8-millimeter. Switch over to the 8 and tighten this one down.Next, take the tubing assembly with the elbow already installed. Insert one side through the opening on your airbox and connect it to the throttle body. All right. Let's tighten down our throttle body clamp. Next up, we can attach the bracket that we installed to the cylinder head to the open threaded hole on the side of the tubing. Just gonna thread that guy in by hand and then we'll have to go on with a ratchet because it's a tight space. All right. I'm just gonna thread this guy down by hand first. Grab a 10-millimeter short socket and tighten that guy down. Next up, we can drop in our filter. Now, you want to slide the clamp over that coupler first, drop the filter in. It may take a little bit of finessing there, but you're basically just gonna pop this guy on just like that. Bring the clamp downward and tighten that down.Next, we're gonna replace that factory breather line. So, we're gonna pull that straight off. There's a new hose included in the kit, so you're just gonna slide that guy onto that factory location. Bring that guy around and connect it to the host fitting we installed on the tubing. Just make sure you seat it all the way down. Next, we can grab the weatherstrip that's gonna go around the top edges of your airbox. And you're basically just gonna push that guy onto the edge and work your way all the way around. All right. You just wanna make sure it's seated. Now, we can move on. Let's plug in our temperature sensor, now that we have it relocated to the right of the throttle body and our extension harness is installed. Last but not least, the engine cover if your vehicle came with one, slide that guy back in place. Make sure your hose is routed properly and snap it into place. From there, you're good to go.That's gonna wrap up my review and install for the K&N Blackhawk Cold Air Intake, available for the '09 and newer 5.7-Liter Hemi equipped Challengers without the shaker hood. You can get yours right here at americanmuscle.com.
Includes a Black, Oil-Free Air Filter With Synthetic Media
Free-Flowing, Mandrel-Bent Aluminum Tube
Comes With a Durable Heat Shield
Bolt-On Installation
Computer Re-Tune Not Required
Backed by the Manufacturer’s Million Mile or 10-Year Limited Warranty
CARB-Certified With E.O. Number D-269-76
Fits All 2009-2023 5.7L HEMI Dodge Challenger Models Without Shaker Hoods
Brand
K&N
Cold Air Intake Type
Cold Air Intake
Air Intake Tuning Requirements
No Tune Required, But Recommended
Cold Air Intake Filter Type
Dry
Cold Air Intake Tube Material
Aluminum
Description
Remarkable Engine Boost. Maximize your Challenger’s engine power by reinforcing the efficient airflow with the K&N Blackhawk Cold Air Intake. This Air Intake System facilitates the cooler, oxygen-rich air to fill your combustion chamber for an optimized air-fuel mixture. The resulting enhanced airflow delivers significant improvement throttle response, an increase of 14.13 horsepower at 4188 RPM, and torque gains of 13.04 pound-feet at 3708 RPM.
No Tune Required. This Blackhawk Cold Air Intake does not require reprogramming of your Challenger’s computer. With advanced engineering, this intake system boosts engine power using the factory tune. AmericanMuscle, however, still recommends a custom tune to reprogram your ECU to get the best possible performance from this intake.
Performance Air Filter. The air filter included in this Blackhawk Intake Kit is designed for an excellent filtration capacity with its layered synthetic media. It features a pleated style for efficient dust holding capacity and an optimum size for enhanced air dynamics.
High-Quality Construction. Engineered to withstand high heat stress and various mechanical impacts, this Blackhawk intake system features a durable heat shield to keep the hotter surrounding air from getting into the system. The high-strength aluminum intake tube delivers the most efficient airflow with its free-flowing, mandrel-bent construction. It also accommodates the factory inlet air temperature sensor and crank case vent hose.
Direct-Fit Installation. This cold air intake is designed as a direct-fit replacement to your stock intake system. It reuses the factory mounting points and installs using basic hand tools. K&N’s engineering ensures seamless OEM fitment as this intake system integrates perfectly well with your car’s other components.
Million-Mile or 10-Year Limited Warranty. K&N offers a limited warranty for a 10-year period or a Million-Mile use, whichever comes first, from the date that this Blackhawk Intake System was originally purchased. Some exclusions and limitations apply; please check the terms and conditions for full details.
CARB-Certified. This Blackhawk Cold Air Intake outperforms other intake systems in every state, thanks to its 50-state CARB certification. K&N ensures that your HEMI Challenger is equipped with emission-compliant cold air intake for all-terrain applications. This intake system is CARB certified under E.O. Number D-269-76.
Application. The K&N Blackhawk Cold Air Intake is designed to fit on all 2009-2023 5.7L HEMI Dodge Challenger models without Shaker Hoods.
Extended Warranty. AmericanMuscle/Turn5 Inc. is proud to offer an optional 12 month extended limited warranty to our customers that purchase an eligible product. The program administrator will replace the cost of the covered part of a period of 12 months after the manufacturers warranty elapses, or from the date of purchase if the manufacturer does not offer a warranty.
Coverage. A Covered Part has failed when it can no longer perform the function for which it was originally designed solely because of its condition and not because of the action or inaction of any non-covered parts. The benefits available under this Limited Warranty are strictly provided to you for the replacement of the Covered Part(s) which fails due to a defect.
Notification Sent Via Email. You will receive notification of your enrollment in the extended product warranty program via email within 24 hours of placing your order. Please save this email for possible future reference.
No Deductibles Required. There are no deductibles required for use of this extended product warranty. If your covered part fails within the extended warranty time frame, simply call the program administrator at 1-844-870-4881 for instructions before any repairs or replacements have begun. Additional contact details and instructions will be included in your confirmation email.
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - 
