1997 Jeep TJ - Project Teal-J II, Part 4

Another part we used to increase airflow is the Brute Force Intake System from AEM. One of the first pieces to go on is this aluminum heat shield.

Next comes the mandrel-bent aluminum intake tube that is tuned on a dyno in both length and diameter for maximum power. Ours was powdercoated grey, but a polished tube is also available. It attaches to the throttle body on one side and then the heat shield on the other. Visible in this photo is the CARB EO number that makes it a smog-legal part in all 50 states.

The air filter is the final piece to finish off the intake system. It is designed for maximum horsepower by increasing airflow but at the same time is better at filtering. Also important for those that spend lots of time on the trail is that it is cleanable and reusable.

In this finished shot, you can see how the air filter is much bigger than the original factory piece, and the smooth bends of the air intake help to increase airflow and add power.

While browsing through the Performance Products catalog for power-producing goodies, we came across the JET Power Control Module. We chose a Stage II module that is designed for use on vehicles equipped with headers and performance exhaust systems along with free-flowing intakes. It adds power and improves throttle response by reprogramming the fuel/air mixture and ignition timing for maximum performance. The chip is said to add up to 15 hp and increase low-end torque.

Installing the JET Power Control Module was our favorite part of this exercise because it was so easy to do. We simply located our vehicle's ECU on the firewall, unplugged the black color-coded terminal, attached the module and then plugged the black terminal into it. It took about three minutes.

When using the Stage II module, it is also necessary to install a low-temperature thermostat. JET offers this 180-degree unit, which we also got through Performance Products.