The well-known tech behind the black S197 Ford Mustang has returned to the shop to give a nice shot of cold, dense air to a V6 Mustang. The AEM Brute Force Intake system takes the cool blast and turns it into proven power gains that almost anyone can bolt-on. Our original StangNet.com write-up (with hi res images on demand) gives a real world overview and interpretation on how to perform the cold air kit installation on a 2007 Ford Mustang V6 coupe. StangNet Staff member bigcat shows us just how it’s done.

Before we start, take a look at the detail behind this AEM Cold Air Intake system here.

S197 AEM V6 Cold Air Intake Install

Tools needed:

• 8mm
• 10mm sockets
• T20 Torx bit (provided in kit)
• 13mm wrench
• 3mm Allen wrench

Disconnect the negative battery terminal using an 8mm socket or wrench. Locate and remove the 10mm bolt securing the air box. The bolt is located between the air box and fender.

Remove the MAF wiring harness. To do this, pull the red locking tab back. Then push down on the tab and pull the plug out.

Unplug the PCV hose from the right side of the inlet, at the throttle body. To unplug it, push the green ring toward the engine, and pull the hose off.

Loosen the hose clamp securing the inlet tube to the throttle body using the 10mm socket. Remove the inlet tube.

Remove the air box and inlet tube assembly.

Remove the MAF sensor from the OEM air box assembly using the supplied T20 torx wrench. Transfer the sensor to the new intake tube, using the supplied new screws. NOTE: Be sure to install the sensor in the correct orientation. The “flow” printed on the sensor should point towards the throttle body.

Install the hose clamps onto the inlet tube coupler. Install the throttle body inlet coupler. TIP: Install the clamp so that the bolt is on the bottom side to clean up the appearance. Make the bolt face the driver’s side. If you face the bolt to the passenger side, you wont have easy access to the bolt to tighten it.

You can see the bolt for the clamp is still accessible from the bottom side.

Locate the ABS module, just behind the driver’s side headlight. It is the box with all the brake lines coming out of the top. On the lower rear, slide the gray lever toward the engine. This will unlock and remove the harness from the ABS module. Pull the harness out of the way.

Remove the 10mm bolt that was under the harness connector. Locate the upper mounting bolt. It is located on the upper tie bar, near the headlight. Remove the 10mm bolt.

Install the rubber gasket onto the heat shield.

When installing the heat shield, make sure you clear the power steering lines, near the front of the shield. Install the heat shield; reusing one of the 10mm bolts you just removed. Install that bolt in the upper ABS mounting location. Use the new supplied bolt for the rear heat shield mount. You can also reuse your old bolt if you prefer. Reuse the old bolt for the front mount, near the headlight. Install the lower heat shield brace using the other 10mm bolt you removed from the ABS module. Using the new hardware, install the washers, nut and bolt through the heat shield, and attach the shield to the brace. Install the nut on the inside of the shield. (Under the air filter.) This makes for a cleaner appearance. Adjust the shield for clearance to the brake lines, power steering lines and the hood. Tighten the mounting bolts.

Install the rubber mounting bracket onto the heat shield. The rubber goes on the engine side of the heat shield. Use the new hardware. Install the inlet tube onto the throttle body coupler. This is the tube with the AEM logo. Loosely tighten the clamp. The clamp needs to be tight enough to hold the tube in place, but loose enough to allow for adjustment. Install the hose clamp onto the filter, and connect the filter to the inlet tube. Don’t forget to hide the clamp bolt under the filter for appearance reasons. You can see there is easy access to the bottom side of the clamp to tighten it.

Adjust the intake assembly for proper clearances and tighten the hose clamps and the rubber mount on the heat shield. Reinstall the MAF sensor wiring. Some vehicles may require cutting the electrical tape on the harness to allow enough slack to plug in the MAF sensor. If this includes your car, trim back the tape as seen in the picture below. You want to be sure you have enough slack in the wiring so it does not put pressure on the wiring when installed.

Reconnect the negative battery terminal. Start the engine and let idle for 3 minutes. Check for any intake leaks or check engine lights. If the check engine light is on, you probably have a loose connection on the inlet tube. Check over all connections and mounting brackets again. Once you are sure everything is fine, test drive the car and enjoy!