Best 6.7 Powerstroke Cold Air Intake: Pusher vs SPE vs No Limit
An intake is the first part most 6.7 Powerstroke owners buy, and the Pusher intake systems are some of the biggest sellers on our site. It is also the part people expect the most from. So here is the straight answer on what an intake does, what it does not do, and which one we would put on your truck.
What an Intake Really Does on a 6.7 Powerstroke
The factory airbox is not bad on a stock truck. Ford sized it for the stock turbo and stock fueling, and it filters well. Where it falls short is when you ask the turbo for more air: a tune, a bigger turbo, heavy towing in the heat. That is when a bigger filter and a smoother path into the compressor start to pay off.
Here is what a good intake gets you:
- More filter area. A bigger filter flows more air and takes longer to load up with dirt.
- Lower restriction on tuned and turbo upgraded trucks, which helps spool up and helps keep EGTs in check.
- Turbo sound. You will hear the turbo more. Most guys love it.
Here is what it will not do: add big horsepower to a bone stock truck. If someone promises 40 horsepower from a filter on a stock 6.7, keep your money.
Option 1: Open Element Cold Air Intake
An open element intake replaces the factory airbox and intake tube with a larger filter and a bigger tube to the turbo. It is the simplest, cheapest way to open up the front of the air path.
- No Limit Fabrication Stage 1 Cold Air Intake, 2017 to 2019: 4 inch aluminum tube from the turbo to the filter, a MAF mount and filter minder port, and No Limit says it uses the biggest filter on the market by more than 33 percent. No custom tuning required. Pick dry, oiled or ProGuard 7 media.
- No Limit Fabrication Cold Air Intake, 2020 and newer: a 4.5 inch aluminum open intake for the newer trucks.
- SPE Motorsport Air Intake System, 2011 to 2019: SPE built this one around tuned and performance trucks after dyno, street and race testing showed open filters performed best overall.
Best for: stock to mildly tuned trucks, daily drivers and tow rigs that want more filter and more sound without changing anything else.
Option 2: Full Pusher Intake System
A Pusher system goes a lot further than a filter. It replaces the factory intake manifold, the plastic cold side charge tube and the cold air intake as one matched system, and some versions add a turbo inlet too. On the 2015 and newer trucks the factory turbo inlet is part of the intake manifold, which is why the turbo inlet versions exist.
- Pusher Intake System, 2017 to 2019 (PFP1719IS)
- Pusher Intake System with Turbo Inlet, 2017 to 2019
- Pusher Intake System with Turbo Inlet, 2020 and newer (PFP20XXIT). Not compatible with 2023 and newer Standard Output cab and chassis trucks, and the optional hot side tube will not fit a PPE intercooler.
Every piece is mandrel bent and TIG welded, and the system gets rid of the failure prone factory cold side tube at the same time. If you have ever blown a cold side boot, you know why that matters.
The catch: Pusher lists these full systems as off road only, and the 2020 and newer system is built for trucks with the emissions equipment removed. If your truck has to stay street legal or pass inspection, look at Option 3.
Best for: off road, competition and pulling trucks, and anyone running a bigger turbo who wants the whole air path done at once.
Option 3: Keep It Emissions Friendly and Still Gain Airflow
If the truck has to stay factory on paper, the biggest restriction worth fixing is not the filter. It is the factory intake manifold. Two options keep the factory emissions equipment in place and need no tune:
- Pusher Powerflow Intake Manifold and Turbo Inlet, 2015 to 2019 and 2020 to 2026
- SPE Motorsport OE+ Performance Intake Manifold, 2011 to 2026
We break both down in our 6.7 Powerstroke intake manifold guide.
Quick Comparison
| Intake | Years | What it replaces | Tune needed | Street use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Limit Stage 1 | 2017 to 2019 | Airbox and intake tube | No | Check your state |
| No Limit 4.5 inch | 2020 and up | Airbox and intake tube | Check listing | Check your state |
| SPE Air Intake | 2011 to 2019 | Airbox and intake tube | Check listing | Check your state |
| Pusher Intake System | 2017 to 2019 | Intake manifold, cold side tube, intake | Depends on build | Off road only |
| Pusher System with Turbo Inlet | 2020 and up | Manifold, cold side tube, turbo inlet, intake | Depends on build | Off road only |
| Pusher Powerflow | 2015 to 2026 | Intake manifold and turbo inlet | No | Keeps factory emissions provisions |
| SPE OE+ Manifold | 2011 to 2026 | Intake manifold | No | Retains factory components |
Dry, Oiled or Synthetic Media?
- Oiled flows great but needs to be serviced right. Too much oil can foul a MAF sensor.
- Dry is easier to live with and the safer pick for dusty roads and job sites.
- ProGuard 7 on the No Limit intakes is a synthetic media built to filter finer while still flowing well.
Whatever you run, use the filter minder. A loaded filter costs more power than any intake gains.
Which 6.7 Powerstroke Intake Should You Buy?
- Stock or lightly tuned daily driver: a No Limit or SPE open element intake.
- Truck that has to stay factory on paper: a Pusher Powerflow or SPE OE+ manifold.
- Off road, pulling or big turbo truck: a full Pusher system with the turbo inlet.
Pusher parts come in a long list of powder coat colors if you want the engine bay to match the truck.
Shop 6.7 Powerstroke Intakes
More reading: 6.7 Powerstroke intercooler piping kits • Best 6.7 Powerstroke CCV kit • 6.7 Powerstroke turbo upgrades
FAQ
Does a cold air intake need a tune on a 6.7 Powerstroke?
Not usually. No Limit says its Stage 1 intake for 2017 to 2019 trucks does not require custom tuning. Full Pusher intake systems are a different category: they are sold for off road use and are usually part of a larger build.
How much horsepower does a 6.7 Powerstroke intake add?
On a stock truck, not much. The gains show up on tuned trucks and trucks with bigger turbos, where the factory airbox becomes a restriction. Expect better spool up, more sound and more filter capacity first.
Oiled or dry filter for a 6.7 Powerstroke?
Dry is easier to maintain and the better pick for dusty conditions. Oiled flows well but has to be serviced carefully so it does not foul the MAF sensor.
Is a Pusher intake street legal?
Pusher lists its full intake systems as off road only. For a truck that has to stay emissions compliant, the Pusher Powerflow manifold package keeps provisions for the factory emissions equipment.
Not sure what fits your truck? Send us your VIN or call 865 640 2097 and we will help you pick the right part.
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