Yes and no. The Demon uses a really fancy liquid cooled intake system. The AC was used to cool the liquid that cooled the intake. It's not quite the same is piping chilled air that has been filtered through your AC system straight into your intake.

 

What is the point of a Cold Air Intake, and why/how do they advertise HP gains?

 

The colder the air, the more dense it is and the more air you have per combustion cycle the more power. Whether or not CAI do anything significant most of the time is debatable I guess but go watch Engine Masters #43 where they test heating and cooling manifolds to see what happens to power and torque. I think the result was that the main power gain was cooling the intake where it also cooled the fuel and that cooling the fuel made the most difference. It confirmed the benefits of putting ice around the carb and intake manifold that drag racers do between runs.

 

Factory is an over the radiator intake, which makes it a cold air intake as it takes cold air from the front of the vehicle

 

Where are you in Texas? I am in McKinney and just sold my 2015 GS350, so I have a K&N intake & filter for sale. It does NOT replace the filter box, but improves performance (per K&N) because of its design. You will also be able to remove the factory sound generator - which is a big plus in my opinion. If you are nearby, come buy it. $75 bucks and I will even help you install it. If you don't like it, bring it back and I will give you your $75 back. I have it listed on eBay (just created the listing this morning):

Link to eBay listing

BTW, if you look on K&N's side you will see this for over $200 and their claimed guaranteed HP increase, lol.

 

Dang, for 50 I'm pretty tempted.

 

Do it! It is still at $50 on eBay...but of course I am hoping for more.

 

I was inches from buying at 200 when I made the video linked in my sig, which was before I found and joined this forum.

 

Outside of a reusable less restrictive filter does a straight metal tube vs plastic stock intake tube make any real world hp difference?

I guess more for looks or someone trying to remove the sound generator.

That is a good price for it. Why not list it in the CL marketplace, I'm sure it will sell faster.

 

According to the K&N website: "The K&N 69-8704TP Typhoon air intake system is a free-flowing, mandrel-bent aluminum tube air induction system designed to fit Lexus GS350 and IS350 models. The restrictive factory air filter and air intake tubing are replaced by the K&N Typhoon air intake which is designed to dramatically reduce air flow restriction as it smoothes and straightens air flow. This allows your engine to inhale a larger amount of air than the factory air intake for a guaranteed power gain."

Lexus GS @ K&N

 

So it uses the same airbox, with cover, just replaces the stock filter with theirs (same size and everything) and you get that tube you are replacing? I ask becasue I have seen pics with the cone shaped air filter. I already have the K&N air filter.

 

Yep, same airbox and same filter you already have. For your specific application, you would be replacing the air intake tube and removing the noise generator.

 

What/where is the noise generator?

 

This is the sound generator:




This is where it is located (remove the plastic engine cover - held in with snaps):

 

As you can see, the aftermarket intake tubes do not facilitate the sound generator. This was perfect for me, as I thought the generator's noise was very artificial (like a goose honk, lol).