Cold Air Intake Kit for Dodge Challenger/Charger (2011-2018) 3.6L V6 Engine Blue

The Wrench Time

• Estimated Time: 45-60 Minutes
• Difficulty: 3/10 - Basic hand tools required. A perfect driveway project to wake up your Pentastar platform.

Tools You Will Need

• 10mm deep socket & ratchet (for the trunk battery terminal and core support)
• 8mm socket or nut driver (for throttle body hose clamps and factory airbox bolt)
• Flathead screwdriver (for standard worm-gear clamps)
• Panel popper tool (to safely release the wiring harness clips without snapping brittle plastic)
• Silicone spray or soapy water (crucial for seating the intake sensor safely)

Phase 1: Removing the Factory Part from your 2011-2018 Dodge Challenger Charger 3.6L

1. Disconnect the Battery: Always start by heading to the trunk and disconnecting the negative battery terminal using a 10mm socket. This prevents an accidental CEL (Check Engine Light) while sensors are unplugged.
2. Unplug the IAT Sensor: Locate the IAT sensor on the factory intake tube. Slide the red locking tab back, depress the clip, and pull the harness off. Use your panel popper to free the harness wire tie attached to the intake tube.
3. Remove the Breather Hose: Disconnect the factory crankcase breather hose from the airbox. Squeeze the grey retaining clip and pull straight back. Don’t force it; these factory clips snap easily as they age.
4. Loosen the Throttle Body Clamp: Take your 8mm socket or flathead screwdriver and loosen the band clamp securing the factory rubber intake tube to the throttle body.
5. Extract the Factory Airbox: Remove the single 8mm bolt securing the front of the airbox to the front core support. Firmly grasp the entire airbox assembly and pull straight up to pop it out of the lower rubber chassis mounting grommets.
6. Rescue the IAT Sensor: Carefully twist the IAT sensor counter-clockwise and pull it out of the factory tube. Set it aside in a safe, clean spot. Do not touch the exposed thermistor tip! Contaminating the tip will cause poor idle and fuel trim issues.

Phase 2: Installing the Cold Air Intake Kit for Dodge Challenger/Charger (2011-2018) 3.6L V6 Engine Blue

1. Assemble the Heat Shield: Put together the new blue heat shield using the supplied hardware. Drop it into the engine bay and bolt it into the factory core support location using your 10mm socket and the factory lower mounting points.
2. Prep the New Intake Tube: Press the supplied rubber IAT grommet into the pre-drilled hole on your new blue intake tube. Apply a drop of silicone spray to the inside lip of the grommet. Gently press your factory IAT sensor into the grommet until fully seated. Make sure the sensor tip is facing the correct direction to read airflow.
3. Mount the Silicone Couplers: Slide the silicone reducer coupler onto the throttle body and secure the smaller side with a supplied clamp using your 8mm socket. Leave the larger intake side clamp loose for now.
4. Install the Intake Tube and Filter: Guide the new blue intake tube into the throttle body coupler, then attach the high-flow cone filter to the other end inside the heat shield. Position everything so it clears the hood and engine cover, then tighten all remaining band clamps down snugly with your 8mm socket.
5. Reconnect the Vital Systems: Push the crankcase breather hose onto the aluminum fitting on the new tube until it clicks securely. Finally, plug the IAT sensor harness back in and push down the red locking tab.
6. ECU Relearn Protocol: Reconnect your negative battery terminal in the trunk. Turn the ignition to the "ON" position without starting the engine for 10 seconds. Start the vehicle. Do not touch the gas pedal for at least 20 seconds. Let the Pentastar ECU adapt to the increased airflow to ensure a perfectly smooth idle and avoid throwing a code.

Disclaimer: This is a general guide provided for the 2011-2018 Dodge Challenger Charger 3.6L. Always refer to your factory service manual for exact torque specifications and safety procedures.