How much power does a cold air intake add to a Hellcat?

On a stock or lightly-modified Hellcat, an intake alone is a modest gain — usually single-digit horsepower — because the factory airbox already flows well and the real restriction on a supercharged car is boost, not the inlet. Where an intake earns its keep is as a supporting mod: once you add a smaller upper pulley and a tune, a freer-flowing intake helps the blower breathe and keeps intake-air temps in check. Buy it as part of a package, not as a standalone power adder.

Do I need a tune after installing a cold air intake?

You should. Most aftermarket intakes change the MAF housing diameter or move the sensor, which shifts the airflow reading the factory calibration expects. Without a matching tune (or a plug-and-play calibration from the intake maker) you can see rough idle, fuel trims drifting, or a check-engine light. If you already run a tune for a pulley or E85, have your tuner account for the new intake — it is a quick data-log and adjustment.

Oiled cotton or dry filter — which is better?

Both work; the trade-off is maintenance and MAF safety. Oiled cotton filters (the classic K&N style) flow slightly more and are reusable, but over-oiling after a clean can contaminate the MAF sensor and skew fueling. Dry synthetic filters (aFe Pro Dry S, S&B dry media) are effectively no-oil and very MAF-friendly, at a small flow trade-off. If you are not meticulous about oiling, a dry filter is the safer choice on a Hellcat.

Will a Hellcat intake fit a Redeye, Demon, or Widebody?

Not always. The standard Hellcat, the Redeye/Demon, and later model years use different factory airboxes and inlet paths — the Redeye and Demon in particular breathe through a larger, dual-path setup. An intake listed for a base Hellcat may not bolt to a Redeye, and Widebody vs narrowbody generally does not change the intake but the model year can. Always confirm the part is listed for your exact car, engine, and year before buying.

Best Cold Air Intakes for the Hellcat

The Hellcat’s supercharged 6.2 HEMI already moves a lot of air, so a cold air intake is not the dramatic power adder it is on a naturally-aspirated car. What a good intake does deliver on this platform is a freer path to the blower, an aggressive induction note, and — on the right design — lower intake-air temperatures once you start adding boost. Think of it as a supporting mod that pays off alongside a pulley and a tune, not a standalone dyno hero. Here is how to choose one, ranked by what actually matters on a Hellcat.

1. Sealed airbox vs open element

This is the first decision, and it matters more than the brand. A sealed airbox intake keeps the filter isolated from hot underhood air behind a lid, drawing from the factory cold-air inlets — important on a supercharged car, where the blower and intercooler pump serious heat under the hood. An open-element cone sounds the best and looks the part, but it sits in engine-bay heat and can ingest warm air at idle and low speed. For a street Hellcat that sees traffic and heat-soak, a sealed design almost always makes more usable power. Browse engine & performance parts for options.

2. Filter media — dry vs oiled

Once you have picked a housing style, the filter media is the next call. Oiled cotton (the classic reusable style) flows a touch more; dry synthetic media is nearly maintenance-free and far friendlier to the MAF sensor. On a Hellcat — where a fouled MAF shows up as drifting fuel trims and a rough tune — a dry filter is the low-risk default unless you are disciplined about re-oiling correctly. The FAQ below covers why this matters for your calibration.

3. MAF placement and the tune

The single most overlooked thing about intakes on this car: most systems relocate or resize the MAF housing, and the factory calibration expects a specific airflow curve. Pair any full intake with a matching tune or the maker’s plug-and-play calibration. If you are already tuned for a smaller supercharger pulley or E85, fold the intake into that tune — it is a quick data-log for your tuner and it keeps fueling honest. Never assume an intake is “just bolt-on” on a boosted engine.

4. Match it to your car — Hellcat vs Redeye vs Demon

The base Hellcat, the Redeye/Demon, and later model years do not all share the same airbox. The Redeye and Demon breathe through a larger, dual-path setup, and a part cut for a base Hellcat may not fit. Confirm the intake is listed for your exact model, engine, and year — the same fitment discipline covered in our Hellcat generations & fitment reference. Widebody vs narrowbody usually does not affect the intake itself, but the year can.

5. Drop-in filter vs full system

If you want a small, low-risk improvement without touching the MAF or the tune, a drop-in panel filter in the factory airbox is the move — it frees a little flow and freshens an aging filter with no calibration change. A full intake system is the bigger step: more flow, more sound, and the tune considerations above. On a mostly-stock car a drop-in is plenty; on a pulley-and-tune build, step up to a sealed full system.

Where it fits in the build

An intake is a supporting mod, not a foundation. The order that makes a Hellcat genuinely faster is boost and tuning first:

Start here: a tune and a smaller upper pulley — see Best Hellcat Performance Upgrades.
Go deeper on boost: Best Hellcat Supercharger & Bolt-On Upgrades.
Then support it: a sealed intake, colder plugs, and fueling to match.

How to buy

New intakes and drop-in filters: Amazon Automotive — browse the engine & performance category and check current pricing and availability on Amazon.
Used, take-off, or hard-to-find intakes (Demon/Redeye airboxes, discontinued systems, ProCharger and Whipple inlets): eBay Motors, via the search buttons below — used listing prices are shown live.

Buy the intake for the induction note and the supporting flow, tune to match, and stack it on top of a pulley for the gains that actually show up at the strip.