Best Cold Air Intakes for 2019-2023 Ram 2500 Cummins

The best cold air intake for a 2019-2023 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins is the one that feeds the turbo clean, cool air without choking at wide-open throttle — and the factory airbox simply was not built for owners who tow heavy or want a little more out of the 370 hp, 850 lb-ft I6. At NLP Performance in Tampa, FL, a diesel cold air intake is one of the first upgrades we install on fifth-gen Ram HD trucks, because it is a clean, reversible change that improves throttle response, can help lower exhaust gas temperatures (EGTs) under load, and sets the stage for a tuner down the road. This guide compares the four intakes we actually stock and fit for this truck, with real fitment, filter media differences, and honest pros and cons.

Why Add a Cold Air Intake to a 6.7L Cummins?

A cold air intake is a high-flow filter and tube kit that replaces the restrictive factory airbox so your engine breathes easier. On the 2019-2023 Ram 2500, the 6.7L Cummins turbo-diesel is rated at 370 horsepower and 850 lb-ft of torque in standard-output trim, and all of that power depends on how much air the turbo can move. The stock paper element and molded box are tuned for quiet, not flow. Swapping to a performance intake does three things our shop sees consistently on these trucks: it sharpens throttle response, it helps the turbo pull cleaner air during towing and grades, and — with an enclosed design — it keeps the filter away from the 180-plus-degree heat soak of the engine bay.

Be realistic about the numbers. On a completely stock tune, a cold air intake alone will not add 50 horsepower; the ECU still controls fueling. What you feel is quicker spool, a more eager pedal, and often lower EGTs when the engine is not fighting intake restriction. The real power arrives when the intake is paired with a quality tuner that can take advantage of the extra airflow. For winter and job-site owners, there is a second benefit: a fully sealed airbox is far better at keeping snow, slush, and road salt spray out of the filter than an open element sitting in the fender, which is why we steer plow and tow customers toward the enclosed kits below.

The 4 Best Cold Air Intakes for the 2019-2023 Ram 2500 Cummins

The K&N AirCharger (part 63-1583) is our top pick because it hits the best balance of airflow, sealing, and long-term value for the 2019-2023 Ram 2500. The one-piece rotomolded housing fully encloses a large cone-style K&N filter so the turbo draws cooler air, and the oiled cotton-gauze media is engineered for high flow and is washable and reusable — K&N backs it with their Million Mile Limited Warranty, so you should never buy another filter for this truck. It installs with hand tools in about an hour, works with the stock calibration, and leaves the factory mass-airflow setup in place. One honest caveat: the 63-1583 is not CARB-exempt and cannot ship to California, so it is intended for competition and off-highway use — confirm your state’s emissions rules before buying.

If you want maximum airflow with zero filter oil anywhere near your sensors, the aFe Momentum HD with Pro Dry S media is the intake we recommend most for 2019-2022 Cummins owners. The Momentum HD uses a massive sealed housing with a clear viewing window and a huge multi-layer dry synthetic filter that cleans with nothing but water and air — ideal for diesel owners who have ever over-oiled a cotton filter and worried about residue. It is the priciest option here at $435.00, but it ships with an active discount and an industry-leading filter surface area. aFe builds this as a direct-fit, no-tune-required system that drops into the factory location.

The Momentum HD with Pro 5R media is the same sealed aFe housing as the Pro Dry S, but with a traditional oiled five-layer cotton-gauze filter for buyers who prefer maximum airflow and do not mind the re-oiling routine. At $387.00 it undercuts the dry-filter version while keeping the big enclosed box, the viewing window, and the OE-location fit. We point towing customers to this one when they want the enclosed Momentum platform but want to spend a little less than the Pro Dry S.

Our budget pick is the aFe Magnum FORCE Stage-2 with the D2 Dura-Dry filter at $359.00, and it is also the only option here that lists fitment all the way through 2024. It uses an open-element design with a one-piece aluminized heat shield rather than a fully enclosed box, which makes it the loudest and most aggressive-sounding of the four — many Cummins owners actually want that turbo whistle. The dry Dura-Dry filter hoses clean, and the lower price plus the extra model-year coverage make it the value play. The trade-off: an open element is slightly more exposed to engine heat and winter slush than a sealed box, so plow and heavy-tow trucks are better served by the enclosed K&N or Momentum HD above.

Ram 2500 Cummins Intake Comparison Chart

Here is the quick side-by-side our techs use on the counter. Filter media and airbox type are the two decisions that matter most for a diesel: a sealed box blocks heat and weather, while filter media comes down to oiled cotton (slightly more flow, needs re-oiling) versus dry synthetic (oil-free, hose-clean).

K&N AirCharger: Pros and Cons

Oiled vs Dry Filter: Which Media Should a Diesel Owner Choose?

For a 6.7L Cummins, the filter-media choice is more important than the brand badge. Oiled cotton-gauze filters — the K&N AirCharger and the aFe Pro 5R — use a thin film of filter oil to trap fine dust, and they typically flow a touch more air. The catch is maintenance: after you wash one, you must re-oil it correctly, because over-oiling can leave residue on the mass-airflow sensor. Dry synthetic media — the aFe Pro Dry S and the Magnum FORCE Dura-Dry — skips the oil entirely. You clean it with compressed air and water, let it dry, and reinstall, which removes any risk to the MAF and is the setup we recommend for owners who just want to service the filter and forget it.

Either media is washable and reusable, so all four kits eliminate the recurring cost of disposable paper elements. Under normal highway use, plan to clean a diesel intake filter roughly every 30,000 to 50,000 miles; if you tow heavy, run gravel job sites, or drive dusty back roads, inspect and clean it sooner. In our Tampa shop we lean dry-media for daily-driven and work trucks and oiled-media for owners chasing the last bit of airflow for a tuned build.

Installation, Tuning, and Winter Notes

All four of these intakes are direct-fit, bolt-on systems that reuse the factory air-inlet location and install with basic hand tools in about an hour — no cutting and no tune required to run safely on a stock truck. Because the ECU still meters fuel, expect the biggest real-world gains to show up when you add a quality tuner that can lean on the extra airflow; the intake is the supporting mod that keeps intake air temperatures and restriction down so the tune can work. If you tow a fifth-wheel or plow in the winter, prioritize a sealed box: the enclosed K&N and aFe Momentum HD designs keep the filter clear of snow spray and road salt mist far better than an open element. Whichever you choose, we can verify exact fitment against your VIN before it ships from our Tampa, FL warehouse.