Air Intake Question

[y33dave]

I recently purchased a K&H filter and just plopped it into the existing OEM intake where the old filter was ...

my question is this:

would it be better to invest in a "new" open air intake system ?

are the one's I see on ebay worth a damn?

http://search.ebay.com/f150-intake_W0QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQc opagenumZ1QQfromZR10QQsorecordstoskipZ100QQsotrZ2

what are the thoughts here?

Thanks!

Dave

[mattadams]

Personally, I noticed a difference when I put in the K&N, but not enough that I'd want to do it again... thats just my experience though.

[Glass]

http://knfilters.com/facts.htm

Thant K&N's q&A page, should have some good air flow information on there...If I had moe time right now, I'd even read some of it, and see if i could rig something together for my truck...

---JOHN

[Tray]

I just sorta made my stock setup into the same thing.

http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/ThePlague/425702.jpg

I got an old subwoofer grille, and cut the outer circle to the diameter of the air box (I think about 8" diameter), and then cut out the inner circle (about 6") and waalaa, same basic functionality, cost $0.

I originally saw this done with an aluminum oil pan, but I used what was laying around the garage.

[y33dave]

Tray! what a great idea!

do you by chance have any pics of the subwoofer grill you cut? I'd like to see how that fit inside and holds the filter...

Dave

[Tray]

Well, it's not the greatest detail, but here's what I have currently.

http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/ThePlague/425700.jpg

I can try to snap another pic or two for ya this weekend, or if you'd like, I can meet you around lunchtime again some day and you can check it out.

It's really pretty simple though. Basically if you remove the crimp ring, and measure it while closed, that will be your outside diameter. Then as long as you have the inner circle larger than the base of the actual filter, but smaller than the rubber, you're good to go.

It's great too, if I ever need to go back to stock for any reason, I'm there in less than 5 minutes.

[y33dave]

That looks great Tray .. it's what I pictured in my mind .. so that helps .. now if I can find something laying around my garage to do that .. I know what I 'm doing Sunday!

Dave

[Tray]

I've contemplated going over to King Soopers and buying a cheap pie tin to chop up, as it'd look slightly better, but it works now, so who knows when that will actually happen.

[clavos]

If everything else on the engine is stock, the drop in replacement is sufficient. If you start putting on a big exhaust and changing the fuel management strategies, then the added airflow would be benificial. Mostly people install the intakes because they look cool. I put one on my truck mostly for that reason, but did start to notice performance gains when combined with the 4" exhaust. Now I can hear it sucking in air.

[y33dave]

Cool ! thanks guys ...

okay next question. I am probably going to take the stainless exhaust off of RangerHowie's hands
http://www.rmftc.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=105
my question is this: when I install it .. should I just forgoe re attaching a muffler and give it the 'straight pipe' sound?

what are the pros/cons of doing something like this?

[Tray]

Realistically it'll give you about the same performance gains as a free-flow setup, only a lot cheaper.

As for the sound, it'll be a whole lot louder. For me, I'd love it, but the family hated my ravin setup on my last truck, and the straight pipes on my blazer, so I went with a glasspack on this one to reduce a bit of the noise, while still giving it that deep sound like I think a truck should have.

[clavos]

Straight pipe sounds awesome on my diesel, but I still have the muffler that I could clamp back in if I ever tire of the noise.

[mattadams]

I used to run a glasspack (for all essential purposes, no muffler at all!). I was starting at 5:30am every day and the neighbor called homeowners association, who informed me of the laws of the city (107db if I remember right) and explained failure to comply could result in tickets for me. Long story short, I bought a decibal meter (still have it if anyone wants to borrow it!) found I was at like 115, put in a muffler, no tickets, LOL.

[Tray]

My stereo is louder than my exhaust for sure, and the guy with the harley two doors down is much louder, and I'm pretty sure the guy across the street with the Super Duty is also louder, so I don't worry one bit about the noise.

Not to mention the little bastards who ride their dirt bikes up and down the street all night.