F150 5.4L 3v...I removed the rubber connection that joins the hard plastic intake to the drivers side fender well. Covered the hole in the fender with plastic screen material, so called pet screen. My objective is to get more air into the engine than is provided by the stock set-up. I realize I am not getting cold air but it seems to me a lot more air is now available than prior to this mod. Truck seems to like it, no lights or bells went off whenI drove it about 15 miles on the freeway. The voices tell me the truck runs better...Truck is stock with the exception of a True Flow air filter which is an OEM replacement panel filter.

 

How did you exaclty installed the plastic screen material to the fender? Sounds like a cheap and effective way to give the truck more air.. thanks Mario

 

I don't see how taking the plastic intake of the sidewall will get anymore air in the engine. Maybe the entire engine compartment is getting more air but that would be it. Just a thought.

 

I believe the "piece" you removed is called the snorkle. The diameter is smaller on the fender side than on the engine side.

I wonder if your modification improved performance, or decreased performance because of the warmer inlet temperature.

 

More air is not better than colder air. FWIW, a ten degree temperature drop on the incoming air will yield you a 1% horsepower gain. If any of you are interested, please check out http://performanceunlimited.com/projectmpg/ . Although it uses an older vehicle than your 04-05's, the physics are the same. The intake temp results should be rather interesting to some of you. I use this link whenever anyone thinks about a K&N FIPK or the like.


Rich

 

coolcatmars..Mario, I cut a circular piece of material that overlapped the fender well hole about 3/4" all the way around. I then ran a small bead of GE II clear silicone around the edge of the screen and placed it over the hole..let it setup 35 minutes and then drove the truck. No problems. The silicone is standard door and window sealant that comes in small or large tubes at most any building supply place

 

The mod should allow for greater air intake.The intake end of the snorkel is 2" in dia. and draws air from a compartment sandwiched between the fender and the the wheel well cover/splash guard. This compartment is fed air from below the drivers side headlight. The hard plastic air intake end is 3 1/2" in dia. As for air temprature, I don't what the difference is... I suspect not a great deal. There is no arguing the physics and gas pressure laws insofar as cold vs hot air. As to there practical advantage in a daily driver...I dunno. Have a 1300 mile trip in 2 weeks. I wil let you know of problems or improvements.

 

I also installed the true flow intake! and when I saw that the snorkel was betng reused! I asked myself how is this getting more air. Well I guess I got to mod this or buy a diffrent one

 

tankblake...I put in a True Flow, based on my experience and research, to trap more junk. I'm using my mod of the stock intake to get more air to the engine. I have a difficult time spending $250-300 to buy 4 feet of plumbing and a filter to duct air into the engine for what I suspect is not much practial gain in a daily driver. I'm convinced from looking at my no cost mod that a lot more air is now available to be drawn into to the engine over the stock rigging.... no interest in starting a "filterwar"..we shall see.

 

LOL. That line about the 4 feet of "plumbing" really hit me!! I love these experiments. Maybe adding a Green or K&N filter will give you even more performance. Please report back to us after your trip because maybe you really are on to something. Anyways with my limitted mechancal knowledge and ability your fix seems very logical.

 

Hey, dbf, what type of plastic "screen" material did you use? Where can I buy some?

 

Toreador.... I used a plastic type screen material often referred to as "pet screen" and is regularly used to rescreen window and door screens. Available at; Loews, Home Depot, OSH, ACE hardware and like places. Wire screen would work too and you could probably do without it altogether, at least to experiment. As for the filter, I figure it will work as well as stock and I can reuse it. I have used K&N's and am currently running one on a Maxima..I think the True Flow traps more stuff. I don't buy into the claims that after market filters will add 50 HP, get 12 more mpg, and replace Viagra. Now off course a green or blue filter .....might be on to something.

 

This is a great experiement dbf. I'd like it if you could report back after your trip and see what happens to mileage, performance and what not. Also, I assume all other things are staying equal such as engine noise and exhaust note?

Thanks,

T

 

Last thing I'd like to add is can some sort of insulated (thermal) coating or cover be wrapped around the stock intake to keep the inside air cooler for longer time? Anyway, I'll be glad to read if more projects like these are tried and their results.

 

How'd u disconnect the box from the fenderwell? i tried earlier and it didnt want to come off... :-/