OK, I'm looking at modifying the stock cold air intake. It has a tube from the driver side fender well to the air filter box. Along that tube are what appear to be 3 "offshoots" of the tube that the air seems to go into waffle shaped boxs (I know that is not very clear so you might need to go look at it). What are those offshoots for? are they filters or some sort of noise reduction. If you were to cut off those things and plug the holes, what impact would it make to air intake?

 

The waffle shaped plastic boxes are for sound reduction on the intake side. They are supposed to do the same thing as baffles in a muffler, and reflect the sound waves back so they cancel each other out.

Don't know if any cutting off and plugging would effect anything, but probably would be hard to plug the holes.

 

I think they are just baffles to reduce intake noise. That is one reason the aftermarket intake kits are a bit noisier (but more efficient). I guess you could cut them off and plug the holes...but I would probably fork out the $$ and get an aftermarket setup. I don't know that altering the factory piece would really yield much HP. If price is an issue, you may be able to fabricate your own somehow.

Hope this helps.

 

The aftermarket kits cost around $300. I should be able to cut those baffles off, plug the plastic holes, and put a bigger end piece in a bigger hole in the fender for around $25. Maybe another $20 for some good insulation around the tube and $90 for a Green air filter. Half the price I get the same thing as the aftermarkets are designed to do.

 

I took the big intake tube off my truck and drove it around town one time to see the sound difference. There wasnt one. It didnt sound any different with that mig hunky tube off. So this means that the sound restriction is in the filter box housing.
Just figured i would share that with you.

 

Thanks. But that reraises the question of exactly what are those waffle type boxes along the air intake tube?

 

I honestly have no idea. I took that huge waffle baffle tube off just for that reason, to see how loud it was. No difference. It seems stupid to me to put them there.

 

That's strange that those baffles don't effect intake sound. Sometimes I think those Ford Engineers do things like this just to confuse us.

Anyway, if Toreador (or anyone) modifies their intake by cutting those things off, please let us know the results. Free HP is always a good thing to find.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

I'm also wondering if you could run some type of hose from the lower bumper opening up to the inner fenderwell into the stock intake tube for increased air inflow? Anyone try that? That would simulate a "cold-air" type setup.

 

I just yanked my intake off, the end that goes into the fender tapers down quite a bit. It seems like cutting the tips back a bit, would open the diameter up about 20% more air.

Why wouldn't they just keep the diameter the same from the middle tube into the fender?

 

Most all cars that I have worked on have the Taper at the enterance of the intake tube.
And as for running a hose, I tried that on my 95' Grand Marquis. I cut the intake tube in half and pieced together some PVC pipes that ran behind my grill. I didnt notice any performance but MAYBE a little more MPG. Maybe. It could just be in my head.

I really miss that car. Had the JET chip in it, 4.10 LS in the rear, larger throttle body and throttle body spacer. Bosch 4+plugs and MSG ignition. (Forgot what kind). It was would flat out fly down the highway. Made this F150 feel like a 4 banger.

 

The answer to your question is yes, it is possible. I had an '02 HD and ran a cold air intake system. The setup came with a flexible and a metal tube installed through the inner fender liner and then routed to right under the front bumber with a big scoop. The filter setup inside the engine bay was similar to the available air intakes system on the market

It looks like a similar setup would work on the newer trucks, if only someone made one.