OK, some people say take them out. Tried that. Seems to work better with them in, so I put them back in. Banks says take them out when installing their new air intake cover & filter? FEDBACK?
FWIW, my 96 F-250 Cal emissions 460 never had those restrictors installed.
Not long after I purchased the truck, a mechanic at a Ford dealer suggested I remove them, we opened the hood and, "duh, there aren't any!"
I don't think anyone's ever come up with the real reason those restrictors might have been installed in the first place. I've seen a few educated guesses, though.
As far as removing them or not, the computer in your truck might need time and miles to re-learn the correct air-fuel mixture settings after making any changes so your judgement on the effects of removing them might have been early. I see you have headers, which would tend to make an engine run leaner, by removing the restrictors you would theoretically be making it run even leaner yet, unless this was compensated for by self-adjustment of the computer, or installation of a 'chip', maybe. If the Banks package includes a chip, then that's your answer, they're suggesting you increase the airflow with headers and the intake, and they're providing a reprogram to best take advantage of the breathing improvements.
BTW, I haven't done business with Banks, but friends tell me they seem to be a great company with excellent customer support and products. Too bad I can't afford their stuff!
I don't know if my ideas are of any help, but that's my cut at it.
Actually, I had them out for about two years. Banks does not offer a chip, either, but I'm researching the Superchip. A friend just installed the Banks system on his Ford. It's VERY quite! Sounds like a new truck, not a performance exhaust! It's the same model as mine. He's waiting for the chip, they had to take the tranny portion out, and they wanted to richen it up a bit. I'm overdue on my emmissions test, so when I have that done this weekend, I'll check the hydrocarbons and that should tell me if mine is lean. And your right about Banks pricing, thats why I went with Thorley and flowmaster. Besides, I think Banks is really good at promoting, but there are other products out there that are as good or better. Anytime you advertise (and subsequently sell) a product that is a 3-1/2" exhaust, and then you include a 2-1/2" reducer to go from the cat to their system, it makes me wonder......
the restrictors are in there to cut down on objectionable under hood noise per Ford articles most customers done like the louder "4-barrel sound it made"
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Proford
Ford Master Tech 27yrs exp
Ford Motorhome Tech
Ford Diesel Tech
ASE Master Tech
Pull Truck Builder
'02 F350 SCLB 4x4 5.13ls, custom throttle body,K&N. Too many other Fords to mention.
>the restrictors are in there to cut down on objectionable
>under hood noise per Ford articles most customers done like
>the louder "4-barrel sound it made"
But which is better for performance when towing up steep grades? In or out???
Ford Master Tech 27yrs exp
Ford Motorhome Tech
Ford Diesel Tech
ASE Master Tech
Pull Truck Builder
'02 F350 SCLB 4x4 5.13ls, custom throttle body,K&N. Too many other Fords to mention.
BAck before i put in my k/n fipk i had the stock setup which was lousy, i now just had one large hose w/ the fipk, how would you go about connecting the hose s after you have taken the restrictors off? my buddy is curious
1995 F-250 Ext. Cab 4x4 Off-Road, 4:88's ARB Locked Front and Detroit Rear, 460 5-Speed XLT, Black, Grey Interior,Running lights, Sky Jacker 6" lift and 39.5" Super swampers, 3"Body Lift with 16.5" Eagle aluminums, K&N FIPK, cowl induction hood, grille guard with 12,000lb Warn winch, Rancho Dual Shock kit, Rancho Dual Steering stabilizer, true dual exhaust with 3" pipe dynomax race mufflers and 4 inch tips exiting at rear corners, RhinoLiner, cleaned out Kitty Cat, Roll Bar with KC HiLites, Cobra Nightwatch CB with PA,
New: i got the lockers arb air locker front and detroit rear and 4:88 outta the way what a difference i forgot how much she screams when she is geared right
To DO List: Tires 40" Hawgs on the list, KB TS2000 Supercharger, Diablo chip, MSD Off-Road ignition, MAF?????,headers, mild cam, ported and polished heads, wanting Ram air Hood, sound system, Capt's chairs, Air or Train Horn
Most people just cut off those constrictors and leave the ring that the hose clamps to. I didn't want to change my constrictors in case I ever decided I wanted them back (I don't know why I would, but just in case), so I went down to the Home Depot and picked up some PVC pipe and a T and got creative with the hack saw, file, and glue. I created a set up that makes for better flow through the tubes with almost no constriction and still has a tube for the idle. It's now a little quieter actually and it seems to take a little less on the pedal to keep speed. It seems to accelerate about the same, but I think I'm at the limit of what I can do before I start messing with the exhaust system. Seat of the pants feel: 2 hp gain. Cost: $3.55 parts, 15 min. time figuring how I was going to make this work.
The Law
__________________
The Law
1989 F-250 HD 4x4 460 C6
High Plains Drifter
I put the complete Banks "Power Pack" system in my '92 class A motorhome. The installation instructions included cutting off the restrictors, which I did. Problem is, in this application, the result is a lot of intake noise. I had concerns about doing this before I started, so I questioned Banks about noise, and they said it would not be a problem. Perhaps it has something to do with the shape of the bodywork and engine box.
I'm in the process of re-installing the restrictors, but the unit is down right now for other reasons, so I can't report on the results.
As a side note, I did before and after tests with my G-Tech Pro to see what kind of performance gains I would actually see. If I recall the Banks advertising, they claim about 30% HP and 12% fuel economy. My tests showed about 15% power increase, and my fuel economy got slightly worse. In all fairness to Banks, I had removed the cat and secondary air pump, which should increase volumetric efficiency even more, but the engine runs rich, as the pipe is quite black most of the time. That one has me puzzled.
In my opinion, Banks makes a quality product, good material, good fit. But their advertising claims are more than a bit inflated, as is their price. As was stated earlier, they have good marketing, and that costs money.
Robert
What are restrictors and would my 97 f350 460
them?
I just installed a KN FIPK and lost my MPG's.
(Lost 30 miles per tank)?
Before FIPK 185 gal per 19.1 tank after FIPK 155 gal per
19.1 tank.
I don't know if its my driving, or something is restricting.
I'm not sure if that late of a 460 would have them, but what they are is a horn in the intake. On the models with two air hoses, about halfway between the air box and the throttle body is an H pipe. This pipe has an extra hose coming out of the botton that I think is for the idle. On the side of the H pipe that goes towards the airbox is a pair of horns that extend about 3-4" into the tubes, you can't see them until you remove the hoses. These squeeze the air down through two holes the size of silver dollars. This presumably to reduce volume, but when I removed mine in favor of a custom pvc pipe setup, mine actually got quieter.
Like I said earlier, I'm not sure if yours even has these.
The Law
__________________
The Law
1989 F-250 HD 4x4 460 C6
High Plains Drifter
The later Cal emissions MAF injected 460s didn't have the restrictors, all the others did. That's why there might be some confusion with some people not finding them. The air intake hose arrangement on the MAF trucks is different and there's no place for them where they are installed in the other models. My '96 F-250 was purchased by the first owner in California, not only were there no restrictors, but there is no air pump or exhaust manifold air injection, either.
On the Cal trucks there is a piece of aluminum window screen sandwiched between the MAF body and the air cleaner box producing maybe a 25% "fill" or blockage of air flow. Very much the same as found on Corvettes, Camaros and a number of Chevy models. And like many of those people, I've cut the screen out of mine. K&N also advises removing the screen when installing their FIPK kit on the MAF 460s.
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1990 460 air restrictors in intake tubes.
