Small VS Large Trucks

Which one?

  • Yes! I'll sacrifice comfort and crash survivability to save money

    Votes: 3 25.0%

  • No! I like a smooth ride and the safety of a full sized vehicle

    Votes: 9 75.0%
  • Total voters
    12
Andy, please educate me about cold air intake and catback exhausts. Are these worth doing for my Ranger?

The exhaust is probably beyond what I'm able to work on myself, but the air intake seems doable. Any particular brands that would be recommended?
 
rumination said:
Andy, please educate me about cold air intake and catback exhausts. Are these worth doing for my Ranger?

The exhaust is probably beyond what I'm able to work on myself, but the air intake seems doable. Any particular brands that would be recommended?
Click to expand...

The exhaust is really pretty easy, you unbolt it from the cat/cats, usually one bolt on either side, and drop the hangers. On my 4cyl. Ranger I think it took me all of two hours. All it does is let the engine breath easier.
The cold air intake is getting cooler outside air (more dense) rather than the hot air from the engine compartment.
I went with Dynomax because it was the cheapest, there are a lot better systems out there, it's just a matter of what you are willing to spend.
The best cold air systems IMO are the K&N because they are the easiest to cleam and offer a one million mile warantee. But you pay for them.
The power programers just plain ROCK! They give you options upon options now days. You can get more power for racing (most motors are factory limited to 75-80% of available power), towing, highway dirving and fuel economy. You choose, and you can choose again and again.
If I get time I will try to hook you up with better links, but start with http://www.summitracing.com/
and http://www.jegs.com/ to get some ideas.
 
What I DONT like about the K'nN air filters is that they are oil impregnated and the oil picks up alot of dirt very quickly. If you live and drive on dirt roads alot I have noticed that they fill up quickly.

I get many cars in that have plugged up air filters because of this. The user must keep them clean
But they are good air filters overall.
 
Frans said:
What I DONT like about the K'nN air filters is that they are oil impregnated and the oil picks up alot of dirt very quickly. If you live and drive on dirt roads alot I have noticed that they fill up quickly.

I get many cars in that have plugged up air filters because of this. The user must keep them clean
But they are good air filters overall.
Click to expand...

And that is why I DO NOT have one!! I drive to many dirt roads!
Great point, and one of the MANY things to consider. The babysitters husband has one on his truck, hasn't cleaned it in two years and wonders why he is getting crappy fuel mileage?
You can add whatever you want, but if you don't maintain it, well, you wasted you're money.
 
You wash it out with soap and water. Let it air dry and re oil. Many people put too much oil...one of the major problems. KN also sells a foam sock that goes over some of the filters they sell and that helps a lot to keep the actual filter clean. You still need to pull the sock off and shake it our but that is a lot faster than cleaning the filter and waiting a few hours for it to dry.

I use AFE filters on my truck. I wash it out and use my blower to dry it out. I can do the whole process in about an hour.
 
The K&N website claims that the cold air intake kit they make for my truck can go as long as 100,000 miles without cleaning, depending on driving conditions. That seems a bit far fetched, and I know that I will be driving on dirt roads so I'd expect to be cleaning it quite a bit more than that. They don't say if it's an oil impregnated filter, or not. Here's the link: http://www.knfilters.com/fipk/fipk.htm .

The kits for my truck are selling for around $280 on the internet.


EDIT: I just looked at the installation instructions they provide. They're clearly written with good photos. Simple enough that even a mechanical dunce like me can do it!
 
I just bought an Airaid for my truck but I got the wrong one. Waiting for the replacement now. Mine was $241 with shipping from Summit Racing.
 
Well, after half an hour searching Ford Ranger forums I'm going to scrap the cold air intake idea. The general consensus seemed to be that the Ranger stock intake already sucks in more cool air than the engine needs. The aftermarket cold air intake kits don't do much more than increase engine noise and lighten your wallet. As far as intake was concerned the main recommendation was just to keep a clean, high quality filter in the stock intake assembly.
 
with k&n just look ait from the in flow side every oil change. 100k is highway driving in damp conditions;) i made my own aftermarket deal with a huge paper filter as paper does a better job. ill get a photo later
 
sotc said:
i made my own aftermarket deal with a huge paper filter as paper does a better job. ill get a photo later
Click to expand...

I'm doing the same on my Ford willie. You can setup any kind of intake you want from parts from this place http://stores.channeladvisor.com/verociousmotorsports . Silicone elbows, clamps, pipe, everything. The one for my Ford I can build for $48, plus the $19 nape 6637 air filter. People on another forum claimed they dyno'd the truck with both the homemade intake and a pricey after market one and experience not much difference. It's amazing the money you can save by DIY.
 
I have an unrelated question I'll throw in here. The previous owner of this Ranger put oversized tires on it. I don't know exactly how speedometers function, but I'm guessing that these larger tires will cause some inaccuracy in the speedometers readout, probably slower than actual speed. Am I right?
 
Correct. But keep in mind that most speedometers read a little high by design. Those tires aren't that much bigger than stock, your speedometer is probably closer than you think. You can check it with a GPS.
 
Skwerl said:
Correct. But keep in mind that most speedometers read a little high by design. Those tires aren't that much bigger than stock, your speedometer is probably closer than you think. You can check it with a GPS.
Click to expand...

I did just that last week, two gps units vs the speedo. The gps units agreed that the speedo is off by about 3-4% on the high side (GPS said 97-98 when speedo read 100-101 on cruise control).

I have used K&N filters for the last ten years or so in my vehicles. Cleaned them every couple years, most of my driving is city, paved roads, some summer dirt roads. I swear I could hear a slight difference in the exhaust note when I put one in my forerunner a few years back. Currently I am thinking about a catback exhaust upgrade for my new GM. Should be pretty easy install no? bolts to the cat, same hanger mounts etc from the stock to an aftermarket exhaust? Anyone have suggestions for the 4.8 V8? as in brands or models? I want to get better airflow and a bit more roar ;) not NASCAR roar but a bit more of a growl...
 
Good to see you guys are doing you're homework!!! he forums are the way to learn the most the quickest! If you really want to get stupid with it Leon, let me know!! The same buddy that likes to build the 460's has a Ranger he built. It's a 2wd pre-runner, all James Duff suspension, custom ground cam, alumi-coat exhaust (headers back) a Mustang throttle body and a Whiple supercharger! Grab third and the ass end wants to pass you, it's WICKED fun to drive!!!!
The easiest way to check you're speedo is to get on the highway, hold 60mph and time it, it should take 60 seconds exactly! Ford speedo's are electronic, there is an electronic sensor on the tranny, unplug it remove the 13mm bolt (I think) and pull it out. The gear will be colored, remeber the color, go to the dealer and tell them how far and which way you're speedo is off and they should be able to get you pretty close. The gear is just held on with a snap-ring, a screwdriver to take it off, slip-joint pliers to put it back on.

I am still looking, but Gibson and Flowmaster are both good products, Flowmaster is a bit "throaty" and I think Gibson is built better myself. Borla is NICE, but very pricey!
Here is a site: http://www.performancecenter.com/exhaust-systems?gclid=CNDOwqCKk5MCFQpMGgodRQGWfg

And yes Brian, the Airraid systems are VERY nice as well.
Most Autozones stock the parts for the DIY instalers.
I hate to discourage them, bu just takeing off the airbox and putting on an open element filter IS NOT the point! You NEED to place it so it is getting FRESH COOL air, COOL air being key to the whole system.
 
this is called a BHAF, big honkin air filter, i made the heat sheild from a template online and clamped the new filter in place. more surface = less resistance and better filtration with paper
 

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still has the factory cool air supply, ive thought about moving the battery back and the filter forward but till i hit around 500 hp it wont make much difference. theres a thin wall right above the filter (below the windsheild) thats is the cabs air supply, some guys cut a 4 inch hole in it for cold air but it lets engine noise into the cab :thumbdown:
 
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