Weekend mods

[Hoss 350]

I did a little tinkering this weekend, wanted to fill you guys in on my results.

First of all, I did a BHAF (Big Honkin Air Filter) mod (most people call it a Tymar, but mine is homemade, and the guy that developed the Tymar intake probably won’t appreciate my using his name to describe my shadtree adaptation of such.). Anyway, I used a 3” ABS coupler for the connection. I took out my AFE Stage 1 intake. Anybody wants it, it is for sale for cheap… Anyway, my reasoning behind doing this was to get rid of the cotton-gauze filter. It was against my better judgment to put a CG filter on it in the first place. Back in my motorcycle racing days, we called them “squirrel traps” because they would stop anything bigger than a squirrel from getting into t he engine, but that was about it. I rebuilt a lot of dusted engines because of squirrel traps, but that was in severe-dust off-road conditions, so I talked myself into believing the squirrel trap on my truck was okay. I never felt comfortable with it, every time I left the pavement I worried. So, long story short, this weekend I took care of it.

Results? Well, it sounds gnarly. The turbo whistles louder, and you can hear the deep, throaty sound of a big block intake sucking air a lot more clearly. I cannot tell if it makes boost any faster, or runs better, but it sure ran good, so I have no complaints. It was a heck of a lot cheaper than doing an AFE Stage 1 even, and it filters WAY better. The only CG filter I’ve seen that filters better than a paper filter, like my BHAF, is the Pro-Guard 7 from AFE, but they are spendy. Any way, this is all driven off of some bench-test results I saw “over there” one time on particulate passage in filters. The BHAF did quite well, and flowed good, too, so that was my thing.

Like I said, I used a 3” ABS coupler to bridge between the filter and the intake tube (I just kept the stock tube), which I painted up with iso alcohol (rubbing alcohol) before clamping it down with hose clamps. The iso reacts with the plastic (it is a solvent) to make it tacky, so I used it on the tube and filter, and on the coupler, so that they were tacky when I clamped them down, and I figure this will help to make an airtight seal. It worked good, just for kicks, I tried to take it off the next day, to see if it had adhered, and it was like peeling tape off of skin. It had definitely stuck together, and I would say the seal was definitely airtight.

Second, I have been noticing a pretty large reduction in fuel economy lately. At first, I attributed it to winter fuel. Then, I started realizing that my EBPV was almost never shutting off, because it has been pretty cold here. When it did shut off, it would come right back on again soon after. So, I re-modded my exhaust brake setup to just shut it off and keep it off altogether, unless I truned it on myself. Now, I am not constantly driving against that stupid thing, and I like it a lot. The engine takes a few minutes longer to heat up (at least, it did this morning) but I can take care of that by high-idling it against the EBPV for a few minutes before I get in and drive. That’ll warm it right up.

Anyway, I would totally recommend both mods. I like the piece of mind and additional air flow the BHAF gave me, and I am not missing the constant annoyance of driving witht eh EBPV on.

 

[CHPMustang]

Nothing like doing some get up and go mods on the weekends I agree on the Tymar filter upgrade as it really changed the way our 7.3L runs overall

I just walked in from a CPS change and charging system run thru,whataway to start Monday

 

[Strokin_it7.3]

do you mean a 3" long piece of 4" diameter pipe? be careful, because the plastic can warp under high underhood temps, and can possibly leak dirt past it, or it can stay warped. the best way to do it is a piece of 4'' exhaust pipe, i used aluminized and it works great, no worries of the plastic flexing.

 

[kiarasue]

You can get some cool parts from intake hoses.com. They have all sizes fittings for making custom intakes. I used a 45rubber elbow to 16" of exhaust pipe and a 4" to 3" reducer to the turbo. I temp tested different materials for heat conductivity. If I could get vinyl I would but next is steel and last is aluminum. If you use exhaust pipe you can powder coat it to match you truck.

 

[Hoss 350]

do you mean a 3" long piece of 4" diameter pipe? be careful, because the plastic can warp under high underhood temps, and can possibly leak dirt past it, or it can stay warped. the best way to do it is a piece of 4'' exhaust pipe, i used aluminized and it works great, no worries of the plastic flexing.

No, I meant a 3" coupler. ABS pipe is measured in inside diameter, and the walls are quite thick. 4" pipe is actually WAY too big to fit in the intake tube and the filter. The OD of a 3" coupler, whose INSIDE diameter is the same as the OUTSIDE diameter of a INSIDE diameter 3" pipe is actually really close to 4".

As far as warping, I hadn't really thought of that, I guess it never occured to me that the under hood temps at the air filter would get so high as to warp the ABS. All it is is a little length of it rightat the filter. Hmmm, I'll have to keep an eye on this. Maybe a piece of 4" exhaust pipe is in my future...

 

[powerboatr]

No, I meant a 3" coupler. ABS pipe is measured in inside diameter, and the walls are quite thick. 4" pipe is actually WAY too big to fit in the intake tube and the filter. The OD of a 3" coupler, whose INSIDE diameter is the same as the OUTSIDE diameter of a INSIDE diameter 3" pipe is actually really close to 4".

..

canyou say that four times real fast

 

[Strokin_it7.3]

wow, going from 4'' flexy hose to 3'' pipe then four inch back to three inch tapered seems restrictive as ever. i'd go get a scrap piece of exhaust pipe.

 

[Hoss 350]

wow, going from 4'' flexy hose to 3'' pipe then four inch back to three inch tapered seems restrictive as ever. i'd go get a scrap piece of exhaust pipe.

The inside diameter of the coupling is almost identical to the inside diameter of a piece of 4" exhaust pipe. There is no more restriction there than you have with your 4" pipe.

I wouldn't have done it if there was any extra restriction. Check it out, go get a 3" ABS coupler and compare. If you look through the 4" exhaust pipe at the coupler, you'll see a small ring of black, but not enough to make a difference.

Now, the heat thing makes me a little nervous. Do you have links to any discussion about that?

 

[Hoss 350]

canyou say that four times real fast

I could hardly TYPE it.

 

[whatabudro]

When referring to PVC like you said you would be reffering to a 3" coupling. The coupling measures 4" OD and has 3/16 walls but also has a ridge in the center to keep the coupling centered on the two peices of pipe. The ridge can be avoided by purchasing a 3" "rapair" coupling as those do not have the ridge in them. I wouldn't be worried so much about warping of the plastic. Keep an eye on it if you are concerned but have you noticed how much plastic is under the hood already? How the factory ducts are plastic?