Zoodad or Screwedad?

[F350newbie]

Ok SD folks,

In frustration with my issues of mileage, and lack of fresh air coming into the cabin when the windows are closed...diesel exhaust seems to permeate the air when the A/C or fan are on...I cut a 3"wx4"h hole inside the driver side grill in front of the air intake. I couldn't figure out why the air intake had a 1.5" hose hanging down and this huge air intake(4"wx6"h) behind a blocked grill. Now that I cut out the grill to allow direct airflow into the filter I realized that bugs, leaves, and RAIN will be able to get directly into the air filter. I was thinking of mounting a SS mesh in behind the grill keep out the critters and mice, but I am concerned that water will still get into the air filter when I drive in the rain.

Anyone have experience with this kind of air intake? should I create a louvered cover for the hole to keep out the rain?

I will try to get a pic tomorrow so you can all see my mod.

 

[bushpilot]

1st this mod will do NOTHING to elimate the odor of fumes in your
cab (you perhaps have an exhaust leak or cracked Y pipe...you
dont mention what year truck but this was a problem on some model years

2nd ive been running this mod for well over 60k miles...thru rain, sleet,
snow, ice & texas LOVE BUG seasons.

Ive NEVER seen any signs of damage to my factory air filter...
not even a sign that the element has ever been wet much
less any sign of deterioration of the element by water...

if youre concerned you can always block the hole back up.

 

[spindrift]

What Bush said.

 

[02stroker]

I have never had a problem with water getting in, and I have driven through some pretty heavy rail storms. The only thing I did was add a piece of screen over the opening to keep the bugs out of the filter. When the screen gets bugs on it, you reach trough the grill and wipe them off. Sure beats opening the hood and the air cleaner bow and picking the bugs out of the filter.

 

[MONSTERPLOW]

My turbo whistle got substantially louder and the suffocation has been terminated.

 

[atk]

never had a problem either(just a few bugs), even when i was plowing snow...just have to be careful when washing the truck, that you don`t direct the water that way

 

[no-red 6 0]

Slideshow of doodad slideshow - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

i solved that problem by doing this...

 

[bushpilot]

red - thats nice ! I like the covers that you made too !

but MAN you gotta do something bout the ding'd fins
in those coolers/radiators !

 

[F350DRW1]

I ran the entire snout of my AFE thru the firewall a few years back, just zip tied some fine screen over the end. No problem so far.

 

[F350newbie]

1st this mod will do NOTHING to elimate the odor of fumes in your cab

(you perhaps have an exhaust leak or cracked Y pipe...you
dont mention what year truck but this was a problem on some model years

2004 F-350 4X4 CC LB SRW

UNPLUGGED EGR RUNS SMOOTH ON STARTUP BUT SEEMS LOUDER....AND I HAVEN'T TAKEN OUT THE MUFFLER AND PARTICULATE FILTER YET!!!