Hey all, im new here and all that blah blah blah, anyway on to the fun stuff. I have a 97 Ranger 4.0 XLT. My problem is that as soon as i install a free flow air filter with no airbox, i get lean codes on both banks. (171 174) If i put the stock filter and housing back on and clear the codes all is well and they dont come back on. I think that maybe my MAF isnt keeping up both try as I might I cant find an aftermarkit performance MAF for my truck anywhere online. Any of yall had this problem and if so, what did you do to fix it? thanks in advance!

 

It sounds like you may have unmetered air entering intake after the MAF sensor. What type of filter are you trying install?

 

its just basically like a spectre or k&n free flow cotton filter. Its a no name brand but the thing is im using the stock intake tube and everything down to the MAF housing. I just put an adapter plate on the MAF housing and then the filter clamps onto that. I dont really see where i could be pulling un-metered air from.

 

Your new setup could be causing some strange turbulence skewing the MAF readings.

 

why would you waste your money on something like that in the first place?

 

On something like what, a free flow filter? Because it eleminates the very restrictive factory airbox and alows better air delivery. I didnt do a cai, it has one stock, just a better flowing filter.

 

Rangers come stock with Cold air intakes, they have a large hole in the front that opens right behind the passenger head light. it doesn't get any simpler than that.

Just saying.
As for you problem, You don't have a proper seal on the air filter to the intake.

 

Your airbox would be very restrictive on my 780hp 4g63t engine. On your truck, I think not.

 

The only problems I've seen associated with these types of filters is from the oily residue build up on the MAF sensor wire. Are the physical dimensions about the same as a K&N?

Oh and put about 50 alternating sequenced LEDs on the filter to give Jp7 a run for his money...LOL

 

Yeah StxDangerRanger , thats pretty much what I said, I DIDNT put a cold air intake on because it has one stock. all i did was a free flow filter. so whats your point? And Jp7, how is it not restrictive, its like a two inch intake whole feeding like a 3-3.5 inch intake tube. I would call the restrictive.

 

Oh yeah and REV, its pretty close to the K&N dimensions, a little shorter though. and yeah man ima pimp that thing out with some LEDs haha

 

Cold air and free flow are the same thing. anyone who tells you different is just trying to scam you.

FWIW, Jp7 is right. The amount of air flow it "frees" up makes pretty much no difference on rangers.
On cars with Turbo's and Superchargers, yes it makes a difference.

 

Did you clean your MAF sensor? I had a K&N on my Ranger and 89 Mustang for a few years and noticed a build up of oily lint on the MAF. I found a few site that mention that happens, causing slow readings to the computer. I went back to pleated paper filters on both my 89 5.0 mustang and the 07 2.3 in my Ranger.

 

put your stock box back in and remove the silencer. opens the box right up and you wont get any codes. your workin with a v6, not a v12, either run the filter further away from the sensor, or put a proper kit on the truck. ya wanna cheap out, you gotta deal with the BS that comes from jerry-rigging the intake.

 

For an intake to be a cold air intake it has to draw air from somewhere outside of the engine bay, Just cause you have a free flow filter doesn't mean its a cold air intake. You can have a free flowing filter INSIDE your engine bay and its sucking hot air, defiantly NOT cai. Yeah my maf has been cleaned and besides it was an oil-less filter so it shouldn't have done that anyway haha. And what silencer are you refering too? On the '97 4.0 there isnt a silencer in the intake tube. Unless your talkin about the pathetic little twisted tube thats before the filter that pulls air from behind the bumper/headlight? I already pulled that thing

 

Just put down your wrenches now.
If you honestly think that a free flow air filter and a Cold air intake are different, you need to quit.

You said:
you put a free flow filter on, with no airbox. Which in its basic form, Is an air filter, on the end of a tube. attached to your upper intake.

Now, if i go to K&N and search ("filter & ranger") I get this, a FILTER ATTACHED TO A TUBE. that goes to your intake.


give it up dude.
you made a mistake, we all do. I remember when i wanted to go fast.

 

Yeah, thats what i did, what exactly is your point? Air filter on the end of an intake tube, thats what an intake is. my filter is INSIDE INSIDE INSIDE my engine bay, THEREFORE it is NOT a cold air intake. What is hard to understand about this?

 

put your wrenches away

 

ok oh great and smart (and completely useless and rude) geniuses, do please explain the difference. I mean seriously, what yall are saying is that i could stick my intake inside a freakin furnace, but as long as it has a free flow filter on it, it a cai. REALLY? thats just plain dumb.

 

don't touch a wrench at all. Put your stock intake back on with a quality drop in air filter. Look up 'Air box Mod' in the how to section this is just as beneficial while retaining the stock air box.

 

I cannot. even.
Words do not describe the level of ignorance you are displaying.

 

wait for jp7 to embarrass the crap outta him

 

Ok guys, how about instead of makin a bunch of smarta** comments, why dont you EXPLAIN what your sitting here saying? I thought this forum was about ranger people getting together and HELPING each other? not being dicks about stuff like a bunch of little elemntary school kids. I mean seriously grow the hell up. 04RangerDave is the ONLY person that has bothered to make a helpful suggestion, so thank you dave for actually holding to the point of this thread and this forum.

 

heres a pic of some random dudes intake from another forum....

And heres what a poster said about it, QUOTE "Hot air intake for sure!! All looks, but not functional at all!"

And heres what the next guy said, QUOTE "i believe he understands its a hot air intake genius but the fact is he is still getting more air flow than the stock box."

End of story, I honestly dont know how to spell it out anymore for you guys. Its not a cai if its inside the engine bay!!! Unless your trying to make a completly different point that im missing, ( the wonders of typing compared to conversation), you are incorrect. NOW, if you still disagree with me, please EXPLAIN your point as I have.

 

politely as possible, yes, nominally what you have is not a 'cold air intake,' because it sucks warm engine compartment air. but dude, it's a 160hp ranger. weather or not you have a free flow filter, what you regard as a true cold air intake, or you simply modify the stock air box, it's going to be a 160ish horsepower ranger, your original question was answered to the best of their ability, they think it's unmetered air. so either ditch it completely or fix it and run it if you wish.

/thread