Hey Guys, Now that it's summer and the heat here in Michigan is into full swing... I thought it to be a good time to post up my real world results of using the K&N open filter kit. I really think there is only one advantage in the K&N over a kit with a metal pipe. Or just a conical put on the stock elbo for that matter. And that's heat soak / transfer into the intake air charge. But.. I really don't think it's significant enough to warrant one kit over the other. Both thick rubber and metal will hold heat more than a thinner plastic tube like the K&N is made of. IMO it's not worth the cost for just a ranger. I think you could see the same power improvement for 1/3rd the cost.

Hopefully by me spending $300 on this and posting results, some of you guys can be more informed and make judgements as to how to spend your hard earned money.

Last winter I bought a K&N intake kit. (63-1108) I've taken power measurements and temp measurements in both zero temps and 90deg temps. Results are about the same. Same type of power improvements and same temp swings.

Below is a zip file containing all the data you'll want. So please pull it and save to your computer for future reference. I'll leave it up for some time.. but the pics below will be removed in a month or so.

The following pics are infinately more valuable than is me yaking.. so here goes.

Regards, Rich

ZIP file of all data










Here are a series of temp datalogs during my 32 mile commute home. It was 86 degrees out and pretty humid too. The graphs show vehicle speed on top and intake temps on bottom.


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so no power loss because of the heat? i only see one hp graph. is that in the winter or the summer?

 

Well if I am reading the chart right you gained over 10 HP at a few different RPM ranges. Not to shabby.

So when you say "IMO it's not worth the cost for just a ranger" what other power mods do you think are better to spend you money on?

 

Especially With a 4 banger 2.3 5 speed. Theres not alot of street legal mods within many peoples budget. also your forgetting the factor that some people also want the "Throttle Response" and the "Sound" the increased air flow gives off. the Throttle response i know for sure from experience is more or less the greater benifit from the intake. the sound isnt really noticable unless you tap the gas to floor and back off, you can hear the Vacuum effect.

Plus your diagnostics need more information. induction system modifications gain increased benifits PER MOD. forinstance. throttlebody, throttlebody spacer(Tornado) Exhaust, HEaders. anything that has to do with the truck "Breathing" is benificial when stacked onto each other. to make an example. a Funnel has a huge intake. but it still only goes down so slow because of the entry hole So let us know if you have any other mods so we can see if those have had any effect on your Tests

 

wow the 4.0 has a clean graph.. but that seams alittle optamistic seeing that it makes like 207 or whatever at the crank.. making 190 at the wheels is quite an occomplishment

what other mods are done to your truck, i know mine "bogs" so to speak untill about 3500 rpm and that graph doesnt show anyhtign like i am feeling


JOSH

 

Yes the heat hurts power. But the spread is the same. That graph was from the winter. (the autotap graphs based on time not rpm. So it's very hard to get a accurate overlay between rpms and TQ. I spent a fair amount of time making that graph as accurate as I could)

Also, that power is what the Ford PCM see's as output from the engine. So.. I'll call it crank TQ/HP. What that translates into for wheel power.. I don't know. But I've driven at least 5 06-07 4.0L rangers. Mines just as strong as those were.

Bang for the buck IMO is best spend on a Tune and underdrive. To do this again I'd have just gone flat panel K&N then open up the stock passages. I did see a solid 11hp up top with this though.

Zane you have some reasoned out thoughts but they are not as accurate as you think. Just as a background about me and not to brag mind you.. but I'm a OEM automotive engineer. And better yet I have induction design experience on several platforms. (zip tubes & intakes) Even was a pump engineer for 6 years too. So count me a bit qualified on the subject of understanding what effects power & pump performance.
Your comments actually point towards a pre-swirl in adding efficiency and/or laminar flow.
The K&N (or any conical) does 2 things. 1. It creates equal laminar flow into the throat of the zip tube and pass the MAF. that by it'self frees up a little potential.
2. It has more surface area than the stock panel which relieves delta P at elevated rpms. That's why you see pretty much the same power up to the 4300 area. Above that and the stock setup is starting to choke off the motor.
Another side benfiet is that a larger filter surface area will reduce the filter cleaning / replacement intervals.

Mods at the time of the power graph were e-fan & K&N. Now I've got a magna flow & bama tuner. Those power graphs will come after my trip to the dragstrip.

Rich

 

very nice thanks for the info.. did i missread something or was there NOT a stock airflow temp graph only K&N??

thanks for the updates this will help me out!

JOSH

 

good job Rich...

 

Guess I just took that one for granted Josh. I did measure the stock temps as well. They rise to about 5-6F higher than ambient while sitting dead still for 15-20 minutes. Basicly your pulling outside air temp.

And for what it's worth.. I did three times as much measuring on the Lightning. It was just about the same. The ranger does seem to heat up quicker and cool down quicker though.

I have some time next week and may start to make some block off panels. I'll let ya'll know what I find and how it performs.

Rich

 

*Tips Hat.

Good explination.