Hillbilly Volant!!!!

BassTow · 01-15-2005, 09:26 PM

After reading about the mixed results and high costs of the popular aftermarket intake systems to improve air flow to the Titan engine that have been reported on this and other forums, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that they all seem to have their problems. The cost of the Volant and the K&N FIPK systems for example are very expensive for the risks (mass air flow sensor failures, etc...) involved with their addition. The fact remained that the throttle body size is left unchanged that all these systems supply intake air to. These systems do attain their goal of getting the maximum amount of air volume to the air filter and into the intake tube that leads to the throttle body with the least amount of resistance, each in their own way.
After trimming off the snorkel per previous posts on this site and liking the results attained with the butt dyno (can't afford any other with wife and 3 kids at home) the decision was made to get the maximum amount of air supply to the stock air box in the cheapest way possible. I've attached pics of the tapered oval sheet metal intake tube I fabricated and installed to get the maximum air volume to the air box through the oval shaped fender opening.
This was a DIY improvement that really works!!! The throttle response was much improved, especially after the exhaust mods were completed (more on that later), and the ECM was reset. Turning less RPM's on the highway cruising, and the power when you stick it comes on stronger and faster. Only a couple of hours labor, less than $20 bucks (sheet metal or HVAC duct work, silicone, pop rivets) in material invested, and use of some hand and power tools that many have access to equal more Titan bang for your buck. Yeah, it may not be pretty but I'll use the money saved on other things that can't be done myself.
Check it out…

BassTow · 01-15-2005, 09:29 PM

Here's more pics of the same. I'll post details of how to do this for anyone interested later, got to go now.

*Squid* · 01-15-2005, 09:40 PM

Necessity,the mother of all inventions.
Besides, how many really drive around with our hoods off, that pretty matters?

KL99SEA · 01-15-2005, 10:34 PM

You do realize your not turning less RPM's on the highway.............RPM/speed is related to gearing. Slight differences in exactly when the torque converter locks up is possible but once your on the highway its locked up and no intake will change it. Glad you feel a power increase though.

vindication · 01-15-2005, 11:25 PM

thats not completely true. airflow in/out of the engine does have some effects on engine speeds, but not saying this one does.

juma · 01-16-2005, 05:03 AM

I did pretty much the same using plastic drain pipe components. you need a little duct tape on the gap in the oval fender hole. juma

KL99SEA · 01-16-2005, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vindication

thats not completely true. airflow in/out of the engine does have some effects on engine speeds, but not saying this one does.

But engine speed is proportional to truck speed. Intake won't change the RPM vs speed, sorrry.

BassTow · 01-16-2005, 12:18 PM

KL99SEA, I'm not going to go out and buy a stock OEM airbox and run a comparison to 'prove you wrong', but the engine RPM's have dropped at 60 & 80 mph cruise on the identical road, load, weather, and etc.... conditions. The intake change did have an effect on the 'rpm/speed'. I believe your last post included the answer; POWER.

Again, I'm not a rocket scientist but won't a power increase allow the engine to turn less RPM's to do the same work as previous? I'll agree with anyone that the intake air flow improvement didn't 'directly' improve the power of the engine, but in combination with the exhaust and electrical system grounding low cost mods to this vehicle, more power has been achieved. Previous experience and working with other hillbillies from Tennessee to Detroit has taught me that less RPM's to do the same work is only a 'good' thing when going for performance. Heh, If I'm way off base here someone please rope me back in. I don't want to offend anyone and if I'm wrong about this I'll be the first to admit it. However, I'd like to see what some other 'experts' think about this theory (as simple and hillbilly as it may seem).

Anyway, some of us may have been hoping to skip some of the 'anal'ysis of the results, and request that we get into some of the 'how'd you do it details'. Yeah, maybe some think it's boring, but 'non-diy folks' just wouldn't understand such things.... Come on, anybody out there want something to do rather than watch some paint dry on a Sunday afternoon?

juma · 01-16-2005, 05:28 PM

I guess its possible you are somehow achieving less slippage in the torque converter and that would reduce rpm's slightly. there is some slippage even in lockup. How many less rpm's are you getting at 60 and 80? juma

rholland · 01-16-2005, 05:42 PM

I'm having trouble getting the 10 mm bolt out that is in the front on the outside of the air box. Is there an easy way to get it out?

rfrench102 · 01-16-2005, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassTow

KL99SEA, I'm not going to go out and buy a stock OEM airbox and run a comparison to 'prove you wrong', but the engine RPM's have dropped at 60 & 80 mph cruise on the identical road, load, weather, and etc.... conditions. The intake change did have an effect on the 'rpm/speed'. I believe your last post included the answer; POWER.

Again, I'm not a rocket scientist but won't a power increase allow the engine to turn less RPM's to do the same work as previous? I'll agree with anyone that the intake air flow improvement didn't 'directly' improve the power of the engine, but in combination with the exhaust and electrical system grounding low cost mods to this vehicle, more power has been achieved. Previous experience and working with other hillbillies from Tennessee to Detroit has taught me that less RPM's to do the same work is only a 'good' thing when going for performance. Heh, If I'm way off base here someone please rope me back in. I don't want to offend anyone and if I'm wrong about this I'll be the first to admit it. However, I'd like to see what some other 'experts' think about this theory (as simple and hillbilly as it may seem).

Anyway, some of us may have been hoping to skip some of the 'anal'ysis of the results, and request that we get into some of the 'how'd you do it details'. Yeah, maybe some think it's boring, but 'non-diy folks' just wouldn't understand such things.... Come on, anybody out there want something to do rather than watch some paint dry on a Sunday afternoon?

That's just impossible. Your air intake is NOT reducing RPM's.

rholland · 01-16-2005, 07:30 PM

With a standard transmission the mph/rpm is a mechanical equation. If nothing changes, tire size or rear end ratio, then it will always be the same. With a torque converter it can vary, but with a lockup torque converter it becomes the same as the standard, when the torque converter is locked up. I don't know when that happens but on the freeway at around 75 I am turning 2200 rpm, and then the rpms will drop to around 1800. I am assuming that that is when the converter locks up.

Finnattic · 01-16-2005, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rholland

I'm having trouble getting the 10 mm bolt out that is in the front on the outside of the air box. Is there an easy way to get it out?

If I understand what your talking about if you pull up on the air box it will pop off without removing the bolt...

pciley · 01-16-2005, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfrench102

That's just impossible. Your air intake is NOT reducing RPM's.

Agree. Unless your tires were flat and you aired up before testing the intake, then your RPMS will be the same. Has nothing to do with power.

Awesome to see another person save $$ on an intake though, I read about JUMA's intake mod months ago. I like his setup alot. Juma did a clean job.

BassTow · 01-16-2005, 08:25 PM

I agree with the rpm/mph staying linear through any change in speed, and the lock-up point can vary, but 150 rpm difference at 62 mph, and always in the same direction is unlikely. Maybe it was just the A/C, I'll run it both ways and let you know. With A/C off I'm turning 1500 at 62 mph and the converter locked, before I was turning 1650 (conservative).