Why would the Volant intake reduce air velocity across the MAF sensor?

 

larger and suboptimal cross-section in the MAF region.

skews the accuracy of the sensor ..

Poor R&D ...

mgd

 

So then is there ANY mod that can be done that is good for the vehicle to help it tow a travel-trailer?

 

Yessir - a properly custom-tuned programmer with specific max tow calibrations for yer specific vehicle. This will increase torque, reduce slippage in the tranny (hence less wear and heat buildup), more optimal shift strategies, removal of a host of OEM stock calibration quirks, better TC control....

Best bang/buck, imho.

And regearing if it's warranted depending upon yer current drivetrain specs and expected load, etc ... this one can be costly if yer in a 4x4 ...

 

Okay if I was going to do a custom-tuned programmer what & where would I buy one? Also, I was told that a tuner WILL void my warranty. This isn't an option. If I was gonna do a tuner then would I keep the Volant CAI? Thanks again for all the comments.

 

Exactly! Thanks MGD!

 

Hi.

Yessir, there are risks. Most, but not all, agree that a programmer is traceable. What is evident though is Ford's fixation on warranty claims IF some aftermarket tinkering is detected.

A very valid concern, and one that may simply cause you to leave the truck stock for now.

Some preferred custom tuning vendors:

www.vmptuning.com
www.troyerperformance.com
www.gopowerhungry.com
www.diablosport.com
www.5startuning.com (ouch that one hurt, lol)

My humble personal recommendation is (still) the first one on that list, or the second if you are willing to wait quite some time.

What you can and should do is contact each of these folks and discuss - that will gain you some very valuable insight and will cost you nothing.

And yes - IF you run a corrected tune you can by all means preserve your Volant investment if you so choose.

Very best of luck!


MGD

 

Okay to update everyone... The system is still on my truck and I contacted Volant and talked with their Tech. dept. They said that you have to disconnect the negative battery cable when installing this system so that the computer can "relearn" the proper air/gas mixture for this intake. They said it should take about 150 miles of normal driving. I disconnected the negative cable on my battery for 3 hours and hooked it back up and my sync. system was acting goofy. This landed me in my local dealership for about 3 hours until they could completely reboot my truck. ( They said that it was odd that the sync. didn"t reboot right and it had nothing to do with the new intake.) The truck definately drives different as it is relearning the mixutres. Idle was off a little and it was really loud on acceleration. I have over 100 miles on it now and it seems that the Volant people were right. My truck has settled down with the sound and the idle has come back to normal. I am towing my 30ft. trailer trailer this weekend and will post after the trip but for now I have been doing city driving with the AC on and getting 15.3 mpg. This is a little better then where I was at without running the AC. I will be curious to see make kind of mpg I get towing. Overall I am gonna keep this system on my truck because it seems the longer I run it the better it does. Plus it really does look nice under the hood and it makes my truck sound even more like a truck. The new 5.0 has a great sound. The fit and finish of this product IS pretty good. Once agian these are just my unbias opinions and I thank you guys for posting yours. I will update again after memorial day with my towing results.

 

I would pull the Volant off until you get a custom tune. Do you have a 2wd or 4wd? I have 15,800 miles on my '11 SCab and just received 19.104 mpg in combined driving, Shell 93 octane E10 gas, which I get at 87 octane price on Monday's. And, that is using conventional math and not the avg. mpg computer which showed a 19.4 avg.

 

Why are you running 93 octane gas?? I see people post blogs about these high mpg ratings and I just find it hard to believe that if your stock motor is getting that good of gas milage then why would the people at Ford list the mpg rating on the factory sticker to be 14-19 mpg? My truck is a 4x4 and I work with a guy with a 2012 truck with my same setup and he is getting the same mpg as me. I live in Ohio and I would venture to guess that where you live and the roads you drive play a big role in mpg. Plus the regulation on the quality of gas that your state allows will affect things. That being said I plan on keeping the system on and will continue to post the results that I get. I like the quality of this item, it is well built. I've also seen blogs where people state that their truck dies out at over 4000 rpm and I can say that that is a lie with mine, it has NO PROBLEM hitting the upper RPM's.

 

Not sure why everyone hear is sayin to stay stock... As with everything else more performance requires more maintenance. The better it can breath the better it will perform. On the same note you have to be able to get rid of that through the exhaust. So if your going to do the intake you better do the exhaust. A lean error code is NOT good, but the Stock MAF is able to adjust (Thats why it is there) If you do start to code out Lean you can upgrade the MAF/Throttle Body etc. But considering you are not running Turbo/Super charged you should be fine. The added loudness, is the motor breathing better, the added diameter adds to the available air the is ready to be combusted - giving you the sense of a quicker throttle response. It doesnt have to wait for air to be pulled through the stock intake. As for getting your money worth?... depends what else your going to do with your engine. Add an exhaust and you will feel the difference as these two work hand in hand. To answer your MPG Q... well with more performance you will tend to have a heavier foot. So...concentrate on driving normal! IF any it will be very minimal as more oxygen enters more fuel is also needed for the right mixture. Again it depends your driving habit as it will only draw in what you tell it to.

 

Your truck, your money, I agree with mostly everyone else in here, get a tuner..I have an Edge Evo, best thing I ever did for my truck and CAI on a stock motor = waste of money. Believe me, the engineers at Ford took in to consideration the amount of air your motor needs to function properly, but hey, what do they know anyway huh....even adding an exhaust isn't going to give you massive gains or "more performance". That type of thinking is derived straight from a K&N ad....Oh my god so much more horsepower, I can feel it! A new exhaust sure does make your truck sound nice though....

 

There is so much mis-information in this post I don't know where to begin.

1. If the MAF transfer function is skewed, it's skewed. Whether or not it is within a range that may be correctable or not is immaterial - as you simply DO NOT KNOW without measurement.

Worth the risk, given the tack records of most aftermarket CAI's NOT using enough represenatative vehicles to test this throroghly? NO.

Worth the risk, given the tuning shops on here ARE writing corrected Transfer functions for most of these intakes, which they would NOT be doing if it was not needed? NO. Obviously, the PCM is NOT able to correct, hmmmm?

The tuners would not be wasting all that time & effort to write tranfer functions for each and every intake if it wasn;t necessary - I'm sure they have better things to do. Additionally - some of the Canned devices are now shipping with MAF-TF-corrected tuning. WHY do you think that is? Hmmmm?

Loud does NOT equal power - it just means it poorly designed.

FACT -the STOCK intake AND exhasut already FAR outflow the needs of that engine. Changing either buys you NOTHING.

PLEASE - Do the research before stating BS. Thanks.

MGD

 

Finally - someone with a functioning brain

 

'Lies' down is a fact - been instrumented, demonstated and documented already.

It does NOT mean the engine 'stops' above ~4,000 - it simply means the expected power output, measured relative to another intake begins to lag. And it should never do that. You *may* not feel it, or even care, (as you have no reference) but it's real nontheless.

Volant is in the business of selling intakes - they do not care about you all that much, and will tell you anything you want to hear. That's why at least one tuning shop on here derides them. And - That's whay they ALL produce a corrected tune for them to maintain SAFE gains, DESPITE Volant telling Joe Blow ever'thank is copacetic. Buncha liars. Period.

Yep - yer truck - yer money. But - I'll state this one last time - without Proper measurements you ARE playing Roulette.




And all the denial in the world will not change a thing.

OK - I'm done now ... Ignancy be Bliss, aight!

MGD