free mods?
Senior Member
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,317
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From: Virginia Beach, VA
Free.....
Play with your timing. My '95 will handle about 14 degrees. Sometimes the winter fuel will force me to drop back to 12.
Free....
Since you already have your K&N, modify your air box. If your setup is like mine do some drilling at the box. When the air demand exceeds that of the air supply tube it will pull through the box instead. **Note - I did some playing with the cool air tube and decided to leave it in place. It looks like it wouldn't help - WRONG! Aim a leaf blower at the front of the truck with is disconnected from the box. That hose helps supply a lot of cool outside air**
Free.....
Open up your plug gaps. How much depends on the quality of your wires/coil/distributor cap, etc.
Almost Free....
Index your plugs. Buy the washers once and be done with it. The hit and miss method can leave some extra plugs laying around. I've seen tests that on a small block indexing can be good for 7-8 HP.
Play with your timing. My '95 will handle about 14 degrees. Sometimes the winter fuel will force me to drop back to 12.
Free....
Since you already have your K&N, modify your air box. If your setup is like mine do some drilling at the box. When the air demand exceeds that of the air supply tube it will pull through the box instead. **Note - I did some playing with the cool air tube and decided to leave it in place. It looks like it wouldn't help - WRONG! Aim a leaf blower at the front of the truck with is disconnected from the box. That hose helps supply a lot of cool outside air**
Free.....
Open up your plug gaps. How much depends on the quality of your wires/coil/distributor cap, etc.
Almost Free....
Index your plugs. Buy the washers once and be done with it. The hit and miss method can leave some extra plugs laying around. I've seen tests that on a small block indexing can be good for 7-8 HP.
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,827
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From: FL
wow, thanks for the tips! looks like i have a couple of things to do this weekend 
. i thought of somehow modifying the air intake so it would be in the front grill (sort of a ram air setup), but im afraid that a good amout of water could get in thru there when i drive in heavy rain. any other tips? thanks!!
. i thought of somehow modifying the air intake so it would be in the front grill (sort of a ram air setup), but im afraid that a good amout of water could get in thru there when i drive in heavy rain. any other tips? thanks!!
Senior Member
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach, VA
I've considered a ram air setup also. You might want to check out your truck. If it's like mine, there is already a good location. Just to the right of the radiator (when facing the front of the truck) there is a rectangular hole in the metal support structure. On my truck there is a rubber flap that directs air towards the radiator, push this out of the way or pull the grill off.
From the hole, with just a couple of slight turns you could route to the air box. On my truck there seems to be plenty of clearance for a good sized pipe under the radiator overflow and windshield washer containers. Anyway, the hole seems to be almost the same size as the airbox end of the cool air tube. If not a ducting vent could be modifed to fit. The only real drawback I see is that you would either have to fashion a piece to poke around the edge of the grill or modify the grill. I might get around to it one of these days.
I've had ram air setups on a few vehicles and never had a problem with water. Keep it high enough to avoid and major road spray from puddles etc and you should be OK. If you do a lot of playing in the water off road you can fashion a screen or sheild that you can easily put on and remove later.
As for tuning, I spend a lot of time on the little stuff. A couple HP here and there adds up. I have found that most people spend a lot of hours playing with cosmetics, but rarely even check the basics for condition much less really play with the tuning of the truck.
From the hole, with just a couple of slight turns you could route to the air box. On my truck there seems to be plenty of clearance for a good sized pipe under the radiator overflow and windshield washer containers. Anyway, the hole seems to be almost the same size as the airbox end of the cool air tube. If not a ducting vent could be modifed to fit. The only real drawback I see is that you would either have to fashion a piece to poke around the edge of the grill or modify the grill. I might get around to it one of these days.
I've had ram air setups on a few vehicles and never had a problem with water. Keep it high enough to avoid and major road spray from puddles etc and you should be OK. If you do a lot of playing in the water off road you can fashion a screen or sheild that you can easily put on and remove later.
As for tuning, I spend a lot of time on the little stuff. A couple HP here and there adds up. I have found that most people spend a lot of hours playing with cosmetics, but rarely even check the basics for condition much less really play with the tuning of the truck.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,083
Likes: 0
From: Ventura, California
signmaster-
You sly dog! I thought I was the only one who discovered that little flap next to the radiator! Custom mounted my FIPK so that it sits right in front of that opening, and have the flap pinned back. Works EXCELLENT!! One of these days I'll have to snap some pics of it and share.
Take care,
-Chris
You sly dog! I thought I was the only one who discovered that little flap next to the radiator! Custom mounted my FIPK so that it sits right in front of that opening, and have the flap pinned back. Works EXCELLENT!! One of these days I'll have to snap some pics of it and share.
Take care,
-Chris
Senior Member
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach, VA
PKRWUD,
So the filter pokes through the hole? Sounds like a nice setup either way. It almost looks like that hole was made for an intake or something..... For your truck the FIPK just replaces the air box end and leaves the factory intake tubes, correct?
Maybe we should work it out and market it....hehe
So the filter pokes through the hole? Sounds like a nice setup either way. It almost looks like that hole was made for an intake or something..... For your truck the FIPK just replaces the air box end and leaves the factory intake tubes, correct?
Maybe we should work it out and market it....hehe
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,083
Likes: 0
From: Ventura, California
It doesn't go through the opening, it sit's just behind it. Normally, the FIPK mounts in the stock airbox location, but, by separating the two intake tubes, and switching them, I was able to relocate the FIPK down close to the radiator, below the p/s pump. Again, I'm going to have to take some pics to better explain it. My concern with it setup the way it is was that the fan and belt driven accessories might disrupt the air around the FIPK, but the proof is in the results! It runs better this way than any other way I've tried (and I've tried several!). Actually, I suppose the fan could actually be adding even more air to the FIPK. Hmmmm. FWIW, I also used a piece of heater ducting from a '79 Fairmont, and mounted it to the opening in the bumper (Eddie Bauer bumper), and it exits just below the FIPK, supplying even more cool air.
Take care,
-Chris
Take care,
-Chris
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Senior Member
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,317
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From: Virginia Beach, VA
Sounds like you've spent some time with that thing! I think I get what you are talking about. It seems like maybe you found a sweet spot where the vacuum from the fan flow helps pull the cool air over the filter.
