OK it's in!!
Well as I turned down the street, I heard this whine...no it sound like a squeal. I'm thinking "Now I'm busted!!! I can't hide this!!!" (the parts-it's not neccesarily me working on the Truck that bothers my husband-although he is "warrenty paranoid") My second thought was "this thing better be spectacular for my husband to get over the noise it's making!" Well if you leave the stereo on "moderate to loud" it will drown it out. It does NOT sound like a whistle to me. To me it sounds like a squeaky fan belt.
I experimented with different speeds and found that it squeaks loudest on exceleration, and is silent on deceleration. It is constant but quieter at any steady speed, except when I was going 90+ mph I didn't hear it at all (finally) even though I was still excelerating. Of course by then I wasn't excerating a lot as there was some traffic.
Closer to home the roads were getting worse and I laid a good patch at a light before deciding to wait for dry roads to check for that "seat of the pants" feel of any additional power.
So stay tuned for my "power evaluation"

 

Texaskid1, if this thing doesn't claim to make power by swirling air but by acting as a spacer, why does it have a spiral carved in it and why does the ad say "Poweraid throttle body spacers incorporate a helix bore that spins the incoming air charge. The increased combustion efficiency provides tremendous torque and mileage increases!" If you want just a spacer it would be alot cheaper for someone to make one like they do for mustangs. No offense but I think that everyone that buys one should get one of those tornado things too.... just think 14 hp from the poweraid and what another 14 from the tornado that's almost an easy 30 hp?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

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99 F150 XLT Silver 2WD S/C 4.2 5-speed, Pioneer DEH P4000, Superchip, Flowmaster muffler // Rear door switch guards - check them out at www.geocities.com/motorcity/show/5031

[This message has been edited by Darin (edited 12-27-1999).]

 

Darin, YOU buy it for me and I'll put it on. until then, I would like to spend MY money as I see fit.

Feel free to buy me that magnetic fuel saver too!

 

Andthensometoo, what do you have for an air box mod on your truck? I was wondering if this may effect the noise level. I have the Poweraid on order and was just trying to decide if I should install it or send it back.

Thanks for the post.


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99' F-150 XLT SC 4X4 ORP LS 4.6L K&N Air Filter Air Box Mod (3" intake from fender & silencer removed), Superchip, A.R.E. Cover, Duraliner bed liner, Rapidflow 3" single CatBack exhaust.

 

Darin, I work in the areospace industry and ran the Poweraid product design by one of our CFD engineers 'Computational Fluid Dynamics'for an educated opinon. The concept of providing turbulant vs laminar airflow AFTER the throttle body does have merit with respect to aiding the air fuel mixtures equalization in the combustion chamber. The opinion expressed to me was that this product design appears to be benificail, towards that goal. Will any gain in efficiency provided by the Poweraid, make up for the noise created by this product? That choice will ultimately be up to the end item user, I'll leave mine installed. You've mentioned this Tornado product twice on this thread. Compairing the Poweraid to that product, and implying the old adage that a fool and his money will soon part company. Did your cash get sucked up by a tornado in the past? If one were to freely express opinions with regard to your "Darin's" purchases, it would not be hard to call into question the wisdom of using a 4.2L V6 as the foundation for you perfomance modifications. Would not the money spent on your Superchip and exhaust modifications proved more benificail if applied to the additional purchase cost of a V8 engine? Mind you I have no experience with this engine other than what I have read about it, so I make no claims either way about it. My point is only to state the obvious fact of how easy it is to be critical of others choices. I hope that no one takes offense to my comments,that was not thier intention.

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Bob P.
99 F-150 XLT 120" w/b
5.4L w/ASP underdrive pulleys, Custom Superchip, Airaid system,Poweraid TB spacer,Borla Turbo muffler, and 2" Drop shackles.

[This message has been edited by bob.pellegrino (edited 12-27-1999).]

 

when you guys say you removed the silencer what are you refering to???????

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pacific green 97 f150 4.6l..reg cab flareside ,ROUSH suspention down 3 fr and3.5rear,snug lid,carpeted bed, painted tailight accents,4x4 grill &bumper,k&n,chip,ram air kit,valvoline synthetic,accel super stock wires,platinum plus4 plugs,flow master muff,blue halogen bulbs,killer stereo, speed-glo dash,carbon fiber gauge accent,..."#6 sticker!!!!"

 

OK, now I'm going to have to buy/try it out.
What's $100+ anyway ? LOL
It seems that Bob has had good luck w/it & he seems to be a knowledgeable/level headed guy, so I'm going off of what he has posted here.
Feel free to email me Bob w/any info. you can give me.
My email is ss97ford@austin.rr.com
You can see the mods I have done below in my signature.


I got this sticker from my Mom for Christmas. Good one !



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Sean in Texas
https://www.f150online.com/features/index.html
http://communities.msn.com/SS97FordsPics
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Show/7936

97 White/Tan Lariat - Leather, Power Everything, Tan Leather Floor Console, 2 Chamber Flowmaster Cat Back Duals w/Chrome Exits, AirAid Intake, "SuperChip" brand Chip, All Synth. Fluids, Custom Painted TB Cover, Blue Wire Loomed Engine, Hellwig Rear Sway Bar, 17x9.5 Centerline Scorpions, w/275/60/17 Dunlop Sport Rover GTX Tires, Cool Collar, Polished Billet Grille & Bumper Insert, Chrome Diff. Cover, Pendaliner SR, Clear Corner Lenses, Superwhites Headlights, Stainless Steel Nerf Bars, Kenwood Excelon Speakers, Polk Audio db Series 10" Sub, Kenwood 818 Sub. Amp, LMI Rear Seat Kit, Color Matched "Tan" (Eddie Bauer/Expedition) rear bumper, Ford Hitch Cover/Lock, Door Sill Protectors, "ARE - Hard Tonneau Cover", ...I know there is more but can't think of it now... OH yeah.. & a Fully Loaded "Viper" Alarm to guard it ALL !
Next to "Be Added",.."Power Aid" & more I'm sure !
"With a Nice 2 Tone Paint Job" !!!!!

 

bob.pellegrino, I stated clearly in my last post "no offense". Maybe I came across a sounding a bit harsh, but my intention was not to offend, just to voice my opinion based on results of products I thought were very similar. I have never purchased a tornado. I have only read an actual test that proved it to be worthless. That is where my concern comes in, if the poweraid has the same effect as the tornado then people are wasting there money. After reading your post and if what your engineers said about - "after the throttle body" is true then it might be worth buying. I myself will not purchase one until I see actual dyno results of one dyno'ed on a 4.2 truck. Which brings up your point of puchasing a Superchip for my 4.2 truck. I have seen dyno results for the 4.2 that show it raises the hp and torque rating to equal that of a 4.6 truck for only $245.00. I do not know the exact difference in price if I had purchased the 4.6 for my truck, but I do know it was NOT even close to $245.00. I think someone on this site posted the actual difference in cost and it was close to $1200.00. The Flowmaster was more a - sounds better than stock purchase - than a purchase for increased peformance.

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99 F150 XLT Silver 2WD S/C 4.2 5-speed, Pioneer DEH P4000, Superchip, Flowmaster muffler // Rear door switch guards - check them out at http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/show/5031

 

BigRed2:
My "Cool" box mod. Cooler temps. = higher horse power! http://www.fortunecity.com/silversto...43/coolair.JPG

"Cool" view 2 This is a adjustable (8"-6") chimney for a furnace duct adjusted down to the filter size with a drip pan edge from a stove cut to fit around that and seat the assembly to the remaining OEM parts. I wrapped it in cool tape and used the cool blanket for around the elbow.
http://www.fortunecity.com/silversto...3/coolairt.JPG
and No this set up does not make any of the noises that you've been hearing about from FIPK users. Maybe some "rushing air" sound, but no whine or "howl"
As for the power aid sound I'd say this is a "must hear" thing maybe it will bother you and maybe it won't. If you like to listen to that head banging Rock, then don't worry about it, you'll never notice it. But if your into that syphonic orchestra stuff, I think you listening enjoyment may be comprimised.



[This message has been edited by Andthensometoo (edited 12-27-1999).]

 

SS I TRULY share in your enjoyment of your new sticker, however, what about A WOMAN AND HER TRUCK?!

 

OK I don't quite get how this poweriad is supposed to work.
What difference does it make to spin the air before it's mixed with the fuel?
I know the plates they used to put under the carbs worked well, but the spinning occured after the fuel was induced into the airstream.


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99 XLT 5.4L Regular Cab 4x2 120" Wheelbase 4 wheel disc brakes/ABS 5 star larait style wheels Toreador Red/Silver 3.55 gears 255/70/16 OWL Delta toolbox, Ventshades, Bugflector
Eclipse 5340 cd player
Memphis ARCS50 component speakers w/tweeters mounted flush in the door panels (excellent sound)powered by a Sherwood 35x2 RMS amp
Jensen 50x2 RMS for the 2 Audiobahn AWC10 subs
regcab54@sc.rr.com

 

OK I usually notice some loss of acceleration when I am carrying a load. Last night I was loaded and doing my regular run and I totally forgot I was loaded. Plus yesterday I threw a couple of hundies (hundred lbs) in the back in case of snow. I usually have to start slow (not my choice) until I "lose some weight", then I can speed up and by the time I'm done, and on my way home, I'm "cruisin for a ticket". I didn't realized until I got done, that I had not experienced the usuall effects of carrying a load. I was able to turn the tires and whip down the streets just like I do when empty. I can hardly wait until the BIG day of the week when I'm carrying almost a ton.
btw the noise has started to bother me less.

 

Well I can live with the sound, what I want is the low end tourqe. Besides I can't hear anything but my exhaust when I nail it any way. Mine should be here this week sometime. :~)

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99' F-150 XLT SC 4X4 ORP LS 4.6L K&N Air Filter Air Box Mod (3" intake from fender & silencer removed), Superchip, A.R.E. Cover, Duraliner bed liner, Rapidflow 3" single CatBack exhaust.

 

Well I'm pleased to no longer be the only test bed for this product. 'Andthensome' has provided an early usage report on the Poweraid. I'm sure she will have additional input in time. No offense taken Darin, I'm glad to hear that you've received positive results from your modifications, this after all is our common goal. With respect to the Poweraid's bore diameter, the peaks of the helix 'it's min ID' appears to be the same ID as the throttle body on the 5.4L model. The helix is in fact a spiral similar to a large course thread. The plate is directional in nature i.e. it has a front and back side. With regard to the turbulant behavior of the air within the intake manifold, I'm told that once the airflow is disturbed it has a tendency to resist returning to a laminar flow for some time. Even when it enters an intake runner the turbulant condition still partially exists even as it is drawn into the cylinder. As I've stated before I can provide no hard data for any of this, I have only researched the theory behind it. Good luck with your future research efforts Andthensome.

------------------
Bob P.
99 F-150 XLT 120" w/b
5.4L w/ASP underdrive pulleys, Custom Superchip, Airaid system,Poweraid TB spacer,Borla Turbo muffler, and 2" Drop shackles.

 

Is the diameter of the Poweraid the same or different than the TB or the mount?
It looks to be rippled on the inside, is this the spiral?

There are a couple things this thing could be doing. Swirling the air is not one. By the time the air gets to the plenum and then transitions to the runners and finally gets to the valve, it is pretty straightened out. Swirled combustion has to exist in the cylinder to provide gains.

However, this unit could be increasing the plenum volume and/or increasing air velocity.
Velocity makes torque, and plenum volume increases responsiveness.

The whistling is a key to what is going on. There are certain harmonics in the intake, this noise may be at a more efficient flow velocity, not something Ford would sell millions of trucks with. There are lots of power compromises made in engines to accomodate things like noise and all, just look at the intake tube in front of the TB.

Just like louder mufflers, you live with the noise for the benefit of power.

birdman