Gas saving power adders

[Twilight Blue]

I have altered the factory set-up for the air intake by removing the bottom of the air box and using just the top with a K&N air filter, and I removed the silencer. I have pretty good power now, but terrible gas milage. The power gain was not worth the amount of gas being used. I can lay the hammer down and actualy watch the gas gauge go down a bit. Wasn't improved air flow supposed to help increase milage? Also, aren't headers supposed to help also? I don't have a header, but was just wondering. I'm going to put a Fram paper filter in and return the air intake back to the way the factory had it and see if milage returns to normal. Any thoughts?
BTW, I've got a 50 series Flowmaster and a free flowing cat.

 

[Stinger]

It shouldn't make your mileage go down...something else is wrong.

 

[BELL]

vacuum leak?

 

[Mr. Merk]

i'd bet thats it

 

[BELL]

my old lx had the same mods and i got probably 2-3mph improvment. never lost fuel milage tho.... i think theres more to this...

 

[joebford]

By cutting away the airbox, you are now drawing heated air from inside the engine compartment. This nullifies any gain you may have imagined from more airflow. You want cooler air for the most benefit.

Laying off the accelerator will increase mileage.

Headers will help if you keep the rest of the exhaust system in perspective. You want to get rid of backpressure without effecting velocity unless you want your power band to be at higher rpm. joe

 

[BELL]

by removing the intake silencer and having a better flowing airfilter and some exhuast, you will increase air volume to the engine, 10-15 degrees difference of outside air temp to engine bay air temp with this little motors doesn't come into play. keep in mind that the difference in air temp while moving is minimal when driving 30-45 mph as air flows into the engine bay, you dont measure air temp at a stop...


its been a while since i had the lx, with the svo i've given up on fuel mileage juice it around is too much fun...

 

[joebford]

by removing the intake silencer and having a better flowing airfilter and some exhuast, you will increase air volume to the engine,

Air volume to the engine is of little value if the engine can't do anything with it. Air will flow no better than its smallest restriction. If it is a MAF engine, that is a small restriction, and when it gets by that, it has to contend with the cylinder head, the same with most 2.3's.

10-15 degrees difference of outside air temp to engine bay air temp with this little motors doesn't come into play.

Air temperature has more effect as it affects thermal effeciency of the engine.

keep in mind that the difference in air temp while moving is minimal when driving 30-45 mph as air flows into the engine bay, you dont measure air temp at a stop...

If the engine compartment had laminar flow, this would be true, but the air swirls throughout the engine compartment. Because of this effect the Merkurs have a plate that bolts to the front of the front crossmenber to create a low pressure area in order to get a proper flow thru the radiator and carry some of the engine heat down and out of the engine compartment. Merk engine compartments get scalding hot. Many folks throw this plate away as it becomes damaged not knowing what its purpose is. joe

 

[Twilight Blue]

By cutting away the airbox, you are now drawing heated air from inside the engine compartment. This nullifies any gain you may have imagined from more airflow. You want cooler air for the most benefit.

Laying off the accelerator will increase mileage.

Headers will help if you keep the rest of the exhaust system in perspective. You want to get rid of backpressure without effecting velocity unless you want your power band to be at higher rpm. joe

I didn't cut away the air box, I just removed the bottom square part and just used the lid to hold the K&N air filter. The power increase was pretty good, but the milage went bad. I don't see how the engine heat is an issuse. The cold air intake kits K&N and various other air filter companies make for Mustangs place the open ellement air filter in the same place as factory, but just without an air box. They increase the power despite it being hot in the engine compartment. And the old carburated cars of old had the air being sucked into the engine smak dab in the middle of the engine compartment, and we all know how powerfull those mustangs were. As for the accelerator, my car is a 2.3L N/A with an automatic. I have to push it hard. When getting on the highway, or passing on a rural road, I have to give it all its got or things are going to get dicey. And the header, i'll take power at any RPM, just give it to me!

 

[joebford]

I didn't cut away the air box, I just removed the bottom square part and just used the lid to hold the K&N air filter.

It doesn't matter how you did it, the end result was the same.

The power increase was pretty good, but the milage went bad.

The seat of the pants dyno almost always tells you what you want to know. By playing with the additional power you think you have is why your mileage went south.

I don't see how the engine heat is an issuse. The cold air intake kits K&N and various other air filter companies make for Mustangs place the open ellement air filter in the same place as factory, but just without an air box. They increase the power despite it being hot in the engine compartment. And the old carburated cars of old had the air being sucked into the engine smak dab in the middle of the engine compartment, and we all know how powerfull those mustangs were.

I'll not try to educate you on the workings of an internal combustion engine in this forum, but suggest you do some research on the subject, then you will understand the relationship of intake air temperature to combustion effeciency. I will mention intercoolers, hood scoops outside the car on race cars, ice canisters, etc.

The items you mentioned are not cold air intakes if they are drawing underhood air. Most have a baffle of some sort to provide some isolation, but a true CAI takes air from outside the car.

The older cars were powerful, but didn't get into CAI's until the later years. Then you saw hoses going from the air cleaner to outside the car, shaker hood scoops, etc.

As for the accelerator, my car is a 2.3L N/A with an automatic. I have to push it hard. When getting on the highway, or passing on a rural road, I have to give it all its got or things are going to get dicey. And the header, i'll take power at any RPM, just give it to me!

I have a 1989 2.3 convertible with auto, and don't have any of the issues you mention. It's not a V8 with tons of power, but it gets the job done, plus I get from 27 to 30 mpg. joe

 

[Twilight Blue]

I have a 1989 2.3 convertible with auto, and don't have any of the issues you mention. It's not a V8 with tons of power, but it gets the job done, plus I get from 27 to 30 mpg. joe[/QUOTE]

Then something is definately wrong with my engine. Mine's a 1991 with dual plugs and 105HP @4,600RPM. A 1989 is supposed to have 88HP. Mine's just gutless. My gas milage has never been very goo either.

 

[raceguy13]

get a v8. if you dont get good mileage might as well have power.