Air filter modifications - minor work & $$$

[wallew]

Well, I finally got enough time and motivation to fab up this particular mod I've had rumbling around in my head for over a year.

Unfortunately, I don't remember how much I paid for the two pieces of welding steel. I think something like $20 at LOWES.

The first is a 24 x 24 piece of 22 gauge sheet steel. I cut this into a 13.5" diameter circle. I took this out to my M1009 and placed it on the air filter box and gently tapped it with a rubber mallet, marking the position of where the two upright bolts to hold the top on are at. Next I drilled two 13/32 holes at the marked locations. I started smaller, but this is where I ended up.

The second piece is 1/8 x 1 1/2 strap steel. I cut this to 11" length. Then marked the holes after centering on the sheet steel. I again drilled two 13/32 holes lined up with the sheet steel holes.

Realize I'm leaving a lot of 'measure, cut, fit - measure, cut, fit' out. You can always make things smaller. Making them larger is problematic.

ANYWAY, at this point, everything fits and looks pretty good.

I drill three 1/8" holes so I can rivet the strap steel to the sheet steel. I then riveted the strap steel to the sheet steel. And as I'm a suspenders AND a belt type of guy, I first applied JB Weld on the strap steel to hold it to the sheet steel as well.

I let this sit overnight. I then test fit it one more time. Then applied two coats of flat black paint. Ok, ok, I need to find a second wing nut to replace the nut I put on when I lost one.

I've taken it for a spin and I'm getting loads more air through. Hopefully that will equate to better MPG and hopefully a bit of a minor bump in HP/Torque.

My next step I'm considering is finding a dyno and do several runs. First would be the stock setup (which I still have), then the stock filter box with the K&N filter. Then the stock air filter with my modified top. And finally with the K&N filter and the modified top.

If I do this, I'll definitely post the results. The best part is by removing the two wing nuts, I can drop the stock air filter box top back on. None the worse for wear.

Yeah, yeah, I know...

Here's the pix:


View attachment 128589

View attachment 128590

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[Cucvnut]

i want one shipping to 95050

 

[lavarok]

I did something very similar as a test, but it was much too loud for use everyday.

I ended up using the air inlet from one parts air cleaner housing as a second port on my main m1009's air cleaner housing. Pic of the final product attached minus the tubes for cold air.

 

[msoumas]

I hated my K&N filter. Mod looks like a good, simple way to pull in lots of extra air, I might have to do one of these myself.

 

[84cucv1ton]

good idea. how much louder?

 

[msoumas]

good idea. how much louder?

I'm hoping for "a lot".

 

[hndrsonj]

Can't you just flip the top cover upside down? Have done that on 350 gas engines alot.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

I just ran a snorkel tube to the stock point on the core support next to the radiator last year. Similar to what the civy trucks had. I had to reorient my front battery but it was worth it.

 

[Pawnshop]

What did you hate about the K&N filter? I have run them on several other vehicles and was thinking of getting one for the M1009.

 

[wallew]

Can't you just flip the top cover upside down? Have done that on 350 gas engines alot.

hndrsonj,
No. Due to the design of the stock air box, it won't flip. I TRIED THAT.

And I find mine is much quieter. Mainly because now instead of a higher pitched whoosh, it gets a much healthier, deeper roar. Maybe a new dual exhaust, possibly 3 inch mandrel bent duals will be next. The guy who owns Classic Mustangs here in Colorado (he is a member here as well) has done several exhausts for CUCV's.

cucvfreek, I'll talk to the guy who owns Classic Mustangs. Maybe he wants to start doing some very minor fab work for the CUCV's he sells. Then it's but one short step to selling this setup to anyone else who wants one. This IS a cheap fix for a much higher volume of air. Combine that with a better exhaust flow and you should get some impressive numbers for both MPG and HP/Torque increases. At least that's what I'm hoping for.

I'm still going to add some insulation. For $40 to LMC Trucks (plus probably another $10 for connectors), I have seen this insulation installed and you literally can't even hear a stock setup running. Pretty impressive.

So I'll be adding the under hood insulation. And I will eventually be fully sound insulating the front part of my cab with Fat Mat and a new rubber floor. I've only got a few things left with this truck and she should be 100%.

We will see.

pawnshop,
ALL my vehicles run K&N. Even my wife's Subaru runs one. I even put one in a deuce I owned a couple of years back. I have never had any problems with my K&N's. What's not to like about a cleanable, reusable 1M mile air filter?

lavarok,
I love the green stock air filter box you are running. I actually considered that, but given my stock box is black, I just stayed with that. Plus with two openings you are begining to approach what I got with my mod. Good job.

 

[Pawnshop]

pawnshop,
ALL my vehicles run K&N. Even my wife's Subaru runs one. I even put one in a deuce I owned a couple of years back. I have never had any problems with my K&N's. What's not to like about a cleanable, reusable 1M mile air filter?

My feeling as well, MSOUMAS said he hated his K&N, just wondering why...

 

[wallew]

I had a chat with 101Coolcars (member name here) and to do four dyno pulls it runs around $150 - but he said he'd give me a discount because I'm and SS member.

So, after doing that, I will report the results back here. The final step will probably been a new exhaust system. But I'll talk this over with Tom D (101Coolcars) to see if it will or won't make any difference.

I'm actually interested in better MPG than I am more HP/Torque. But seeing those number go up, however small, would also be a plus.

I'll keep youse folks informed.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Honestly, I saw a small increase when I put the Cherry Bombs on Big Ugly. Nothing more than stock pipes and Cherry Bombs replacing the factory mufflers. "Seat of the pants" so to speak. Held hills a bit better than before.
Same when I put the cold air duct on the intake last year. Nothing major like a turbo but definitly worth the 5-6 hours of work and $100 or so I invested in both.

 

[papercu]

I think we've had this disCUSSion before, the problem is, while you are drawing more air, it is HOT air and what you need is the cooler air from outside the engine compartment. It will be good to see the reports. Wayne

 

[allrevup]

Nice simple way to introduce more air (if HOT), but if you wheel around water any type of open filter is a potencial problem. even the performance oil soaked filter elements. PS. your brake fluid reservoir cover needs to be turn around or it will not seal properlly

 

[wallew]

Nice simple way to introduce more air (if HOT), but if you wheel around water any type of open filter is a potential problem. even the performance oil soaked filter elements. PS. your brake fluid reservoir cover needs to be turn around or it will not seal properly.

First and foremost, living at 5280 ft altitude in Denver, we have a lot more cool/cold days than we have hot days. If I were still living in Houston, I would concur.

But dang man, if I roll up into the mountains, during the winter - even if it's not snowing, having more hot air into my engine is a good thing**. Life is basically trade offs, and that's why I did the mod I did. Like I said, if I lived in the flat lands where it does get hot, I would have bought the K&N top filter and made a strap that would have allowed me to use it. But living at altitude, you pretty much have to turn things on it's head from a temperature standpoint. Here we are into the second week of June and just in the past couple of days we finally broke into the 80's. Don't get me wrong, we will probably see two to three months of 80/90 degree weather, which is typical. But that means nine months of cool/cold weather. Hence the reason I did my mod.

And for the same reason, I'm not too worried about the water issue. I don't go off road hardly at all any more. And we rarely have deep water anywhere around here. OK, I guess I could drive into one of the reservoirs here if I owned a boat, but I don't even go near them anymore.

And thx for the heads up on the brake reservoir cover issue (I freaked over that one). The thing is, it's on correctly. This is a replacement part. While I purchased new, the design is reversed to what the factory one is. I even went out and popped it off and while I could reverse it, the curved portion is at the rear. Go figure.

But thx for all the input. IT IS appreciated.

Edit
** I don't even do the 'freeze your butt off' in February at Camp Hale camping trip our club does ever year. My idea of roughing it these days is a hotel with no room service.

 

[papercu]

Do any of the local "big rigs" have the air intake inlet under the hood or is it on the outside? Wayne

 

[wallew]

Do any of the local "big rigs" have the air intake inlet under the hood or is it on the outside? Wayne

I'd have to say it depends on it's age. Older rigs, they could be either inside or outside. But ALL the newer rigs have the intake on the inside. Like this:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=128817&stc=1&d=1245367634

 

[papercu]

Is that a M915 thru M920 truck? If so the air inlet is in the grill and is a sealed tube back the firewall mounted air cleaner. Wayne

 

[jag7720]

Banks sells a mod to the factory intake

Banks Power | 82-93 Chevy/GMC - 6.2L>>Banks Ram-Air® Intake System

K&N filter, larger intake on the filter housing and a cold air tube to the front core support.