Cheap and easy mods to increase HP and performance

[thcscubajohn]

I would caution the promoting things that break laws like deleting catalytic converters. The warm air delete may be a detrimental thing depending on where the OP is located. There are sections of the country where intake icing is a thing and the system is necessary to prevent that issue. Beyond that, I don't have a problem with any of thcscubajon's recommendations.

However, I was unaware of an intake icing issue with 4.0s. Please elaborate, im moving to fairbanks and need to know. To my knowledge it was just to help with the startup and drive off portion of the EPA tests.

 

[sgtsandman]

However, I was unaware of an intake icing issue with 4.0s. Please elaborate, im moving to fairbanks and need to know. To my knowledge it was just to help with the startup and drive off portion of the EPA tests.

The icing issue happens with humidity in the air and the drop in pressure through the intake. It's more of a carburetor problem than a fuel injection problem and the solution to the issue is handled differently. Earlier systems used hot air from the exhaust manifold to prevent icing. A lot of fuel injection systems run a coolant line over to the throttle body or a critical section of the intake to heat it and prevent icing. Depending on the system, icing can happen at as high as 70 degrees since the pressure drop through the venturi will cause a cooling effect. The details differ from system to system but the basic reasoning and theory still applies. If you are moving to Fairbanks, that would be a definite concern for you and a potential problem if you deleted the system.

 

[thcscubajohn]

The icing issue happens with humidity in the air and the drop in pressure through the intake. It's more of a carburetor problem than a fuel injection problem and the solution to the issue is handled differently. Earlier systems used hot air from the exhaust manifold to prevent icing. A lot of fuel injection systems run a coolant line over to the throttle body or a critical section of the intake to heat it and prevent icing. Depending on the system, icing can happen at as high as 70 degrees since the pressure drop through the venturi will cause a cooling effect. The details differ from system to system but the basic reasoning and theory still applies. If you are moving to Fairbanks, that would be a definite concern for you and a potential problem if you deleted the system.

Very interesting, my engine is MPEFI and has a coolant line to the T/B. I guess that might not help before it warms up though.

 

[thcscubajohn]

Very interesting, my engine is MPEFI and has a coolant line to the T/B. I guess that might not help before it warms up though.

Humidity in fairbanks is 94% right now

 

[thcscubajohn]

What would an iced up intake do? Stick the throttle?

 

[sgtsandman]

The coolant line is connected to a bypass that circulates heated coolant directly from the block to the critical point in the intake. The coolant heats up fast enough that any ice that may build up would be taken care of pretty quickly. Using my Scangauge II, it takes a couple miles worth of driving for the coolant to heat up the coolant to about 150 degrees. It might take longer in colder climates. A place like Fairbanks, a block heater might be a good idea to shorten the amount of time it takes for the engine to reach full temp. I know it makes a huge difference for me here in PA where the temps don't get any where near as cold. At 4:30-5:00 am on a cold winter day, I want that engine to heat up as fast as it can. I hate early mornings and I hate cold. Anything to make the morning a little bit better, I'll take it.

The icing in the intake acts like an air restriction that can reduce power if it gets too severe. It's a problem in ground vehicles and down right critical in piston driven aircraft. Especially since the carburetor is usually on the bottom of the engine. So heat from the engine can't warm up the carburetor.

 

[thcscubajohn]

The coolant line is connected to a bypass that circulates heated coolant directly from the block to the critical point in the intake. The coolant heats up fast enough that any ice that may build up would be taken care of pretty quickly. Using my Scangauge II, it takes a couple miles worth of driving for the coolant to heat up the coolant to about 150 degrees. It might take longer in colder climates. A place like Fairbanks, a block heater might be a good idea to shorten the amount of time it takes for the engine to reach full temp. I know it makes a huge difference for me here in PA where the temps don't get any where near as cold. At 4:30-5:00 am on a cold winter day, I want that engine to heat up as fast as it can. I hate early mornings and I hate cold. Anything to make the morning a little bit better, I'll take it.

The icing in the intake acts like an air restriction that can reduce power if it gets too severe. It's a problem in ground vehicles and down right critical in piston driven aircraft. Especially since the carburetor is usually on the bottom of the engine. So heat from the engine can't warm up the carburetor.

Ok, I see. I actually do have a freeze plug heater to install, I didn't think about that. I was starting to think up how to run the snorkel through an electronic heat exchanger. Jeez. Thank you. I edited my original reply to reflect this concern.

 

[sgtsandman]

I don't have enough information and experience on snorkels to be much help with them. Most people that I see with them are in Australia or South Africa and they don't see cold enough temps to worry about intake icing. One thing that might help, depending on the snorkel you have, is to rotate the intake backwards so there is less ice build up but that is totally theory and speculation on my part going off ice and snow build up on the front of my vehicles in the winter. I know the bumper sensors on my 2019 do not like ice build up in the least. The truck was freaking out after a long drive back from Ohio through a snow storm when stopping and starting at intersections. I might have to pick up a can of deicer to experiment with for that. Chipping at the ice with a scraper might not be too friendly to the sensors.

 

[thcscubajohn]

I don't have enough information and experience on snorkels to be much help with them. Most people that I see with them are in Australia or South Africa and they don't see cold enough temps to worry about intake icing. One thing that might help, depending on the snorkel you have, is to rotate the intake backwards so there is less ice build up but that is totally theory and speculation on my part going off ice and snow build up on the front of my vehicles in the winter. I know the bumper sensors on my 2019 do not like ice build up in the least. The truck was freaking out after a long drive back from Ohio through a snow storm when stopping and starting at intersections. I might have to pick up a can of deicer to experiment with for that. Chipping at the ice with a scraper might not be too friendly to the sensors.

I think I'll be alright with a block heater and heated T/B. Even without using the block heater I think the limited ice until the engine warmed itself would cause nothing more than a rich state, IE; choke.

 

[Curious Hound]

If I was moving to Fairbanks, I would make sure all my vehicles have block heaters and/or oil pan heaters. I would also do my best to buy a place with a heated garage.

 

[fastpakr]

If you move to Fairbanks, check out their museum of early automobiles. It's absolutely insane.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I don't have enough information and experience on snorkels to be much help with them. Most people that I see with them are in Australia or South Africa and they don't see cold enough temps to worry about intake icing. One thing that might help, depending on the snorkel you have, is to rotate the intake backwards so there is less ice build up but that is totally theory and speculation on my part going off ice and snow build up on the front of my vehicles in the winter. I know the bumper sensors on my 2019 do not like ice build up in the least. The truck was freaking out after a long drive back from Ohio through a snow storm when stopping and starting at intersections. I might have to pick up a can of deicer to experiment with for that. Chipping at the ice with a scraper might not be too friendly to the sensors.

Any remotely modern intake pulls air from outside the truck anyway so I don't think a snorkel would have much effect. It still has to get halfway across a toasty engine bay to get to the TB. Right now his truck is pulling air from right behind the grille just inboard of the passenger side headlight, a snorkel would catch much less roadspray/slush.

Snorkel backwards might get into weird negative pressure stuff at speed, I don't know about that. All the ones I deal with (ag) are just round and never seem to have a problem with low temps (aside from batteries not having enough power to start or diesel fuel gelling)

 

[19Walt93]

On a carbureted engine the operation of the vacuum motor in the air intake is important during the winter months, not because of icing but because the cold air causes the fuel to condense and drop out of suspension. 78-80 Fiestas, for example, would struggle to go 50 mph in cold weather if the vacuum motor had failed and the cat would glow bright red. On cars I drive only in the summer I always route the air intake behind the grill, offset to one side so rain doesn't enter it.

 

[Fast Eddie]

I don't have enough information and experience on snorkels to be much help with them. Most people that I see with them are in Australia or South Africa and they don't see cold enough temps to worry about intake icing. One thing that might help, depending on the snorkel you have, is to rotate the intake backwards so there is less ice build up but that is totally theory and speculation on my part going off ice and snow build up on the front of my vehicles in the winter. I know the bumper sensors on my 2019 do not like ice build up in the least. The truck was freaking out after a long drive back from Ohio through a snow storm when stopping and starting at intersections. I might have to pick up a can of deicer to experiment with for that. Chipping at the ice with a scraper might not be too friendly to the sensors.

Make it 'adjustable'? It'll probably be mounted on a pipe. If that pipe is round, the intake can be rotated and a balance might be found.

 

[Ramcharger90]

I would look into a centrifugal supercharger. I have a powerdyne on my 5.0 92 notchback it has a 6lb pulley but it adds a decent amount of power for a stock 5.0. You can use a vortec fuel pressure regulator instead of tuning. Obviously tuning is the way to go but some research goes a long way.