Radius Arms and Air Intake

[svo_jon]

Is there such a thing as an affordable set of extended radius arms?

And dose anyone make an air intake for a first gen explorer?

Thanks
Jonathan

 

[rngmStr]

HOMEBREW extended radius arms - KKM/HOMEBREW open air intake?

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Is there such a thing as an affordable set of extended radius arms?

And dose anyone make an air intake for a first gen explorer?

Thanks
Jonathan

Did your truck not come with an air intake?

 

[svo_jon]

WOW... really?

OK Mr. smart, an after market performance air intake.

I am just looking for any ideas to improve the performance/effisency of my EX

sorry if you were being serious.

 

[exbass94]

If you do a search, you'll find many MANY threads about intakes. The general consenus is that aftermarket intakes do not help performance at all. Nobody makes an intake for a 1st-gen Explorer that I'm aware of anyway. Save your money and keep the stock intake.

 

[kevinsranger]

here is a write up from the tech library about homemade intake, but i am skeptical about its effectiveness, regardless here is your best bet if you are against the stock airbox

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/4_0_ColdAirInduction.html

 

[BlackBII]

. Save your money and keep the stock intake.

x2. An aftermarket one will not improve performance.


Cheapest radius arms would be to build some, or if you are lucky find some on here or Craigslist or Ebay

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34439

 

[Shran]

WOW... really?

OK Mr. smart, an after market performance air intake.

I am just looking for any ideas to improve the performance/effisency of my EX

sorry if you were being serious.

Nothing you can bolt on before the intake besides a turbo or supercharger is going to have any measurable effect on anything. It's a waste of time and using things like oiled K&N filters can actually hurt engine performance because the oil contaminates the mass air flow sensor.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

WOW... really?

OK Mr. smart, an after market performance air intake.

I am just looking for any ideas to improve the performance/effisency of my EX

sorry if you were being serious.

I was assuming you would not want to remove the factory COLD air intake, so I figured it just didn't have one...

 

[adsm08]

The factory position and routing of the intake ducting makes it a true cold air intake, as opposed to the K&N and other aftermarket setups which just have a conical filter open to the engine bay allowing it to suck up the HOT air in the engine bay, along with the aforementioned MAF contamination. There was a dyno sheet posted here somewhere a while back that showed with just a K&N CAI system a 4.0 Ranger LOST performance, about 20 HP worth. Leave your intake alone.

As for affordable radius arms, well I guess that depends on your definition of "affordable".

Browse through the For Sale section here on TRS and look through your local CraigsList. Maybe you will find a used set cheap. I've seen a few complete 6" suspension lifts, extended arms and all, go for under $300 here.

 

[svo_jon]

Thanks for the thoughts on the intake.

I think after reading the tread on the Radius arms I will build my own.

Thanks
Jonathan

 

[gribly]

Sounds like you are off-roading your X. In that case, cut the factory cold air intake off, and if you live where they don't check, take the warm air tube and valve off as well and cap off the vacuum ports for it. The factory intake sucks water in. Your other option is to cut a hole in the passenger side fender and run a snorkel. I honestly wouldn't do anything else to that motor besides water-proofing.

 

[adsm08]

Gribly has a point. If you plan on doing any serious off roading a snorkel is your best bet. The factory intake is at roughly the mid-line of the grille. That means it will suck up water if you get into anything deep.

 

[svo_jon]

Thanks, but I live in the high desert...so deep water crossings are a big deal. Now fine dust is a big problem.

 

[adsm08]

Well then I wouldn't worry about sucking up water.

As for fine dust, stick with a paper air filter. I recommend Motorcraft or Fram. I will knock Fram any chance I can find, but even I will admit that they make a good air filter.

I've seen their oil filters destroy engines by sucking so bad. Their air filters are pretty good.

I'd stick with a Motorcraft FL-1-A oil filter. They are high quality, catch most fine particles that find their way into the oil, and usually cost the same as or less than aftermarket competitors.