Aftermarket Air Cleaners

I was wondering that myself. Hey Tom, my truck has produced an error code P1294 which translates into an overly high idle. I am thinking that the IAC is acting up since I have yet to ever touch that TB. Do you have any ideas before I start tearing things apart. It also has a bad O2 sensor "drivers side" that is going to be replaced as soon as I have time. Damn things are expensive.

More or less it was just info. But Sno was right, about Chevy at least. The repair for the MAF is about $700. The dealer must replace the air filter and other removed hardware, clean the air inlet and replace the MAF.

As far as I know, not very far:) does not void the truck warranty.

Back in the day, when I worked for Chrysler, they would photograph cars at the drag strip. And they definitely canceled the warranties.

Al

Sorry, son. I'm not the one you have to convince. Tell it to the judge or the service manager.

Steve

That's how I interpreted it too. So lets just block the air filter to get better mileage:) No air = no fuel. Has to get better mileage:)

Al

Well, hell, then the next logical step is to do what we did in the sixties, and take the air cleaner off all together.

Right?

Steve

Not sure what your issue is then. I've heard manufactures and dealers deny a claim for just about any and every reason or no reason at all. Theres lousy dealers and lousy manufactures. Are they right? The point is they can't legally deny a warranty claim unless the added part caused the problem. If they do then they are in breach of contract.

Great. Then we'll choke the air off which results in less fuel being used, same mixture and no change in mpg right?

Yep... just recently helped a buddy replace one of his O2 sensors on his '00 Durango. He was having all kinds of drivability problems once his engine warmed up... engine stumbling, wanting to stall... mashing the gas cleared it up (funny - only seemed to act up when in closed loop :). Funny thing was, no codes were ever set. We changed his upstream O2 sensor on a hunch, and he's been trouble-free since. $80 or so, but at least it cured the problem.

On your high idle, yeah - I'd suspect the IAC first and foremost. Pull it out and soak the pintle end in some good carbon cleaner. I remember several years back, someone did a test of various fuel injector cleaners and whatnot, and found that Gumout Regane (honey-colored, not the clear stuff) worked just a bit better than Techron, and far better than any of the other off-the-shelf products he found. I know Mopar combustion cleaner does a hell of a job inside the cylinder - just don't know how well it would work sans heat.

The simple visual test for the IAC motor is to pull it out of the TB, leave the wiring connected, and turn the ignition to on. The pintle should move smoothly from all the way out, to all the way in, then settle back to almost all the way out again. Any hesitation indicates gunk in the works. If it doesn't get better after a soaking, they're only about $40 or so. Rock Auto sells a Standard Motor replacement for $38:

Of course, while you're at it, it's never a bad idea to pull the whole TB, remove the other pieces (TPS switch, and MAP sensor), and give it a good bath, as well.

You've just discovered the working theory behind the amazing Tornado fuel-economizer! :)

I have, before, as well. I've told the story here before, but in a nutshell, a dealership tried to deny me warranty service on a leaking oilpan gasket by saying, "Nah, you put a lift kit on the truck - the warranty's void". That lasted all of about 30 seconds, as I explained to him the meaning behind the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act, and said that if was trying to violate a Federal law, then we were going to have problems...

... the gasket was repaired under warranty, and later on, I also had a cracked head replaced under warranty (which was another back-and-forth battle, but that's a different story). So, obviously, my warranty didn't get "voided", even though it was threatened.

I can't dispute or disclaim that miles, I am not running a K$N brand oil-wetted filter. All I can say is that with the filter I use, PROPERLY maintained, I have not had an issue. I check the MAF/MAS every month when I pull the filter, check the t-body every other (unless something indicated I need to).

I'm like you. After spending $36k on the truck, just give me the dealer part or an acceptable substitute. I don't want to go experimenting around. Seems like a lot of guys look for the extended life components and magic bullets because they don't like to do suggested maintenance in a timely fashion.

Steve

What brand of filter are you using? As I've seen there are some decent cleanable, reusable filters available. K&N just isn't one of them. Even the better ones did not show any appreciable gains in performance or mpg but they did filter well. Is yours in conjuction with a CAI? If so that could be benificial as the Rams (at least on mine) has a rather restrictive intake duct.

You're overlooking the "little oil good, lots of oil better" mentality.

beekeep

Yes, it is in conjunction with a CAI, and a VERY free flowing exhaust (3" Dynomax Bullet) Like you said a filter alone would not likely provide any gains, and I think that if it did, it would be so negilable that you wouldn't even notice it. Like the Ram, the Chevy has a very restrictive OE air flow system, the air tube going from the MAF to the t-body is REALLY wired looking. It has air "channels" to hold air in and quite down the "noise"

I am runn>

Up to a point, that would be pretty much correct.

lol, figures you'd think such!

I don't think so Miles, I know so and if you knew 1/000000000000 as much as you act like you do, you would as well.

I can see it now. TBone invents a new gadget thats even better than the magnet or tornado. A device that restricts air intake in order to improve mpg. Lemme know when this invention comes out!