KKM Whistle

[o6tnineo]

I have an 05 XLT and it is completely stock with the exception of a newly added KKM filter kit. Before I installed the kit, I noticed a slight whistle under the hood that appeared when there was a load on the engine around 2000-2300 rpm. After the install, the whistle sound is much louder but still only appears around 2000-2300 rpm. It does not matter how fast or slow I am going, it always appears around the aforementioned rpm range.

I had a 96 X that the IAC hummed at idle, which was easily repairable and this sound is much more a whistle than a hum.

And to my knowledge, the gen 3's (drive by wire) systems do not have an IAC. (so that can't be the culprit) I have tried both restricting and removing the crankcase vent line. (the end connecting to the air intake tube) and that did nothing to affect the problem. The only thing left that I have not tried yet, is cleaning/replacing the pcv valve. Does anybody know where it is located (pics!?) on an 05 XLT?


Additionally, I know that many people before me have had this problem, has anybody managed to figure this out? Is it just air rushing through the filter and therefore un-fixable?

Just to reiterate:

1) It is a whistle that got louder when KKM kit was installed.

2) It is not the IAC.

3) It is not a rear diff or front diff whine.

4) Where is the pcv valve on an 05 XLT?

5) Has anybody fixed this issue before?

 

[KRAM1]

subscribing....
The reported whistle on a KKM install is what keeps me from performing this mod. Haven't read any solution so far..nor does KKM respond to previous threads concerning this (i may have overlooked it, though).
How difficult was the install? Care to share some pics?

 

[o6tnineo]

Sorry, I don't have any pics of the install, I'll try to put some up tonight when I get home. As far as the level of difficulty goes, I would rate it as very simple, the whole process took me less than 15 minutes, the hardest part was bolting on the support bracket from the alternator to the air filter assembly.

Kram, do you notice any slight whistle effects with your stock airbox?

 

[kert0307]

the whislte is just the air flow, there is nothing wrong with the truck.....try putting an aftermarket throttle body on there with the intake and it'll be even louder. You're just getting more air flow through a small space...

 

[o6tnineo]

But is there any way to get rid of the whistle, other than the obvious (restoring it to stock)?

 

[KRAM1]

Kram, do you notice any slight whistle effects with your stock airbox?

none. my colleague's stock '05 doesn't whistle, either.

 

[o6tnineo]

soooo....... Is the whistle coming from the filter or the intake tube. I may not know what I'm talking about here, but if its the intake tube (the big rubbery/plasticy tube connecting the airfilter to the throttlebody) couldn't you modify the inside of the tube to dampen the whistling sound somehow? Or just make the tube bigger? Or is it just hopeless?

 

[bigapple]

the whistle noise is just turbulence... ur engine is getting much more air than the stock airbox thru this new setup... nothing is wrong at all although it may be annoying... i have a 360 degree cone filter on mine and it whistles some as well... trust me the power is worth the barely-audible whistle... and instillation of something like that isnt hard.. i just bought a cotton cone filter rather than getting an expensive kkm setup... i used the stock airtube and it works just fine... the screw ontop of the cover above the throttle body takes that piece off and once that is off, it is extremely easy to remove the airtube... i think instillation will be simple

 

[kert0307]

soooo....... Is the whistle coming from the filter or the intake tube. I may not know what I'm talking about here, but if its the intake tube (the big rubbery/plasticy tube connecting the airfilter to the throttlebody) couldn't you modify the inside of the tube to dampen the whistling sound somehow? Or just make the tube bigger? Or is it just hopeless?

I'm pretty sure the noise would either be coming from the mas air flow sensor or the throttle body itself because the intake tube is smooth. It just whistles now because there is more Air flow going through it. There it really nothing you can do except maybe dynamat the interior of the car so you hear less road noise. Most people tend to like the whistle....

 

[blitzk]

I took my KKM off because the whistle was so annoying!

I just bought a K&N intake and I'm going to try to mod it some way and get it
to fit.

I've installed about a dozen FIPK (K&N) kits and I've never gotten a whistle as annoying as the KKM on my X. I'm not saying it's directly the fault of the KKM, it could be the way the X was designed.

 

[o6tnineo]

I've narrowed it down some more. I had to take my X into the dealership for some maintenance, which required me to put the stock airbox back in. Well after I removed the kkm I decided to take a quick lap around the block without any air filter. and guess what...... The whistle was there and was louder than w/ the kkm installed. I then put the stock kit back on and the whistle was barely audible. I don't think it is the kkm kit's fault. it has to be in the tube or throttle body somewhere.


I really like the throaty sound the kkm makes when I get on it. But its that G'damn whistling sound that annoys the hell out of me. I guess I'm just gonna have to keep fighting the good fight and figure this out.

 

[rama1200]

It think it is just the a combinations of the accoustics of the piping and the filter... and maybe the AIT sensor (is that the name of that sensor in the pipe?)...

I know is not just the kkm that makes this noice; my wife's nissan quest has a stock box intake and it whistles too.

I noticed that the whistle gets louder at about 2200 rpm... when I let go of the pedal, the whistle goes.

I don't recall having the whistle with the stock air box...

Install was very simple... the hardest part was to pop out the stock air box, which I did with a screwdriver... one thing I didn't like is that the screws weren't to good, one of them broke.

here is a link to my after-installed kkm

 

[kert0307]

The whistle is from the throttle body, take the whole intake off, and start up the truck and rev it up a couple times. Its the nature of the whole butterfly valve....You notice it more with aftermarket intakes because there is more flow...

 

[KRAM1]

It think it is just the a combinations of the accoustics of the piping and the filter... and maybe the AIT sensor (is that the name of that sensor in the pipe?)...

I know is not just the kkm that makes this noice; my wife's nissan quest has a stock box intake and it whistles too.

I noticed that the whistle gets louder at about 2200 rpm... when I let go of the pedal, the whistle goes.

I don't recall having the whistle with the stock air box...

Install was very simple... the hardest part was to pop out the stock air box, which I did with a screwdriver... one thing I didn't like is that the screws weren't to good, one of them broke.

here is a link to my after-installed kkm

no link

 

[o6tnineo]

I hope i'm not pushing my luck here but is there anything I can do to the throttle body or air intake holes to change the amount of air required to make the whistling sound?

I mean, it would be sooooo much less annoying if the whistle started at anywhere over ~3200 rpms. (ya know, a range that I'm not in very often) But as it is now, just driving down the road, it is around 2000 rpms. When go up and incline or just accelerate gradually, I seem to hit the magic rpm spot and the whistle begins.

 

[redneck2725]

Turn your radio up. Problem solved

 

[o6tnineo]

With all the research I've been doing to get more ooomph out of my 05 X 4.0L I've come to the following three things:

1. KKM (or equivilent)
2. Exhaust (This is what my question is about)
3. Chip/Programmer (SCT X-CAL II seems to be the most popular)

ok... If I have to live with the whistle, I might as well keep going and put on some exhaust. I'm mainly looking for performance gains and really don't care about the sound although I really don't want my exhaust to sound ricey.

Do I need a cat back system to obtain the performance gains or do I just need a new muffler and tip?

I understand that the stock exhaust pipe (between the cat and muffler) is 2" and aftermarket pipes are 2.25"+. Does a 4.0L really put out that much exhaust to require >2" ? Or is the muffler the most restrictive part of the whole system?

 

[kert0307]

Depends on where you want your performance, low or high rpm range.

 

[o6tnineo]

low/mid

 

[o6tnineo]

I've tried searching but, is the muffler or cat the most restrictive piece in the exhaust system? Would I see a fair performance gain by putting on an aftermarket muffler? Or would I need the whole system/cat-back?


Thanks for the help again.