ANOTHER KKM question

[Fantasymon]

My Dads making me take my 2000 Explorer to a local mechanic to put my KKM in because he doesnt trust me. Well anyways today he took my explorer without telling me to the mechanic. He took the KKM with him and asked the mechanic about it.
The mechanic told him something like:

"You shouldnt put this on an Explorer. Expecially a new one. The factory filter gets all of its air from the very front of the grill allowing more cold air to get in. But this [KKM] will just grab all of the air from the engine which is very hot air. This thing is made for racing and you will not feel any extra power or mpg. You will be better off leaving the factory filter on. Also this [KKM] will be very hard to clean."

Is this true? I realize that the KKM does take in much more air but is it getting its air from a different place than the factory filter? How about cleaning?

Now my Dad is strongly against me putting this KKM in my Explorer. I have already bought it too!

Thanks,
Grant

 

[espnfreak]

dude this KKM is nothing big, i wouldnt waste money when you could easily do it youself. just my opinion..your dad is taking the mechanics thoughts a little too serious. I mean, the auto mechanic is out to make a buck. Why do you think they would not reccomend aftermarket products?
I have heard a lot of good things about the KKM and i think that doing it yourself would save you the trouble of dealing with a shop that doesnt have a lot of expertise in installing the kkm.

 

[glc8937]

Well Grant...I have it in my 93 X and I can say with a definite 100% answer that it has increased my horsepower and mpg. By how much...don't know??

I know that it drives better, quicker acceleration, and doesn't scream for help when pulling or going up a hill. It breathes better!! Picture someone with asthma...an inhaler makes them breather better. The KKM is my truck's inhaler!

As far as cleaning....couple times a year is all that is needed...and it is EASY!! Stock filters you have to replace (should anyways).

Just my opinion though.

 

[tbomb]

ok grant, heres the deal. the KKM gets its air from both outside and inside the engine bay. the air from inside the engine bay is warmer. i wouldnt worry about it, i have it installed on my truck and its no big deal. sometime this week i might try to build a cold air intake, which is basically just a tube run from the KKM area to the grill or bumper or somewhere up front to get more cold air to the filter.

as far as cleaning goes, i havent done it yet, but i hear its pretty easy. i just bought the K&N cleaning kit (same thing) and ill do it in a few months - the cleaning thing shouldnt be a factor into whether or not you use the KKM.

and try to do it yourself. it takes about 30-45 minutes, and its only a few screws. very easy, the directions show it all, and theyre pretty straight forward.

let us know what happens.

 

[Robert]

Grant, I have the K&N FIPK equivalent and I live in the Phoenix area. I have seen it get over 100 degrees 8 months of the year. I have monitored my intake air temperature (IAT) during the summer with my OBD-II scanner. What I found was that at idle, my IAT can run about 40-50 warmer than ambient. However within 3 or 4 seconds of moving my IAT drops to within 10 degrees of ambient. I do feel a significant gain in performance during the winter. Right now when it is really hot out, I don't feel any gain, however I didn't loose anything from stock either. I make regular trips to the desert and yes my filter does get quite filthy, however it cleans right up with the cleaning kit. I guess you are in a predictament since your Dad own's your Explorer. Once you buy your own, you get to make the calls

 

[rpenner54]

Dude if its your Explorer, owned by you then why does your dad think he has anything to say about what you do to it? If its not and its his you gotta wait till you get your own I guess. I have the KKM and your mechanic may be right about the way the stock filter pulls cold air in but imagine sucking air through a straw and then through a 20" duct. Thats the differnce. The KKM sucks air, the stock filter has to strugle to pull the little air it can.

 

[DarkFox1]

heh, I have asthma.. so I know what thats like.. I guess I have one of those ford boxes I've been reading all over the forum for these kkm posts trying to see whats up with them.. I'm glad to hear you didn't feel a performance loss during the summer, only a gain in the winter, its 90+ here everday right now as I said on the other post, so I probablly wont feel a diff. when I get mine.

the best bet when working with something on your ride your parents do not approve of is to go around them.. that may sound bad, but parents tend to worry too much on some things.. if I hadn't convinced my parents neon looked good under a car I would have never got mine. it took me buying a 20" tube and holding it under my runningboard to show them.. (this was 3 years ago, so they had a much tighter grip on what I do than now) if the mods you do are tasteful, they should let off in a few years, even if it is technically their vehicle.. I know mine have, maybe my parents are generous, I dunno

 

[Fantasymon]

rpenner54---
It is my explorer however my dad bought it for me...He tells me that if it were a couple years older or if the warranty was up he wouldnt have a problem with me doing all this stuff. But since he bought me the 2000 brand new I kinda have to listen to him right now...
well at least for 1 more week till i go to college!

Grant-P

 

[mikeresin]

if you are takeing it to college with you then just put the kkm in up there

 

[Skunk]

worried bout hot air?

check this out

Dead Link Removed

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by Robert
I do feel a significant gain in performance during the winter. Right now when it is really hot out, I don't feel any gain, however I didn't loose anything from stock either. I make regular trips to the desert and yes my filter does get quite filthy,

I live in South Florida and feel an incr4ease in power ( as well as gas mileage ) EVERY DAY. Its hot here most of the year ( today was 97 F ).

I feel the filter works all the time.

 

[PLRBEAR]

Wait....hang on. Your dad let you do all this:

1)Black Westin Sportsman Brushguard
2)Chrome Westin Nerf Bars
3)Cobra-R 17X9 rims
4)Yokohama Geolander A/T +2  265/70/17 tires
5)Catz MSC Fog lights in factory holes
6)2" TT/Shackle lift
7)12" Kicker Competition Subwoofer
8)500 watt Kicker Impulse Amp
9)Flowmaster 50 Series with Chrome tip.
10)Clear Euro Altezza Tail Lights
11)Show-Off Xenon super-white head lights
12)Catch-All Cargo Mat

Most of these are for aesthetics and pleasure, while the 2"TT/Shackle lift increases your CG...but he won't let you put the KKM in??? Is there something we're missing here?

 

[leenjen]

yeah the KKM doesnt put stress on anything, it helps the engine "breate" easier. why did he let you put in the aftermarket amp and sub? that puts more stress on the alternator.

 

[Fantasymon]

He wasn't too keen on the lift but its mainly just engine stuff he doesnt want me touching whatsoever.

What is CG?

Grant

 

[Hotweels]

A mechanic friend of mine always gave me long speaches about the air and exhaust math BLA BLA BLA, i went out and bought a K&N filter for his 91 cavalier RS and that shut him up real fast, now he is thinking about drilling some holes in his air box and a custom exhaust all i have to say is HA HA HA

 

[mikeresin]

well if it is a 2000 model his dad probably doesnt want to viod the warrenty. none of the other stuff he has done to the car effects the warenty. the kkm will void it.

 

[PLRBEAR]

Originally posted by mikeresin
well if it is a 2000 model his dad probably doesnt want to viod the warrenty. none of the other stuff he has done to the car effects the warenty. the kkm will void it.

Well, if his alternator goes, i'm sure the dealer will blame it on the stereo. Battery going....same thing. Electrical problems? Try the Altezzas, is there any water in it?
I can just hear the dealerships saying, "Wheel bearings problems? Oh....damn...those rims are not built for an Explorer! Plus the tires are not factory recommended sizes. Spring pack got a problem? Oh dear...Sir...you've got aftermarket shackles. Oh, and btw, we're gonna have to void the warranty on your CV joints since you jacked the vehicle up with the torsion twist."
If the dealership wants to screw around and give you a hard time, they can. Based on the mods, they can easily prove that you overloaded their electricals etc etc. You know the drill.

I'm not trying to say that you shouldn't have done these mods, 'cause i've done almost the same stuff on mine. I'm just confused as to why your dad stopped dead in his tracks at the KKM.

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by mikeresin
well if it is a 2000 model his dad probably doesnt want to viod the warrenty. none of the other stuff he has done to the car effects the warenty. the kkm will void it.

Check out my reply towards the end of the thread at http://208.38.138.31/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32920&highlight=MagnusonMoss. Basically if his MAF fails due to contamination, then yes Ford can void the warranty on the MAF. There is very little else that they can void the warranty on due to the KKM. If they did, they would be required to prove that the KKM caused the part to fail if it ever wound up in court per the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

 

[mikeresin]

well my friend omar has a 98 mustang gt. he put on an air intake and an h-pipe and flows and a shorty shifter . he also had an extended 2 year warrenty on it. every time he would take it too the dealer they didnt give a damn about the h-pipe or the flows. but one time he forgot to take off the air intake before taking his car in and they voided his warrenty for that.

 

[Robert]

They can not void your warranty for having it installed. They can void the warranty on anything that is damaged by the open air filter. However, if the consumer takes them to court, they are required to prove that the modification caused the failure. It is very clear on the Federal Trade Commisions web-site. I would refer Omar to their web-site and have him look up "Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act". Print it out and take it back to the dealer. A dealer can tell you anything they want to, and most will tell you that they will void your warranty. They tried telling me that about my SuperChip. However my SuperChip came with a notice that referred me to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and included the 800 number for the FTC as well as SuperChip. It said to call the FTC if you ever run into a problem getting a manufacturer to honor the warranty due to the installation of an aftermarket item. When I mentioned that to the Service Advisor he then changed his tune from "will automatically void your warranty" to "if it causes any damage, that item will have the warranty voided". It's true that if you are up against a stubborn, mis-informed dealer then it is just easier to remove the item before taking it in. Most people don't have the time and money to fight with Ford, regardless of whether or not the consumer is right.