Fining tuning for the Mile High City?

[rugger0215]

Do I need to make any engine mods or fine tuning due to the higher altitude? I just moved from Philadelphia to Denver.

 

[CONavajo]

Do I need to make any engine mods or fine tuning due to the higher altitude? I just moved from Philadelphia to Denver.

No, your engine's computer and related sensors will take care of it. If you are really paranoid you can disconnect the battery for 10 min. and then let it "learn" new settings.

But, one tip for you. You can use the 85 octane gas that is called regular un-leaded here just fine and save some coin versus the 87 or higher. I was unsure years ago when I moved but the altitude effectively raises the octane rating. I run 85 in my V10 SuperDuty all the time and even get better gas mileage.

Oh, welcome, Denver has to beat Philly far as places to live!

 

[410Fortune]

No tuning necessary but if you are going to be driving in the mountains alot you might consider a cold air intake and exhaust...

at the top of Eisenhouer pass it becomes real obvious who's vehicle has un-restricted breathing and who's doesnt

 

[rugger0215]

OK, I'll bite. What's the details behind cold air intake. Better gas mileage? more horses? better torque at lower rpms? Which C.A.I do you recommend and how much does it run? Did a brief search and found a K&N for $230.00

 

[410Fortune]

KKM from Kurtz Kustoms

K&N = WAY overpriced.

The key to a cold air intake is the cold air feed, alot of people install a K&N and call it good, well the stock airbox is better then that because it feeds the filter cool air from behind the grill.

Also to take advantage of a KKM style intake you will want to eliminate the restrictions installed from the factory in your stock intake, they are:
Stock intake duct to the airbox (very restrictive)
air silencer or muffler (above radiator, also resrtictive)
paper filter (very restrictive)

thats just an intro for you, there are many many things to consider, the basic rule is as follows:

1. Think of your engine as an air pump, the more air you pump the more power you will make.
2. You are only as good as your smallest bottleneck, so opening the intake up for free flow and not doing anything to the exhaust wont gain you anything.

When you get to the very high elevations your stock intake restrictions will become very obvious as it tries to suck oxygen and cant get enough.
I would pass people at the top of Eisenhouer pass with a pretty much stock BII, even V8 powered Explorer's and the like, because I had 0 restrictions on my intake

 

[Rhett]

Rugger my suggestion to you is, if you plan to go into the mountains (living in Den, you WILL want to go into the mountains), you will want as much power as possible. If you just stay in Denver (5500 ft) you won't have any problems. But if you run up to Loveland Pass (aka I-70 Eisenhower Tunnel) or Fremont or Berthoud or any of them you will want as much power as possible. Listen to 410's advice about opening your intake and exhaust because that will help; it's a lot cheaper than pulling the engine and doing headwork to boost hp, or installing a supercharger $$$$$.

My modded 4.0 V6 was pretty doggy up in the passes; I remember maintaining 55 mph which wasn't too bad. Even so I was passing people. But when I had my BII it only had a 2.9 and it seemed like my 4.0 didn't do any better. Times like that make me want the 302 in my truck. V8 Grand Cherokees eat up those passes, 65-70 mph.

 

[RickOTR]

You may be able to talk your local Ford dealer into reprograming the computer for the higher altitude. I bought my X when I lived in Florida and moved to Denver a year later. It ran ok, but lacked the power to climb over the mountain passes. After the dealer reprogramed the X, it ran much better. I also put a home made ram air kit into it, and can really tell the difference.

 

[rugger0215]

thanks for the info

Thanks for the info. I definately want to go up to the mountains as much as possible. I appreciate the help.