MAC Install - PITA

[Foo]

What a pain this thing was to get installed. ( Just a note: This was the correct MAC intake for the 96 4.0 OHV motor) After sticking everything together I quickly noticed their was no way in hell I was going to be able to get the air filter in and it was probably going to contact the hood. I ended up cutting more and more tube off to get it to fit (total: all of an inch... The tube would not slip all the way into the MAF no matter how much lube I put on it) Ah but better yet even after that the hood wouldn't close at all, well attempted to but smashed my filter a little in the process.

The next step was find a way to get the filter lower. After awhile of thinking I decided to take the mounting plate with the gromets in it off. I ripped out the gromets in the mounting plate and used 4 huge washers and a nut and bolt combination to attach the MAC plate to the bottom of the mounting plate. That would put it about an inch lower than what the instructions say to do.

Ah but better yet still, the filter was still making contact with the sensor for when the hood closes (maybe it's for the light, who knows). I quickly unplugged that and unbolted it.

My filter still makes contact with the lip on the side of the engine bay and touches the heat blanket on the hood (tomorrow that little area of the blanket will be cut out). I'm not too happy.



On the other hand I got my RS5000's done and wow what a difference. I still like the MAC though even though it was/still is being a b-tch. Makes my exhaust louder and I might of picked up a couple ponies.

I sent an e-mail to John V. I orderd it from EE.. I don't know what he can do it about it becuase it was the correct model though.

 

[alphabets13]

i hear ya. i love the MAC, but it was a pain to install. i know exactly what you mean about the filter. it was practically stickking up out of the top before i had to mod it like you did. also, mine did not come with a pre-drilled hole for that breather tube, so i had to have MAC send me the right grommet and i drilled it my self. it looks and works great, but man it was a pain to install.

 

[Foo]

Originally posted by alphabets13
i hear ya. i love the MAC, but it was a pain to install. i know exactly what you mean about the filter. it was practically stickking up out of the top before i had to mod it like you did. also, mine did not come with a pre-drilled hole for that breather tube, so i had to have MAC send me the right grommet and i drilled it my self. it looks and works great, but man it was a pain to install.

I really want to get it lower, I'm honestly thinking about cutting an inch of the MAC plate off and welding it back together... but I'm afraid it will look like straight @$$.

I thought this was just going to be an easy bolt in.. maybe take an hour at most lol try not huh ?

 

[Foo]

Wow that looks great....

that doesn't...

 

[youpey]

for an 01 explorer 5.0 it fit perfectly. I didnt have to do any mods to it at all. no forcing either

 

[Foo]

Maybe it's just a problem with the 96 XLT then.. But theres no difference between that and with other 96 OHV models right?

Should John V. Make a note of this on his site?

 

[NOTAJP]

That's a bummer about your problems. Wow, that looks great. I wish my battery wasn't there so I could get the filter in front of the headlight for some cooler air. Gonna have to mod it now.

 

[JOHN V.]

OK.........It sounds like Mac Products put the incorrect bracket in your kit . There is only one part number for the V6 OHV. I have sent another bracket out today for you 2nd day air. You should get it on Friday.

Let me know if this does the trick. Sorry you had a problem with it!

John V.

 

[Foo]

Originally posted by JOHN V.
OK.........It sounds like Mac Products put the incorrect bracket in your kit . There is only one part number for the V6 OHV. I have sent another bracket out today for you 2nd day air. You should get it on Friday.

Let me know if this does the trick. Sorry you had a problem with it!

John V.

Wow John, thanks for the service. See people this is why you buy from EE. They even fix other peoples (MAC's) Screw ups.

Thanks again! I'll post pictures with the differences.

 

[Foo]

Sadly John from the measurements I took it appears to be the exact same plate... Sunday when it's nice out (Finally above 50) I am going to take the plate off anyway and try to add some spacers to the bottom to maybe get it lower and will compare them side by side.

I will be 100% completey sure then...

 

[Heavymentill]

I just remover all the stock air box mounts down to the wheel well then removed the plastic nipples on the MAC mounting plate fits great. A bit challenging to get the filter on and off but no such contact with the hood.

 

[Foo]

Originally posted by 1996Limited
I just remover all the stock air box mounts down to the wheel well then removed the plastic nipples on the MAC mounting plate fits great. A bit challenging to get the filter on and off but no such contact with the hood.

This definetly is not the situation with mine, and the plates are exactly the same . When it warms up outside (right now it's 32* and snowing, still for christs sakes) I'm taking the saw to the spare plate and getting rid of an inch and welding back together. May even cut some groves into the base so I can slide forward or backward some more to try to get it where I want it to be.

 

[Foo]

I decided for my own sake I'm going to need a new air filter.. this one is just too ####ed up for me to trust really, preferably the same one that came in the mac kit, does anyone know where I can get a new one exactly?

 

[TarHeel085]

what about trimming the adapter that goes from the the filter to the MAF like an inch or two?

EDIT: your talking about height obviously, im suprised you cant rotate the whole pipe a couple of degrees down.

 

[Foo]

what about trimming the adapter that goes from the the filter to the MAF like an inch or two?

EDIT: your talking about height obviously, im suprised you cant rotate the whole pipe a couple of degrees down.

Well I could rotate the pipe but theres that whole fesky radiator fan in the way. My main problem is with the mounting plate really.

 

[JOHN V.]

Hang on a second, there is a different plate. We got it figured out now with very little help from Mac Products. We have the correct plate coming from Mac. Once I verify that is correct, I will send it to you at no charge. I can supply you with a new filter.

We actually sell many of the Mac Intakes without these problems. The product is a good onE when you get the correct parts. But I can tell you that the company is really screwed up!

I will continue to carry Mac Products because they work good and they are a good value. I will personaly help anybody that has problems with Mac Intakes.

Foo

Send me a reminder e-mail and I will take care of it on Monday.

John V.

 

[Foo]

Hang on a second, there is a different plate. We got it figured out now with very little help from Mac Products. We have the correct plate coming from Mac. Once I verify that is correct, I will send it to you at no charge. I can supply you with a new filter.

We actually sell many of the Mac Intakes without these problems. The product is a good onE when you get the correct parts. But I can tell you that the company is really screwed up!

I will continue to carry Mac Products because they work good and they are a good value. I will personaly help anybody that has problems with Mac Intakes.

Foo

Send me a reminder e-mail and I will take care of it on Monday.

John V.

John, even though with all the problems I've had with it It was worth the trouble for that little extra performance it did/does offer. And the reason I bought it was the fact it is a very good value.

Thanks for your continued service because it really means a lot to me, you don't find that often anymore. And reminder sent

 

[Foo]

I did do some more work on it today that can be seen, I smoothed out the pleats in the air filter as much as I possibly could and roated the ugly side to the back/bottom so it can't really be seen.

I added (2) .25' nuts and a decently thick washer to each bolt between the mounting plate and the plate on the explorer to drop it a good bit more.

The rubber around the edge of the air filter that connects to the plate was starting to tear apart completely from being at an odd angle and being pushed/shoved around when I got the gas hard. I fixed that with some superglue and electrical tape as much as possible now so I can still drive around for now.

 

[jdillon971]

I had the same problems as you all did, I am here in San Diego and called them on it. As I was on my way to the Feb MDR race I stopped at there headquarters and they braught out there...Mechanics. After many a different brackets they ended modding one that was shorter (MUSTANG) and then stuck it in a brake and changed the angle. Still after there parking lot fix it still rubbed like the pic above. I used 1/8" rubber as a spacer so it wouldn't chew up the filter.....(AGAIN). I am totally un happy with there product. Angles are wrong, clamps are binded and work lose and the filter issue! To boot they handed me like 50 friggin stickers....What a joke! Its still works but I wonder how many people blew 196.00 on this?

 

[jdillon971]

Sorry I ranted, but after all the effort on the install I was made out to not know what I was talking about with Ford and Mac who I called on it. To have it seen by them and still leave it in wrong leaves me with a sensitive spot! I should get a lifetime supply of filters and some pre filters too! LOL