hey! i just read ur message, and im new to this explorer forum, but ur message cought my eye because i have the same explorer you do and i put a 77 series K&N intake on mine and started doing the same thing, but only during cold weather, 55 or below, the colder the worst. but i have the whole stock intake system intacted, i took it of when my car was 13k miles old.....message me if u r still interested in it..