Air box maintenance

csrobb007

csrobb007

New member
I have a 94, V-6, Auto that I have done a few things to in the hopes of increasing economy...with respect to maintenance, oil, air cleaner, etc., I have been told that the sensor that sits on top of the air box needs periodic cleaning? Similar to a mass air sensor, is it safe to clean? And if so, what is the best way, and with what? Carb cleaner?
Next....has anyone seen a benefit to using aftermarket ignition items such as a MSD 6 box, wires, etc? Or does the stock ignition work fine enough without upgrade?
My goal is 30mpg...I'm at 27 to the gallon now. I know this probably doesn't sound like much of an increase, but I use the truck for travel to central Washington from Southern Oregon, twice a month (800 miles round trip), in all kinds of weather including ice and snow.
Thanks for any help.
 
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I don't have any answers to your questions unfortunately, but I have to say that you appear to be getting excellent economy on that thing already! I truly wish I could get that good. I have the same truck and about the best I have returned, and this is down in Florida to boot, is around 18mpg and from what I've read that is pretty good for the 3VZE 6cyl. I'd love to know more about how you get 27mpg on this truck.
 
Frankly I went "back to basics" as much as possible without effecting the computer beyond it's parameters. I treated the engine like an air pump, with efficiency in mind...free it up (air that is). K&N in the stock box, with NO modifications (it already sucks cold air), removed the plugged up CAT (shhhhh), and when changing that, moved the O2 sensors to the position of fore and aft a free flowing muffler (Flowmaster 2.5"). Where the air travels from the box to the intake, modified the path so as not to allow the exhaust manifold to heat it (keep the air cold), plumbed all nessesary lines to my tube...volaah!. I started on my first trip to Yakima at 17.5MPG with no work done to the truck (as I remember I bought the truck on a Thursday, and took trip next day at noon). Returned home to start work on it, changed to synthetic oil tip to tip...engine, trans, diffs, and added 1 ounce of acetone per 10 gallons of fuel (1.5 oz per FULL tank), did the air cleaner, all filters, and two weeks later made the second trip...20 mpg was the result.
Back into the shop for the exhaust, and intake tube work, etc...next trip, 24 mpg. Repacked wheel bearings, and noticed that the trans got hot...not extreme, but hot all the same, and had the trans light come on once during a pretty hard pull over Sadis pass in Washington...solution...got an air scoop similar to the new pickups, and since I was planning a paint change anyway, hacked a hole in the hood far enough back to shove cold air down behind the motor and down to the trans...next trip...27mpg and thats where I sit.
I have machined the axle coupler plates on the front end (2wd for now) and am waiting for hubs from Warn...so who knows on the nex trip (this Friday)
 
I don't know if it's the "only" recipe...but it seems to work?
Manual transmissions will or can be plumbed with a cooler, just like a diff.
Some of the trophy trucks will have them for the longer races, but you need a suplimental pump designed for oil, not fuel. I got my hubs, and leave for Washington Friday...I'm hoping for an increase that offsets the cost. If nothing else, it will save the wear and tear on front end components (which I guess is a savings in the long term.
The paint also looks awesome after final cut and buff..changes three different colors in the sun...not that that makes it run any better...but?
 

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I don't buy it.
27 mpg from a 3 liter, in a pig of a truck, with THOSE tires/wheels and that bumper, and a slushbox....
I dont buy it, unless the acetone is really that big a deal.
 
Rix said:
I don't buy it.
27 mpg from a 3 liter, in a pig of a truck, with THOSE tires/wheels and that bumper, and a slushbox....
I dont buy it, unless the acetone is really that big a deal.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. Sounds miscalculated. :hiding:
 
Wow...All I have is receipts, and a calculator, and it's got new batteries.
Why would I bull**** anybody about gas mileage? If I were here to do something like that, it would be a little more interesting than MPG.
All I did was answer a polite question about how I did it, not knowing how, what, or why anyone else is doing what they do with their trucks...frankly it's my opinion that most people complicate situations too much with the lasest cool guy mod...an engine is an air pump, make it pump air more efficiently, and power / mileage is a by-product...no super duper modifications...no rocket science...just common sense.
Syn oil for less drag, trans maintinance so it doesn't slip, larger tires (yes, a little more drag, but on the flat land...do the math of diameter versus distance), keeping things cool means less slip in the trans and or density in the air charge= more efficient 4th stroke in the rotation.
My goal is an efficient form of transportation in the snow...I build plenty of engines with horsepower / torque as the goal (see pic of my latest), so if I want to talk sh*t...it would be on a different forum.
Sorry if I've upset anyone, it wasn't the goal...I just simply wanted to know what the best cleaner for the maf sensor was, not start a "prove it" type discussion.
By the way...the pic is of a 8-71 blown, 557 inch Ford with Snow methanol injection for cooling. 1400 hp / 1000 ftlbs torque on pump gas that is in my 33 roadster. (and still gets 15 mpg)
 

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That's all well and good, and I'm not one to dismiss anything lightly, but I just don't see it.
I've seen all the same done, and more, even the fitch catalyst, etc etc, and with the exception of the acetone, all of it was good for a 10% increase in economy AT BEST. Around 21 mpg, one was higher, but not an auto.
Not 50%. 10.
Just putting 32s on my truck DROPPED economy by 5-6 %, from 31s.
I just don't believe a 3.0, autotragic, bigger tired runner is getting very nearly 30mpg.
Sorry.

But back to the original question:
For cleaning the maf sensor, which gets contaminated with oil vapor, fuel vapor, particulate, and air filter oil in the case of oiled filters, simple brake cleaner works REALLY well.
It leaves no residue to further collect more crud.
 
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Thanks Rix..just what I needed to know. I don't (havn't) fooled with the computer managed FI systems much (any of them)...carb(s) are kinda my thing, so I'm on sort of a learning curve. As far as the other discussion, I don't know any more than what my gas receipts versus mapquest (for mileage, given the odometer is a bit off) tells me...?
 
Well, we just arrived in Yakima Washington after leaving Klamath Falls Oregon at seven this morning...Filled up in K Falls, and filled again in Madras Oregon...7.5 gallons, for 179.49 miles, equals= 23.86 MPG. I cleaned the MAF sensor with brake cleaner (CRC) but didn't use acetone on this trip...who knows, I'll try it on the return trip...On the Madras to Yakima leg we dropped to 22 to the gallon due to two passes we go over, but that still isn't bad.
This is'nt meant to start another s-storm argument, just thought I'd throw it out there.
 
All the acetone does is reduce the surface tension of gasoline..(thins it basically) and allows a better burn. I've done it in the past with some of my blown cars, and with a touch of timing adjustment, no detonation issues. Timing is obviously something that's non adjustable with the computer taking control, but I have seen a slight improvement. I'm assuming that some of the improvement is from a cleaning effect it has on the fuel system, injector(s) etc., but at about 25 cents an ounce...it's cost effective when compaired to other system cleaners on the market.
 
Timing is adjustable. The curve is computer controlled, but advancing the timing, say, 5 degrees, will advance the entire timing map 5 degrees, minus knock sensor re****ation, of course.
 
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