DiggetyDan
New member
Creating a place to post updates as the mods progress.
DiggetyDan's Build Thread
- Thread starter DiggetyDan
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
DiggetyDan
New member
AFe Cold Air Intake a.k.a. CAI - Before and After video
Just swapped out the stock intake with an AFe.
I took a before and after video. The link below has before and after pictures of the install as well as a before and after video of acceleration onto the highway.
AFe Cold Air Intake before and after - YouTube
There are several threads that discuss whether or not there are benefits to a CAI. It seems the consensus is there is negligible improvements (if any) to power or gas mileage but there is a noticeable difference in sound when accelerating.
Below are some quick thoughts:
on the installation: pretty straight forward install. instructions were ok. took a little over an hour but i had to go back and forth for a few tools so I'd estimate a 30-45 min install in garage
on the unit: the filter cover is high quality, the rest of the unit is molded plastic around brass fittings, ok for a truck but not something you'd open your hood to show a buddy
on the performance: i have not measured gas mileage and don't have resources to run a dyno so no comment here. When you goose it i do notice less lag time in acceleration, small but noticeable, less hesitation.
on the sound: at idle and early/light acceleration no difference. higher RPM/faster acceleration, noticeable difference - I like it. Reference the video above to hear what it sounds like.
Overall - this was a good saturday morning project. I like the sound difference and I'm not expecting anything in terms significant HP gains. If I'm able to shave off a half mile mpg great but we'll see. So far I'm happy with the purchase.
Installation Tips:
1. Part of the build includes installing a rubber tubing around the air intake to create a seal between the box and the fend wall where it draws air in. In my kit the tubing was longer than needed so I needed to cut it to fit. If yours is too long be careful when cutting. You're wrapping the tube around a curved surface so where the bottom meets is going to be shorter than where the top will meet when the it is fully installed. I made the mistake of cutting a straight line where the bottom meets and then when it was completely installed there was a small gap that i could see light through when it was finally bolted in place. I fixed it with some black duct tape.
2. The instructions mention moving the horn. The horn will be in the way when you install the new box. Moving it is very easy. There is a pre-drilled hole a few inches closer to the firewall that will fit the bolt that secures the horn. NOTE: moving the horn will require cutting away some of the black electric tape holding the horn wire as it comes out of the larger wiring harness (be careful when cutting you don't nick the wire).
3. When installing the box for the first time getting it bolted to the body was a little tricky. There is a small tab under the inside engine compartment air intake (the one that can be plugged) that prevents the box from sitting quite right at first. This seems to be a tab that can be used to hold down a second battery. At first I tried to fit it so the intake was under/behind this tab, then thought of bending it out of the way. Give it some jiggling and it will eventually fit OVER the tab.
4. When you detach the MAF sensor it's going to come off connected to the wiring harness. When reattaching it to the new intake pipe I'd suggest detaching the sensor from the harness. This will give you more room to work and eliminate the risk of pulling out some wire.
5. When attaching middle plastic pipe to the rubber adapter housing on each end (one of the last steps) DO NOT TIGHTEN any of the until after you have it all put together. The rubber is squishy and slippery and it takes some maneuvering to get everything to fit into place, then you're going to want to twist it so it sits at the right angle. I found this to be the trickiest part.
6. Suggest securing the wiring harness for the MAF sensor to the intake body. I used black zip ties. This wasn't part of the instructions but the original wiring harness was secured at three places to the stock unit and the new set up has none. I also just think it's good practice to minimize any movement inside the engine compartment.
In some other threads I've seen mention of a hissing sound with this unit. If I were a betting man I'd wager that this is coming from an imperfect seal between the intake box and the fender wall. There is some contour to this surface area plus the seal that is used has a gap where the seam is that will let air in, and at the right speed it looks like the perfect culprit for the hiss. I would imagine this would probably only be a problem when the plug that stops air from the engine compartment from coming in is in place, and that little gap is the only place for additional air to come in. If you are having a hissing sound I would:
1-determine if the plug is in or out, if it is in remove it and try to replicate sound
2-remove the intake cover and filter
3-inspect the seal that connects the box to the fender wall, try using a flashlight on the outside of the box and try to see if it comes through anywhere inside through the seal (I could see a little light through mine from my mis-measured cut)
4-fix seal
Question for anyone who has one - the unit comes with a rubber plug that covers the hole that lets air in from the engine compartment. I am assuming this is to be used when in extreme conditions like the desert. I'm assuming that for normal driving the plug would be OFF to get the effect of the unit. Probably a dumb question but the instructions didn't mention what the plug was for and I want to make sure I'm operating this correctly on a daily basis. Is this right?
Just swapped out the stock intake with an AFe.
I took a before and after video. The link below has before and after pictures of the install as well as a before and after video of acceleration onto the highway.
AFe Cold Air Intake before and after - YouTube
There are several threads that discuss whether or not there are benefits to a CAI. It seems the consensus is there is negligible improvements (if any) to power or gas mileage but there is a noticeable difference in sound when accelerating.
Below are some quick thoughts:
on the installation: pretty straight forward install. instructions were ok. took a little over an hour but i had to go back and forth for a few tools so I'd estimate a 30-45 min install in garage
on the unit: the filter cover is high quality, the rest of the unit is molded plastic around brass fittings, ok for a truck but not something you'd open your hood to show a buddy
on the performance: i have not measured gas mileage and don't have resources to run a dyno so no comment here. When you goose it i do notice less lag time in acceleration, small but noticeable, less hesitation.
on the sound: at idle and early/light acceleration no difference. higher RPM/faster acceleration, noticeable difference - I like it. Reference the video above to hear what it sounds like.
Overall - this was a good saturday morning project. I like the sound difference and I'm not expecting anything in terms significant HP gains. If I'm able to shave off a half mile mpg great but we'll see. So far I'm happy with the purchase.
Installation Tips:
1. Part of the build includes installing a rubber tubing around the air intake to create a seal between the box and the fend wall where it draws air in. In my kit the tubing was longer than needed so I needed to cut it to fit. If yours is too long be careful when cutting. You're wrapping the tube around a curved surface so where the bottom meets is going to be shorter than where the top will meet when the it is fully installed. I made the mistake of cutting a straight line where the bottom meets and then when it was completely installed there was a small gap that i could see light through when it was finally bolted in place. I fixed it with some black duct tape.
2. The instructions mention moving the horn. The horn will be in the way when you install the new box. Moving it is very easy. There is a pre-drilled hole a few inches closer to the firewall that will fit the bolt that secures the horn. NOTE: moving the horn will require cutting away some of the black electric tape holding the horn wire as it comes out of the larger wiring harness (be careful when cutting you don't nick the wire).
3. When installing the box for the first time getting it bolted to the body was a little tricky. There is a small tab under the inside engine compartment air intake (the one that can be plugged) that prevents the box from sitting quite right at first. This seems to be a tab that can be used to hold down a second battery. At first I tried to fit it so the intake was under/behind this tab, then thought of bending it out of the way. Give it some jiggling and it will eventually fit OVER the tab.
4. When you detach the MAF sensor it's going to come off connected to the wiring harness. When reattaching it to the new intake pipe I'd suggest detaching the sensor from the harness. This will give you more room to work and eliminate the risk of pulling out some wire.
5. When attaching middle plastic pipe to the rubber adapter housing on each end (one of the last steps) DO NOT TIGHTEN any of the until after you have it all put together. The rubber is squishy and slippery and it takes some maneuvering to get everything to fit into place, then you're going to want to twist it so it sits at the right angle. I found this to be the trickiest part.
6. Suggest securing the wiring harness for the MAF sensor to the intake body. I used black zip ties. This wasn't part of the instructions but the original wiring harness was secured at three places to the stock unit and the new set up has none. I also just think it's good practice to minimize any movement inside the engine compartment.
In some other threads I've seen mention of a hissing sound with this unit. If I were a betting man I'd wager that this is coming from an imperfect seal between the intake box and the fender wall. There is some contour to this surface area plus the seal that is used has a gap where the seam is that will let air in, and at the right speed it looks like the perfect culprit for the hiss. I would imagine this would probably only be a problem when the plug that stops air from the engine compartment from coming in is in place, and that little gap is the only place for additional air to come in. If you are having a hissing sound I would:
1-determine if the plug is in or out, if it is in remove it and try to replicate sound
2-remove the intake cover and filter
3-inspect the seal that connects the box to the fender wall, try using a flashlight on the outside of the box and try to see if it comes through anywhere inside through the seal (I could see a little light through mine from my mis-measured cut)
4-fix seal
Question for anyone who has one - the unit comes with a rubber plug that covers the hole that lets air in from the engine compartment. I am assuming this is to be used when in extreme conditions like the desert. I'm assuming that for normal driving the plug would be OFF to get the effect of the unit. Probably a dumb question but the instructions didn't mention what the plug was for and I want to make sure I'm operating this correctly on a daily basis. Is this right?
Last edited:
Dongbeiren
New member
It's hard to tell any difference from the video, I wonder if aFe has measured the gas mileage or bhp before and after the mod.
Dlak
New member
I don't think they measured the gas mileage but they did Dyno my truck with the prototype system on it. Don't think they got any significant gains or else I am sure they would be posting the stats. But at least we know that they go as far as dynoing when they build their intakes.
DiggetyDan
New member
Hi Qjake - just added some installation notes you might find helpful. good luck.
DiggetyDan
New member
Euro Style Antenna
Purchased from ebay:
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices
Purchased from ebay:
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices
Attachments
Qjake
New member
Thank you! I too was wondering about that plug for the engine compartment intake, there is no mention of it in the destructions other than it being on the parts list. :shrug: Also good call on fenderwall seal i'll be sure it's sealed tight.
Last edited:
DiggetyDan
New member
Thoughts on WeatherTec Digital Fit floor maps
Wanted to throw out some completely subjective opinions/impressions of the weathertech digital floor mats in case it helps someone with their decision if they're deciding on which brand/type to go with.
I have a black set for the front and back seats as well as the cargo section. I'll review them separately.
Floor mats:
The mats fit great and I like the way they look. They're low profile and fit well with the interior. They clean up very easily.
Some of the things that make me question whether I'd buy them again having had them for a little while:
-the mats are hard plastic, this took a little getting used to, the mats that I've been used to either cloth or spongy type material. I'm at the dealer now and felt the weather tech all weather (vs digital) and they seem to be a different material. I prefer the more spongy softer material. When driving my heel slips on the plastic and it also feels a little weird/less comfortable under my feet.
The cargo piece has a smooth bottom and therefore slides out of place easily. Every time I open the rear door I end up needing to shift the cargo mat back into place. They might want to consider putting some kind of bumps or little spikes to keep it from moving in future models.
I haven't seen the husky's in person. That seems to be another popular option.
Again this is all personal opinion. Fit and finish the weathertech digital come out on top, but the weird feeling of resting on hard plastic and the slippery rear cargo mat were cons to me. Not enough to replace them (they are expensive!!) but would reconsider and would check out husky's or the weathertech all weathers going back in time.
Wanted to throw out some completely subjective opinions/impressions of the weathertech digital floor mats in case it helps someone with their decision if they're deciding on which brand/type to go with.
I have a black set for the front and back seats as well as the cargo section. I'll review them separately.
Floor mats:
The mats fit great and I like the way they look. They're low profile and fit well with the interior. They clean up very easily.
Some of the things that make me question whether I'd buy them again having had them for a little while:
-the mats are hard plastic, this took a little getting used to, the mats that I've been used to either cloth or spongy type material. I'm at the dealer now and felt the weather tech all weather (vs digital) and they seem to be a different material. I prefer the more spongy softer material. When driving my heel slips on the plastic and it also feels a little weird/less comfortable under my feet.
The cargo piece has a smooth bottom and therefore slides out of place easily. Every time I open the rear door I end up needing to shift the cargo mat back into place. They might want to consider putting some kind of bumps or little spikes to keep it from moving in future models.
I haven't seen the husky's in person. That seems to be another popular option.
Again this is all personal opinion. Fit and finish the weathertech digital come out on top, but the weird feeling of resting on hard plastic and the slippery rear cargo mat were cons to me. Not enough to replace them (they are expensive!!) but would reconsider and would check out husky's or the weathertech all weathers going back in time.
DiggetyDan
New member
DiggetyDan
New member
Gobi Stealth Rack - observation
Wanted to point out a quick observation on the Gobi rack. I'm just realizing that the two cross bars that go across the middle of the rack are higher up, breaking up the cargo space areas.
This isn't a bad thing and probably makes sense for most applications since you can segment your gear and the bars can act as a latch for the bungee/tie downs while also preventing gear from sliding around.
What this does mean though is that something longer than the sections will ride on top of the rack vs inside it. Something like plywood or a bureau would not sit within the cage, it would be on top of it.
Anyway, like I said this isn't good or bad in my opinion just hadn't thought to look at that specifically before purchasing. Would I purchase again knowing this, for sure.
Wanted to point out a quick observation on the Gobi rack. I'm just realizing that the two cross bars that go across the middle of the rack are higher up, breaking up the cargo space areas.
This isn't a bad thing and probably makes sense for most applications since you can segment your gear and the bars can act as a latch for the bungee/tie downs while also preventing gear from sliding around.
What this does mean though is that something longer than the sections will ride on top of the rack vs inside it. Something like plywood or a bureau would not sit within the cage, it would be on top of it.
Anyway, like I said this isn't good or bad in my opinion just hadn't thought to look at that specifically before purchasing. Would I purchase again knowing this, for sure.
Attachments
1traildriver
New member
knowing what you know now...
So knowing this about the top cross bars, and knowing that Gobi will customize it for you, would you suggest just 1 cross bar? centered on the rack? making 2 equal areas to store gear? or would you leave it as is?
I ask because I was thinking about asking to have mesh along the entire bottom (no break in the mesh), ask for 1 cross bar and order the sunroof insert. But I also have the J shaped Yakima universal kayak racks that I put on when taking the yaks to the lake. So I would need 2 cross bars unless I could use the rear of the rack and 1 center cross bar.
Any thoughts?
So knowing this about the top cross bars, and knowing that Gobi will customize it for you, would you suggest just 1 cross bar? centered on the rack? making 2 equal areas to store gear? or would you leave it as is?
I ask because I was thinking about asking to have mesh along the entire bottom (no break in the mesh), ask for 1 cross bar and order the sunroof insert. But I also have the J shaped Yakima universal kayak racks that I put on when taking the yaks to the lake. So I would need 2 cross bars unless I could use the rear of the rack and 1 center cross bar.
Any thoughts?
DiggetyDan
New member
Papa's got a new pair of shoes!
So I've been pretty inactive on the forum and haven't been doing any work on the Runner for the past year or so. Life, work, pregnant wife, you name it. I've been waiting for the factory tires to finally wear down so I could finally put some new shoes on. That day has finally come!
There have been a few recent posts about the KO2's and going from a 20" to 17" wheel so I thought I'd post some pics and provide some feedback.
I went from the stock 20" Limited wheels with factory 245's to a set of 17" Procomp 7069's with BFG TA/KO2 265/70/17.
I just picked up the truck a couple hours ago and have only driven about 20 miles. The two things I tried paying attention to right off were road noise and "feel" of going from 20 to 17.
Road Noise - Nothing on secondary roads and nothing on the highway until I hit over 80mph. I was expecting more noise going to the AT tire but was pleasantly surprised. I don't usually drive over 75 so the fact that the noise picked up at 80 isn't a concern. Side note: the guy at the tire shop said that road noise from AT tires isn't usually from the tread but rather a symptom of not rotating the tires frequently enough and the tread breaking down. He said because of the tread they should be rotated every 3k.
Feel - this is hard to explain but you can notice a difference but I think really only because I was paying so close attention. The only thing I really noticed was when I turned a little harder that normal there is a little more give side to side. This was to be expected having more rubber on the side. I actually like the way the truck rides now.
I was seeing 17.1MPG prior to the swap out and will report back in a little while to say whether that changes either way.
Overall - really happy with the new look and feel. With the black rims I'm noticing the chrome trim everywhere...time to get the plastidip bottle...
So I've been pretty inactive on the forum and haven't been doing any work on the Runner for the past year or so. Life, work, pregnant wife, you name it. I've been waiting for the factory tires to finally wear down so I could finally put some new shoes on. That day has finally come!
There have been a few recent posts about the KO2's and going from a 20" to 17" wheel so I thought I'd post some pics and provide some feedback.
I went from the stock 20" Limited wheels with factory 245's to a set of 17" Procomp 7069's with BFG TA/KO2 265/70/17.
I just picked up the truck a couple hours ago and have only driven about 20 miles. The two things I tried paying attention to right off were road noise and "feel" of going from 20 to 17.
Road Noise - Nothing on secondary roads and nothing on the highway until I hit over 80mph. I was expecting more noise going to the AT tire but was pleasantly surprised. I don't usually drive over 75 so the fact that the noise picked up at 80 isn't a concern. Side note: the guy at the tire shop said that road noise from AT tires isn't usually from the tread but rather a symptom of not rotating the tires frequently enough and the tread breaking down. He said because of the tread they should be rotated every 3k.
Feel - this is hard to explain but you can notice a difference but I think really only because I was paying so close attention. The only thing I really noticed was when I turned a little harder that normal there is a little more give side to side. This was to be expected having more rubber on the side. I actually like the way the truck rides now.
I was seeing 17.1MPG prior to the swap out and will report back in a little while to say whether that changes either way.
Overall - really happy with the new look and feel. With the black rims I'm noticing the chrome trim everywhere...time to get the plastidip bottle...
