Has anyone cut a hole in their fender and mounted a large truck breather, outside of the engine compartment??

Or, am I going to be the guinea pig??

Under the hood must be a million degrees in the summer, compared to a cool, pleasant, almost 100 degrees outside air.

Thanks.

I haven't seen one. I think it would look gawd-awful outside.

I haven't seen one.

(And it might be because it'd be as ugly as sin.)

I would try to install some sort of under-radiator scoop or shaker-hood first...

(And it might be because it'd be as ugly as sin.)
Or as a older Southern lady I worked with would say - "That's as ugly as home-made sin." [laugh]

Or, am I going to be the guinea pig??
yep [laugh]

Bearkiller I saw one on a red ford in texas in the early 90's.
That southern lady was right :o
GW

Okay, let's assume that this breather is invisible.

How would it's function compare to other, less un-attractive alternatives??

If I go ahead with this, I can make it look like it belongs on the truck.

You would have to see the truck to understand; as, it already looks more like a road-tractor, than a pick-up.

Thanks.

do a search for BHAF. its pretty much what you're talking about. a huge breather on the passenger side fender. you can put a heatshield around it.

Isn't there enough space to fit a 5 inch tube behind the passenger headlight, straight down to under the front bumper?

Heck, take a piece of tubing and run it backwards under the truck and have it suck air from under the bed someplace. Or stick it into the cab through a hole in the firewall... Do a snorkel-esque design; suck air through one 6 inch stack, and put exhaust out the other matching pipe. (You could ford water that way.) Put a big ram-air scoop on your roof or hood, and duct the intake to that.

Out of ideas...

Isn't there enough space to fit a 5 inch tube behind the passenger headlight, straight down to under the front bumper?

Heck, take a piece of tubing and run it backwards under the truck and have it suck air from under the bed someplace. Or stick it into the cab through a hole in the firewall... Do a snorkel-esque design; suck air through one 6 inch stack, and put exhaust out the other matching pipe. (You could ford water that way.) Put a big ram-air scoop on your roof or hood, and duct the intake to that.

Out of ideas...

Some of these are quite good, but a couple have problems.

Under the bed, you could pick up a lot of dust on gravel roads.

Suction in the cab could produce the same result that shutting the snorkel head valve has on a submerged submarine - rapid increasing vacuum in the cab (note that at full throttle you might be pulling 640 ft3 a minute); or at least until the windows implode.

I like the dual-stack, one-in, one-out, idea. I'll bet you could plumb that (unless you have twins); might have to flatten the intake pipe in places to keep from getting too low. That would allow a big truck-type air filter, too.

The ram-air scoop could also work with a little ducting under the hood to put the air in the right place.

Regards, DBF

I looked at an old Emeryville that had two intake stacks, with big breathers, that Y-ed together behind the cab, then one big tube proceeded to the turbo inlet.

I need to go scavenging at the big truck graveyard.

Also, I would like to get ahold of someones dirty-done-with BHAF filter cartridge to experiment with.

A Ford is just a different animal under the hood, and a million things are in the way on that right side.

Thanks.

Okay, let's assume that this breather is invisible.

How would it's function compare to other, less un-attractive alternatives??

If I go ahead with this, I can make it look like it belongs on the truck.

You would have to see the truck to understand; as, it already looks more like a road-tractor, than a pick-up.

Thanks.



How about a duel fender scoops! on funchanal and one to match!
My vision of this would be with. the filter still in side the fender and the scoop just derecting the air.

that may still not look quite right but would look a lot better then the filter sticking out of the fender!

Are there any dis-advantages to a forward facing hood-scoop??

I can't imagine it could be any different than the rest of the openings catching wind on the front of the truck.

A mesh could be used to catch stray birds, large rocks, bicycles, etc.

How about an external snorkle behind and above the cab like the cabover semis use?

http://i11.ebayimg.com/03/i/07/f4/9f/fd_1.JPG

How about an external snorkle behind and above the cab like the cabover semis use?
you've just created a monster [laugh]

You would have to see the truck to understand; as, it already looks more like a road-tractor, than a pick-up.

Thanks.

So post a pic so that we can understand. [dummy]

Has anyone cut a hole in their fender and mounted a large truck breather, outside of the engine compartment??

Or, am I going to be the guinea pig??

Under the hood must be a million degrees in the summer, compared to a cool, pleasant, almost 100 degrees outside air.

Thanks.

Do you mean just a breather or the entire filter canister?

I have a cold air scoop under my bumper that feeds the air box.

I have seen a few of them around town and some were on trucks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Red_Bull_car.jpg

So post a pic so that we can understand. [dummy]

I am not quite smart enough.

Do you mean just a breather or the entire filter canister?



The whole nine yards, canister, filter, everything.

I'd say go for it. The only problem I can think of is that you rip it off going thourgh a gate or something like that.

Okay, let's assume that this breather is invisible.

How would it's function compare to other, less un-attractive alternatives??

If I go ahead with this, I can make it look like it belongs on the truck.

You would have to see the truck to understand; as, it already looks more like a road-tractor, than a pick-up.

Thanks.It would work great. Cold air and flow capacity for twice the engine. If you don't mind looking at it, then go for it!

I have visions of me running around the truck boneyard in the morning with a hacksaw! You guys are polluting my mind!!!!
[coffee]
Love the idea though, up the back of the cab. How about one of those Fiero scoops?

I have visions of me running around the truck boneyard in the morning with a hacksaw! You guys are polluting my mind!!!!
[coffee]
Love the idea though, up the back of the cab. How about one of those Fiero scoops?

Now, in the bed behind the cab is a good idea.

Got to be able to find a way to Ram-Air it, though...

Now, in the bed behind the cab is a good idea.

Got to be able to find a way to Ram-Air it, though...

I don't think ram air is that important with a turbo, but making sure it's not in a low pressure area (like behind the cab or towards the rear of the hood) is important.

try 5 gallon bucket or an old tin lard can as your cannister.you being from ky ifigered you can get ur hands on one or both of these. [coffee]

How about this inverted on the roof!
http://www.scaleworkshop.com/workshop/images/p51d2bg_8.jpg

try 5 gallon bucket or an old tin lard can as your cannister.you being from ky ifigered you can get ur hands on one or both of these. [coffee]

I got nine stands of lard, but no empty cans.

Raided the dumpster behind Hardees, though; so, we got plenty of five-gallon buckets, and a few seven gallon ones that are green and smell strongly of pickles.

http://traktor-gebraucht.hymn.at/images/traktoren/john-deere-8630.jpg why not just make it like a real tractor and be done with it. intake and exhaust stacks straight up through the top of the hood above the turbo.

I would do just that, if I could figure a way to open, and shut, the hood.

My disco has a raised air intake, and i have an idae i have seen, but may work for you,,,
If you design a raised air intake that comes up the pillar, then torward the rear of the roofline, you could have that big filter hanging out near the rear window, I have seen this set up once before on a rally rover, using the air from the rear so that the intake would not take splashes or mud, It didn't look bad at all, actually it was hard to see, Pipe was painted to match vehicle,
Peter,

Is water (rain) an issue? If not go for it.

I'm pretty sure I've seen 18 wheelers driving in the rain [dummy]

I would do just that, if I could figure a way to open, and shut, the hood.


just curve 'em (like tusks) to be the same arc that the hood opens in...:D

Greg

I put a large truck air filter under the bed of my 47 dodge, did run a pipe up the back of the cab for clean air, and yes another pipe for exhaust. This is with a 3-53 detroit for power. There is no room under the hood, so this seems to be good solution.

this could help you out its made for a 2nd gen but i think it would work for you

http://www.pacificp.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_20&products_id=45

We've been down this road boys, apparently exhaust had to exit behind the cab, go figure....

I would love to have a stack coming out of the hood. You could build a capture seal so that when the hood is shut it seals, but the stack is removable....

I'm loosing the clear coat on my hood, I may try it and see if I get a ticket for it. I'll bet not out here in the sticks.

What about blue wrenching out part of the inner fender ahead of the wheel (provided you have tire clearance) so the canister is standing underhood/out of sight and drawing cold air? or if you have the ground clearance placing it on its side under the front bumper?

Or spend lots of time building a stock pot BHAF and cut a shoe box size hole in the radiator support.

I am surprised that with all the desires to find ways to ram as much air as possible, no one here has tried removing the grille, unbolting the lengthy cover plate that sits directly behind the bumper, and cut out a hole on this piece at the location where the 2" x 5" intake boot that goes into the factory airbox is at. I did this with the aid of a plasma and what a difference! Water never makes its way into the filter. Plus, If you finish the edges of your cut rectangular hole out with black door edge trim, it will look better than factory. Carmyne

Do you got pictures?

I don't quite see what you're talking about...

I am surprised that with all the desires to find ways to ram as much air as possible, no one here has tried removing the grille, unbolting the lengthy cover plate that sits directly behind the bumper, and cut out a hole on this piece at the location where the 2" x 5" intake boot that goes into the factory airbox is at. I did this with the aid of a plasma and what a difference! Water never makes its way into the filter. Plus, If you finish the edges of your cut rectangular hole out with black door edge trim, it will look better than factory. Carmyne

Best idea yet!

I am surprised that with all the desires to find ways to ram as much air as possible, no one here has tried removing the grille, unbolting the lengthy cover plate that sits directly behind the bumper, and cut out a hole on this piece at the location where the 2" x 5" intake boot that goes into the factory airbox is at. I did this with the aid of a plasma and what a difference! Water never makes its way into the filter. Plus, If you finish the edges of your cut rectangular hole out with black door edge trim, it will look better than factory. Carmyne

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/32131OldColdAirIntake.jpg

Also, I would like to get ahold of someones dirty-done-with BHAF filter cartridge to experiment with.



I got one! You pay the shipping and it's all yours. ;)

Do you got pictures?

I don't quite see what you're talking about...One of these days, Once I learn, I will do the photo thing. As a matter of fact, I just finished doing this color scheme to the valve covers and the beauty cover for the valve covers and I gotta say, it looks edit! I can't wait to share!
Under the hood, look at the black, plastic, rectangular ducting that is mounted in front of your filter box. Do you see where that duct is pointing to? Now directly in front of the duct opening is a radiused piece of metal that runs the entire length of the front grill, and this metal is mounted directly behind the top of your bumper. If you remove your front grille, you can access the 3 bolts on each side under your headlights to remove this radiused sheet of flashing to get it out and cut your vent opening, that is, after you've carefully marked out where it would finish out at so the opening would be diectly in front of that duct. Hope my instructions are there!

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/32131OldColdAirIntake.jpg Nice transition piece! I see you get the idea. Who fabbed the piece for you? Looks like the work of a master tin knocker!

I think a stainless steel air inlet for a boat mounted on the fender and piped inthe air box would look better
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/34494/10001/12407/12406/12

Nice transition piece! I see you get the idea. Who fabbed the piece for you? Looks like the work of a master tin knocker!
I made it out of the metal used to make one-piece rain gutters.

I guess I could unfold it and make some templates if anyone's interested. :)

I always wondered what a scoop like they used on newer Camaros or older tubo Z's would look. They're low profile, but I'm not sure how you'd keep the rain out.

Bigragu, I can't quite figure out why you cut that hole you talked about. The intake opening sits just at the top edge of the bumper, so I suppose you might gain a little more forced induction at speed. But without a scoop of some sort I can't imagine how it could be of much effect in front of a turbo. There doesn't appear to me to be any restriction there to begin with. You say "what a difference," so I'd be curious to know how you measure that effect, or exactly what you mean by that? Are you seeing increased boost at some point after this mod? Please explain.

Bigragu, I can't quite figure out why you cut that hole you talked about. The intake opening sits just at the top edge of the bumper, so I suppose you might gain a little more forced induction at speed. But without a scoop of some sort I can't imagine how it could be of much effect in front of a turbo. There doesn't appear to me to be any restriction there to begin with. You say "what a difference," so I'd be curious to know how you measure that effect, or exactly what you mean by that? Are you seeing increased boost at some point after this mod? Please explain.

The stock hole is way too small. Some guys swiss cheese the stock box but that pulles hot air from the engine compartment. Make's perfect sense to enlarge the pass through and use the stock airbox, except I can't get rid of my BHAF!

OK, so basically we are talking about just enlarging the rectangular tube and the hole in behind the bumper it connects to ...

This is how I get the cold air into my airbox.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/31336DSC07254.JPG


It is then plumbed through a cutout in the inner panel and connected with 4" aluminized tube.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/31336DSC07246.JPG


Made a sheetmetal manifold to connect it into the airbox.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/31336DSC07242.JPG

Besides getting cold dense air into the engine, I get around 3-5 pounds of free boost @70 MPH
With my foot off the throttle it boost gauge registers pressure.

The rest of the project is in my gallery.
Jim

Has anyone cut a hole in their fender and mounted a large truck breather, outside of the engine compartment??

Or, am I going to be the guinea pig??

Under the hood must be a million degrees in the summer, compared to a cool, pleasant, almost 100 degrees outside air.

Thanks.I can,t remeber who sells them but I actually thought about doing the same thing. I did a Google and came up with some real nice looking chrome and polished stainless airfilter housings. The price was more than I was willing to bear. $600-$750 without the plumbing. Then I thought about triyng to keep it on the side of the truck during hunting season and all the flack I would get from the guys at work about my "Big Rig Starter Kit". I wimpped out on that one. [laugh]
Have you looked at the air intake for the Hummer? It draws from a mushroom near the hood hinge.

This is how I get the cold air into my airbox.

The rest of the project is in my gallery.
Jim

Nice set-up.

On page four of your gallery, the bottom right two pictures, what is that black plastic looking gizmo??

What part does it play??

Did you use a standard size filter??

What happens in heavy rain??

Birds?? Big bugs??

Thanks.

I like that, Jim.

I would assume that you can use an Old Smokey mount for a BHAF with a scoop like that, correct?

How much room did you have behind the grill to run that ducting? Was that (4"?) ducting the most that could fit, or could you swing some 5-inch?

Nice set-up.

On page four of your gallery, the bottom right two pictures, what is that black plastic looking gizmo??

What part does it play??

Did you use a standard size filter??

What happens in heavy rain??

Birds?? Big bugs??

Thanks.

The plastic part is the actual air scoop, I went to Banks Engineering here in Azusa Ca. and was looking for something I could use, they let me look around in the shop and I found this one, It is used on the Ram Air Power Pack system they sold for big motorhomes.
I think I paid about $40.00 for it.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/31336DSC07239.JPG

Notice the hole at the rear of the scoop; this is to bypass the water from rain and whatever else you pick up so it is not ingested. It seems to work.


http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/31336DSC07238.JPG


Here is how I mounted it below the bumper so it is in the air stream.
I know some are going to comment but I have a K&N filter in the air box, it is the one I got with the Banks Power Pack system, it was included with the exhaust system.
All of my air plumbing goes down behind the core support, not behind the grille so you could use as large of a duct as you could stuff in there.

As far as rain, I have never had any problems but my concern is since my truck is low I am worried about sucking up water from going through a puddle but so far I have hit some deep ones and I am ok. I am going to design a valve so I can close it off from the ram air and open it up under the hood but I am still in the thinking stages at this point. I was thinking about designing a rotary valve into the sheetmetel part on the air box that would rotate 1/4 turn to open and close air passages kind of like a big Ortega valve for us in the know. It could be pull cable actuated.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/31336DSC06436-med.jpg

Begle1
As long as you could drop your duct down from your airbox, you could use as large of a duct you could fit is the space.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/31336DSC07246.JPG

This is looking from the front of the truck under the bumper. I had to cut out a notch in the inner fender panel so the duct would not rub on anything.

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/pics/data/500/31336DSC07245.JPG

If you wanted to make one similar to this, you would not need to use the same scoop, you could use a 4" ABS sewer pipe elbow with a short section of 4" ABS to connect to duct to.
All of the sheetmetel I used is standard HVAC duct I got from my HVAC supplier but Home Depot also has it.

Jim

Bigragu, I can't quite figure out why you cut that hole you talked about. The intake opening sits just at the top edge of the bumper, so I suppose you might gain a little more forced induction at speed. But without a scoop of some sort I can't imagine how it could be of much effect in front of a turbo. There doesn't appear to me to be any restriction there to begin with. You say "what a difference," so I'd be curious to know how you measure that effect, or exactly what you mean by that? Are you seeing increased boost at some point after this mod? Please explain.I am not talking about the hole that the OEM filterbox inlet duct passes thru;Ileft that alone. It is the exterior "trim" piece in front of that that one would see from outside of the truck staring towards the front of the grill, passenger side. If you pulled off your chrome grille you will see what I mean. being a sheetmetal worker by trade I could have easily fabbed up a new inlet duct and went from my proposed opening all the way to the filter box, but I wanted that gap in between in case of a heavy down pour. As far as what I meant by "what a difference" I felt it at my right foot, from a dead stop to WOT. It is the same concept with what the Ford PSD owners are doing to their 7.3's. The factory designs in both the Ford and our trucks is made to "pull" air from the underside of the truck. I feel it is better to ram/force feed the air right into your filter, and what better way is there than directly from in front of the truck?
Having spent 20+ years in the field designing and installing commercial HVAC systems, and now teaching HVAC, I must say I am quite knowledgable in removing any form of restriction to increase air flow, and with a diesel, the more air, the better! I really should learn how to post pics...my fault...sorry!

Besides getting cold dense air into the engine, I get around 3-5 pounds of free boost @70 MPH
With my foot off the throttle it boost gauge registers pressure.
Jim

That amazes me, you get boost with no fuel at 70 even with that big ol' hole in the back of the scoop.
Now you have me working on a stock pot variation in my head so I can keep my beloved BHAF!
Mark

That amazes me, you get boost with no fuel at 70 even with that big ol' hole in the back of the scoop.
Now you have me working on a stock pot variation in my head so I can keep my beloved BHAF!
Mark


I have the hole closed with a plug since it never rains here in Southern California.


I have been thinking about a scoop made of fiberglass that would go under the front bumper in the style of the ones on a F-16 Falcon or a A-6 Intruder.
Or even a Pro Stock hood scoop cut off and flipped upside down. Do you get the idea?

I have the hole closed with a plug since it never rains here in Southern California.
I have been thinking about a scoop made of fiberglass that would go under the front bumper in the style of the ones on a F-16 Falcon or a A-6 Intruder.
Or even a Pro Stock hood scoop cut off and flipped upside down. Do you get the idea?

I have been looking at the sheet metal floor vents at HomeDepot. There are some fairly narrow yet wide ones that have smooth transitions. A person could even lay fiberglass over one to spiff it up and make it stronger... hmmmmm
Thanks Jim!
Mark

Lots of good ideas here. I went ahead and tried to combine the best of what I've seen and came up with what I'm gonna call the "Bigragu cold air stock intake upgrade." I'll post some pics tomorrow after I finish putting it back together.

I like Jim's idea to use a scoop to gain positive pressure on the intake. Like he said: "free boost." But I didn't like the low mounting, could be an issue in a flooded street or stream crossing. Opening up that front fascia like Bigragu talked about seemed like a no-brainer after I took it apart and looked at it for a few minutes. But integrating that into a fully sealed scoop affair was a little tricky. I was amazed at how sloppy the fit on the stock parts was. There was like a half inch opening between the box and air tube.

Anyway, I opened up the hole in the rad support about a half inch on either side, expanded the connecting tube to match and seal on both ends, and connected it to the new scoop hole, building on Bigragu's idea. Now there's nothing but cold ram air entering my stock box through a larger intake. Pics tomorrow!

I finally got a better intake system on my truck.

You 1st Gen. Dodge guys are fortunate in that it looks like Mammoth Cave under the hood of a Dodge, with tons of un-used space.

My 1985 Ford is by no means crowded in there; but, there is no way, without major fender modifications, to get a BHAF in there.

I went with the stock Dodge air-filter and box.

I had to relocate a pair of batteries down on the frame rails and relocate a bunch of electrical and vacuum stuff to wedge the stock Dodge filter-box in there.

The right side headlight plug is poking into the air-inlet and I can't get my fingers between the front of the box and the radiator support; but, there is a big air channel, and a sort of air-scoop shape in the way that the bottom curl of the fender is made.

This will do, for now, and is much better than the cone-shaped K&N clamped right on the turbo snout that I did have; but, as soon as time and materials allow, I am going to incorporate a big truck filter canister, somewhere on the fender.