I'll start from the begining with this,
21 miles on the clock I installed an AFE drop in filter

4706 miles on the clock I opened up the intake to pull the silencer ring, found a fairly heavy layer of black suit all through the inside of the intake (enough to make your fingers black at a touch), I pulled out the ring, and noticed the X shaped baffle in the tube so I removed it as well.

4870 finally getting used to the LOUD noise from the turbo now, and there is a definit increase in power, noticed mileage seems to have dropped, but maybe I'm getting in it more or somthing...

5007 miles on the clock, having topped off the tank and double checking everything I've confirmed I'm now getting about 1.3 mpg less than I've ever gotten since I bought the truck! CRAP!!!

I put the ring back in tonight and reinstalled the original air filter in place of the AFE (I had wrapped it up and saved it just in case), My thoughts are that having removed the ring I went from a nice smooth entrance into the turbo to a sharp step which is causeing turbulence at its intake (causeing the louder noise everyone hears 4 car lengths away),
Air flowing smoothly doesnt make noise!

I CANT believe removing the baffle would have hurt my mileage, and I'm 100% confident the power increase was from having the baffle out.

I put the original filter back in because all that suit I found in the intake. (didnt notice anything but more noise from the AFE anyway)

 

I can't comment on the silencer ring, but I think the baffles do the same as a device used in the fire service called a stream straightener. Basically, its a rigid tube with fins running the length of the tube on the inside. What it does is clean up the turbulence from a bend in the pipe.

I got this impression while looking at mine. I thought it strange that coming out of straight air directly into a 90 deg elbow. Perhaps the tube had something to do with cleaning up the airflow.

Doug

 

OK, Got 5078 miles on it now (I know not a long test, but my trip computers never been of by more than .2 since I bought the truck, and I've kept records of every fill up) BUT, My mileage is back up to par if not just a teeny bit beter (to early to be that precise about it) WHEEW HOOO!!!
Truck is REALLY quite now, be'ing used to the extra noise its always had due to the AFE filter.
The extra power is still there though I would say I did loose a teeny bit of it (again, AFE filter is out)

Has anybody else done testing before and after pulling that ring??? NO WAY is the noise worth loosing mileage, but thats just my opinion (and we all know what those are like!)

 

I removed the tube while installing my egt gauge. Which way does it go in? Whay is the final verdict, did the screen out hurt milage or not?

James

 

I did test the "baffle tube" for effects of mileage

I lost 2 mpg by removing it and replacing with a smooth pipe (no X in it) and lost a little throttle response as well
and yes turbulence is the reason

I made a new tube and put the X in it with polished smooth stainless

got my response and mileage back and i can hear the turbo really nicely

Id say either leave the baffle in there or make a tube like I did with the X in it
It DOES help

Ive been flamed for this in the past but the people who did the flaming were also too lazy to go out and test it for themselves

"if it sounds louder , its gotta have more power"


I never did anything with the silencer ring though

 

I had a similar experience when I installed the afe torque tube. It's out now & I'm happy.

I wish DPP would adapt their TAG to work with the TT. That might be the best solution- More air flow that is straightened out before entering the turbo.

 

Give them a call, Jeff @ Diesel Power Products figured out how to do it on his truck.

Vaughn

 

Vaughn- thanks for the heads up.

 

BDude. I do not understand why there would be soot in the intake. From your sig (unless I missed it) you do not have an EBrake.

 

No baffles and no silencer ring. With my setup, spool-up is instantaneous, EGTs are down over 200 degrees, and fuel mileage is up 4 mpg average, some tanks more, hand calculated.

Stock: 13 city/18.5 Hwy (with 315s)

Now: 18 city/21.5 Hwy

Not bad for a 4X4 auto with only 3,000 miles on it running 315s and WINTER BLEND FUEL! Of course, there are other contributing goodies to my results. I can't wait to get a box on that does timing. If I can keep my foot out of it, I may see more than 25 mpg when summer gets here!

Your results are interesting though. I may fabricate some sort of baffle for my tube and see if I get better mileage. No way the silencer ring is going back in though!! Love the turbo whistle.

 

Maybe the 03's are different, but on my 01, I pulled the silencer ring a LONG time ago and never noticed anything other than more noise.