Jeep Patriot Forums banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

MY $2.99 Intake System

Jump to Latest
81 - 100 of 121 Posts
Discussion starter · #84 ·
sd_boxster said:
Without decent cold air piping, strapping a cone filter onto the end of the stock intake (these home-grown short ram intakes are affectionately referred to as "ghetto intakes" on the import boards) adds a nice intake sound but generally decreases your gas mileage. Other noteworthy effects include the eventual realization that you've replaced a stock $10 air filter you never really had to think about before with a $40 air filter you have to clean and oil annually because it's too damn expensive to throw away.

Tinkering with air/fuel ratios by soldering in Radio Shack bits - without using a wideband to see what effect you're having on your AFR - isn't necessarily a super idea.

Props to the original poster for the DIY intake - nothing more fun than doing it yourself. The filter is harmless, but think twice about monkeying with the MAF.
Click to expand...
Alright people, it is done. 3,700 mi. 52 hrs. and 2 hotel stays later, drum roll please .................. my some what stock Patriot with only the intake mod sucked down a total of 119.33 Gallons of 85 Octane Gasoline over 3,700 miles of travel from Granby, CO to Ithaca, NY. I will be posting detailed weather briefings of the entire trip, avg. speed, wind direction/speed, you name it it will be in there, I just need to find a way to display it all in a logical pattern.

I can tell you if the wind direction hadn't been both a head wind going to and coming from NY that number would have been better, but I'll post all of this in a separate post later this week. This mod works, just isn't as noticeable unless you actually collect data on what your looking at.
 
Discussion starter · #85 ·
Also the reason I posted with the quote above my previous post, I have stopped messing with the MAP, it was pointless and somewhat confusing to mess with an engine stress sensor when the O2 sensor can have a greater overall effect on MPG without the problem of killing the engine. Previous fill up put me at 33.12 MPG with an added .26 mv. to the up stream O2 sensor. ScanGauge shows the fuel trim more in the negative digits now than in the positive. Next week I'll be boosting the power up to .30 mv.

One thing with this is there is a slight power decrease in the take off and low RPM range, but once you cross 3k RPMs, it seems to pull harder than it did before. Still experimenting.
 
#89 ·
I appreciate that some guy like to tinker with and mod their cars, and I appreciate all these posts in this thread because I always learn something. But, I think the mod is not a big deal. I get 26-28 MPG on my daily 65 mile round trip commute (mixed driving) when I deliberately try to not accelerate too hard. When I slack off, I get 22-24 mpg. On the highway I have gotten 30 mpg on a few 100 plus mile trips by just taking it easy. Winter temps and headwinds would lower that slightly. So--to screw around with an air intake to get 1 or 2 mpg is not a great achievement, and it quite possibly harms something else. Why take the chance that you are robbing Peter to pay Paul? I don't think you are smarter than the engineers at Chrysler, either. I'll bet some of them know that they can modify the air intake to get 1-2 mpg better. But there are pros and cons, and they must be balanced. I trust they weighed them all and decided it is better to not get that 1-2 mpg becuase doing so would cause some other aspect to not be optimized.
 
#91 ·
yeah, thats what you`d get... jajaja:D:(:boxing:, i rather sacrifice PAT`S MPG`S than my own "fuel economy" "IUKWIM"...

Im plannin to do the same as patrioto`s just addin a flyscreen in the front of the tube to prevent bugs to go inside the filter... just not sure if taking out that plastic piece over the battery would cause some damage future events.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#92 ·
You can see my lifetime FE in my sig, all hand calc only.

I easily achieve 32mpg highway fully loaded with 2 adults and 3 children and supplies without even trying, course I'm a FWD, but I have no mods.

Below is my last 10 weeks of commute only fill-ups, no trips included.

05/08 24.36mpg (A lot of idling with A/C on while picking up kids/wife)
05/02 27.87mpg
04/07 26.86mpg
03/15 29.05mpg
03/07 28.09mpg
03/02 29.40mpg
02/23 29.92mpg
02/17 28.05mpg
02/05 26.23mpg
01/26 28.01mpg

My commute is 27 total miles each way, my commute is 1hr 15min each way.
 
#93 ·
pretty decent for a full load! Im getting around 11KM per liter using 10w30 ACDelco Synt oil and mercedes sparks plugs.

No complaints on my fuel economy yet, but lookin fwd to improve it a lil bit with K&N.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#94 ·
SteelPepe said:
pretty decent for a full load! Im getting around 11KM per liter using 10w30 ACDelco Synt oil and mercedes sparks plugs.

No complaints on my fuel economy yet, but lookin fwd to improve it a lil bit with K&N.
Click to expand...
25.87mpg US, not bad at all.

I purchased on 08/02/08 and my FE for 2008 was 25.96MPG (7060 miles).

My FE for 2009 thus far 27.83MPG.

I noticed a jump in FE around 8,000 miles.
 
#95 ·
larry c said:
I appreciate that some guy like to tinker with and mod their cars, and I appreciate all these posts in this thread because I always learn something. But, I think the mod is not a big deal. I get 26-28 MPG on my daily 65 mile round trip commute (mixed driving) when I deliberately try to not accelerate too hard. When I slack off, I get 22-24 mpg. On the highway I have gotten 30 mpg on a few 100 plus mile trips by just taking it easy. Winter temps and headwinds would lower that slightly. So--to screw around with an air intake to get 1 or 2 mpg is not a great achievement, and it quite possibly harms something else. Why take the chance that you are robbing Peter to pay Paul? I don't think you are smarter than the engineers at Chrysler, either. I'll bet some of them know that they can modify the air intake to get 1-2 mpg better. But there are pros and cons, and they must be balanced. I trust they weighed them all and decided it is better to not get that 1-2 mpg becuase doing so would cause some other aspect to not be optimized.
Click to expand...
You are correct when saying chrysler engineers are probably smarter but you have to remember they are working within a budget. They could design a good intake system but are limited by cost. They could design an engine that gets great gas mileage but again cost dictates what gets built.
 
#96 · (Edited)
WhatARiot said:
Obviously you don't understand how K&N stays in business.... google cold air intake, and see how it affects MPG and HP... the you can talk.
Click to expand...
I fully understand how they stay in business and it's not because of any worthwhile MPG or HP gains. It's called marketing and FAD. Don't you think if there was really anything to it, all the performance car manufacturers would be offering it factory stock? Engineers with all the finest research equipment aren't doing something a high school dropout is doing in his driveway? Along with "Mystery Oil", "Cherry Bombs", and all the other "cool" stuff. I don't think so.
 
#97 ·
Talking to the service manager at the dealer, and the #1 reason as to why factory air intakes are designed the way they are is intake noise reduction. That is why there are so many bends and restrictions in the design. They are trying to reduce the engine noise as much as possible. The #2 reason is parts commonality for the Air Filter assembly. I think that performance is #3. The challenge is for the vehicle engineer to design a system that meets all of these issues in balance. For some MPG is the most important, other people will complain that there is a whistle or whine on the intake. Still others will complain that they can't find the air filter at the local auto parts store. In the end you can't please everyone.

I like the PVC solution as I can do it on my own for cheap without having it cost $100+ as a part from the dealer. Excellent idea.

You can try painting it with a foam roller and some of that Herculiner stuff. It comes in small cans.

~Mike R~
 
#98 ·
metalhead said:
You are correct when saying chrysler engineers are probably smarter but you have to remember they are working within a budget. They could design a good intake system but are limited by cost. They could design an engine that gets great gas mileage but again cost dictates what gets built.
Click to expand...
Don't forget that our U.S. automakers are heavily invested in oil (were... it'll all be government and foreign owned soon :p ) and other industries that go hand-in-hand with the automotive world. It may have a lot to do with optimizing profit, and yes, also with noise as another stated (probably also tied into profit, some won't buy a car because it has a slight "whooosss" noise).
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#99 ·
My $.02, this mod is a nice idea, but it has about as much effect as a cyclone! :zzz:
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
81 - 100 of 121 Posts
About this Discussion
120 Replies
56 Participants
Last post:
DryCreek
Jeep Patriot Forums
posts
678K
members
55K
Since
2006
Join our community to discuss the Jeep Patriot & Jeep Compass. Find answers to all your Jeep Patriot technical questions.
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Jeep Patriot General Discussion Engine and Drivetrain Newbie Check-In Suspension and Tires Electrical and Audio