The new K&N filter kit for Marauder's

[Lidio]

We tested out and fitted our first K&N filter charger kit for a Marauder this week and the results at least on a Trilogy equipped car are pretty impressive.

I tried my hardest to make this test as fair and as consistent as I possibly could. The test MM was totally stock with the exception of a stock Trilogy blower kit. The cars blower install was done several months ago and came back this week for the K&N upgrade and a smaller blower pulley as well.
Although all the K&N kit testing was done before the pulley on the blower was changed. The base line HP number shown on the dyno graph was after several pulls where made with the stock set up and then switching to the KEN kit. Most stock MM’s with only a Trilogy do base line at about 370 to 380RWHP. This one was actually at about 372RWHP when we started but as the day progressed and the motor and blower stabilized and warmed up the RWHP came down to about 360ish and then averaged about 380ish at the rear wheels with the new K&N kit.

The dyno graph shows exactly what the K&N kit did over a stock air box and filter assembly. Unbelievably it appears to be worth about 21 RWHP so far on a Trilogy with the stock pulley on the blower…. very impressive for a small investment. The test that’s shown on the graph is very properly done. The car was very warmed up and stabilized. There was no extensive cool down or cheating. Just made one pull with and one with out the K&N kit and only a few minute cool down between the two runs while the part was changed. The A/F shown is just the way it ended up with and w/o the K&N kit. So from the looks of it a MM with a Trilogy could just bolt the K&N kit on and go. No retuning to worry about from the looks of it.

I wanted to note though that when installing the new K&N filter kit on a MM already equipped with a Trilogy blower, you’ll need to revise how the vent hose for the left valve cover and the IAC (idle air control) hoses go into the new K&N plastic tube. For some reason when you simply re-plug in the vent hose from the valve cover as it was with a Trilogy, which has the IAC feed hose T ’d into it. It causes a tremendous amount of sucking and whistling noise through the filter and it makes the PCV and breather tube system not work correctly. We simply separated the two hoses from each other and made a new provision for the IAC feed under the plastic K&N tube. This fixed all the idle and sucking noise problems.

Over all this is a great MOD for a MM with a Trilogy already on it.
We will be testing the K&N filter kit on a totally stock Marauder with in a couple of weeks.


Also take a good look at the graph. These pulls were made with the special trans calibration I use with MM's on the dyno. I make it so that it locks the converter very early in 3rd, and will not down shift out of 3rd once its over about 40mph on the dyno. This shows the type of immediate power and torque a Trilogy produces early in the power band on the little 4.6L MM engine. This feels very good even with stock 3.55's and the tight, stock torque converter.
Thanks

[Lidio]

I tried to show what we did to fix the PCV breather hoses....

The middle picture shows the extra fitting we added on the bottom of the K&N tube... to run the IAC hose to.

[Petrograde]

21 RWHP?! wow!

I wonder how much it would make on a N/A car?... more, less, same?

I like that tube,.... nice

[BlackHole]

From what I've seen a little less for N/A around 10/15 HP I say but I would have to actually see it done before backing that claim as this is normal for 2001 Cobras vs 2003/04 Cobras Mod for mod the 03/04's always gain more.

[CRUZTAKER]

I stand collected.....:hide:

[MikesMerc]

Lidio,

Does the K&N kit come with a new larger mass air meter?

I ask because I already have the Pro-M as you know.

Does the gain come from a larger meter? the tubing? both?

[dwasson]

How much louder is the K&N over stock? Does it change the quality of the engine sound?

[MI2QWK4U]

Lidio,

Does the K&N kit come with a new larger mass air meter?

I ask because I already have the Pro-M as you know.

Does the gain come from a larger meter? the tubing? both?


Use the stock MAF. Smooth tubing. Smooth rounded intake that bolts to the stock MAF. Thats what Lid told me the other day, He will correct me if I got it wrong. And you cant have one!

[bigslim]

Lidio, if you need a N/A MM let me know. I was thinking about this anyway. Also, how much for this and the install? I think this may be nice with what is already done to my car.

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

Thanks for the info Lidio. Thats awesome, this will put me at just over 400 rwhp!

But I am waiting in hopes they offer the Marauder kit in the 77 Series........

http://assets.performanceproducts.com/assets/product/109643/109643_200_1.jpg

[MikesMerc]

Use the stock MAF. Smooth tubing. Smooth rounded intake that bolts to the stock MAF. Thats what Lid told me the other day, He will correct me if I got it wrong.

Hmmm...if that is true, than I wonder if it can be modded to accept the Pro-M? Then you can enjoy the increased air flow benefits of the larger meter and the smooth tubing. Now that would be sweet!

Lidio, can you answer this?

And Dave, if it can be done, this will indeed be one more of the "the little" things that I plan on doing in addition to the throttle body and pulley change to get me solidly into the 11s!!!! :banana2:

Last one there is rotten egg!!! :neener:

[Rep12]

Seems to me that a K&N filter, 410 gears and a chip would be a real nice little package. Reasonable $, too. And, the best part - engine warranty not affected. After three years ( warranty over ) of saving $200.00 a month you could scoot right out and S/C it with cash. That seems like a plan!

Dave

[SergntMac]

Nice job, Lidio, very impressive results. Thank you.

[FiveO]

Very nice work Lidio.

Thanks for the info and pictures.

[jstevens]

Very nice indeed.
I'm interested in what it does to a n/a car as well as pricing as I've wanted to upgrade my air system as well.

[MI2QWK4U]

Hmmm...if that is true, than I wonder if it can be modded to accept the Pro-M? Then you can enjoy the increased air flow benefits of the larger meter and the smooth tubing. Now that would be sweet!

Lidio, can you answer this?

And Dave, if it can be done, this will indeed be one more of the "the little" things that I plan on doing in addition to the throttle body and pulley change to get me solidly into the 11s!!!! :banana2:

Last one there is rotten egg!!! :neener:



You Bastage! You will need that pully wont you?! Dont forget who is ".01" second from hiting 11 seconds.... I was soooooo close. Dont make me have to buy the kooks!

[RF Overlord]

Lidio:

I, too, am VERY interested in the outcome of your N/A test...

[QWK SVT]

Yep, me too! I like the system from Tucker, but the heat shield and K&N quality may be worth the extra $$$, if the gains are comparable...

[Tom Kuznicki]

Hey Lidio, why is it that when I wanted to put one of my spare Lightning K&N filters on Jerry's car you told him that using it would be a waste of time because you tested one and it offered no power gain at the time but, now that you made the suggestion of using them, 20 magical horsepower appear. Not to be rude but, please don't knock other people's suggestions because you didn't think of it first. I know what it did for my Lightning and I also knew that it would benefit Jerry's car.

[Lidio]

Hey Lidio, why is it that when I wanted to put one of my spare Lightning K&N filters on Jerry's car you told him that using it would be a waste of time because you tested one and it offered no power gain at the time but, now that you made the suggestion of using them, 20 magical horsepower appear. Not to be rude but, please don't knock other people's suggestions because you didn't think of it first. I know what it did for my Lightning and I also knew that it would benefit Jerry's car.


Tom you’re not being rude nor is being taken that way. You just need to get your facts right before you make insinuations of this type. The twenty horse isn’t magical and it’s not some marketing bull I did to sell parts.
The K&N Filter kits for the MM and many others they make are not just a simple K&N filter that just replaces the stock panel filter with another panel filter which I’m sure you noticed in the pic’s I included or you may have seen some where else. And the K&N filter “KIT’s” are not simply a conical replacement filter that simply gets hose clamped to the end of the stock MAF flange. Which in some cases do work.

The “KITs” include a new Bellmouth that bolts to the end of the MAF which nicely reshapes the inlet into the meter. And then puts a very large diameter filter on the end of it to accommodate the now larger opening that the K&N adapter adds to the end of the stock MAF.
And also if you didn’t notice in the PIC’s, The K&N “KIT” also replaces the stock inlet elbow/tube with a much nicer, cleaner, smoother piece that I’m sure contributed to the RWHP gain. If your K&N suggestion for Jerry’s car was more then just a simple K&N cone filter for the end of a stock MAF then I wouldn’t of argued this but I believe that’s all it was.

I do know that on the Trilogy car a simple panel replacement filter for the stock air box did no good on our dyno about 15 months ago. And I thought we tried the
T-1 Marauder on our dyno with your type of simple K&N replacement cone filter only… with out the new kit with the better elbow and bellmouth… and once again seen nothing or very little at the rear wheels.

If theirs one thing I tried to stress in the start of this thread is how hard I tried to make the test real and consistent because I know how one pull from the next can make 3-10 horse differences between them for certain reasons, especially on blower cars because of blower heat soak and head temperatures. I almost was afraid to talk about this here fearing that it would look far fetched at first but I posted and talked about it just like I seen it. It consistently made about 20RWHP more every time with minimal time between pulls.

Also Tom… you should know better by now that my self and my shop are not full of hype and bull. I tell like I feel and see it. Always have and always will. That’s why my shop has been around for over 14 years now. That doesn’t come easy in this line of work were my competitors are gone usually with in three years! If any thing, I hurt sales because of my brutal honesty and resistance to just sell what I’m simply told is better.
Plus my ego isn’t big enough to discredit some one for thinking of some thing first. It’s being better at it that I’ve worked my ass off for.


Sorry for coming off a little harsh but I’ve biting my lip a lot around here in efforts to be polite and diplomatic about this stuff.




The PIC included shows the bell mouth (the heart of the kit). You can see how it has a very large ID for the filter… 6” to be exact. The stock MAF diameter is 80mm or about 3 5/8”. Simply putting a typical K&N cone on the end of the stock MAF wont net as much of a gain as the whole kit.

[Lidio]

How much louder is the K&N over stock? Does it change the quality of the engine sound?
On a Trilogy MM, the blower noise coming through the filter is more noticable but not to bad at all.

[Lidio]

Mike

I’m sure we could make the smoother inlet tube from the K&N kit fit a MM with a
PRO-M already on it. Not sure how much just the tube will be worth though or if K&N will sell it separately?

We will have results for this on a N/A car by mid next week. Looks like BIGSLIM’s car is going to hit the rollers next week.

My prediction on a N/A car is 3-7 RWHP because of what I’ve already seen this kit do on a N/A Mach-1 we did. But hey we can wish for more.


Thanks

[jstevens]

Lidio, I'm pretty convinced this will be my next mod as I can assume what the noise level will be at WOT which I like.

Do I purchase the kit and have you install or do you provide the kit plus install.

I believe its part number 63-1111. Please confirm.

Thanks, John

[QWK SVT]

Lidio, I'm pretty convinced this will be my next mod as I can assume what the noise level will be at WOT which I like.

Do I purchase the kit and have you install or do you provide the kit plus install.

I believe its part number 63-1111. Please confirm.

Thanks, John
That's the correct p/n... Here's the link to K&N's website (http://www.knfilterchargers.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=63-1111). Not having this, myself, I would assume it's as easy to do as other other K&N FIPK kits (<30 minutes for my buddy's 96 Z28). Pretty straight forward, really. K&N has a PDF install sheet (http://www.kandn.com/instructions/63-1111.pdf), which should give you a pretty good idea of how easy it is to install.

[bigslim]

Should have some results and pictures for you Monday as Lidio will have my car first thing Monday morning. I figure this is a mod that I can do that will carryover when I get my Trilogy. Can't wait. :banana2:

[MonsterD]

I checked with 4 wheel parts, retail on the kit is 301.00 but I can get them for $231.43.
If any of the So Cal members are interested, just let me know and I can pick one up for you or meet you there.
I dont think it would be worth shipping them back east.......but if anyone wants to check what it would cost to ship from 90503 to where ever you live.......if its cheaper than the $70 let me know.

I guess I would have to weigh my box when I get mine to let you all know how much it weighs. But I am sure that if it went ups ground or even fed ex ground it would only be about $20 to ship. :bandit:

[Lidio]

Lidio, I'm pretty convinced this will be my next mod as I can assume what the noise level will be at WOT which I like.

Do I purchase the kit and have you install or do you provide the kit plus install.

I believe its part number 63-1111. Please confirm.

Thanks, John

Its up to you if you buy it on your own or have us supply it and install it.

I'm going to retail it for about $245.00-250.00 once I get my local warhouse to stock them. I paid quite a bit more for the first two I got becuase I wanted them ASAP to test out... So I got hit a little harder on the shipping from CA.

Thanks

[studio460]

I checked with 4 wheel parts, retail on the kit is 301.00 but I can get them for $231.43. If any of the So Cal members are interested, just let me know and I can pick one up for you or meet you there.I live pretty close to you--that would be great! Gotta go to traffic school tomorrow (Sunday). What time do they close on Sundays?

P.S. Sent you a PM!

P.S.P.S. Thanks, Lidio for the great photos and posts!

P.S.P.S.P.S. Todd--let's just say my lawyering isn't quite as good as my driving . . .

[TAF]

Gotta go to traffic school tomorrow (Sunday).
Oh...I think details are certainly in order, Shooter... :lol: :burnout:

[FordNut]

Originally Posted by NBC Shooter
Gotta go to traffic school tomorrow (Sunday).


Oh...I think details are certainly in order, Shooter... :lol: :burnout:

Yeah, tell us all about it!

[MENINBLK]

I checked with 4 wheel parts, retail on the kit is 301.00 but I can get them for $231.43.
If any of the So Cal members are interested, just let me know and I can pick one up for you or meet you there.
I dont think it would be worth shipping them back east.......but if anyone wants to check what it would cost to ship from 90503 to where ever you live.......if its cheaper than the $70 let me know.

I guess I would have to weigh my box when I get mine to let you all know how much it weighs. But I am sure that if it went ups ground or even fed ex ground it would only be about $20 to ship. :bandit:

I just checked with AJ USA.
Their Retail is $399 and they sell it for $259.35 with FREE SHIPPING.
Pep Boys & Strauss Auto, $285.29.

[Nathan]

We simply separated the two hoses from each other and made a new provision for the IAC feed under the plastic K&N tube.

Thanks for the great info! If a Trilogy owner buys the kit from you, would you pre-install the new connector before shipping the kit. If so, please let us know what the additional cost might be. Alternatively, maybe you could post a little information about the connector that was used so that we could attempt to replicate your patchwork.

Thanks again! You rock!

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

Thanks for the great info! If a Trilogy owner buys the kit from you, would you pre-install the new connector before shipping the kit. If so, please let us know what the additional cost might be. Alternatively, maybe you could post a little information about the connector that was used so that we could attempt to replicate your patchwork.

Thanks again! You rock!
Yes, what he said ^^^^^^^^^^

[Tom Kuznicki]

Lidio, did you even see the piece I wanted to try on Jerry's car? Did you think I was just going to hack a piece of dryer duct onto the car. I guess you didn't know that the mounting piece was a very high quality billet aluminum piece that bolted to the maf and had a very clean entrance into the maf. It also used a K&N conical filter that provides enough air for a supercharged 5.4. I'm not trying to be a smart ass but do you think that maybe "you" are going off half cocked and assuming things before you get your facts right ? I really don't want this to become a pissing contest so this will be my last response to this thread.

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

:dunno:...............

[Lidio]

Thanks for the great info! If a Trilogy owner buys the kit from you, would you pre-install the new connector before shipping the kit. If so, please let us know what the additional cost might be. Alternatively, maybe you could post a little information about the connector that was used so that we could attempt to replicate your patchwork.

Thanks again! You rock!

I will get more PIX and info on the fix we do to the tube for Trilogy cars as soon as I can. And will most likely include them with the kit at a slightly greater cost if it's intended for a Trilogy MM when its ordered from us.

Thanks

[Directedby]

I checked with 4 wheel parts, retail on the kit is 301.00 but I can get them for $231.43.
If any of the So Cal members are interested, just let me know and I can pick one up for you or meet you there.
I dont think it would be worth shipping them back east.......but if anyone wants to check what it would cost to ship from 90503 to where ever you live.......if its cheaper than the $70 let me know.

I guess I would have to weigh my box when I get mine to let you all know how much it weighs. But I am sure that if it went ups ground or even fed ex ground it would only be about $20 to ship. :bandit:

I live in LA and am interested in buying one (K&N kit) from you. Please let me know.

[wesman]

Lidio is it possible some of the gain came from 0.6 psi more boost?

[QWK SVT]

Lidio is it possible some of the gain came from 0.6 psi more boost?
That's part of why the gains on a S/C Marauder will be larger than a N/A car... It's common for a supercharged application to pick up "boost" from a free-flowing intake. As a note: more times than not, headers will DECREASE the measured boost - but doesn't mean that power will be reduced...

Most lightnings gain 1lb of measured boost, simply by throwing a K&N Panel filter on. For example, Mine is 4lbs over stock (stock is 8lbs) - so it should measure 12lbs of boost, right? But I've had the supercharger ported/polished, so now it flows more. I also have a K&N Panel filter, and it measure ~14lbs on an average day, and even more, the cooler it gets.

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

I will get more PIX and info on the fix we do to the tube for Trilogy cars as soon as I can. And will most likely include them with the kit at a slightly greater cost if it's intended for a Trilogy MM when its ordered from us.

Thanks
Lidio, do you have these kits in stock yet? :burnout:

[MENINBLK]

The K&N 63-1111 weighs 10 lbs shipped...

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

Ok.........

[Lidio]

The K&N 63-1111 weighs 10 lbs shipped...


Waiting on several to come in this week.

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

Could you put my name on one please. Thanks :up:

[Bradley G]

That would be a nice little stocking stuffer!:santaw:

Bradley G

[Lidio]

Could you put my name on one please. Thanks :up:

No problem....


I've got the little fittings and parts needed for the Trilogy cars ready too.

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

Thanks Lidio

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

That would be a nice little stocking stuffer!:santaw:

Bradley G
Yes, Merry X-mas to me! :xtree: Just need to to find someone to polish my tube now. (The intake tube Marty:P) ;)

[martyo]

Yes, Merry X-mas to me! :xtree: Just need to to find someone to polish my tube now. (The intake tube Marty:P) ;)

Damn, I started typing before I got to the end of your post...LOL You know me too well my friend!! :P

[Nathan]

I've put together some pictures of the steps for modding the K&N Air Charger for a Trilogy equipped Marauder:

http://www.circlecitymarauders.com/trilogy_kandn/

The mod is straight forward and the Air Charger install is cake. With the hood up, the intake is noticeably louder. Inside the cabin, the sound of the supercharger is actually more pleasant (if you like the sound to begin with, I assume). Boost with the standard pulley is definitely above 10 now. This is a must for Trilogy owners!

[MARAUDER S/C #5]

Thanks for the great info Nate, now go add the kit to your sig. :up:

[Bradley G]

Hoe Hoe,

How can you call it a Christmas present when it's out of the box installed on the car and being scrutinized (pics) as we speak?As Far as the polishing goes, ....well, ....Thats between you & Marty:D
Bradley G
ps Merry Christmas MARAUDER S/C #5:wreath2: :xtree: :wreath2:

Yes, Merry X-mas to me! :xtree: Just need to to find someone to polish my tube now. (The intake tube Marty:P) ;)

[Lidio]

Thanks Nate...
You spelled it out nicely before I could get to it my self.


Thanks

[Svashtar]

Any info as yet as to how this unit will work with a relatively N/A MM? (Except for gears, UD pullies and tune.)

Thanks for any follow up information!


Norm

[Lidio]

Any info as yet as to how this unit will work with a relatively N/A MM? (Except for gears, UD pullies and tune.)

Thanks for any follow up information!


Norm


Go to this thread:

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=14133

from a few weeks ago where we tested it on a MM with only 4.10's and a chip tune from us. The results shown would be pretty much the same on any MM with out a tune and stock gears as well. We concluded that on a mostly stock or even totally stock MM that it would be worth about 5 - RWHP. On a Trilogy equipped car though.... we seen over 20hp gain at the rear wheels.


Thanks

[Tallboy]

Old Thread Alert!!!


I just wanted to say thanks to Lidio for posting all the releveant K&N info, and Nathan for his modification write-up and pictures. You helped a fellow Trilogy customer who installed his FIPK just like K&N said, but heard (begin Ross Perot voice) "a giant sucking sound" (end Ross Perot voice) when he fired it up. I did a little research and was able to help him out by referring him to this thread.

Thanks again, guys!!!:beer:


BTW-Lidio, the K&N is everything you said it was!:up:

[Lidio]

Old Thread Alert!!!


I just wanted to say thanks to Lidio for posting all the releveant K&N info, and Nathan for his modification write-up and pictures. You helped a fellow Trilogy customer who installed his FIPK just like K&N said, but heard (begin Ross Perot voice) "a giant sucking sound" (end Ross Perot voice) when he fired it up. I did a little research and was able to help him out by referring him to this thread.

Thanks again, guys!!!:beer:


BTW-Lidio, the K&N is everything you said it was!:up:


Have fun with it...... :burnout: