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| North American Grand Cherokee Association | ||
| Your one stop source for Jeep Grand Cherokee Information | ||
More Power - Many of us are on the quest for more power. The trick is to find things that are worthwhile, reasonably priced and within the realm of modest do-it-yourselfers. As a former Samurai owner, I'll be the first to preach the benefits of low gears and traction over horse power in 95% of off-road situations. But since most of us put 99% of our miles on the road, there are plenty of legitimate reasons for extra oomph over the stock offering. To name just a few - ramping up onto the freeway, passing that dork doing the speed limit in the left lane, pulling heavy loads and generally going uphill. I'm sure some of us have been waiting months, and K&N has finally started to deliver. I ordered mine from Summit Racing on May 1st and received it early August. The K&N part number is KNN-57-1506.
To preface the story of the installation, I'm not even a wannabe drag racer, so I didn't break out the stopwatch and try to burn rubber. I'd love to Dyno test, alas I don't even know where to find one and probably wouldn't want to buy the time if I did. My main power requirement is towing my heavy trailer. If I can do that with a little more ease, I'll be happy. Of course the occasional power rush wouldn't hurt either.
First impressions - It is well packaged, like they take pride in their product. All parts and hardware are included and they also throw in the maintenance kit (cleaner, filter oil) which I didn't expect, maybe it's a bonus for waiting so long. Detailed instructions are included - 24 steps, 22 pictures and an exploded view which helps as much as anything. The instructions, detailed as they may be, don't tell the whole story. So rather than rehash what is supplied, I'll try to fill in some gaps.
The Install - It did not fit perfectly out of the box. As is my lot, I had to make some modifications to get it right. The problem is that the intake plenum did not fit flush against the throttle body. The fix was to raise the front of the unit by shimming up the heat shield, which supports the front (filter end). Also, the intake plenum contacted the upper lip of the firewall. This lip is covered by a rubber trim seal as is the top of the heat shield. I had to pull off the trim, take a Dremel tool to the lip and shave it back about 3/8", then replace the trim. CAUTION - The threaded stud goes into a very soft aluminum throttle body. Thank you Holley. My threads on the throttle body side began to strip, probably too much sideways pressure on the stud before correcting the fit. Fortunately, I'd oiled the stud so the debris stuck to it. Of course, always cover the open throttle body as much as possible when working around it. I was able to get the stud and the top nut finger tight. I wouldn't dare put a wrench to it now. I think K&N should redesign the mounting hole to use the stock stud location, but that engineering discussion is better left for another time. The install, including test drive and clean up took 2 hours.
Driving impression - Yes I can feel it! 26 HP, I doubt it, but I was hoping for half that anyway. It's there off the line, but most noticeable accelerating past 2500 rpm. After reading about conical filter swaps, I expected more noise. There is probably no more than one decible increase, Borla exhaust included. I'm sure the heat shield baffles the noise as well. Sounds good! To try to describe the driving difference, it feels like the vehicle is lighter when accelerating. The sensation of having to spool up some energy before accelerating is replaced by quicker throttle response.
Analysis - I'm curious to see if my gas mileage improves once the novelty of gassing it wears off. The main selling points for me were K&N's reputation and the concept of the 'cold air baffle'. Don't think for a moment however that there might be any cool spots anywhere near that engine compartment. What we're talking about here is the increased potential for outside air to reach the intake that the FIPK accommodates better than any other setup. It is slightly disconcerting to see the big hole underneath the stock air box. I'm thinking about how to rig a shield to keep out debris while maintaining air flow. True, I've spent top dollar for top quality parts, and in trusting the design and manufacturing professionals, have no regrets. Could you achieve similar results for less money? No doubt. Careful planning and smart shopping can get you pretty close to the performance level of top line equipment for maybe half the cost when you follow the lead of proven performance concepts like the FIPK.
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