Hey guys so I started out searching the best ways to help low MPG and prevent oil consumption, and also spark ping under load. The biggest thing that came up was intake gasket failure due to the stupid "keg" design intake and the gasket failure in the lower pan. I found some other things to that I tried but none really helped. I was getting 8.6 MPG avg. and I tried all these mods I ALWAYS run 89 octane even now with new intake.
The truck came with dual thrush welded exhaust so that's done.
1.cooler plugs auto lite 3923 copper cores. $4 each? Helped a little but was due for a tuneup got me up to 9.2MPG little less ping
2.180* thermostat $10 didn't notice anything really helps the engine run a little cooler
3. SCT tuner from hemifevertuning $495 just the standard tuner with 4 tunes. Helped a lot in drive ability and shifts so much smoother. Got me up to 10.7 MPG well worth the money in buying this alone I recommend it before any other mods because it gets rid of what guys call "death flash" which is a poor tune that came from the factory and re flashes from dealers that tried to cover up the Ping and intake failure but made the truck run worse.my truck was a whole mother animal after this I love. Still had ping
4. The big one... hughes performance airgap intake $600
I couldn't find anything that was definite and solid for a review everyone either said it won't work without doing more performance work or they loved it or they wanted to try it. So I bit the bullet and dropped $600 and promised myself I'd tell guys what I thought about it so if it sucked people would quit buying it. So I installed it 3 days ago...

This is my opinion honest from a guy who worked as a master tech and does some performance work here and there on different cars and has a decent knowledge of what he's talking about. If anyone has questions write me and I'll try to answer them.
3 days into it I'm getting 11.5MPG so 1mpg gas mileage gain.
I notice a small loss of torque at the low end but it makes the truck smoother on take off less jerky.
The power range were you really notice it pulling is 2000-3000rpm it is pretty strong.
I don't have HP numbers don't really care I'm a daily driver not a racer
There is NO ping! Never realized how much it annoyed me until now it's gone so that's a huge plus.
There is no Oil consumption as of now but like a I said it's only been three days.


So these are the things I was most curious about and couldn't find answers for If anyone has more ask and I'll answer. As of now I've spent the $600 so I kinda have to be happy with the purchase. I just bought the truck it's low mileage and I'm gonna own it a long time. I'm happy with it because I will reap the benefits for a long time and it will eventually pay for itself. I am not going to go out and tell everyone to start buying these but if you like your truck and are gonna keep it and want to invest some cash into it go for it if u have the cash. I can see were a little bigger cam and more open exhaust would help and make it a lot better. Some guys say to to go with a larger port throttle body I don't see much out of that stock is good for current flow IMO.
Only other mods I'm considering at the moment is gutting my catalytic converter and maybe some 1.7 roller rockers to give me a little more out of my cam. So I'd give it a thumbs up 7/10.
There some BS review on hughes website about getting 17mpg....I call bull no way is that gonna happen except maybe long open highway and a tailwind.

Here's some of the plus things I didn't consider
The intake is the exact copy of a edelbrock performer air gap intake. Edelbrock actually makes them they just cut the hughes name in rather than there's so I'm familiar with the intake and have used them on other vehicles in the past.
The new intake is smaller and less bulky makes doing a tuneup a breeze with all the room now and any other work around the top of the motor.
The stock air box has about a inch of clearence between the cowl and the box.

These are the downsides and problems I had installing.
It's $600 haha ouch
Some of the machining was poor I used my die grinder and had to smooth some spots and burs on it. The intake was a hair wide and wouldn't fit past the valve covers so I had to cut off about a 1/8th inch off in the 4 spots it was hitting the valve covers die grinder made quick work of it. Took a extra 1/2 hour making sure it was perfect.
The intake is tall so the thick rubber valley end cover gaskets wouldn't fit I removed them and gooped in black RTV which I usually do on intakes anyways.

The hughes instructions had some fails or things that need updated so before you do anything it says make sure and check it for yourself before you follow them over a cliff
They say to cut a hole in your air box for your idle air control valve(IAC) and cut the harness to extend it. Someone on another page told me to drill and tap it into the intake adapter under the throttle body. I was able to screw it into the extra passenger side vacuum port and plug the harness in no mods needed.

The intake looks so awesome and sexy sitting there and they send these chincy brackets that you are support to "bolt up" the injector rails to holding them in place. I spent almost a hour getting these stupid things bent and tweaked and bending my rail brackets gently so the injectors seated right square and center. And it looks crappy when your done you'd think for $600 you'd get something dressier haha.

The worst part of the instruction fails is they say to cut the new fuel lines between the two rails shorter to 5 13/16.... So I did..... Before checking the measurement..... Luckily I had a scrap piece in my tool box but it doesn't quiet hold so I have a leak.Im going to get the high pressure crimp style clamps and redo it this weekend but I don't trust just heating it and sliding it over.

Some of the bolts were short for my liking going into aluminum and there were a couple washers missing so I used some more of my toolbox collections and found some 5/16 hardware.

Tips that helped me:
I saw someone else do this so I tried and it worked flawlessly and helped a lot.
I took 4 old intake bolts (new ones come with kit) and cut the head off then cut slots in them to take them out with a flathead so that when I put the intake on these bolts would prevent the intake gasket from slipping and having a leak. The slots are so if u cant get them out then use the flathead on them

The nylon line for the fuel rail was suppose to just be heated with boiling water then slide on from previous experience I've found boiling oil in a coffee can with a torch works better the oil gets hotter than water and holds the heat longer just be careful u will only need to put the line in for a second it will melt otherwise.

So that's it there's my opinion for what it's worth

 

Thats pretty sweet. Im holding out for an M1 because its more of a direct bolt on and its mother Mopar. But ive heard lots of good things about the air gap. Everyone on here who has one says they love it.

 

Here a link to my album I put up from the install.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/members...all-21145.html

Hambone I saw the M1 and the research I did said they were comparable to the edelbrock torker series intakes or other single plane intakes I've had bad experience with those and I've used the performer air gaps on small block Chevys. that and how rare the M1 intakes are to come across I figured I'd go for this.

 

Ive heard good things about both intakes. Ive also heard bad. The most common knock on the F1 is that it is a carb intake converted to handle mpi. But again, all the first hand feedback from this forum says it is great. One guy even put a kegger back on so he could keep the f1 when he sold his truck.

Im actually putting a performer series on a small block chevy right now. (its my first engine build)

Kind of ironic really

Can still get the M1 off jegs for 650 but supply is limited

 

Get some headers in the mix... it will help with outflow, so you can benefit from the increased inflow (potential)... this got back the little bottom end loss from the FI-Airgap, plus some.

 

Wish I would have known about the heating oil instead of water for the nylon fuel line trick...I boiled that S.O.B. for like 20 minutes and i still couldn't get the stupid thing on. I ended up saying to hell with it and going and getting some fuel injection rubber line with fuel injection hose clamps for the crossover line between the rails. No leaks!

I totally agree with the comment about the fuel rail brackets that hold them to the intake. This was the only area on mine that I was less-than-pleased with the fitment. My driver's side fuel rail appears to be tilted a little upwards but it doesn't affect anything as far as I can tell. I also reallllly like the intake...can't wait to get some roller rockers and headers on there to complete all the simple bolt-on engine mods

 

Yeah the water cools to quickly so by the time u get to the rail it's re hardened. I should mention I used old deep fryer oil just took a couple cups out of the one in the house. Never done engine oil don't know how that would work. Definitely don't heat it with a torch lighter or heat gun it blister and just makes it brittle plus seriously you are working with gasoline here.
Yeah I'm considering headers but it's gonna be a while Uncle Sam got me for $1500 and the truck just got me for $1200 plus the payments haha. definitely would go long tube from what I've heard the stock manifolds flow almost but not quite the same as the shorty headers I don't see a point in almost . But then the whole exhaust needs redone so $350 bucks for good headers then another $300 for a decent exhaust about 2 1/2" I'd say castles with magnaflows. So probly closer to a grand. Anyone use spin tech mufflers on a truck?
Also somewhere I saw (jegs maybe?) stamped rockers with rollers that were 1.7 anyone heard of something like them? $400 for a set of jessels is crazy IMO unless your racing.