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Just added K&N CAI and power is down (?)

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Old 08-16-2008, 10:34 PM
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Default Just added K&N CAI and power is down (?)

It took a bit longer to install mainly due to poor pics in the instructions. The only area I had a problem was putting the temperature sensor in the tube....It is a really tight fit buts its in and connected. It sounds phenomenal under hard throttle but feels like it isnt pulling as hard as it did with the stock intake. Is it just the sound thats throwing me or could something else be going on ? I have done about 20 miles on the intake. Will it take longer for the computer to learn the changes? All advice gratefully accepted !
Steve
 
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Old 08-16-2008, 10:40 PM
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It could be that it will take the PCM time to adjust to getting more air or you could have damaged an O2 sensor during the install. The PCM is a gradual learning process, and the longer it's been, the longer it'll be for it to adjust. Think about it as an "average" type thing. If you do an mpg mod and you start getting 2 mpg better than before, it'll take forever for your avg. mpg's to go up if your truck has 50,000 miles on it than 5000.
A way around this is to reset your PCM, it'll then register the change and adjust itself accordingly almost right away. But if your performance is truly worse than before, then you probably damaged the sensor...
 
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Old 08-16-2008, 10:50 PM
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Thanks - Im not sure how I would have damaged an O2 sensor. The only sensor involved was the air temp sensor in the resonator box attached to the throttle body. Have I missed something else?. Is there a way to reset the PCM without a tuner? Maybe just pull the battery connection?
Steve
 
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Old 08-16-2008, 10:56 PM
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disconnect the negative terminal on the battery for 30 seconds and reconnect. That should give the PCM enough time to reset.
 
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Old 08-16-2008, 11:16 PM
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Or you can pull the fuse for the PCM, either will work...
There is a sensor just inside the throttle body, a lot of people damage it when they are cleaning the TB. Oh, it's also possible that you can knock crud down the throttle body onto that sensor during a CAI install.
 
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Old 08-16-2008, 11:27 PM
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I was planning on cleaning the throttle body until I remembered it's fly by wire. So I left it alone for another day...Is there a way to open the throttle plate without forcing it open or cleaning it at WOT runing down the highway?
Steve
 
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Old 08-17-2008, 12:12 AM
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Again - why would anyone assume the computer will learn any faster after a reset? It's always interpreting data and making adjustments. Sure, it's quicker to pull timing than to give it but it'll be the same after a reset so what are you gaining?

The ECU's data set is always a window of X amount of time. Your current state of tune is anything it's learned within that timeframe, not from its entire lifetime or the time since its last reset.

Anyway, did you make sure the temp sensor was square inside the tube -- that it has airflow hitting head-on? If it's twisted it won't get as true a reading.

Also, you can clean the throttle body just fine with the engine running. You can spray cleaner then, or you can have the engine off and do a more thorough cleaning. You won't hurt the butterfly by opening it to clean.
 
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Old 08-17-2008, 12:44 AM
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Thanks John. Yes, the temperature sensor is protruding into the tube and is aligned to catch the air-flow. I have a Cobra replica running a BossEFI system and from experience, I know it takes a hundred miles or so of driving for it to interpolate values in the supplied fuel map.
Back to the truck, I did notice that the computer mpg was REALLY bad just after I reset it for 10 miles or so. I can now get it to read over 20mpg in cruise at 60mph.
The K&N instruction sheet does say disconnect the battery negative before install. Of course I thought I knew better so I didnt.....
Steve
 
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Old 08-17-2008, 09:36 AM
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send it back for a refund

if you charged the price of the KN
on a credit card that has a ongoing balance on it you haven't paid off
and will be paying interest on it ... perhaps for years
by all means send it back
 
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Old 08-17-2008, 05:40 PM
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did you install it backwards? I don't care who you are, that's funny
 


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