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3.7 OEM Air Intake Silencer Delete

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2.4K views 23 replies 6 participants last post by  Fintile  
#1 ·
The following is a procedure I came up with to remove the air silencer on my 2012 V6. This process could be used on anything with the same similar intake tube. I did not want to modify my stock tube, so I purchased a spare I found on eBay.

I plugged the three holes that allow air to enter the silencer cavity. I plugged one with a wooden dowel, another with a plug from the plumbing department, and the last hole with a sturdy over the counter medicine bottle. I wrapped electrical tape around each item to get a nice tight fit in each hole. I really had to push hard to get them in the holes. Once in there, they were not coming back out. Then I also followed up by drilling a small pilot hole through the bottom of the tube and into each plug. I used a decent length and width screw that had wider threads and screwed that tight in each hole, just as a precaution. I installed the AFE Pro Dry filter in the stock box and put the lid back on. What I have done is completely undetectable just looking under the hood since the screws come up from the bottom. No air can enter the silencer box. Granted, it doesn't have the whistle that I am sure some of the completely open element CAIs have, but the silencer isn't coming into play anymore either.

If I want to, I can swap the OEM tube and filter back in place in less than 5 minutes.

I have run this way for about 1000 miles and everything looks like when I put it in.

Other than the cost of the spare tube and AFE air filter which is purely your choice to do, this mod costs only a few bucks.


 
#2 ·
GrabberMeBlue said:
The following is a procedure I came up with to remove the air silencer on my 2012 V6. This process could be used on anything with the same similar intake tube. I did not want to modify my stock tube, so I purchased a spare I found on eBay.
Click to expand...
What do you think about this article, and others like it, that talk about the Harmonics effect?

Design and Construction
The resonator itself couldn't be simpler in design; it's basically just an expansion chamber or wide spot in the otherwise-smooth intake pipe. It may or may not contain some kind of baffle or plate, depending upon the design and the intent of the designers. Resonators come in two types: In-line resonators are open chambers that sit in the intake tube, while side-branch resonators are chambers that sit next to the tube and are connected to it via a small duct or channel.

The Common Misconception
Most hot-rodders and car enthusiasts think of intake resonators as simple mufflers in the intake tube, devices designed to siphon all the awesomeness out of a car's sound track to appease soccer moms and senior citizens. That makes it a prime candidate for the "chuck-it" school of auto modification. After all, it's basically just a plastic tumor growing off of a tube that should by definition be as smooth and blemish free as possible. While sound control is indeed part of the resonator's job, the sound control itself is really more of a side effect of its primary purpose.

Pressure Wave Harmonics
Air flowing into your cylinder head's intake port doesn't move in a straight line while the valve is open, then politely stop in its tracks to await another valve opening. When the valve closes, the moving column of air slams into it, then compresses and bounces back like a spring. This pressure wave travels backward at the speed of sound until the intake runner opens up or it hits something, and then it bounces back toward the cylinder. This is the "first harmonic." The pressure wave actually bounces back and forth two or three more times before the intake valve opens again.

Intake Tube Pulses
The resonator in your intake is technically known as a Helmholz resonator, an acoustic device used to control pressure wave harmonics. Air bouncing back out of your engine and into the intake tube doesn't do it in a single pulse the way it would in a single intake runner; the multiple pistons put out pressure waves at their own intervals, and some of those are going to try to bounce back in while others are going out. The result is a "clog" or high pressure area in your intake tube that ultimately limits airflow through almost the entire rpm spectrum.

The Resonator
Adding an expansion chamber to the intake tube forces air coming back out of the engine to slow down to fill the cavity, thus expending a great deal of its energy and slowing the pressure wave reversion. This slowdown allows fresh air to flow toward the engine without fighting pressure reversion waves the entire way, thus aiding in cylinder filling. Since these pressure waves are essentially sound, giving them a place to expend their energy before exiting the air filter box ends up dampening the intake noise and quieting the engine. Thus, the resonator helps to make the engine paradoxically quieter and more powerful.
 
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#8 · (Edited)
The last paragraph says it. The "muffler" quiets or "dampens" the intake noise and quiets the engine. This is what some folks like to hear, so this mod saves you in paying for a CAI to get the same thing, and since the stock setup flows as good as 98% of the CAI's sold for the 3.7, this mod is a very good alternative to save unnessesary spent coin on a CAI.
 
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#3 · (Edited)
I did read that last summer while pondering eliminating mine. My take was, I was more interested in getting a little more sound and not as worried about the minimal impact it would have in 1/4 mile times, if any. None of the aftermarket CAIs have them.
 
#4 ·
That was kind of my thoughts as well. Just looking for other opinions.
 
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#6 ·
2012 FORD MUSTANG aFe Pro Dry S Air Filter Element 31-80179

I like it. It is non-oiled. Some people worry about over oiling and messing up their MAF. With this one you don't have to worry. I saved my paper filter, so when the time comes to washing this one I can just put the paper one in so this one can dry naturally.
 
#11 ·
Ok...so let me see if I understand this. You plugged the intake resonators so the car will sound like it does with a CAI?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Mustang Evolution mobile app
 
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#14 ·
I never had an aftermarket to compare it to, but I do believe it is definitely louder at WOT than before I did it. The end result is really the same as what Bucko did cutting his off and fiberglassing over it, and he says the sound is there on his.
 
#18 ·
I wanted to make sure whatever I put in there didn't move. That's also why I secured them with screws, even though they were already super tight. I didn't want anything getting sucked into the throttle body. Who knows what plumbers caulk or silicone sealer would do over time with all the temperature changes.
 
#22 ·
Hey everyone! If you want to try this mod, have an auto and don't want to mess with your stock tube, there is a complete assembly including the air box (which you don't need but doesn't hurt having a spare if you ever want to play with it) on eBay for $60 bid or $85 Buy it Now, free shipping and a good rating on the seller. They don't pop up all that often.

NOTE: THE AUTO HAS TWO NIPPLES ON THE SIDE, THE MANUAL HAS ONE.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-MUSTAN.../151349504939?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item233d222bab&vxp=mtr


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