| bebfoo |
Anyone here replaced, or considered replacing the stock air filter and muffler on their '09 Pilot?
One of the guys and the dealer told me he replaced his air filter with a high-flow model, and his exhaust system with a Flowmaster high-performance system, and that this increased both horsepower and gas mileage (by around 1-3 MPG). He said it cost him around $800.
I am going to do some more research on it, but thought I'd ask here for anyone with a '09 Pilot who has already done it.
I wondered how much louder it would make the Pilot at highway speeds (the dealer guy said his was only "a bit" louder). I do love how quiet the '09 Pilot is compared to my old 2001 Acura MDX (which was really noisy for being a luxury SUV).
Obviously it would take a while to payoff the cost of $800 just in gas, but as gas prices continue to climb (some predict they'll hit $6.00 before 2010), it will make it more cost-effective. Plus reducing the "carbon footprint" of these relatively gas hungry Pilots, even if only a bit, would be worth it to me. |
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| bebfoo |
Found some of the other treads here on the forums that make it sound like the mileage gains from a new intake/exhaust system are negligible.
I am thinking the best way to get better mileage is to drive with a lighter foot. :D |
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| VettePilot |
quote:
Originally posted by bebfoo
Found some of the other treads here on the forums that make it sound like the mileage gains from a new intake/exhaust system are negligible.
I am thinking the best way to get better mileage is to drive with a lighter foot. :D
Intake and exhaust systems can increase horsepower on "some" vehicles.
In most cases, they don't do anything to increase gas mileage -- unless, you have a rare case where the filter is plugged after "way too much mileage between replacements."
I have tried to tweek every ounce of HP out of my Corvette by replacing many things -- And, I can tell you for a fact from research with some good equipment that the popular K&N air filter did absolutely nothing to improve HP or gas mileage.
With the "lighter foot" approach, you are showing that you are catching on to what is "really" needed.
Vehicle manufacturers have much more exotic equipment to test and determine what needs to be done for efficiency -- it is done for you.
That been said, for a perfornance vehicle, you can squeeze some more HP out of them, but it doesn't come cheap or easy by replacing an air filter -- if serioius, you need to start looking at after-market cylinder heads and cam profiles.
My '06 Pilot makes the hills in West Virginia look like they aren't even there -- I don't need any more. |
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| bebfoo |
quote:
Originally posted by VettePilot
I have tried to tweek every ounce of HP out of my Corvette by replacing many things -- And, I can tell you for a fact from research with some good equipment that the popular K&N air filter did absolutely nothing to improve HP or gas mileage.
That been said, for a perfornance vehicle, you can squeeze some more HP out of them, but it doesn't come cheap or easy by replacing an air filter -- if serioius, you need to start looking at after-market cylinder heads and cam profiles.
Thanks for the info! I figured that might be the case. I wonder if this guy was just seeing a placebo effect more than any real improvement.
I am not that serious that I'd ever bother replacing cylinder heads and cams on a new car.
I'll just wait for the hydrogen-powered 2012 Pilot (lol), and until then drive slower and w/ less of a lead foot that I used to. ;) |
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