# Diesel Performance



## Jager6 (Feb 8, 2008)

I am looking for some recommendations, I have a '99 Ford Powerstroke with the 7.3L engine and I am wondering if anyone might know what I could do to get better MPG. I had a few people recommend putting on a K&N cold air intake and adding an exhuast system. Is that a good set up? Are some exhausts better than others and does the size of the exhaust matter? If anyone has any suggestions or experience with this I would appreciate the input.


----------



## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

first thing to do is look at your driving habits. improve on this and your mileage is sure to improve. a side note oiled air filters are a no-no on a diesel engine.


----------



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

sagebrush said:


> A side note oiled air filters are a no-no on a diesel engine.


 :?: News to me; why?


----------



## truemule (Sep 12, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> sagebrush said:
> 
> 
> > A side note oiled air filters are a no-no on a diesel engine.
> ...


YEs tel us why. When I bought mine that is what was in it and recommended. Was we steered wrong.


----------



## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

I don't know about diesels, but I put a K&N filter (not the whole intake) in my '00 Infiniti I30, and the oil in it ruined my Mass air-flow sensor. Once the oil got on the sensor there was no cleaning it up, and had to replace it. Not worth the 1-2 mpg increase.


----------



## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

because the turbo can/will suck the oil out of the filter and can/will damage the the turbo.
If you were to oil it properly it could work out fine for you. As for me I will stick to the dry filters.


----------



## Jager6 (Feb 8, 2008)

Sagebrush, what filters are you using?


----------



## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

Diesels often settle into optimum mileage at certain exhaust gas temperature ranges. 600 to 700 degrees is a pretty common zone for the 7.3 based on what I've heard from several owners. When you have an EGT guage, it can be surprising what a few miles per hour can do to your temps. Sometimes backing off as little as 2 MPH will cause the EGT to drop a couple hundred degrees.

Cold air intakes and exhaust systems help to reduce EGT across the RPM range and allow you to run cooler at faster speeds. Both are a good idea -- make sure you get an EGT pyrometer so you can monitor the temps and do some basic testing to find the sweet spot.


----------



## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

Jager6 said:


> Sagebrush, what filters are you using?


right now I still have the stock filter in place. when I get about 10,000 miles I will probably use an afe drop in filter.


----------



## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

ChaserOfAllBirds said:


> I don't know about diesels, but I put a K&N filter (not the whole intake) in my '00 Infiniti I30, and the oil in it ruined my Mass air-flow sensor. Once the oil got on the sensor there was no cleaning it up, and had to replace it. Not worth the 1-2 mpg increase.


Some oil can get sucked off the filter and stick to the MAS. It is however not ruined, it can be cleaned. You need to use a product that does not leave a residue such as brake cleaner. They do make a cleaner for the MAS but I think it is essentially the same as brake cleaner with a different label. You simply spay off the sensor and reinstall (a ten minute process).


----------



## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

sagebrush said:


> because the turbo can/will suck the oil out of the filter and can/will damage the the turbo.
> If you were to oil it properly it could work out fine for you. As for me I will stick to the dry filters.


I have NEVER heard of a turbo being ruined from sucking a little oil from the filter. I highly doubt this.


----------



## pintail (Apr 20, 2008)

i also have the 99 7.3 crew cab. mine does pretty good on mileage. i put on the AFE stage 2 full intake a four inch exhaust from the turbo and the edge evolution chip and it does better now that it did before. if you want to see a ford smoke and here your turbo whistle like none other then that's the ticket.


----------



## deadicatedweim (Dec 18, 2007)

pintail said:


> i also have the 99 7.3 crew cab. mine does pretty good on mileage. i put on the AFE stage 2 full intake a four inch exhaust from the turbo and the edge evolution chip and it does better now that it did before. if you want to see a ford smoke and here your turbo whistle like none other then that's the ticket.


You should have gotten a Dodge then you wouldn't need all those extras just to get your tires rolling.


----------

