KTempleton Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Coming over from a Toyota off-road forum. I've seen a few posts on here about getting a little MPG improvement and some HP gain. One thing that was popular there that I did with good results was an K&N and AIR BOX DECK PLATE MOD. I searched a bit on here to see if anyone was doing it. But instead of dropping a few hundred $$$ on an air intake we would just do this. I haven't gotten to look at mine yet to see if it's even possible since I'm going to buy my 02 4x4 this weekend. But thought I'd share if anyone was interested. 1. Go to a boat shop or auto shop that would sell a deck plate drain for a boat. I think I used a 6" round one in my Tacoma. 2. Get a K&N filter to fit stock air box 3. Pull out stock air box 4. trace the inner circle of the deck plate housing on the air box. (on the Tacoma we did it on the side with the most open area by it) 5. Cut out the circle you traced on stock air box. 6. Take frame of deck plate and (should be an inside and outside) Silicone both sides onto the air box and then bolt together. 7. Once dry, deck plate should snap into place locking on the frame completely sealing off the box to water and dust. If driving around town or on Hwy take the plate off and put it somewhere safe. Pretty much opens up the side of the box bringing in more air like the K&N or Air-aid intakes providing a better airflow. When you go off road, just snap the plate in to seal out water and dirt. I don't remember exact numbers but I saw a noticeable increase in gas mileage and even a little bit of throttle response. Plus it made the stock exhaust a little deeper. Not sure how possible it is on the Pathfinder but I'll look at it and try it if it seems like it will work. I think it's $10 for the plate and $40 or so for the filter if you don't already have one. More people on the site (www.ttora.com) swore by it and did their own testing. If I do it, I'l try to do a write up and post on here. Sure beats spending $200-$300. Hopefully this is helpful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Great idea. Can you post any pics (even if it's from a 'Yota engine bay) for a visual reference? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KTempleton Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 here's a link. there are pics on the right hand side http://www.top4runners.com/ja/perf.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfounder Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I don't really see how this could improve gas mileage. Right after the air box is the throttle, a giant restrictor plate. Full throttle? Maybe, if the factory setup sucks enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Getting rid of intake restriction can help with fuel mileage as it helps the motor breathe easier, but i dont see this keeping water out.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KTempleton Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 It keeps water out of boats... Will seal up box as well as stock. I never said huge changes in MPG but every little bit helps these days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 (edited) Never mind. I thought it was just the dust/bug screen. I didn't realize there was a screw in cover. The WD21 air box isn't quite designed for something like this, it could go on the bottom, but the air box would need to be removed to make it accessible, and that defeats the purpose. Merged Post: And i just noticed that this is in the R50 forum.... if you do it, you should take step-by-step pictures! Edited May 13, 2012 by RedPath88 Merged Posts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I don't think the R50 airbox has the right dimensions to do the 4Runner deckplate mod (as described here). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhornet Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS TO ABOUT 9 NISSANS NOT ALL MINE BUT IT MAKES A DIFF IN MILLAGE AND ACCELERATION VERY NOTICEABLE USUALLY 2 3" HOLES I DO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS TO ABOUT 9 NISSANS NOT ALL MINE BUT IT MAKES A DIFF IN MILLAGE AND ACCELERATION VERY NOTICEABLE USUALLY 2 3" HOLES I DO pics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRider3141 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 I think poor flowing Air boxes are universal. Over on the Explorer Forums it was known as "Swiss Cheesing" your air box. Basically taking a >1" hole saw and drilling out the sides. Same goes for most dirt bike air boxes. For DRZ400s it is known as the 3x3 Mod. Someone put a DRZ on a Dyno and kept making the airbox hole bigger until the power stopped increasing. The final shape was 3" by 3", hence 3x3. I'm sure the Pathfinder is no different. It's all about the EPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo94 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 So i guess with this you cant drive through puddles on the road then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headpeace Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 the deck plate drain mod has a cover that can be put back in the "hole" to keep water out when offroad or in wet situatiions. I've never seen it done on a pathy, would like to see pics of where this was done on a pathy air box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Someone here did this. I can't for the life of me remember who but there's a thread with pictures. Who was it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Someone here did this. I can't for the life of me remember who but there's a thread with pictures. Who was it... Had to be someone with a WD21. I don't recall seeing this mod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 http://forums.nicoclub.com/my-intake-mod-w-jwt-pop-charger-t510519.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick13 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Yeah, I've read about that guy...definitely not one to trust. I'll talk to my 3rd Gen T4R friends (that's who I wheel with most of the time), most of which have NOT done this mod. I remember one of them talking about not wanting to gulp water from the bay on crossings, but I don't remember them saying that it had a replaceable plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KTempleton Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 (edited) I had it done on my Tacoma and was SUPER easy and clean. I just picked up my Pathfinder today. Will look at it tomorrow and see how I can pull this off. Edited May 12, 2012 by KTempleton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynomax Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 I had it done on my Tacoma and was SUPER easy and clean. I just picked up my Pathfinder today. Will look at it tomorrow and see how I can pull this off. Sounds great, post some pics. Although everything I've read about air filters and mpg is they can be up to 75% clogged before even starting to make a difference in EFI engines... I would like to see the results, both mpg and physical results. Thinking of my airbox on my stock pathfinder, i'm not sure if the shape of it would allow the deck plate to be drilled out... I can picture it on the tacoma cause we just changed a buddies stock air box out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 I just picked up my Pathfinder today. Muhahaha! We "got" you now! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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