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(PIC)WEAPON-R SECRET WEAPON INTAKE 08 ESCAPE V6

19K views 48 replies 17 participants last post by  TylerAxis 
#1 ·
I went ahead and took the plunge and bought a WEAPON-R SECRET WEAPON INTAKE system for my 08 ESCAPE V6 (ebay). Installed it in about an hour. I really like it and in the one trip that I have taken tonight. I can tell that there is a slight change in throttle response and of course there is an outstanding THROATY sound coming out of the intake. I will see how the gas mileage changes in the coming weeks.

The only complaint is that for the price that is charged the intake. The should be a little more attention in how it fits in the intake area. As the intake is very snug and not 100% perfect fit

Now I have been pricing out a "build it yourself" intakes system for some time and at first came to be like $60 short of buying the WEAPON-R. Now that I have the intake I think I could have gone a little cheaper on the "build it yourself" intake. All that is needed is:

- 2x 90 degree elbows ($20 each)
- 3x couplers (1x 2.5" to 3" coupler 2x 3' to 3" coupler) ($10 each)
-1x air intake filter ($30)
-1x MAF adapter part #9705 SPECTRE ($40) (see spectre website http://www.spectreperformance.com/#CATALOG.9705)

Now these prices are approximate and you could probably find this for a little cheaper depending on your ebay habits.
ALSO THIS IS FOR A 2008 ESCAPE V6 3.0

This is an open ended filter and I hooked up the open end to the the stock air inlet(where the red/black fuse holder is). Also it cant be seen but the air filter touches the strut area battery when installing and a very tight fit. The coupler closest to the throttle body has to be manipulted as seen with the pipe vise being canted to avoid constant touching with the strut area and battery. The vacum hose is rigged with a platic tube bought and platic coupler as the rubber hosed supplied was way to small to fit the vacum hose As soon as i get time I will make a air box for it.
 
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#2 ·
The factory air box is a cold air intake. I guess i would like to see some pics of one of these installed. I could be mistaken but i believe you gave up a cold air intake for a under hood temp intake. Which i assure you the under hood air temp is higher than the ambient temp drawn in on the stock unit. I would like to know if you see a fuel economy improvements with this set-up.

I have also heard of people being fooled in the throttle response area due to the throaty noise. I would agree that it should sound faster. You can remove the silencer on the factory air box set-up and it will sound nearly the same. I will agree they sound much more agressive without silencers. When i get my escape i may try and test some of these products.

I personally am not sold on the "cold air intake " gimmick. just my $0.02.

In the end here all that matters is if you are happy with your purchase.
 
#3 ·
Lets take a look!!
 
#4 ·
pics should be up this evening after I get off work.
 
#5 ·
.
 
#6 ·
PIC is up and updated original post as well.

TopElimn8r said:
The factory air box is a cold air intake. I guess i would like to see some pics of one of these installed. I could be mistaken but i believe you gave up a cold air intake for a under hood temp intake. Which i assure you the under hood air temp is higher than the ambient temp drawn in on the stock unit. I would like to know if you see a fuel economy improvements with this set-up.

I have also heard of people being fooled in the throttle response area due to the throaty noise. I would agree that it should sound faster. You can remove the silencer on the factory air box set-up and it will sound nearly the same. I will agree they sound much more agressive without silencers. When i get my escape i may try and test some of these products.
Yes the OEM box is a "cold air intake" but very constrictive.With out the constrictiveness of the OEM box, air is abundant for the engine to consume. Instead of the oem box trying to snort a golf ball through a straw. Yes under hood temp is in the equation but I can live with the variance. Now for the throttle response, there is no mistake of it being there. As for my fuel enconmy it went from 17 to 19.5 and thats with me lead footing every chance i get. But next time I fill up I will manully calculate my MPG and watch my foot.

:beer:
 
#9 ·
What are you guys gonna go with the WEAPON R or DIY kit????
 
#12 ·
Yeah, in city I am getting 18.6 mpg and a definite on throttle response. Havent gone on the highway yet.
 
#13 ·
Finally took her on the highway, 21 mpg on a 51 mile trip. I'm gonna go on another highway trip probably next weekend to confirm. Still getting 17.6 to 18.6 in city and at one point got to 19 mpg
 
#15 ·
oskerb said:
Finally took her on the highway, 21 mpg on a 51 mile trip. I'm gonna go on another highway trip probably next weekend to confirm. Still getting 17.6 to 18.6 in city and at one point got to 19 mpg
I guess I'm missing something here... because I've run three tanks of gas thru my '09 V6 Escape (purchased pre-owned on 4/09/10) and I'm averaging 24.02 MPG now -- with just a new K&N filter installed in the stock box.

BTW, not trying to hijack this thread, but would the Weapon-R CAIs work on a 2009 Escape? I have seen lots of mentions of 2008's, but have not seen any air intake mods for a 2009 V6.
 
#16 ·
CharlieJ said:
I guess I'm missing something here... because I've run three tanks of gas thru my '09 V6 Escape (purchased pre-owned on 4/09/10) and I'm averaging 24.02 MPG now -- with just a new K&N filter installed in the stock box.
You must be doing more highway driving. I believe Osker like myself does 99.5% city driving. I drive 10 miles a day and the highest speed limit is 40 MPH on the trip. My escape has about 700 miles on it now and it is completely stock and i'm averaging 18.6 mpg
 
#17 ·
CharlieJ said:
I guess I'm missing something here... because I've run three tanks of gas thru my '09 V6 Escape (purchased pre-owned on 4/09/10) and I'm averaging 24.02 MPG now -- with just a new K&N filter installed in the stock box.

BTW, not trying to hijack this thread, but would the Weapon-R CAIs work on a 2009 Escape? I have seen lots of mentions of 2008's, but have not seen any air intake mods for a 2009 V6.
Yeah TOP is right I do alot of city driving. :play: There was a difference in the 08 to 09. Horse power went up from 200hp to 240hp by making more compression with a tad bit less displacement, dunno how that happen but Ford made it happen. What I did notice in the change in the engine bay is the air intake is in the between the hood and the top of the grill. So the Weapon R will not fit. You can probably make your own intake but dont know as I havent really ventured into the 09 engines. Before the new intake I was lucky to get 17mpg in the city and 18-19 on the highway. Where as when the 09's came out I noticed they were getting alot better gas mileage.
 
#18 ·
CharlieJ said:
oskerb said:
Finally took her on the highway, 21 mpg on a 51 mile trip. I'm gonna go on another highway trip probably next weekend to confirm. Still getting 17.6 to 18.6 in city and at one point got to 19 mpg
I guess I'm missing something here... because I've run three tanks of gas thru my '09 V6 Escape (purchased pre-owned on 4/09/10) and I'm averaging 24.02 MPG now -- with just a new K&N filter installed in the stock box.

BTW, not trying to hijack this thread, but would the Weapon-R CAIs work on a 2009 Escape? I have seen lots of mentions of 2008's, but have not seen any air intake mods for a 2009 V6.
Okay something is not adding up. I am getting 21 to 22 mpg with a stock air box with the tube removed. This is all city miles or stop and go. on long trips I have averaged 25 to 26. That just under 400 miles I have traveled. I am going to do my own expermenting in the next few weeks. Let you guys know what I come up with.

But on a nother note everone is right the cooler the air the better it works. Worm air = a loss in power and cool air = a gain in power. no matter how you find it or can get it.
 
#19 ·
You guys are correct... My commute is roughly 60miles round trip daily. I have 8 stop signs (most miles apart) and 3 traffic lights that might stop me along the route. Otherwise, I'm cruising along at around 60MPH both ways. That's probably why I'm seeing the higher end of the scale.

Speaking of the 2009 air intake, it is all closed off (don't see how it gets any air at all). If that hasn't been discussed before, maybe I'll start a new thread and we can take up how to make the air flow better in a '09 V6 engines.
 
#20 ·
CharlieJ said:
Speaking of the 2009 air intake, it is all closed off (don't see how it gets any air at all). If that hasn't been discussed before, maybe I'll start a new thread and we can take up how to make the air flow better in a '09 V6 engines.
On the top of the 09's engine there is a big black plastic peice, that's the intake. Between the the front of the hood tip and the upper grill peice, is the actual air inlet.
 
#21 ·
oskerb said:
On the top of the 09's engine there is a big black plastic peice, that's the intake. Between the the front of the hood tip and the upper grill peice, is the actual air inlet.
Yeah, I see. But the "problem" in my view, is that there is weather stripping all around the intake inlet... and then the hood sits right down on top of that. I really don't see how the air intake gets any air at all. It's closed off. I wonder if anyone has taken that hose away from the metal it's attached to and moved it down so that air flowing through the grill will flow into it. OR... if something else has been done to increase air flow. The design seems to suit being changed easily... I am just not all that mechanically inclined. :play:

Here are images of what I'm referring to:




 
#23 ·
I see what your saying Charlie. I could have sworn there was a small gap on both sides of the stripping. So its not getting air directly from the front but the sides. If not, then it is definetly getting it from the engine bay and radiator area. FYR dont think there was a mid year change. But there is a difference in the 08 and 09 air intakes as you see charlies and you see the pic in this link http://www.escape-city.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5207 you see the after market intake, but just imagine an airfilter box sitting next to the battery (where the new filter is )
 
#24 ·
Fyrtrks said:
Is there a difference in the 08 and 09 air boxes? It looks like the intake turns more towards the grill in the 09's compaired to the 08's or was there a mid year change of the air boxes.
The 2008 runs the older 3.0L engine, so I'm going to guess that the air intake is different.

Also, to help with the 2009+ V6 argument, I didn't notice it when I bought the car but the rubber tubing had fallen off the box-side... and I got 1MPG better on the highway before I reattached the tubing. My guess is that it picks up the air that runs between the grille and the hood (because you can fit a finger in there). An easy mod would be to cut a hole on the grille to accomdate for more air (and maybe some custom work to get additional air from the front, as a faux ram air intake). I'm going to do more work on this when I finish school.
 
#25 ·
Are you running synthetic engine oil in your truck? That, combined with the intake should make for even better MPG's if you haven't done it already. I noticed a difference in my Escape with the 5W20 Full Synthetic engine oil and the K&N panel filter on my truck. I've been entertaining the idea of putting in an intake on my truck, as I had a full length CAI on my Focus I had before.

L8tz!
 
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