Ford put the worst designed air filter box on thier engines in 97-03. I know they continued it past there but only on the 4.2L/4.6L.

I installed a K&N drop in filter today and what a pain in the ***. The special clamp didnt wanna line up or keep on its tabs, MAF plug didnt wanna stay in the bottom of the filter housing (not to mention the lack of enough wire to allow for manueverability of the housing) and since the filter goes in sideways, you must hold it in place or it will not allow the two halves of the filter housing to meet properly. I am a Ford fan but on this issue, Ford can S my D.

/rant.

 

Is it a ford issue or a K&N issue? Either way, it sounds like **** poor designs. Did you finally get it to work for ya?

 

Yeah... It finally worked out. I think the design of the housing is **** poor. When I did the Gotts mod on the truck, I had the same issue getting the MotorCraft filter back in. I was just more aggrivated this time since a nice storm was rolling in as it was giving me hell doing what should have been a 10 minute job.

 

any pics?

 

I too have felt the pain of the stock air box!

 

agreed 100%...ive got a 97 4.2 that im doing a home built CAI on even just for the fact its so hard to deal with the stock one.

 

Ya gotta hate when a seemingly small job turns into a cluster f***.

 

http://www.fordf150.net/howto/images/silencer5.jpg

This is not my pic but it shows the goofy clamp and how the filter goes in there. It sucks. Luckily the 04+ 5.4L guys dont have to worry about this.

 

Yep there a major pain in the ***... i hate them!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

oh yeah! Ford used them on everything! Why not buy the whole K&N intake and eliminate that whole goofy thing?

btw, I like how you html end your OP.

/post