Cold Air Intake (CAI) on 2013 6.2L - worth doing?

[LurkingLuke]

I've long been skeptical of CAIs and what sound/performance benefits they give, if any. I'm uninterested in bling, I'm going for pure performance-related gains.

I like a deeper intake sound and some street-RPM power gains would be very welcome. What have all your experiences been like on the 6.2?

 

[LurkingLuke]

Well, turns out a K&N CAI makes a big difference!

 

[Foggy]

No noticeable gains as the factory air cleaner is already the truest "cold air" intake.
You'd benefit a bit from a better air filter itself.
As far as decluttering and making a bit more noise the MIT tube thing good for that,
just don't expect any HP gains

 

[Foggy]

To Add:
That KN setup in the video will actually take in MORE hot engine compartment
air than the factory air box..

 

[LurkingLuke]

Good to know! What's the MIT thing?

 

[Doubeleive]

the KN blackhawk makes it sound nice, I wouldn't be too concerned with temperature, normally mine is maybe 10-15 deg warmer than ambient or less when driving, idling it can get warmer but your up north? anyway, you'll be fine. The goal is sound anyway....

 

[mikeyss]

Good to know! What's the MIT thing?

It connects to the factory air box

 

[skpyle]

It connects to the factory air box View attachment 417058

OK...that is cool.
Kinda want one now.

 

[Trey Hardy]

OK...that is cool.
Kinda want one now.

I’ve heard a lot of good things on using the airraid MIT tube with the stock “box” as stated above any open cold air intake will actually suck hotter air then the factory in closed box.some company’s make sealed off intake box’s maybe corsa is one? I can’t remember. I’ve ran the cheap spectre ones from advance auto and I got a k&n on my Tahoe and a k&n on my Silverado and I’ve never had any problems out of them!
But again if you can find a closed box intake or even just using the stock box with a k&n drop in filter with the air raid tube has been proven to make great gains

 

[skpyle]

I’ve heard a lot of good things on using the airraid MIT tube with the stock “box” as stated above any open cold air intake will actually suck hotter air then the factory in closed box.some company’s make sealed off intake box’s maybe corsa is one? I can’t remember. I’ve ran the cheap spectre ones from advance auto and I got a k&n on my Tahoe and a k&n on my Silverado and I’ve never had any problems out of them!
But again if you can find a closed box intake or even just using the stock box with a k&n drop in filter with the air raid tube has been proven to make great gains

Thanks! I appreciate the insight.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I've got the Airaid MIT on my 07 Yukon XL Denali, as recommended to me by BlackBear Performance, when I got my original tune from them. The look is much cleaner, taking away all of the stock noise reduction plumbing.

 

[LurkingLuke]

Fueled by impatience, I just ordered the K&N kit for $300.. Their brand is still very strong after all these years, so I expect satisfactory results. I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

[Thrust]

There is this.

2016 Yukon Cold Air Intake Test Results

2016 GMC Yukon Denali Intake Test Results With many different models and styles of cold air intakes offered, we decided to put together a comparison test of a few of the more popular models that we've seen. This evaluation was performed without any expectation of results and no bias towards any...

www.blackbearperformance.com

 

[intheburbs]

Any filter that is "less restrictive" will let more crap into your engine. There's no magic bullet. That's physics.

Yes, the Air Raid tube will gain a few HP, as it is less restrictive and smoother than the oem tube.

Save you money and get a tune.

 

[lyncht1967]

No noticeable gains as the factory air cleaner is already the truest "cold air" intake.
You'd benefit a bit from a better air filter itself.
As far as decluttering and making a bit more noise the MIT tube thing good for that,
just don't expect any HP gains

yep, from all the research and reading i've done...the best bang for buck on these is a tune...from factory the box, exhaust, heads, are all really quite optimized already for average guy like me who stays in low rpms most of time

 

[LurkingLuke]

Thanks, Thrust, for the link to that series of tests. Odd that they say they tested the K&N but I didn't see the graphs, only the numbers (nice torque boost through all RPM ranges and a modest HP gain with a fat curve). I may have to hire a dyno shop just to satisfy my burning curiosity....

 

[Thrust]

Np. From experience any CAI will need a tune to optimize it.

 

[iamdub]

There is this.

2016 Yukon Cold Air Intake Test Results

2016 GMC Yukon Denali Intake Test Results With many different models and styles of cold air intakes offered, we decided to put together a comparison test of a few of the more popular models that we've seen. This evaluation was performed without any expectation of results and no bias towards any...

www.blackbearperformance.com

Ehh. Different engine. Apparently, the intake design of that one leaves more to be had than the one of the prior generations.

 

[iamdub]

I've long been skeptical of CAIs and what sound/performance benefits they give, if any. I'm uninterested in bling, I'm going for pure performance-related gains.

I like a deeper intake sound and some street-RPM power gains would be very welcome. What have all your experiences been like on the 6.2?

No bling? Then, for performance, you'd be all set with a substantial seal between the filter box and fender and maybe a good filter. But, there's really nothing to be improved beyond that. The foam seal is the factory setup's only real fault. It's thin and deteriorates with age then falls in and allows some of the hot engine air to be inhaled. I replaced mine with some Frost King 2.25" square weather seal- about $8 at Lowe's. My IATs in start-stop traffic are 1-5° above ambient at most. Of course, they rise when idling for a long time, but that's to be expected. Even then, it's not a whole lot. They quickly drop once driving again. Cruising on the highway, the IATs will match ambient. You can't get any "cooler" air than that, and it's under $10.

For sound, anything that loses those muffler chambers (Helmholtz resonators, if you wanna be a nerd about it) will increase the intake sound. I'm a fan of the Airaid MIT. It's simple, relatively cheap, easy to install and looks good. The intake sounded so good on mine that I bumped a louder muffler further down my list of mods. If you're crafty and on a budget, you can make a considerably good-looking intake tube with PVC or ABS pipe and appropriate rubber couplings from the plumbing section. Some nifty gluing, sanding and painting and only you would ever know what it actually is.

 

[iamdub]

To Add:
That KN setup in the video will actually take in MORE hot engine compartment
air than the factory air box..

Agreed. "BuT iT hAs A hEaT sHiElD!" Shield? Cute. The factory has the filter in it's own freaking compartment. And you already own it.