Cold Air Intake for the most power??

[tooleyondeck]

$58 Amazon special. Purely for sound and aesthetics.

The TB, manifold, and heads are where you'll find gains, not the tube.

 

[EddieC]

Put one on our C5 Corvette. It claimed 40 hp gain.
My seat of the pants dyno didn't feel it. The primary noticible change was a slight change in intake noise. It's funny how we assimilate noise with power. I remember Cherry Bombs and Thrush in high school; Silly boys.
That was on a 3200 pound vehicle. I would expect even less on a vehicle the weight of our suvs.

 

[j91z28d1]

Put one on our C5 Corvette. It claimed 40 hp gain.
My seat of the pants dyno didn't feel it. The primary noticible change was a slight change in intake noise. It's funny how we assimilate noise with power. I remember Cherry Bombs and Thrush in high school.
That was on a 3200 pound vehicle. I would expect even less on a vehicle the weight of our suvs.

what brand did you put on the c5? the ram air one is said to actually pick up time at the drag strip over stock

 

[EddieC]

what brand did you put on the c5? the ram air one is said to actually pick up time at the drag strip over stock

Sorry I can't tell you the brand. It was a brand name though. I sold the car after 4 years in 2004 to get money out before the C6 design change. That always seemed to be a big value killer.

I just shared my experience to pass on that it might not be all of what some might be expecting, but then again my seat of the pants dyno has a high threshold number. Performance gain wasn't there either though.

 

[swathdiver]

The factory setup is a damned good design as it isolates the intake air from the engine bay heat. It just looks boring and the duct has Hemholtz resonators to quiet down the intake air sound. It is NOT choking the engine of air. To improve the looks and sound, throw on an MIT. The one weak point to the factory design is the seal between the filter box and fender. That thin foam seal and the adhesive securing it degrades with time. It falls in or rots away, allowing a little engine bay heat to be sucked in. It's still a very small amount of hot air compared to the pretty chrome tube and giant cone filter setup.

My solution for the seal starts here:

Growing up doesn't have to suck

I had some 20K-mile LS6 springs (yellow) from some Z06 heads I had for a past project. I got the 2600-2800 converter. I think it's the famed I-6 Trailblazer converter, but with an upgraded clutch and slightly higher stall. The rep said my Tahoe should still roll if I idled in gear with my...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

Checking it after three years- Sealing great!

View attachment 427172

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A stock Gen III (5.3 or 6.0) or Gen IV (5.3) LS doesn't see any real gains from an aftermarket intake system. 6.2s do benefit from one. The Volant or Corsa system was tested by BlackBear among others and came out on top. Volant used to offer a scoop for theirs for the SUVs but now only offer it for the pickups.

After the tune I'll get the Volant for my 6.2 pickup along with the scoop but doubt I'll leave it on in case my daughter drives through deep water as she is apt to do. Folks who know me know that I don't do butt dynos, we make the effort to use our VC-2000s or take the trucks to the 1/4 mile track to measure performance.

 

[EddieC]

Swathdiver,
What type of foam and adhesive was used for your airbox seals?
Critters got to mine.

​

 

[j91z28d1]

volant is what I'll probably pick up one day but I gotta admit, if mine didn't mount the coolent Reservoir right where the air box goes, I'd probably try that VARARAM. looks promising and air intakes are higher to avoid high water.


coolent res being a dual tank and has electric pumps hanging off it. probably be a hassle to move where the air box is now. but I guess anything is possible with enough hose and wire haha

 

[j91z28d1]

Sorry I can't tell you the brand. It was a brand name though.
I just shared my experience to pass on that it might not be all of what some might be expecting, but then again my seat of the pants dyno has a high threashold number. Performance gain wasn't there either though.

while that's a bit odd lol. if you want one that will make a difference, VARARAM is the one for you c5. it as a bit of mixed reviews on the quality for the cost. it ain't cheap and like all ram air, you can suck water into it if you tried. but no one argues it doesn't run the faster at the track with it than stock or other intakes that aren't ram air.

the c5 maf doesn't have the same issues with turbulent air that the c6 has. so no issues in tuning it to drive nicely.

 

[RET423]

If you like the look then that is what you will get with a modded intake, your not going to get a power increase on these engines.

The factory air intake does not starve the engine for air, it is more than adequate for any HP level under 500.

The advantage to cooler air is the ability to run more timing advance without detonation, the factory plumbing is already somewhat of a cold system so you stand nothing to gain there either.

There are some factory air inntake setups that choke off the engines ability to breath but not the Vortec/LS systems; they are very well designed by GM.

 

[iamdub]

22844822

View attachment 427389View attachment 427390

A stock Gen III (5.3 or 6.0) or Gen IV (5.3) LS doesn't see any real gains from an aftermarket intake system. 6.2s do benefit from one. The Volant or Corsa system was tested by BlackBear among others and came out on top. Volant used to offer a scoop for theirs for the SUVs but now only offer it for the pickups.

After the tune I'll get the Volant for my 6.2 pickup along with the scoop but doubt I'll leave it on in case my daughter drives through deep water as she is apt to do. Folks who know me know that I don't do butt dynos, we make the effort to use our VC-2000s or take the trucks to the 1/4 mile track to measure performance.

I forgot there was a snap-in factory replacement! I still prefer the super tight and firm seal I made, though. Although that new one looks to be wider and more dense than the original.

 

[easymoney]

Has anyone tested the power gain in the different brand intakes? Im getting ready to buy one, most the time im happy to have one to let the truck breathe better but I know this tahoe will be with me long term and would rather buy the best and not have to replace being dissapointed!

Let me hear your pros and cons to the intakes you've tried out!

Thanks,

Brennan

A programmer will help you can get a lot more torque but I average 13mpg. I bought the k&n for my 2004 tahoe it's a waste of money to be honest. There is nothing Cold air about it. It's warmer air than stock. If you want a louder engine than yeah that part works but there is no more HP. I have had it for 10 years and sometimes I get a code come up because the seal gasket is not very good it falls off sometimes..