Let's sift through every square inch of a 2013 Tahoe PPV

[Caddylack]

I've accepted cutting and patching my stock intake, but...

It still bothers me that the Airaid is the only option for such a simple part.

I'm going to walk around at the yard with a stock intake tube in my hands and try to find something from another vehicle that fits.

 

[iamdub]

I've accepted cutting and patching my stock intake, but...

It still bothers me that the Airaid is the only option for such a simple part.

I'm going to walk around at the yard with a stock intake tube in my hands and try to find something from another vehicle that fits.

Godspeed, young Padawan. Might I suggest you focus on diesel trucks?

 

[Caddylack]

A fricking spectre cold air intake showed up at the yard today!

I grabbed the tube and rubber couplings. Yay.

 

[Caddylack]

Today is race day!

The weather looks perfect. Nice and cool, with no rain.

I will experiment with a few different methods... Traction control on/off, manual vs auto shifting, etc.

Coming soon is a picture of this intake tube, and some crappy phone videos of me racing a Marauder.

The intake tube was kind of an awkward fit, since I'm not using it for it's intended purpose, but it works.

 

[Caddylack]

I'm not sure if I have a way of hosting a video file right now. I don't use social media, other than car forums.

My buddy didn't run his Marauder, but I have a good video of me running a 4th gen Z28.

My times weren't quite what I was expecting, but still respectable for a full-size truck:

Best 1/4 was 15.8 @ 87 mph
Best 1/8 was 10.2 @ 70 mph
Best 60 ft was 2.4
Best reaction time was .000 (no joke)

The shift points are definitely too high right now, but it may just be because I still have stock exhaust. Getting rid of the suitcase muffler might help the top end a bit.

 

[Caddylack]

Some pics.

 

[Sparksalot]

I'm not sure if I have a way of hosting a video file right now. I don't use social media, other than car forums.

My buddy didn't run his Marauder, but I have a good video of me running a 4th gen Z28.

My times weren't quite what I was expecting, but still respectable for a full-size truck:

Best 1/4 was 15.8 @ 87 mph
Best 1/8 was 10.2 @ 70 mph
Best 60 ft was 2.4
Best reaction time was .000 (no joke)

The shift points are definitely too high right now, but it may just be because I still have stock exhaust. Getting rid of the suitcase muffler might help the top end a bit.

GU4 for the win!

 

[iamdub]

I'm not sure if I have a way of hosting a video file right now. I don't use social media, other than car forums.

My buddy didn't run his Marauder, but I have a good video of me running a 4th gen Z28.

My times weren't quite what I was expecting, but still respectable for a full-size truck:

Best 1/4 was 15.8 @ 87 mph
Best 1/8 was 10.2 @ 70 mph
Best 60 ft was 2.4
Best reaction time was .000 (no joke)

The shift points are definitely too high right now, but it may just be because I still have stock exhaust. Getting rid of the suitcase muffler might help the top end a bit.

Interesting. I thought for sure you'd be at least borderline 15-14 with a tune, 6-speed and being lighter than mine. Mine (4-speed, AFM-off tune only) with MIT and AEM filter, 18" straight-through muffler and 22s went 15.656 @ 89. 10.2 @ 71 in the eighth. Temp was 55°. I'm assuming Byron? Maybe it's the elevation? I'm ~25' ASL.

Why'd your buddy punk out?

 

[Caddylack]

Interesting. I thought for sure you'd be at least borderline 15-14 with a tune, 6-speed and being lighter than mine. Mine (4-speed, AFM-off tune only) with MIT and AEM filter, 18" straight-through muffler and 22s went 15.656 @ 89. 10.2 @ 71 in the eighth. Temp was 55°. I'm assuming Byron? Maybe it's the elevation? I'm ~25' ASL.

Why'd your buddy punk out?

I think the exhaust is holding me back quite a bit. I have the suitcase + the stock resonator, which reduces the pipe diameter there at the tailpipe.

I'm also a bit skeptical of this intake tube. If you look closely at the pic, you can see how the tube extends really far into the elbow, almost like a kink. The analogy would be like mandrel bent exhaust vs non-mandrel bent. Actually, the rubber elbow itself is kinked like this, so it gets narrow at the bend.

Byron, correct.

Again, my shift points are too high for my setup. There is a couple hundred RPM of "not much" at the top of each gear.

One thing I should add is that my times were shockingly consistent. I mean, all the way down the time slip, the numbers were basically the same on every pass.

 

[Caddylack]

Oh, as far as my buddy with the Marauder...

I honestly think he was nervous about losing to an SUV, and he wanted to see what I ran. His Marauder is stock, so it's surely somewhere in the mid-high 14s.

He brought his 92 Caprice, which runs high 10s, but he had street tires on it, so he was really just messing around.

The same friend also has a TBSS, a lifted Duramax truck, an old GTO, and a WRX hatch.

 

[iamdub]

I think the exhaust is holding me back quite a bit. I have the suitcase + the stock resonator, which reduces the pipe diameter there at the tailpipe.

I'm also a bit skeptical of this intake tube. If you look closely at the pic, you can see how the tube extends really far into the elbow, almost like a kink. The analogy would be like mandrel bent exhaust vs non-mandrel bent. Actually, the rubber elbow itself is kinked like this, so it gets narrow at the bend.

Byron, correct.

Again, my shift points are too high for my setup. There is a couple hundred RPM of "not much" at the top of each gear.

One thing I should add is that my times were shockingly consistent. I mean, all the way down the time slip, the numbers were basically the same on every pass.

I wouldn't focus so much on that reduced diameter at the very back. This is by design. By the time the exhaust has made it through the cats, muffler and all the piping, it has cooled considerably. The smaller diameter pipe after the muffler helps to maintain the speed of the exhaust gases to maintain evacuation.

Until you're moving considerably more air (FI, boost or cam), I'd throw a straight-through muffler on it and let 'er rip.


The MIT does flare out then tapers back to the size of the TB inlet. So, maybe there is something to be said for that versus the tube you have. Running consistent times and being a quick swap, you could put the stock duct or another tube back in between runs and see if there's any notable difference. FWIW, the MIT was shown to yield around 6-8 HP on the top end. Likely nothing you'd notice.

 

[Caddylack]

Until you're moving considerably more air (FI, boost or cam), I'd throw a straight-through muffler on it and let 'er rip.

This was basically my plan when I bought the car. I bought a muffler and stainless tip, but I just haven't installed it.

After owning so many loud vehicles, I'm kind of enjoying the silence of the PPV.

My Audi has turbos for mufflers, and my Fleetwood has headers and full 2.5" catless exhaust. It's nice to have one car that doesn't annoy neighbors.

I will still end up doing exhaust and more on the PPV, though, haha.

 

[iamdub]

This was basically my plan when I bought the car. I bought a muffler and stainless tip, but I just haven't installed it.

After owning so many loud vehicles, I'm kind of enjoying the silence of the PPV.

My Audi has turbos for mufflers, and my Fleetwood has headers and full 2.5" catless exhaust. It's nice to have one car that doesn't annoy neighbors.

I will still end up doing exhaust and more on the PPV, though, haha.

What muffler do you have for it?

The popular Magnaflow 12589 is a straight-through design that is about the same volume as stock, maybe a touch louder and certainly has more growl when you're on the throttle. No drone. The Magnaflow 12259 is 4" shorter (18" versus 22") and is a little louder yet, but still nowhere near a nuisance to neighbors and doesn't drone. There are clones for about half the price as MF. I have the AP Exhaust clone of the MF 12259.

 

[Caddylack]

What muffler do you have for it?

The popular Magnaflow 12589 is a straight-through design that is about the same volume as stock, maybe a touch louder and certainly has more growl when you're on the throttle. No drone. The Magnaflow 12259 is 4" shorter (18" versus 22") and is a little louder yet, but still nowhere near a nuisance to neighbors and doesn't drone. There are clones for about half the price as MF. I have the AP Exhaust clone of the MF 12259.

I got one of the cheap stainless mufflers from Cherry Bomb, kind of just to try it out. It's really short as far as length, and straight-through at an angle (due to the inlet and outlet obviously not being aligned).

 

[Caddylack]

I keep forgetting to ask about this:

Ever since changing tires, I have this error message about the tire pressure monitoring system. How do I get rid of it? Besides pressing the button every time I start the car, of course.

I don't actually care about monitoring tire pressure.

 

[iamdub]

I keep forgetting to ask about this:

Ever since changing tires, I have this error message about the tire pressure monitoring system. How do I get rid of it? Besides pressing the button every time I start the car, of course.

I don't actually care about monitoring tire pressure.

Because it's a gubbamint-mandated safety system, it can't be disabled without external intervention. It's been a while since I've researched it, but there is (or was) a module that mimics four sensors that you program to the car just the same as if you were programming actual tire sensors. It sends out four individual signals telling the computer that the tires are at X psi.

Otherwise, just get sensors for your new tires/wheels and program them. IIRC, GM sensors are about $25 each and you can get a tool to program them for about $15 on Amazon. This would be really handy to relearn the positions after rotating them. The tire doesn't need to be fully removed from the wheel to install the sensor- just break the outside bead, squash the tire down and install it. If you're thrifty and bored, you can do this at home.

I'm gonna see if I can find that spoofer module.

*EDIT*
Looks like those spoofers are available in Canada and Europe. They're around $100 USD, anyway. It's easier and cheaper to just keep the system functional.

 

[Caddylack]

Because it's a gubbamint-mandated safety system, it can't be disabled without external intervention. It's been a while since I've researched it, but there is (or was) a module that mimics four sensors that you program to the car just the same as if you were programming actual tire sensors. It sends out four individual signals telling the computer that the tires are at X psi.

Otherwise, just get sensors for your new tires/wheels and program them. IIRC, GM sensors are about $25 each and you can get a tool to program them for about $15 on Amazon. This would be really handy to relearn the positions after rotating them. The tire doesn't need to be fully removed from the wheel to install the sensor- just break the outside bead, squash the tire down and install it. If you're thrifty and bored, you can do this at home.

I'm gonna see if I can find that spoofer module.

*EDIT*
Looks like those spoofers are available in Canada and Europe. They're around $100 USD, anyway. It's easier and cheaper to just keep the system functional.

Are you saying it cannot be disabled in the computer?

 

[Caddylack]

Here are the siren and lights that are still present.

 

[iamdub]

Are you saying it cannot be disabled in the computer?

There might be somebody, somewhere that can/has hacked the BCM and can do so. But, generally, within our grasp- no.

 

[Caddylack]

I just wanted to point out that the police Tahoes have 3.08 gears. I'm sure 3.73 would make a huge difference in the 1/4.