whats up guys I know there is mixed opinions on cai, however im going to get one regardless of the long term affect (plus i dont live in an area with dry dusts climate)... Anyhow what brand would be my best bet, im thinking volant but i very open to other opinions.
Cold air intake
- Thread starter 06envoydenali
- Start date
blazinlow89
Member
- Jan 25, 2012
- 2,088
Blckshdw
Moderator
blazinlow89 said:
This is the route I took as well. I went with silicone parts instead of PVC/ABS, so it was slightly more pricey, but still cheaper than the ready-made kits you buy online. 
OctaneRider03
Member
- Jul 31, 2012
- 430
I'm all about coming up with some home-made equipment too, but to answer your question from my point of view, just go get a K&N dude. It's worked well with my trailblazer for a very long time and added noticeable power on those cooler days and nights! Good luck man! -Lee
n0kfb
Member
- Dec 8, 2011
- 104
Why bother? The stock setup is pulling air from in front of the radiator, and is probably doing a better job of it than any aftermarket air intake. The only possible difference is you can hear the intake air noise when you floor the accelerator with an aftermarket or home made system. Any difference in performance is purely in psychological.
-- Dan Meyer
-- Dan Meyer
Boricua SS
Member
unless you get a tune as well to really reap the benefits of your CAI... i see you have the 5.3 and not the I6, so im wondering if you could even go the 4" FWI (fender well intake) route... 
.. but a basic DIY intake would be your best bet i think.. if i could go back and do it all over again.. i wouldnt of spent the $250+ for my CAI and i wouldve went to the store to fab my own stuff up...Boricua SS said:
I would make my own but i do not have the knowledge to create one
... on the other hand ive never heard of a Fwi, what type of set up is that?n0kfb said:Why bother? The stock setup is pulling air from in front of the radiator, and is probably doing a better job of it than any aftermarket air intake. The only possible difference is you can hear the intake air noise when you floor the accelerator with an aftermarket or home made system. Any difference in performance is purely in psychological.
-- Dan Meyer
I know there is no real performance benefits but there is little i can do engine mod wise because i have the extended warranty. I don't wanna lose that for a pcm tune or other possible warranty voids
Pittdawg
Member
- Dec 5, 2011
- 538
Boricua SS
Member
06envoydenali said:I would make my own but i do not have the knowledge to create one
well its just like it sounds... Fender Well Intake, the intake goes from your TB, through your fender, and down to the front passagner brakke duct (in the case of the TBSS) heres a pic from pcmforless.com
http://www.pcmforless.com/images/productimages/large4intake.jpg
it requires extra things to make it work (e-fans, possibly 4" MAF, and a tune) but this is the best intake on the market right now.. but if you're not going for performance, etc... then dont waste your money on all of this.. just research a DIY CAI and call it a day... a standard intake doesnt require a tune or e-fans for that matter...
Sound.. I consider sound a large reason for purchase, there are some claims of performance but im not looking to race it or ect, just look good and sound good without voiding my warranty ? I don't consider it ridiculous possibly foolish but im 20 and have little to spend my money on soo why not.MacMan said:
Boricua SS said:
Looks and seems like it would lead to performance gains but a little to deep of a mod for me ya know... I dont know much and dont wanna majorly f up my truck... wish i new enough to perform this
Boricua SS
Member
06envoydenali said:Looks and seems like it would lead to performance gains but a little to deep of a mod for me ya know... I dont know much and dont wanna majorly f up my truck... wish i new enough to perform this
yea youre talkin about a whole differnet truck if you did all those mods... and gain about 40ish-45ish extra ponies... but judging from your previous posts and your budget... just get a standard one... im sure there are things out there that show how to do a DIY CAI...
MacMan
Member
- Mar 3, 2012
- 194
Pittdawg said:
Did you notice the disclaimer at the bottom?
"Horsepower gains based on specific or similar vehicle dynamometer test. Results will vary......."
In other words, the two runs may or may not have been on the same vehicle. And who runs a 4200 lb grocery getter around with the engine turning 5000 or more RPM's constantly??
Blckshdw
Moderator
Installing a CAI just for sound purposes is exactly why I put one in my EXT. 
Looking at the pic Juan posted, here's a theoretical grocery list if you wanted to DIY out of parts from siliconeintakes.com, this is where I built mine.
*I don't have any measurements to back this up, just a pure guess based on looking at the previously posted pic*
I'm not sure what you'd have to do for your MAF sensor, but totaling up these parts is just under $120
Looking at the pic Juan posted, here's a theoretical grocery list if you wanted to DIY out of parts from siliconeintakes.com, this is where I built mine.*I don't have any measurements to back this up, just a pure guess based on looking at the previously posted pic*
- 7 x 4" Clamps
- 3 x 4" Joiners
- 2 x 4" Couplers (maybe only 1?)
- 1 x 4" 90* Bend
- 1 x 4" 45* Bend
I'm not sure what you'd have to do for your MAF sensor, but totaling up these parts is just under $120
stormsurge
Member
- Jan 29, 2012
- 386
deepblue
Member
- Dec 5, 2011
- 56
Attachments
Denali n DOO
Member
- May 22, 2012
- 5,596
deepblue said:
That's a pretty cool looking CAI
. I wish I had one of those engine covers, my 5.3 looks like its missing it, the bracket mount holes are there just no cover. So I guess the Denali's didn't deserve one. If I ever get one I'll paint it liquid silver n put "Denali 5.3" on each side. That cover makes it look finished IMO..,deepblue said:
thats a smooth looking set up is that a homemade one or a store bought, like the see through cover..alottt
MacMan said:Try putting it in the bank or under the mattress for the future. Money is too hard to come by these days....why blow it foolishly?
Just saying......
Im to young to be doing silly stuff like saving money
im sure it will come bite me in the ass at some point in life but whats money if you dont spend it. I put into a statistical ratio $/enjoyment and im pretty sure ill get my enjoyment out of it.
MacMan
Member
- Mar 3, 2012
- 194
06envoydenali said:Im to young to be doing silly stuff like saving money
Put the $$ into a PCM tune if you're determined to spend it on the truck. More bang for the buck, IMO. And add the K & N filter if want....flows pretty well.
MacMan said:
From the several post ive been reading about the pcm theres a possibility it could void my warranty.. idk if i wanna take that risk
Boricua SS
Member
06envoydenali said:From the several post ive been reading about the pcm theres a possibility it could void my warranty.. idk if i wanna take that risk
not possibly... it does... youre altering, or basically deleting your factory calibrations from GM, and uploading a completely new one that takes out Torque Management, alters your fuel/spark ratio's, etc... so yea, warranty goes bye bye.. UNLESS... whatever happens to the truck, if the dealer can prove the tune didnt do it, then youre ok, like say your wheel bearing goes bad... well the tune didnt do that, so its covered under warranty... but for me, i spun a bearing in my SS and i was tuned... end of story there lol... there are ways around this... but while its the best mod for the bang for your buck aspect... it also can hurt you.. just a risk you gotta weight your options on...
deepblue
Member
- Dec 5, 2011
- 56
06envoydenali said:From the several post ive been reading about the pcm theres a possibility it could void my warranty.. idk if i wanna take that risk
If you own a tuner, you could always flash the original stock settings back to the PCM/TCM, a couple days before going for warranty work. I know it's not 100% foolproof but would be much harder to detect, let alone prove.
Pittdawg
Member
- Dec 5, 2011
- 538
Boricua SS said:
Actually, I could easily see the dealership claiming the reduced torque management caused the wheel bearing to fail. It's not a fight you want to have to get into. I fought with Dodge when my 02 sensor on my 2002 Dakota prematurely failed. They blamed it on my aftermarket exhaust which was DOWNSTREAM of the sensor. After months and months I gave up. It wasn't worth suing over $275.
BuckeyeEvan
Member
- Apr 1, 2012
- 63
just for the record: for the 5.3L V8 --- the stock CAI cover sucks. It is the biggest pain in the a$$ to get off and on. Along with getting the filter back on.
I am totally interested in finding something easy to work with. for $320 for the posted box is certainly interesting replacement.
I am totally interested in finding something easy to work with. for $320 for the posted box is certainly interesting replacement.
We also have a 1 piece intake for the I6 Trailblazers...
2002-2005 4.2L I6 Trailblazer Cold Air Intake
2002-2005 4.2L I6 Trailblazer Cold Air Intake
Chickenhawk
Member
- Dec 6, 2011
- 782
Personally, I would not call them cold air intakes. It has been documented by many others that they are essentially hot air intakes.
This means that you get lots more noise and possibly a bit less power, for your money.
The increased intake noise was very cool ... for about two days. (So was my new cap-firing cowboy sixgun I got for Christmas when I was eight. I grew up.)
On the I6, you might get a slight increase in power and only a bit more intake noise if you discard the CAI air box and use the stock airbox. All you have to do is to compare the components with a critical eye and you can see the CAI airbox is decidedly low tech. The stock GM airbox, on the other hand, is a fairly complex design that takes advantage of what is essentially an air-to-air intercooler.
I use the K&N with the stock airbox and I get a bit more growl on acceleration that is not obtrusive nor immature, and I get the advantage of a TRUE cold air intake, using the air-to-air intercooler design of the stock airbox. This gives me a very very slight increase in actual power, not seat-of-the-pants feel of increased power that is, in reality, just more noise.
The other issue I have with the CAI theory is that there is very little need for or an increase from a "ram air" effect. Free-breathing, double overhead cam, four-valve-per cylinder engines such as ours gain little from any increased ram effect because the engine draws in the air it needs; it does not need to ram it in. The engine will only take in the air it needs and no more.
This means that you get lots more noise and possibly a bit less power, for your money.
The increased intake noise was very cool ... for about two days. (So was my new cap-firing cowboy sixgun I got for Christmas when I was eight. I grew up.)
On the I6, you might get a slight increase in power and only a bit more intake noise if you discard the CAI air box and use the stock airbox. All you have to do is to compare the components with a critical eye and you can see the CAI airbox is decidedly low tech. The stock GM airbox, on the other hand, is a fairly complex design that takes advantage of what is essentially an air-to-air intercooler.
I use the K&N with the stock airbox and I get a bit more growl on acceleration that is not obtrusive nor immature, and I get the advantage of a TRUE cold air intake, using the air-to-air intercooler design of the stock airbox. This gives me a very very slight increase in actual power, not seat-of-the-pants feel of increased power that is, in reality, just more noise.
The other issue I have with the CAI theory is that there is very little need for or an increase from a "ram air" effect. Free-breathing, double overhead cam, four-valve-per cylinder engines such as ours gain little from any increased ram effect because the engine draws in the air it needs; it does not need to ram it in. The engine will only take in the air it needs and no more.
deepblue
Member
- Dec 5, 2011
- 56
dcmtnbkr said:
Sure you can do just about anything you want without effecting the MAF sensor. There is a 90 degree turn out of the engine then some more turns and bends to avoid the fan. I choose just to get the CAI from cold air inductions....
2005 - 2009 Saab 9-7X Intake System - 2008 - V8 5.3L - 9-7X - Saab - Cold Air Intakes - Store
