Any recommendations on air intakes systems?

I've been waiting on the review from Diesel Power magazine. They said nin the July issue they would conduct a test on 5 different ones. I never saw any feedback though :rolleyes:

Anyone have Dyno comparison numbers??



-- Rick

The October issue of Diesel Power magazine dynoed 6 air intakes (AFE, Airaid, K&N, S&B, Volant, & True Flow) & found that they all work about the same as the stock intake on a Cummins. Too bad they couldn't have tested the filter efficiences like Spicer's test. You might get a couple of vendors telling you that you need an aftermarket intake, but unless you're running major HP, don't waste your money.

Stock works just fine. You won't notice any difference in power or performance. Maybe more noise but that's it.

Volant system here (LB7).







Pics in "My Garage"
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as I have said many times before

the 06 stock system is very good, and you will not notice any difference in performance, and most likely get never ending random SES lights

better off spending the money towards exhaust and a tune

What about using a washable replacement high flow filter? Quite honestly I havent even opened my air box to see what type of filter there is. Any thoughts?:help2: :rolleyes:

Save your money for an exhuast. Intakes cause more problems than most think. K&N filters calasped, over oil'ed filters skew MAF readings...Just my opinion.

In the past I have purchased a K&N and a factory shop manual first thing. I was even ask by someone about the K&N, assuming I had one...This time I'm thinking different, it's going to stay the way it is and with AC elements only. Manufacturers usually have 2 different MOD's, maximize cost/profit OR performance. IMHO, GM is going for fuction and got it right with the '06. An aftermarket system is going to have to pay me to change it. I see no potential for (practical) gain. I also include acoustics in the mix, I like it quiet. For lazy's like me, more capacity for longer change intervals would be nice, but where to put it?

Please post in the proper forum section. This will help in return of answers.

:ro) I did some checking on the stock intake and it is a lot larger than in previous versions. In mine I have a Donaldson filter and from what Ihave read about Donaldson, they are a very high quality filter and respected inthe industry as making the BEST paper filters money can buy. so for me, I am staying stock on intake and saving for a turbo pipe back exhaust.

Maybe is Amsoil comes out with an Ea filter for the stock airbox, I may try it as it is cleanable.:ro)

Testand Corp peformed a filter test a couple years ago and the results surprised us. The K&N flowed a little better when new (not double as claimed) but it plugged up in 20 minutes where the stock AC Delco filter did not plug up for an hour. Further, the K&N passed much more dirt than the AC Delco. The Amsoil and UNI air filters were a little better than the K&N.

That was based on flowing 350 CFM of air and introducing 9 or 9.5 grams of dirt per minute in a completely sealed system on a $285,000 dollar air filter testing machine. I have the complete results posted at the bottom of this post.

The AFE Stage II was not tested (don't think it was available then) so it may actually work as well as the AC Delco paper filter. However, I don't think that level of flow will allow any power gains until you exceed 450-500 RWHP, and I think the EGT reduction has more to do with sealing off the hot underhood air than it does allowing increased flow.

My journey with air filters on my truck started with an K&N Aircharger system until I learned how the K&N had a history of letting grit get sucked into the intake tube. Then I went with a swiss cheesesed airbox with an Amsoil and my father-in-law went with a Uni. The I saw the results of the Testand Corp test, and I and many many others went back to a stock system. What is funny is while we were all trying different intakes/filters the guys making power modules kept telling us that there was no difference on the dyno between stock or aftermarket systems. One company even completely removed the air box and there was still no change in HP.

Many of us (myself included) backgrounds were with non-turboed, gasoline engines. I even drag raced for several years. A naturally aspirated gasser needs unrestricted airflow and carefully tunes exhaust flow to make best power. Turbo diesels are a different story in many ways. There appears to be no HP benefit to a different intake/filter until somewhere around 500 RWHP However, amy aftermarket filters DO NOT filter anywhere nearly as good as the stock paper, and diesel mechanics have insisted on paper for many years for this very reason. Diesels really don't like dirt.

The newest Amsoil and the AFE Dualguard were not available or tested. I haven't seen any independent testing showing how well these two filters work, and I am not ever going to take an airfilter maker's work again on what their product does. However, and this is the critical point, VERY few guys will ever run enough HP where a truly freer flowing intake is an advantage. The only advantage is potentially lower EGTs, but you can get that with a $50 seal kit a fellow DP member has made for the stock airbox.

*******************************

Filter
Holding Capacity
Dirt Passing Filter
Total Dirt Used
Flow Restriction
Test Time in Minutes *
Dirt Passing per Hour
Flow Restriction After 1 Hour

AC Delco
573.898
0.4
574.298
6.23
60.5
0.40
16.16

Baldwin
388.154
1.1
389.254
5.71
41.0
1.61
20.35

Mystery
350.402
2.4
352.802
4.78
37.1
3.88
20.94

AFE
232.516
1.8
234.316
4.99
24.7
4.38
29.32

WIX/Napa
447.366
4.4
451.766
5.06
47.6
5.55
17.68

Purolator
388.659
5.0
393.659
5.05
41.4
7.24
19.53

AMSOIL
196.323
2.7
199.023
5.88
20.9
7.73
34.52

UNI
374.638
7.9
382.538
5.40
40.3
11.77
20.30

K&N
211.580
6.0
217.580
4.54
22.9
15.72
30.74

* Test time in minutes was on the first chart used 9.8 grams/min, should have been 9.5 grams/min

Thanks afp1, my point exactly.

Oiled filters have the one advantage of water rejection which kills a paper element. That problem has arose with the evolution of snowcats, and the manufacturer has redesigned the HUGE airbox a few times. I think GM got that right too. Leave it alone is my vote. And as another mentioned, once your force feeding an inch or two of restriction, or less restriction, before the turbo make little difference. Maybe one could argue it changes spool up measurably, but it will not affect peak at all.
Maybe a question for another thread, but I assume the VVT has the ability to maintain similar boost/rpm/tps at differing altitudes. I live at 10500 most of the week and never get below 5280. Maybe I just need to wait for EFILive and play myself. Whatever the case, mods will be limited to post turbo as far as plumbing goes...

I can say first hand that my afe stageII intake lowered my egt's approx. 100 degrees. Installed it after my Edge/Attitude just for the reason of a comparison.

Maybe it doesn't add horse power but I believe it will add longevity, which is the reason I bought it!!

Gotta love sealing the hot air out of the intake. BTW, did you happen to monitor intake air temps before and after and correlate those to your EGT reduction?

I ask that because here in the desert, there are significant difference in EGTs over the same stretch of road at the same speed when the temps are in the 70-80s vs the 100s.

I just made sure the ambient temps were roughly the same, as well as driving style etc..