MOD: AirAid CAI

[Zero]

I got my AirAid CAI intake today, and I had just ordered it on Monday. Gotta love it when Fedex is on their game.

The part # is 200-126-1

The intake came with their "Syntha Flow" air filter.





Right of, I give them credit for excellent packaging. There was a ton of bubble wrap, and the box its self has lots of info.





The kit layed out before install. Make sure to understand the parts you are dealing with. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY!! It will save you time in the end.




Bare engine bay.





Intake tube installed. Very simple. make sure to line up the tube with the groves on the inside of the silicone hose to ensure a good seal, and allow the system to move a bit with vibrations from the block.





Re install stock sensor.





Install heat shield. I used a bit of hose insulation on the bottoms of the metal to ensure a snug fit, and to keep out hot air, and un wanted air impurities.





Kit fully installed. Took maybe 20 minutes.






According to the HP book that came with my kit, for our specific model there is a 10hp gain.
I have a tuned PCM, for 89 octane, and the extra adjustments for the new intake. Right away the butt dyno says there is way more pull, the throttle sensitivity is AMAZING! I used to think my truck was this big slow bastard at times. But it is quite a bit better now.

Im gona keep a close eye on my fuel millage during my cross country drive back home.

[CHIEF BIG RIDGE]

Nice install. I need to get one.

[Zero]

When your ready. Check out stylintrucks.com I got a great price from them. Super fast shipping.

[Trail X]

How come your vehicle doesn't have the secondary air injection BS? Is the Airaid equipped for a vehicle that has the air injection system (IE, does it have an extra ~1" port along the tube anywhere)?

[Zero]

Yes, it comes with everything needed for vehicles that have that injection thing. And no, my truck does NOT have it. So i kept the grommet in the hole of the intake tube as it came from the factory.

[bartonmd]

Just stay out of the dust as much as you can with it!!

You'll notice that they only say how much it holds, not how well it filters...

The K&N, for reference, lets 100x (yes, 100 times) more dust into your engine than the AC Delco filter does... The K&N is a good example of an oiled gauze filter, like the Airaid and many others...

Mike

[Trail X]

Interesting air filter test report: http://duramax-diesel.com/spicer/index.htm

[bartonmd]

Interesting air filter test report: http://duramax-diesel.com/spicer/index.htm

Yep, that's the test I'm referring to... I didn't have time this morning to search for it...

Thanks,
Mike

[Zero]

Thank you for posting that test. it shows the exact reason i have nothing to do with k&N filters anymore and why I made the swtich to Amsoil.

K&n are only good for those who throw a clean one on after every heat at a race track. They dont filter out very much of whats in the air, they dont flow much air when dirty, unlike the Amsoil filter which is still able to maintain a high flow rate when dirty. Also the Amsoil filters with the nano technology do a great job of maintaining high flow and cleaning the air.

If i ever go into a place where extreme dust is a problem, then I will throw on my pre filter wrap over the intake filter.


One thing I just noticed about that link with all of the tests, is that the tests were preformed in 2004. There have been a lot of changes in filter design, and materials since then.

[HARDTRAILZ]

What pre filter wrap do y ou use?

Also, I thought I remembered a similar test, where the Purulator was right up there with the AC delco. I remember because I was amazed at the cheap one doing well.

I personally use a GREEN filter I got when I was at Carlisle and it seems to do well.

[bartonmd]

Thank you for posting that test. it shows the exact reason i have nothing to do with k&N filters anymore and why I made the swtich to Amsoil.

K&n are only good for those who throw a clean one on after every heat at a race track. They dont filter out very much of whats in the air, they dont flow much air when dirty, unlike the Amsoil filter which is still able to maintain a high flow rate when dirty. Also the Amsoil filters with the nano technology do a great job of maintaining high flow and cleaning the air.

If i ever go into a place where extreme dust is a problem, then I will throw on my pre filter wrap over the intake filter.


One thing I just noticed about that link with all of the tests, is that the tests were preformed in 2004. There have been a lot of changes in filter design, and materials since then.

That's right... The AMSOIL only allows 95 times more dirt to pass, compared to the 100 times that the K&N lets pass...

The AMSOIL they tested is the oiled foam amsoil, similar to a UNI... I don't know of anybody who has any real data on the new "nano fiber" Amsoil filters...

Mike

[bartonmd]

What pre filter wrap do y ou use?

Also, I thought I remembered a similar test, where the Purulator was right up there with the AC delco. I remember because I was amazed at the cheap one doing well.

I personally use a GREEN filter I got when I was at Carlisle and it seems to do well.

I think it was Pure 1... Very similar media to the AC, depth loading (unlike surface loading, like the Fram and the Purolator)... I would bet that the Purolator filters well, but loads up quickly, like the Fram filters do... The only 3 paper filters that I know of, that are paper and depth loading media are the AC, Baldwin, and the Pure 1...

Mike

[HARDTRAILZ]

May have been Pure 1 then. I dont pay that much attention really. I always just got the cheap ones and threw them away every couple oil changes, but our filters are too freaking expensive and I got mine at sucha discount, I couldnt not buy it. I do need to check it however. Finally warm enough to do so.

[Philberto]

Isn't the Pure 1 made by purolator? I use their pureone oil filters and swear by either them or Napa gold filters for all my vehicles.

[bartonmd]

Isn't the Pure 1 made by purolator? I use their pureone oil filters and swear by either them or Napa gold filters for all my vehicles.

Yes, Pure 1 is the top tier of the Purolator brand...

Mike

[Zero]

Hey guys, where do I find one of those little little colored tubes that go on the intake tube and tell you how dirty the filter is? I knoe my description sucks, but its a round clear thing with green, yellow, and red on it. While the truck is running is moves based on vacume and tells you when there is restriction building up.


thanx,

Z

[bgwolfpack]

Hey guys, where do I find one of those little little colored tubes that go on the intake tube and tell you how dirty the filter is? I knoe my description sucks, but its a round clear thing with green, yellow, and red on it. While the truck is running is moves based on vacume and tells you when there is restriction building up.


thanx,

Z

Got one off of a 1999 tahoe will it work? If so, address please or stop by heading back north.

[The Roadie]

The one in the 2002 trailvoys (I think they de-contented it later) is GM #15073765 and is used in all sorts of other light truck platforms.

For everybody's searching benefit, it's $23 or so from parts4chevys.com, and you might also want to buy grommet #15763612 for another few $ unless you want to hold it in the intake tube with some RTV.

[Zero]

Thats exactly what I was looking for! Thank you guys!

[Zero]

Ok, Im finally home!!! What a drive. I must say this new intake really does the trick!

I found my self not having to down shift into 3rd for large hills as often as I had used to.

Throttle sensitivity is greatly improved. With a slight change of throttle the truck will accelerate, where as before much more pedal effort was required. For instance, I used to cruise down my local streets with a TPS of 32 -34, now I can go down the same street at the same speed with a TPS of 28-32.

The temp of the air coming through the intake is usually 2 - 3 deg. warmer then the outside air temps when traveling. For instance, when it was -4 my intake temp was around 0 - -1.

Previously while in traffic the intake temp would rise into the mid 50'sdeg. Since the new install I have yet to see the intake temp above 35deg.

The little extra intake sound is great!

I used to get about 120 kms to the 1st quarter tank on my truck. With the new intake I am seeing 130+ kms to the quarter tank. Durring a straight highway drive on the interstate, I was averaging around 650 kms to a full tank!!!



Ill keep the updates coming as I notice them.