Don't expect any performance improvement, (there won't be any) but it looks and sounds better!

 

I drove it for a little while last night and it seems to have a little more punch to it. Obviously, I don't have any concrete numbers , like from a dyno or anything, and it may just be wishful thinking, but it seemed more powerful. It does sound really good, too.

 

The name, "Cold air intake" system is very misleading. When intake air enters the plenum, it is warmed up instantly, (before the fuel is introduced). When the intake valve opens, the warm air is sucked into the cylinder, and the fuel is injected simultaneously. The "mixing" of the air & fuel is done as the piston goes down on the intake stroke, and back up on the compression stroke. That's what the "Vortec" design does, exactly the same as a "hemi". The "cold air intake " systems use the same diameter duct work, so there is no increase in airflow into the engine.

 

Yeah, I mean I've read quite a bit about them and read both arguments. There are those that swear by them, and those that say they do nothing. I can only say what it seemed like to me. It may well have been my imagination and my wanting it to work. Either way, the opening in the new system is several times the size of the opening on the old Vortec. Not at the throttle body, but at the initial point where air enters the intake.

 

Exactly! Throttle body diameter determines the minimum size necessary for the duct. Smaller would obviously be a problem, but larger does not increase the flow or volume. It does make it sound different, and look pretty though

 

I just got a cheap $25 cold air intake from eBay. It probably hurt performance more than anything. But considering my stock airbox was cracked and I was sucking dirty air in I figured it was the lesser of 2 evils. However, they do look a lot nicer.

 

I'll leave the arguments for or against to those with dyno #s. :-)

I think I wasn't as articulate as I intended before. I was trying to say that the inlet on the old Vortec is about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, while the new intake is about 4 inches in diameter. Again, I have no evidence, but it would stand to reason that the new system "could" take in more air, thereby maximizing what the throttle body is able to take in. Before, the main intake, being smaller in diameter than the throttle body, could have served as a bottle neck. I'll defer to those more knowledgeable than I on any actual benefit.

 

Well, I've got a hesitation. Just noticed it in the last two days. Happens when I hit the gas from a stop or a near stop. It used to hesitate a little if I started it and accelerated to pull into traffic a few seconds later, but now it doesn't seem to matter if the engine is cold or hot.

I Seafoamed it, but I'm not sure if it didn't make a difference, or if just not enough of it has run through the injectors yet, but it's still hesitating.

My check engine light, which has been on since I bought it (small evap leak code), went off when I put the CAI on. Now it is back. I haven't had time to see what the code is though, since I don't own a scanner.

I plan to unplug the MAF and see if that makes a difference. I guess it's possible something got on it when I swapped out the intake, although I was careful. New plugs and wires are also in my near future plans.

It runs great otherwise, no hesitation when accelerating except at low speed/RPMs. Hopefully, it's something easy/cheap/quick to fix.

 

Unplugged the MAF on the drive home. It ran much better. The only issue was that the transmission jerked a little shifting from 1st to 2nd on several occasions.

 

That sounds like the exact same issue I had when my MAF went bad. I got a "new style" plastic one and it worked great.