OK so i'm new. What are the benefits of having a cold air intake? I have a 97 Blazer LS

 

it's better

 

how? Better gas mileage? engine tone? Air Flow?

 

sorry. click the words. they are red because they are a link to a break down of a CAI so you can see pros and cons

 

hehe.

Cold air intakes improve throttle response, and draw in cooler air and more air.
It really depends on the vehicle how much of an improvement.
Some can gain 20hp, some a meager 5hp. The Blazer doesn't see much of an improvement(~7hp), but cooler air is better for the engine nonetheless.

 

When it says increased fuel economy, you won't see any gain because physically you can't gain from it. Sure it might make the engine work a bit less so it saves fuel but also cold air is more dense, so it requires more fuel so that the mixture isn't lean so it the end it evens itself out, you're not gonna gain anything becuase those two attributes cancel each other out.

 

What is your goal for your blazer? You will not gain much at all from a CAI on one of these vehicles. Yeah yeah, every little bit helps but is it worth the money for MAYBE 5 hp? To me it is not. I ask your goal because I bet you have other plans for it, no? Rims, tires, lift maybe? I know that is my goal with mine so I would rather put that money towards something else that I want. I recently sold a 2000 SS Camaro that had full bolt ons, cam'd, and spray'd. It put down 390 to the wheels n/a. I threw money at that thing so I could buy every possible bolt on performance mod I could. I wanted to make the car as fast as possible with my budget. Was just getting ready to swap the heads for some aftermarket castings but got tired of going through clutches and having transmission problems (damn Fbody's). Also needed a more practical vehicle instead of my Camaro and S10 I had since I now have an 8 month old son.

Anyway, my point is this. Ask yourself what your ultimate goal is for your truck. If you plan to modify the motor (headers, cam, etc.) then sure, get a CAI. If your goal is to maybe lift it and do some nice exterior/interior mods than your money could be spent better on those particular items instead of a CAI. Also, I know CAI's are not THAT expensive but every dollar helps now a days. Good luck with whatever you choose to do though and welcome to the forum.

 

The PLAN: Spectra CAI, 2" or 3" lift, 31" Tires. I want to be able to have a bit more HP, and be able to go out and have some fun in the mud. I was hoping that i would be getting better gas mileage, but apparently, it wont make that much difference.

 

If you're going offroad with a CAI make sure you stay away from water.
I blew an engine on a mazda once cause it was pouring rain and I ran through a puddle with a CAI.
I think they might make covers for them though that keep the water out. That would be recommended in your case.

 

it's called a drycharger and the less water resistant one for dusty/desert-y places is called a precharger