Just Purchased the Flowmaster American Thunder Cat back system for my 06 Scab. Looking for an intake and wanted to know what the better ones are and the benefits of each.


Also if Is there a concern about water in these things? (I have a vararam in the vette and cringed whenever I saw a puddle).


Are different models "louder" than others?


Why is Summits http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...331+4294840115

Chrome K&N's cheaper than the black ones?


If I go with an Airforce or other brand are filters harder to come by?




Damn I bought this truck so I would not spend as much money.....


I knew I was in trouble when the leveling kit went in at 26 miles.......

 

Asking questions like this is opening a can of worms....there are alot of good brands. Some of the top names are Airaid, K&N, Volant, AF1, and True Flow. Don't really expect any gains out of these things. I used to have an Airaid and ended up taking it off. Had nothing to do with the quality, just didn't feel any gains, so I thought my $250 could be used better elsewhere. And if you are looking for one for gas savings, then you might only save .5mpg, but with the increased sound from the intake you might find yourself stepping on the gas a bit harder, and basically cancelling any fuel savings you might get. And it would take you so long for the intake to pay for itself in fuel savings (but its not even proven if they save on gas).

So if you choose from any of the brands I listed above, you are going to get a quality product. It pretty much comes down to looks and price. They might publish different numbers in terms of HP gains, but you won't be able to feel a 2HP difference.

Personally, I say save your money - the intakes just don't give big gains on these trucks. Put this money toward a programmer where you will really see some gains.

 

Its the sound.... That slight tubular air sucking intake sound that compliments the exghaust is what I am looking for....


The programmer and the 35's are on the list.... And my list gets burned fast.


If I was concerned about MPG I would have bought a prius and one of those new .50 magnums and shot myself in the head in it for effect! lol.....



For my Corvette it was the same way but after reading all the inputs I settled on something called the Vararam and was very happy. Just hoping to do the same here....




Still got that Air-Raid?

 

I'd go with either the black tube'd K&N or Airaid.

 

Is there a reason other than astetics to go black tubed. Summit has the aluminum ones for cheaper?



Thanks

 

K&N claims more HP with the black tube'd kits.

 

I have a Magnaflow SI/DO, and the sound of it drowned out any sound made by the Airaid. I was expecting for the engine to sound so much quieter when I removed the intake. and the next morning when I started it up, I didnt notice the slightest difference in sound.

I will admit on my old Expedition - I could def hear the intake sucking in air, and I had a flowmaster exhaust on it. But not with this truck.

Sorry, the intake was sold a while ago.

I am not bashing intakes, just giving you my opinion. If you still are looking for the sounds, from what I have read, the Volant is going to be the quietest, so you might want to stay away from that one. There is a recent post about the K&N 77 series intake and its noise level - that might be what you are looking for.

 

Get an AF1 if you want sound. People complain that it is too loud. I bought one and had to get rid of it because it was so loud while towing you couldn't talk in the cab without raising your voice.

 

. . and if you want a CEL.

 

Must be that HP increasing plastic that makes the HP increase.....



The AF1 whats a good place to get one?

 

I just put on a K&N FIPK about a week ago. Over 1K miles of mixed driving. No CELs no problems. I love the sound at WOT, can't hear it at all at idle. In my opinion anything stainless looks out of place under the hood unless you have a lot of stainless. I went with the black tube K&N and love it. It's the 2nd one I've owned. I notice power from a stop and also power at highway speeds when you floor it.

Dyno on the web page, can't beat that. I'll throw up some pics if it ever stops raining here.

 

I have the AF1 with the Magnaflow SIDO (rear bumper exit) set up and I did notice an increase in power and more importantly - the engine seems to rev a bit quicker.....after all the way to more hp is to get more air/fuel into and out of the engine and an intake and exhaust can only help. I have hand no issues, CEL's or any problems whatsoever with my AF1 and I like the CARB sticker they give you to stick under the hood so emissions testers know it is legal. I had head that the Troyer tune with the XCal II was causing some CEL's using the AF1 intake - I don't know what the resolution was to that - but waiting on gettting a tuner and just installed my new Edge Evolution II tuner and it perfectly compliments the AF1/Magnaflow set up. Have only driven 200 miles - but no CEL's or other issues with it.......now my truck feels the way it should have come from the factory - no more lugging, much crisper shifting and that awful "powerband bog" right after the 1 to 2 shift is gone....you might even try the Edge 1st - if you are worried about intake noise...personally - I like to hear my engine - but that's me.

 

You wont notice a big difference with a exhaust and intake...I have the Airforce One and Flowmasters....however I didnt see a huge difference until I got my Xcal 2....things REALLY wake up, with all three mods...The stock engine management program just plain doesnt know what to do with all that new fresh cold air....Get the Airforce One, you won't be disappointed And the sound in addicting.....bada$$....

 

It was not the Troyer tuning that was CAUSING, the CEL with the AF1's, just the opposite. His tuning has resolved the issue with those that were experiencing the CEL's..The parameters within the ECU were just set too close from the factory, and even though the trucks involved were not actually running lean, the closeness of the parameters was tripping the lights.. I own one of the test vehicles that Mike used in the R&D'ing of this intake so I am very well educated in this and can answer accordingly...

 

i would go wtih S&B and Volant, the only ones with a sealed filter box, so it truly is a cool air intake