CAI's you love, CAI's you hate

[brad6603]

I live in Southern Arkansas with summer temps of 95+. I installed the Spectre CAI in August and ran it for a month and a half. I noticed decreased performance when I drove in town or set at idle at red lights. The metal pipe would get so hot i couldn't even touch it. I read that i was receiving heat soak which in turn caused the PCM to retard the timing due to the high heat. I don't know if this is true or not. But i did notice a decrease in performance once the truck got hot. Last week i put the stock intake back on and did the swiss cheese mod. I also installed a Spectre drop in air filter. I noticed better performance from this change and no more heat soak. You can also touch the stock black plastic pipe after driving all day. Im looking into getting the Airaid modular tube to attach to the stock air box. Just my two cents.

 

[Boomer73]

I live in Southern Arkansas with summer temps of 95+. I installed the Spectre CAI in August and ran it for a month and a half. I noticed decreased performance when I drove in town or set at idle at red lights. The metal pipe would get so hot i couldn't even touch it. I read that i was receiving heat soak which in turn caused the PCM to retard the timing due to the high heat. I don't know if this is true or not. But i did notice a decrease in performance once the truck got hot. Last week i put the stock intake back on and did the swiss cheese mod. I also installed a Spectre drop in air filter. I noticed better performance from this change and no more heat soak. You can also touch the stock black plastic pipe after driving all day. Im looking into getting the Airaid modular tube to attach to the stock air box. Just my two cents.

Thanks Brad. Interesting experience. Makes me want to look more closely at a unit with a plastic pipe.



---------- Post added at 05:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:00 PM ----------

i bought this one, http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360290201553&viewitem=, i have removed the plate where the stock air box sits so clean cool air gets to the filter, i do not have numbers to compare to other products but it is identicle to the spectre 9900 and even cheaper, i have a bb tune and the combo is amzing, also in my data logging you can see the air temp is cooler by 11*C, i dont know how i can post my logs but i can email if you want proof. from 28*C to 17*C

I believe you. Thanks for the data. What does the butt dyno tell you about performance increase with the BB tune and this unit?

-B

 

[Arkansaw]

...I read that i was receiving heat soak which in turn caused the PCM to retard the timing due to the high heat. I don't know if this is true or not. But i did notice a decrease in performance once the truck got hot. Last week i put the stock intake back on and did the swiss cheese mod. I also installed a Spectre drop in air filter...

I've heard the same about the metal pipes. That's why I went with the K&N unit (under the Summit brand). It is cool to the touch after the engine has been running for a while.

The combo of the K&N intake and Diablosport tuner made a clear impact on drivability and acceleration.

 

[thehoe92]

I wonder how an Airaid and the swiss cheese mod with a high flow filter would work?

 

[highrollin113]

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I believe you. Thanks for the data. What does the butt dyno tell you about performance increase with the BB tune and this unit?

-B

the log shows power at rear wheels measured in kw on the logs, that is the only measure i have, i googled it and it based on how much current would be developed in a generator from the spinning, i guess??? but pre bb tune it was 202kw and after 271kw, using the conversion i found it would be 270hp to 371hp, i do not know how accurate that is but ill tell you i notice a big difference. also you should know i run e fans, i am curious about my metal pipe i want to touch now after i drive, i do not notice power loss ever so i do not believe i have heat soak problem, and i only pain $80 delivered to canada

 

[Arkansaw]

I wonder how an Airaid and the swiss cheese mod with a high flow filter would work?

Probably comparable to every intake out there, but by that point you probably could have just bought this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-F1166/

 

[Tahoewhat]

I have just the brute force tube, going to stock air filter box w/ K&N in it and swizz cheeze mod. Sounds really crazy at w.o.t. but it feels like i lost power. but gained alot of cool sound. dont know though.. just know that tahoe is still slow lol

 

[Boomer73]

the log shows power at rear wheels measured in kw on the logs, that is the only measure i have, i googled it and it based on how much current would be developed in a generator from the spinning, i guess??? but pre bb tune it was 202kw and after 271kw, using the conversion i found it would be 270hp to 371hp

I'm getting 271hp and 363hp out of those calcs, but like those minor differences matter. Can that be? 90-100hp gain? Spec is 295hp stock for the 5.3L right? There's some disparity between your "before" numbers and GM's spec'd numbers by almost 25hp, but even if you knocked 25hp off the your "after" numbers that's still a substantial improvement - like 45-50hp better than GM stock specs worst case scenario. Not too shabby at all. I bet you do really feel that.

Which Magnaflow do you have?

 

[thehoe92]

I wouldn't doubt a 45-50hp gain but damn I would think BlackBear would be charing more than $200 plus free retunes for an almost 100+ HP gain

either way I know mine made a huge difference..

then doing the swiss cheese mod was an instant difference in throttle response I can't imagine what it would be like to have an airaid instead of that stock GM sound chamber bull crap

 

[brad6603]

I wonder how an Airaid and the swiss cheese mod with a high flow filter would work?

I too would like to know. I have the swiss cheese mod and high flow filter now.