Air Intake Systems

[DC8Captain]

I'm looking at air intake systems. I live in Denver and most camping sites we visit require a drive over the divide at about 11,000'. I just got a SuperChips engine tuner to tune my Suburban for heavy tow but am looking for every advantage I can get.

Here's an example of what I'm looking at. This isn't necessarily the one I would get, just an example.

Afe - MagnumFORCE Stage-2 PRO 5R Intake System | 4WheelParts.com

Thanks,

Dale

[Dutch Star Don]

Dale......(IMO)...When I was younger, I use to throw a K&N air cleaner on everything, until I realized that they pass a lot of dirt and just make more noise. That system that you linked to, will just make more noise under hard acceleration and probably do little to improve air volume.

You've got the last of the big killer engines. I would look at ways to force more cool air into your current air box. Often the snouts are routed into a fender well to pick up air. See if you can add an additional hose and force air from the grill into your air box. Keep in mind that you don't want it out where it will easily collect water.

On my old Ford E450, I was able to route the air cleaner snout down to the grill and put a screen over it.

Lastly, I believe that motor does well with the addition of long tube headers. Headers can be a pain, but do make significant power increases.

[Old-Biscuit]

I'm not a fan of those open air filters because they suck HOT under the hood air.
Hot air is not a power producer.

Add in your beginning elevation (Denver...mile high) and you start off at a disadvantage......climb 6000' feet and that gasser is staving for air.

Like DON....I prefer getting air routed to stock filter box from grill area.
Also.........air in/exhaust out
Increasing the air intake does nothing if exhaust isn't increased also

[jimcumminsw]

Originally Posted by fdhealy4

I'm looking at air intake systems. I live in Denver and most camping sites we visit require a drive over the divide at about 11,000'. I just got a SuperChips engine tuner to tune my Suburban for heavy tow but am looking for every advantage I can get.

Here's an example of what I'm looking at. This isn't necessarily the one I would get, just an example.

Afe - MagnumFORCE Stage-2 PRO 5R Intake System | 4WheelParts.com

Thanks,

Dale

Yes, they do help!
They provide money to the distributor and the manufacture making them richer at your expenses.

How much of an improvement in Horsepower will this unit provide? Anything less than 10 % cannot be reliable measured repeatedly. A lot of variables can provided the less than 10% improvement in Horsepower other than the air cleaner. Such as ambient day time temperatures when testing, different grade of fuel used, driver inputs, and telemetry tolerances. All of these factors can cause different results and a reliable corporation should not used this data for marketing.

Aftermarket Air Filters and air boxes really only work if you are making extreme horsepower and you have cool air routed to the air box. Not hot air from your engine compartment. Also all exhaust ports and tubing should be large enough to support this horsepower increase. To allow the engine to breath better.

[TQ60]

Only 2 ways to improve in thin air.

Remove any restrictions to air flow (manufacturer is already looking for most output so consider stock best overall considering vehicle)

Or compression.

It is how aircraft do it...turbo or supercharging.

Another poster has a very long thread on the subject with many inputs.