I'm a subscriber to Sport Truck magazine and I've seen them install and dyno a few intakes on the GEN III engines over the years. The did the K&N FIPK and they said it dynoed 10 hp & 10 tq over stock. The True Flow dynoed like 11 hp and 12 tq over stock but it was only from about 4K to 5K on the graph, below or above that, the dyno lines were exactly the same. I think they did a MAC also and got about 10 & 10 again. Featherfoot at Power Vault exhaust dynoed a drop in K&N filter a few years back and claimed he saw about an 8-10 hp & tq gain just from the drop in filter. Right now I have the entire OEM intake on my truck and a Fram paper filter, the only mod is the 4" cool-air duct. My 0-60 time last night was 6.00 flat on my stop watch (don't if it's really that quick, I do the runs for a before and after time comparison) which was as quick as any run with the Pro Cold or UPD installed. I've ordered an AirAid MIT intake tube (it's in my sig but I don't have it yet) to see if the OEM tube hurts or not. I don't have a K&N filter, I want to try an OEM airbox unmodified with the MIT tube (similar to the Truw Flow design) to see if the ram-air (cool-air) mod helps or not. In my testing (the ever so consistent stop watch, not) I've found that nothing really is superior to anything else. LIke when I had the UPD and did the cool-air mod at the track. My times were quicker without the cool-air mod but my mph were faster with it. Responses on this board were that I was making more power because my truck got faster, the traction issues I had is why my times were slower, not because the cool-air mod didn't work. No matter which route you take, I don't think it'll make more than a .1 difference at the track. At times I want that .1 difference, everyone wants to see their truck get quicker, at other times I really don't care. It's almost like you should have two intakes sitting around, one for everyday use which makes the truck a good daily driver around town, more low end. The one for the track which helps it pull harder on the high end but gives up a little low end. I'm going to try and return the Pro Cold, not becuase it's a bad intake, it's just not superior to what I have now. If I had been dead stock before and had never tried any other intake, I would be keeping it, it's a very well made intake. If I can't return it (they haven't answered my e-mail yet but it is the holidays) I will post if for sale on this and other forums, then eventually it will end up on E-bay. So which ever intake you choose, they're all really about the same. Of coarse, this is just all MHO.
Jim

 

I didn't have any luck modding the lower end of my airbox.... I did every config I could think of, from true ram air, to just a hole in the bottom with the stock locations blocked off. I could never get the driveability of the stock setup. I think there was too much turbulence down there, causing poor MAF performance.

I went ahead and got a UPD. I DID notice it pull harder up high, but it felt flat down low. I swapped it out to the stock setup, and now I'm starting to become a believer in the entire stock system. I never thought I'd say that.

It sounds better, pulls harder from down low, and seems plenty healthy up high.

I'm not a fan of cotton-gauze either. I'd rather have the better filtering of paper.

 

My upd fit fine and I didnt have to remove my lower part of the air box

 

I love my UPD. Installed in about 10 minutes. I would buy it again.

 

BigTex, Any info on the set-up you posted. I have an Airaid box but, looking for a tube.

 

I got a K&N for christmas and I think it made a bigger difference for me due to the fact that I already had the HPP3, headers, and exhaust. I had a lot of flow on the back end but nothing to feed it, and thats how it always felt too, like it was tight somehow or working hard to rev. Now, after putting in the K&N, I am actually going to have to reprogram my HPP3, because on WOT runs, its accelerating so much faster that I'm slamming into the rev limiter before it shifts.

Would any intake have done this? Who knows, but the K&N seems to be doing its job.

Question for the K&N users: Were you able to use all 3 screws to bolt the MAF to the venturi or only 2?

 

i have a K&N and i was able to use all 3 screws that hold my MAF to the venturi, but i had to use a thread chaser on the venturi threads cause the had some burrs on them.

 

I recently installed a UPD and didn't have to move the air box either. I too noticed the truck pull harder on the high end but pretty much stayed the same down low. Can anybody tell me what the 'void box' (that huge chunk of plastic that hangs off the bottom of the intake tube) on the OEM intake is for? Am about to venture out into the e-fan market now...any suggestions? I've been looking hard at the Perma Cool or the Flex-a-lite 295. I know the Perma Cool is pretty pricey but once you figure in the VSC into the 295's, then there isn't much difference between the two.

 

The chamber hanging below the OEM intake tube is called an "air muffler" by some and a "resonator" by others. Some say it strictly to control noise on the intake and is bad for performance while some aftermarket manufacturers (AirAid & Pro Cold) say it also provids an air reserve to help throttle response and power just off idle or when cruising and you mash the go pedal and is good for performance. I'm not sure what to believe, I would like to see before and after dyno rubbers where all they do is replace the tube with a smooth tube. I have Camaro LT1 electric fans on my truck and they do a good job of cooling my truck. It gets hot here in the summer, 90-105* and my truck was fine even with the A/C going. I got mine off of E-bay for $105 shipped to my door.
Jim

 

Big Tex Thats sweet!! What did you use? Looks like exhaust pipe maybe and a 45 pvc fitin. I would prolly like to copy that.