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I'm hoping your are all well...... My inherited 02 C5 LS1 had an old Vortech blower system on it. I ended up with the car and have taken the old blower off. I have returned the PS and Alternator to the correct side of the engine among many other things. What I do not have is any part of an air intake system. The car has size 42 injectors and long tube SLP headers. 3" exhaust through some racing type Cats on back to a pair of resonators and then out. I am thinking the fuel will be plenty and the exhaust is going to move it on out with no problem so what should I use for an intake system. After all these years and products out there what are the systems that seem to be working the best for everyone? Thought I would turn it over to the brain trust........
I built my own air intake.
But, the consensus of the brain trust on here says most any air intake doesn't work, that only the GM engineers know how to make one that works.
I'm happy with mine, satisfied that I did it myself.
I don't know if you are aware that having removed the blower and retained the 42# injectors that you will need to retune the car to run naturally aspirated now.
Since you have to re-tune, one somewhat classy (to me) air intake for the C5 is to use a C6 Z06 air intake which itself uses a blade style MAF which inserts into the top neck and allows you to eliminate the 80s style tube MAF for a cleaner look. If you retain the factory 78mm throttle body, you can purchase a smooth silicone connecting tube which necks down. So I think 3.5" down to 3"? Or it might be 4" down to 3.5" I am not a math professor at 3am.
Anyway. It installs cleanly and was designed to pull air for a 500hp 427cid engine so it can work fine for a stock LS1 with bolt-ons or even a head/cam combo. Bonus: it secures directly to the two factory ***** on the radiator shroud (which may be another product you need to purchase depending on the blower kit installation design.)
You do also need to extend or adapt the wiring harness to the LS7 blade MAF which is 5 pins and itself has an IAT sensor built in which allows you to not have to run a separate one.
You can get a C5 Z06 airbox that will work fine. I found mine used on the FOR SALE section here on the Forum. Identical to the base C5 housing, except it has a much larger intake opening. Makes a difference 3,000 rpm and up.
Thanks folks for all the info..... been out in the PNW watching it rain mostly..... back now..... Tuscman got me thinking and after some digging around in many boxes I found my stock set up for my 2010 GS. It's got that big thing on the side which I can remove.... you know... the thing the thing with a weird name..... Morritse I do have a pile of blower parts laying here. I do not recommend using it on a C5 though. It is a very early 2000's kit from Vortech. It has a liquid after cooler setup and everything is on the wrong side. The blower is on the drivers side and the Alt is on the passenger side and all the weird plumbing that takes. If you want a V2 trim Vortech blower and all the parts for a homemade build on something else give me a PM. thanks again......
I did find the old LS3 2010 GS stock air box. It looks like it fits like a glove even the big weird thing on the side sets right in there..... If it was flowing enough for the 436 hp LS3 it should do well with the LS1........ now..... what about the MAF? Tusc said something about an LS7 MAF but won't the C6 LS3 MAF work just as well? Does anyone make a handy adapt kit for what I am trying to do here?
Ls3 maf can be tuned just as well as the ls7. There are multiple brands which make wire extensions to combine Ls1 maf + iat into a single 5 pin to connect to the blade maf
Air intake opinions.....
