Hi,

Any help on a good polished intake and where to get the best price?



Thanks

 

You might try LPE. I think they sell it. Aluminum intakes isn't very popular for the C5's. There was a reason that GM went to the more expensive Nylon intake.

HEAT SOAK.

 

Try this out. They are about ready for release.

http://www.professional-products.com...oldsLS1LS2.php

 

I think Weiand had a polished one as well.

 

Yep, but it's HEAVY and really heats up the incoming air. id say dont use that one unless you're funning forced induction with a LOT of boost.

Shane

 

Do you know the actual weight difference and temperature increase or are your comments based on supposition? I keep hearing comments about GM's plastic intakes being so great, but as far as I know the only reason they're plastic is because they're cheap to make in large volume.

 

Thanks for the input.

I had not taken into account about heat soak & weight.

I thought that a ported and polished aluminum intake would inprove performance as well as look cool. The black plastic just seems to take away for the look in the engine compartment.


I'm running a procharger 7psi boost.

 

LS1/LS6 Increased intake air is made possible by low restriction runners made of nylon. They have smoother interior surfaces to reduce drag and thermal insulation for a cooler (and therefore denser) charge.
For earlier engines, metal intake runners were used, and some aftermarket tuners polished them, to help reduce drag, as in the nylon versions.

 

I think he's talking about the exterior of the manifold being polished for looks. And with a Procharger, any weight or heat soak(speculation) differences are mostly mitigated. I say go for it. It'll look cool. Is your SC polished?

 

Yes I know he is talking about the outside. I was explained the reason that GM went with the Nylon intake, and that some tuners polished the inside to do what the stock intake already is doing. If he is only wanting show, and don't care what HP he makes, then I agree, go for it. But if HP is the major concern, then go with a LS6 or a FAST intake.
And yes my blower is polished. But they don't make a plastic S/C. So I have no choice.

 

Wasn't talking to you red99, but tballs who posted he had a Procharger.

 

Yes its a polished pro charger unit. I like it a lot! I have had it in for about 2 weeks the power is awsome!! It's just ridiculous for a street car, but it definetly keeps people from playing with you on the highway.

I'm getting kinda nervous about going with anymore horsepower, as the car is basically stock with an automatic 24K on the car. I reading horror stories about rearend and transmission failures

 

Those are not "horror stories" it will happen

Get your tranny from RPM and your rearend/gears from DTE and you'll be okay, just about $4.5-6k lighter in the pocket!!!

The polished intake would negate some of the reasons an intercooler is used. Since the blower does heat the air, adding a heat sink on top of the engine would negate its effect to some extent pulling more timing and giving you less power.

 

I bought the BBK and just took it to a local chrome shop/polisher. You can forget about what everyone is saying about it causing heat soak. It's just not true. They don't know what they are talking about. Fast cars have been using Aluminum for 75 years. Auto makers use plastic for two main reasons, weight and cost of production. Let me clear up a myth or two for you guys. When I did this I scanned my car with both and the air temp with stock verses aluminum was virtually the same. The big difference we found was in the cool down period. Obviously the plastic one cooled down much quicker than the aluminum but once they were both at temp they were at temp. The dyno numbers showed the BBK picked up 9 HP over the LS6 stock one. By the way the Intake runners are huge inside the BBK. We did muliple dyno runs on the car. Once the car was at temp the dyno numbers wouldnt change but when I dynoed the car cold I made 6 HP more than it did hot. The intake didn't matter but the cool down time did. So are there advantages to the composite intakes, sure there are, but not enough to stop you from switching it out if you want to. Besides even if what these guys were saying was true at 700 HP who the F@*$ cares if you give up a pony or two for what you gain in looks. One last word of advice if you chose the BBK. Make sure you locktight the screws on the bottom plate so they don't back out. Found that one out the hard way.

 

Your engine compartment is very drool-worthy, Honez. Great job!

 

WOW, Nice motor.
I have to disagree with the part that GM went to plastic to save money. It actually cost more money to build a plastic intake than the cast aluminum. I don't know why, I am not a plastic injection mold engineer. But that's what I read. Probably because the cost of the equipment.
Also, 6 HP may not be much. But GM was wanting to get 1 HP per cubic inch, and they saw this as a way to be able to acieve that, and still meet emmision standards. The cooler you make the air, the more dense. The more dense, the more HP. So they didn't go to the Nylon intake just to save a few bucks. They did it for more better air density for HP and emmision reasons, and weight saving.
And about the remark of people has been building fast cars the last 75 years with aluminum intakes!!! People has built fast cars with carburetors and point style ingitions too, but you don't see that anymore do you.
The one area I would see an advantage in the aluminum is running some high boost pressure. Even though it's going to heat up, there would be less chance of a manifold leak. Or if you just wanted to BLING. (Which looks great) But for a performance item, IMO, I can't see it being cost justified for the little HP gain per $$$. In otherwords, don't expect to gain 20-40 HP like the old days of metal intakes.

 

Honez....awesome engine bay IS that the A&A braket?

 

Yes it's the new A&A bracket and blower setup. Love it!

Red99 no disrespect and I really don't mean to beat on you but your wrong. Here is a totally unrealated thread that proves my point about the myths that people keep propagating. Look at what this guy found out about his aluminum fuel rails vs his Intake. Also what part of me scanning the intake air temp didn't you get. They were the same between the aluminum and the composit? Do you really think plastic isn't cheaper to make, mold, and work with? Everything is about weight, cost, and emissions. One last word and then I'm off this thread. Your 99 would benifit big time by going to an aftermarket intake, at minimum you should put the LS6 on. From a stock LS1 intake to the BBK, FAST, or even the LS6 you would pick up 15 to 20 HP.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1404676

 

Your engine compartment looks awesome!!!

I'm going for it.


Thanks for all the advise