Cold Air Intake
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 99
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From: Knoxville TN
Cold Air Intake
What is the real skinny on replacing the stock LS3 air filter and adding a CAI system? Is it worth cutting the shroud to get the outside air? I could baffle the system that is now on the car to eliminate the air in the engine compartment. Guess I have nothing better to do. Is it really worth the effort?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Pine Bluff Arkansas
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21
I would keep the stock intake and let some cool air in. If I cut the shroud....it would not be very much and in the outside corners. Too much of a tornado in the intake area might cause your MAP system to mess up. Of course, this can be baffled out, or tuned out.
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OEM air intake and filter will out flow what the Stock engine needs to pull in.
A CAI does not add HP, but retains the HP power instead.
If the car is sitting long enough for the intake to start sucking in hot air from the engine bay (not enough flowing through the engine bay to keep it cool), then the ECM will pull timing so the engine does not have detonation from the hotter air).
Note, your AIT sensor is part of the MAF sensor. I bring this up, since if the engine is not pulling in a lot of cold air to cool the sensor back down, hence the MAF is still in the engine bay cooking heat temps area, the AIT may still read that the air temp is still higher that the actual air being pulled in at initial launch).
So short of ram airing into the intake, just opening the shroud to allow some cooler air in (not enough to cause the surging) works just as well as some of the CAI intakes.
Note, don't get hung up on the ability for the after market system to flow X amount more air. As stated, the OEM intake is already out flowing what the engine needs to start with.
A CAI does not add HP, but retains the HP power instead.
If the car is sitting long enough for the intake to start sucking in hot air from the engine bay (not enough flowing through the engine bay to keep it cool), then the ECM will pull timing so the engine does not have detonation from the hotter air).
Note, your AIT sensor is part of the MAF sensor. I bring this up, since if the engine is not pulling in a lot of cold air to cool the sensor back down, hence the MAF is still in the engine bay cooking heat temps area, the AIT may still read that the air temp is still higher that the actual air being pulled in at initial launch).
So short of ram airing into the intake, just opening the shroud to allow some cooler air in (not enough to cause the surging) works just as well as some of the CAI intakes.
Note, don't get hung up on the ability for the after market system to flow X amount more air. As stated, the OEM intake is already out flowing what the engine needs to start with.
Last edited by Dano523; Apr 22, 2015 at 08:34 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,305
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From: Hollister CA
Most so called CAI's aren't really. Pretty much all the manufacturers call theirs a CAI whether it is or not. Don't waste your money unless it is plumbed to pull cold air from outside the engine bay. Two things. Colder air is denser and will make more power. Also, as Dano mentioned. the engine computer won't pull as much timing with cooler air.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: ocean springs mississippi
Most so called CAI's aren't really. Pretty much all the manufacturers call theirs a CAI whether it is or not. Don't waste your money unless it is plumbed to pull cold air from outside the engine bay. Two things. Colder air is denser and will make more power. Also, as Dano mentioned. the engine computer won't pull as much timing with cooler air.
Former Vendor
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From: Salt Lake City Utah
Airaid Part # 250-230 is a good, cost effective system. It's the system we use in all of our packages.
Feel free to call, PM or email me anytime with questions.
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Tyler
888-308-6007
Feel free to call, PM or email me anytime with questions.
Best regards,
Tyler
888-308-6007
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From: Southampton NJ
Get the Vararam, I have tested it within a 10ft DA difference and gained 5mph and almost 5/10 went from 12.92 to 12.38, those who claim it stops timing being pulled is true as it lowers iat quicker, But and yes their is always one
my car was professionally tuned by the best, before the vararam was added, and i had no tuning since it was added so my iat tables and timing were already tuned, and also i always let my car cool and pushed it to the line, yet i did the same routine with the vararam and seen those gains, set and broke many records with the vararam from that 12.98 to 10.62 with bolt/ons to 10.16 NA and vararam being on the top of the list, install it properly and you will see the performance and no water hydroloc or dirt getting past the filter
my car was professionally tuned by the best, before the vararam was added, and i had no tuning since it was added so my iat tables and timing were already tuned, and also i always let my car cool and pushed it to the line, yet i did the same routine with the vararam and seen those gains, set and broke many records with the vararam from that 12.98 to 10.62 with bolt/ons to 10.16 NA and vararam being on the top of the list, install it properly and you will see the performance and no water hydroloc or dirt getting past the filter
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Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Knoxville TN
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: If you wanna live life on your own terms, you gotta be willing to crash and burn Florida
Get the Vararam, I have tested it within a 10ft DA difference and gained 5mph and almost 5/10 went from 12.92 to 12.38, those who claim it stops timing being pulled is true as it lowers iat quicker, But and yes their is always one my car was professionally tuned by the best, before the vararam was added, and i had no tuning since it was added so my iat tables and timing were already tuned, and also i always let my car cool and pushed it to the line, yet i did the same routine with the vararam and seen those gains, set and broke many records with the vararam from that 12.98 to 10.62 with bolt/ons to 10.16 NA and vararam being on the top of the list, install it properly and you will see the performance and no water hydroloc or dirt getting past the filter
my car was professionally tuned by the best, before the vararam was added, and i had no tuning since it was added so my iat tables and timing were already tuned, and also i always let my car cool and pushed it to the line, yet i did the same routine with the vararam and seen those gains, set and broke many records with the vararam from that 12.98 to 10.62 with bolt/ons to 10.16 NA and vararam being on the top of the list, install it properly and you will see the performance and no water hydroloc or dirt getting past the filter
I love my vararam, it's amazing how it pulls on the highway, especially on a cool night/day
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From: Knoxville TN
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
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OEM air intake and filter will out flow what the Stock engine needs to pull in.
A CAI does not add HP, but retains the HP power instead.
If the car is sitting long enough for the intake to start sucking in hot air from the engine bay (not enough flowing through the engine bay to keep it cool), then the ECM will pull timing so the engine does not have detonation from the hotter air).
Note, your AIT sensor is part of the MAF sensor. I bring this up, since if the engine is not pulling in a lot of cold air to cool the sensor back down, hence the MAF is still in the engine bay cooking heat temps area, the AIT may still read that the air temp is still higher that the actual air being pulled in at initial launch).
So short of ram airing into the intake, just opening the shroud to allow some cooler air in (not enough to cause the surging) works just as well as some of the CAI intakes.
Note, don't get hung up on the ability for the after market system to flow X amount more air. As stated, the OEM intake is already out flowing what the engine needs to start with.
A CAI does not add HP, but retains the HP power instead.
If the car is sitting long enough for the intake to start sucking in hot air from the engine bay (not enough flowing through the engine bay to keep it cool), then the ECM will pull timing so the engine does not have detonation from the hotter air).
Note, your AIT sensor is part of the MAF sensor. I bring this up, since if the engine is not pulling in a lot of cold air to cool the sensor back down, hence the MAF is still in the engine bay cooking heat temps area, the AIT may still read that the air temp is still higher that the actual air being pulled in at initial launch).
So short of ram airing into the intake, just opening the shroud to allow some cooler air in (not enough to cause the surging) works just as well as some of the CAI intakes.
Note, don't get hung up on the ability for the after market system to flow X amount more air. As stated, the OEM intake is already out flowing what the engine needs to start with.
with Dano523. I went with a version of this: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ke-shroud.htmlHere is my HP and TQ graph on a dyno in hot sunny Florida, after several runs. The tuner was very impressed that virtually no timing was being pulled, even though the garage temp was close to 90. I verified that the MAF temp is within a couple degrees of ambient temp when moving, and it takes it while to creep up when sitting idling too, with my Dashlogic device.
Just headers and a tune on an otherwise stock 2011 LS3
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,549
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From: Southampton NJ
with Dano523. I went with a version of this: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ke-shroud.htmlHere is my HP and TQ graph on a dyno in hot sunny Florida, after several runs. The tuner was very impressed that virtually no timing was being pulled, even though the garage temp was close to 90. I verified that the MAF temp is within a couple degrees of ambient temp when moving, and it takes it while to creep up when sitting idling too, with my Dashlogic device.
Just headers and a tune on an otherwise stock 2011 LS3
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,667
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And you have the time slips to prove it too!!