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Looking to replace my air filter (or air box) with a high performance item. I know Chevy sells one around $450, but have not heard many good things about it. Someone also told me that I just should replace the stock filter with the blue aftermarket one and should pick up a few horse and lets the engine breathes easier. Any thoughts?
AFE seems to be the most popular and the one I would have bought if I didn’t get a steal on a used xpipe and an intake . So I have a Holley Intech, looks stock but definitely picked up some air (my fuel trims went lean after install). Halltech is also popular. Some folks swear by vararam too but I don’t like the construction of it compared to the others (just personal opinion). I know some folks just change the filter but I wouldn’t see how that would pick up as much as an actual aftermarket intake. The intakes get rid of a lot of the noise reduction piping and have a larger diameter in most spots than the stock intake piping. You will hear your filter suck air in after the install if you rev with windows down.
Your fuel trims will go lean but your computer will compensate. You don’t need a tune after install but it certainly helps. I paid $125 used for a cheap used i2 from Diablosport and use their 91 or 93 octane AFE tune.
There are scads of threads here addressing every C7 air-filter available, with pros and cons. There are not many hp to get from just a filter change... any filter change.
Also, if you opt for a tune to gain a few more hp, you can kiss your warranty good-bye, if still relevant.
For a complete intake, get the AFE system. For just a drop-in replacement retaining the factory intake pipe and air box look at the Attack Blue.
I've had my AFE intake system installed for almost 5 years and over 30k miles now. Diablo also offers a canned tune specifically designed for the AFE intake as well. I used both and never once had any issues with warranty claims or my servicing dealer.
i went from that BMS filter with the Mamo ported tb to the Hallteck carbon intake and I’ll tell ya, that thing really woke my car up!!!! After I installed the Halltech I disconnected my battery for 10min hoping it would reset things when I started it up. I’ve been WOT many times without a CEL knock on wood. I was thinking of deleting my mufflers to get a little more sound out of the exhaust but don’t want to press my luck with throwing a CEL. I know the carbon one is expensive but if the RZ is anything like the carbon, I’d definitely get one of those. They say you pick up 50whp and 45trq with this thing and it sure feels like you do.
From what I have read, unless you have a supercharged C7, a $500 cold air intake does very little more than a $70 drop in free flow air filter in the stock air box. Not worth the money on a LT1.
Instead get a free flow drop in air filter (I LIKE THE “GREEN BRAND” ONE) and have your throttle body polished and ported by Mike at Soler Engineering and get he’s throttle controller too for less than the cost a cold air intake. Hugh improvement!
I ended up going with the GM unit. I find it hard to believe GM left 40hp in a plastic tube. I think the GM box or a better filter is the answer. I think to increase HP you would need to change where car brings air in... all boxes pull through same little hole in fender ..
I ended up going with the GM unit. I find it hard to believe GM left 40hp in a plastic tube. I think the GM box or a better filter is the answer. I think to increase HP you would need to change where car brings air in... all boxes pull through same little hole in fender ..
Tadge explained it in the ASK TADGE section. Everything that is on the car probably has the most hp extracted out of it. That does not mean it’s the best or there isn’t one out there that performs better. There’s certain guidelines and specs that GM’s intakes have to meet. So although the stock intake performs as it should, that doesn’t mean it flows the most air or outperforms a aftermarket one. So in the case of the Halltech, yes, GM left that much power “on the table”. I will tell you why. GM runs their cars through torrential rains and flooded roads which the intake ingest water. Too much water and you hydrolock your engine. The Halltech ingest’s a LOT more air than the stock intake design. Do you kinda understand now? GM is looking for longevity and to protect their engine. Not saying the Halltech isn’t safe but I’d feel a lot safer driving in the rain or driving through a flooded road with the stock intake than the Halltech. Are most people gonna drive their cars through flooded roads or in torrential down pours? No probably not BUT GM HAS to consider this AND have the intake PASS this test where the Halltech only needs to optimize airflow
Last edited by Jason900rr; Aug 13, 2019 at 07:59 AM.
Looking to replace my air filter (or air box) with a high performance item. I know Chevy sells one around $450, but have not heard many good things about it. Someone also told me that I just should replace the stock filter with the blue aftermarket one and should pick up a few horse and lets the engine breathes easier. Any thoughts?
I have a brand new, never installed Vararam TCR with their grey ish colored air filter, as well as a 'Green' brand/green colored filter for sale. Everything for $200 plus shipping. PM me if interested.
HP air filter
