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i have a 2000 c5 6spd. (31k original mis) that the previous owner tells me had a cold air intake on it. It was replaced with the stock unit to pass visual smog inspection when I bought it and no problems. I have the cold air intake (pair of big ole lungs) and wondered if putting them back on would really increase Hp and maybe change exhaust note. The only other mods are Borla cat back exhaust.
Thanks for any thoughts.
I gained 18whp from installing a cold air and a LS6 intake. I did them both at the same time so I can’t say for sure what the gain from the cai actually was.
18 whp Nice! Would be worth putting cai back but no ls6 intake so can't expect that gain. Maybe some though. And little throatier exhaust might be nice as it pretty quite now.
Thanks for letting me know! Appreciate it.
I have and highly recommend the Callaway Honker intake. It has a factory look and always pulls air from in front of the radiator so the air being sucked in is a cool as it can be. You do have to cut a square hole in the radiator shroud but a template is included. Most other air intakes pull from the engine compartment (except for the Vararam) and so once the car heats up, hot air is pulled in.
A guy posted dyno sheets before and after (on a c5z) of 13whp from nothing but the zip-tie mod.
Safe to say your K&N will get you 8-10~whp at MINIMUM(this is assuming its equal to, or better than the zip-tie mod) and probably pick up a little gas mileage (noticeable if you have very repetitive driving and keep your foot out of it)
Change exhaust note? No
Considering it takes 10 minutes to install, it isn't worth much used, and you already have it for free, I'd say its well worth putting it back on, even if you have to remove it once a year.
I have and highly recommend the Callaway Honker intake. It has a factory look and always pulls air from in front of the radiator so the air being sucked in is a cool as it can be. You do have to cut a square hole in the radiator shroud but a template is included. Most other air intakes pull from the engine compartment (except for the Vararam) and so once the car heats up, hot air is pulled in.
Nice looking unit. Might even pass visual smog inspection. Mine has 2 large open cone type filters that obviously aren't stock. I think I'll try the one I have for now and if noticeable improvement may look into the Calloway.
Thanks!
A guy posted dyno sheets before and after (on a c5z) of 13whp from nothing but the zip-tie mod.
Safe to say your K&N will get you 8-10~whp at MINIMUM(this is assuming its equal to, or better than the zip-tie mod) and probably pick up a little gas mileage (noticeable if you have very repetitive driving and keep your foot out of it)
Change exhaust note? No
Considering it takes 10 minutes to install, it isn't worth much used, and you already have it for free, I'd say its well worth putting it back on, even if you have to remove it once a year.
I will note, if you plan on driving your car in the rain, make sure theres a seal at the front of your hood to ensure no water passing through and into your intake. $10 thick strip from a local parts house will work just fine. If you arent driving in the rain, it won't be an issue anyways, but I'm just giving you the warning.
It would take a terrential downpour and you driving in it wide open to even think about sucking up enough water that would bother anything
Below is a stolen google image of where/how to install it, pretty self explanatory. There's guides on the forum as well
I will note, if you plan on driving your car in the rain, make sure theres a seal at the front of your hood to ensure no water passing through and into your intake. $10 thick strip from a local parts house will work just fine. If you arent driving in the rain, it won't be an issue anyways, but I'm just giving you the warning.
It would take a terrential downpour and you driving in it wide open to even think about sucking up enough water that would bother anything
Below is a stolen google image of where/how to install it, pretty self explanatory. There's guides on the forum as well
Thanks for the heads up. I did read about that somewhere so i ordered and received the front hood seal strip, it was only like 10 bucks. That issue was one reason I hesitated to go back to the cai. I don't drive it in the rain usually but got caught in it once on freeway and thought how messed up it would be for those 2 big exposed cone filters to get wet and start suckin water into the engine! Quick job so probably go for it just to see if there is a noticeable difference. if not back to stock. The thing runs GREAT as it is. But but always want a little more..you probably know how that goes. Do appreciate that important heads up. If I knew nothing about it and put the cai back without weather strip and damaged engine in rain when those big exposed'd cone filters got wet and started sucking water it could ruin your day, month, engine and wallet.
Thanks again.
PS
To zip tie mod folks i would think the same issues would apply.
Thanks for the heads up. I did read about that somewhere so i ordered and received the front hood seal strip, it was only like 10 bucks. That issue was one reason I hesitated to go back to the cai. I don't drive it in the rain usually but got caught in it once on freeway and thought how messed up it would be for those 2 big exposed cone filters to get wet and start suckin water into the engine! Quick job so probably go for it just to see if there is a noticeable difference. if not back to stock. The thing runs GREAT as it is. But but always want a little more..you probably know how that goes. Do appreciate that important heads up. If I knew nothing about it and put the cai back without weather strip and damaged engine in rain when those big exposed'd cone filters got wet and started sucking water it could ruin your day, month, engine and wallet.
Thanks again.
PS
To zip tie mod folks i would think the same issues would apply.
Honestly, The KN filters do a bit for keeping water out. It would take a terrential downpour and alot of water going straight into them to do any REAL harm, and with the location of where they sit, it makes it hard for water to get sucked up into them anyways.
Getting stuck in light showers with no weather strip wouldnt be a big deal.. getting stuck an hour from home in a heavy storm would suck.
Run the weatherstripping (it keeps dirt from getting in to the engine bay as well so it will help keep things cleaner), install the intake, and forget about it
Honestly, The KN filters do a bit for keeping water out. It would take a terrential downpour and alot of water going straight into them to do any REAL harm, and with the location of where they sit, it makes it hard for water to get sucked up into them anyways.
Getting stuck in light showers with no weather strip wouldnt be a big deal.. getting stuck an hour from home in a heavy storm would suck.
Run the weatherstripping (it keeps dirt from getting in to the engine bay as well so it will help keep things cleaner), install the intake, and forget about it
Good advice. Not K&N though. Unit says "C5 Pro cold by Pro Dyno" 18 years ago unit. Wish i could figure out how to upload photo (rookie) so could see. Looks like a downtube that branches out left and right with 2 big cone filters at each end that would sit in front of radiator where stock unit was.
As said if you already got one try it....wouldnt spend $on a CAI expecting to feel much of anything.
Rain is not going to do anything to your engine, youd have to drive through standing water fairly deep to worry about that.
Ive never felt any difference on a CAI, air filter etc no matter what the car, felt its a waste of money.
Don’t follow dyno numbers. My car picked up no hp installing a vararam, but dropped 3 tenths and gained 3mps in the 1/4 mile. A ported stock tb and ls6 intake only gained me 3rwhp, but I dropped another 1-2 tenths. You could definitely feel the gains with vararam. Raced a stage three roush when I was stock and nosed him by a fender from a 40 roll. Ran the same car after vararam and put a few cars on him. Driver mod helped me drop the most time and hurt a lot of higer hp cars feelings
Nice looking unit. Might even pass visual smog inspection. Mine has 2 large open cone type filters that obviously aren't stock. I think I'll try the one I have for now and if noticeable improvement may look into the Calloway.
Thanks!
07-27-2018, 03:05 PM
cold air intake hp gains?
