best cold air intake?

[kw427]

Air Raid, K&N, AEM, others...what's the consensus?

[kw427]

Air Raid, K&N, AEM, others...what's the consensus?

[Ed G.]

I'd say go with an Airaid M.I.T. and airfilter. I recently put this setup in my H2 and noticed a big difference in performance and an increase of .5 mpg (I've only ran 2 tanks through it). It's the first time that I've bought a cold air system that lived up to its promise.

Ed

[dochummer]

I have the Airaid cold air and the Granatelli MAF sensor. I too noticed a definate difference in performance. I just added the hypertech III and even more performance gains. I'm thinking about switching to the airaid jr. kit. Anybody have a chance to compare the two?

[Fubar]

http://www.volantperformance.com/pdetail.asp?ID=90

Take a look at the Volant. I noticed a big difference after the install of the system with there mass air sensor.
The box is sealed so no water or other crap gets into the intake, unlike the Airaid units. The sealed unit also insures cooler air to the intake because it's not drawing from the engine compartment. It's not really sealed just remove the screws on the top when it's time to change or service the filter.

Before I get slammed I'm not putting down the Airaid units. It's just my personal choice to have stayed away from them.

[timgco]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Fubar00:
http://www.volantperformance.com/pdetail.asp?ID=90

Take a look at the Volant. I noticed a big difference after the install of the system with there mass air sensor.
The box is sealed so no water or other crap gets into the intake, unlike the Airaid units. The sealed unit also insures cooler air to the intake because it's not drawing from the engine compartment. It's not really sealed just remove the screws on the top when it's time to change or service the filter.

Before I get slammed I'm not putting down the Airaid units. It's just my personal choice to have stayed away from them. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm leaning towards to Volant also. i have the K & N kit on my Tahow ehn i had it. Every time you step on the gas, that's all you would hear and I had exhaust done too. The Volant being sealed, I think would be better for the off roaders too.

[Ed G.]

Just to clear up my first post, I kept the factory air box, so it's sealed, and added the Airaid Modular Intake Tube and the Airaid stock filter replacement. It's a great setup at a good price, much cheaper than the Volant.

Ed

[dochummer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ed G.:
Just to clear up my first post, I kept the factory air box, so it's sealed, and added the Airaid Modular Intake Tube and the Airaid stock filter replacement. It's a great setup at a good price, much cheaper than the Volant.

Ed </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have the granatelli sensor, so I think i'll just change out the open cold air intake and replace it with what you've got Ed. I take it offroad quite a bit so I want to make sure I keep the h20 out as much as possible.

[Fubar]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by timgco:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Fubar00:
http://www.volantperformance.com/pdetail.asp?ID=90

Take a look at the Volant. I noticed a big difference after the install of the system with there mass air sensor.
The box is sealed so no water or other crap gets into the intake, unlike the Airaid units. The sealed unit also insures cooler air to the intake because it's not drawing from the engine compartment. It's not really sealed just remove the screws on the top when it's time to change or service the filter.

Before I get slammed I'm not putting down the Airaid units. It's just my personal choice to have stayed away from them. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm leaning towards to Volant also. i have the K & N kit on my Tahow ehn i had it. Every time you step on the gas, that's all you would hear and I had exhaust done too. The Volant being sealed, I think would be better for the off roaders too. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Tim,
As others have pointed out the Volant is not the cheapest unit but in my opinion it is one of the best units available.

In response to keeping the stock box and changing out the just the tube. This might work if you don't mind the filter bouncing around inside the stock unit. There is nothing to mount it to and so air can bypass the filter and enter the intake tube directly unfiltered.

re: the noise you here during acceleration : Some of the noise, no make that most of the noise you here when you accelerate is being caused by the stock fan attached to the front of the motor. Switching to electric fans would solve the noise issue but brings its own issues.

I should have my rig back today and I'll call ya so you can here the difference. I have no plans of doing any deep water crossings so blowing out the fans is not a concern for me. I can always pull the power lead to the fan if I do encounter deep water that needs to be dealt with.

[KenP]

Fubar: Be careful of the electric fans. hitting deep water will shred them. That's a fact, it happened to me.

kw427: Several times I have seen residue of water/mud/sand in my stock airbox. Water does get up there so keep that in mind if you plan on getting Nasty with your truck.

[Ed G.]

Fubar00,

What holds the stock filter in the stock airbox? Hint, it's the same thing that holds the Airaid in the stock box. So I guess if the Airaid is "bouncing around" letting air bypass the filter then the stock filter is doing the same.

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ed G.:
Just to clear up my first post, I kept the factory air box, so it's sealed, and added the Airaid Modular Intake Tube and the Airaid stock filter replacement. It's a great setup at a good price, much cheaper than the Volant. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Just to make this all a little more clear. I have the same setup as Ed says here with exception that I also have the Granatelli Mass Air Flow sensor installed as well.

GM engineers spent a lot of time and money trying to tame the sound down from the intake upon moderate to hard acceleration. Thats why the stock intake tube looks like something out of a science fiction film. The extra chambers lower the resonate noise the intake creates. When you replace the intake tube with a straight tube, like the Airaid MIT that both Ed and I have, you do away with this noise lowering feature. Of course, the H2 comes with a standard clutched fan assembly, so the fan is not always the source of the noise since the fan is not engaged all of the time.

As far as the comment of the Airaid filter "bouncing around in the stock box," I have no idea where this intellectual vandalism is coming from. As Ed says, the Airaid filter mounts just like the stock filter, so there are no filtering issues as suggested.

The Airaid MIT also allows you to easily add the throttle body spacer without worrying about spacing due to the fan. I have not added this yet, but figured what the hell, I added the other stuff to the intake and I might as well do this also. It's another one of the many things on a shelf somewhere in my shop ready to be installed that I just haven't gotten to yet.

[dochummer]

How much louder are we talking about with the MIT tube? I currently have the cold air intake, and really haven't noticed a difference in noise level...I'm thinking about adding the MIT.

[PARAGON]

The extra sound is really upon moderate to hard acceleration. It's more of a vibratory sound than the rumble type sound you get from the exhaust note.

I can't really say it's sound more than it really being vibration. It is low frequency resonance that is happening. The reason, as I said earlier, is because of the stock tube's chambers but the theory on the MIT is that it smooths the airflow to the intake. Much like mandrel bending has done for the exhaust market. The stock tube supposedly has more air disturbance to it with these chambers added.

Adding the MIT does open up a little space on the front PS of the engine compartment though.

[Fubar]

As far as the comment of the Airaid filter "bouncing around in the stock box," I have no idea where this intellectual vandalism is coming from. As Ed says, the Airaid filter mounts just like the stock filter, so there are no filtering issues as suggested.

++++++++++

In my own defense:
I didn't know that Airaid had a stock oem filter replacement that would fit within the stock H2's air box. I thought the only thing available was the one shaped like a cone. (which if placed into the stock box would roll around)
Sorry I'll crawl back under my rock and do a little research before opening my pie hole.