Airaid intake - missing something?

Truck is a 1998 Tahoe and the previous owner installed an Airaid air intake on it...



Are these supposed to have some kind of plenum around the filter? It seems that this current setup would just be drawing in hot engine air, so I'm wondering if it is missing some housing around the filter to connect to the stock air inlet in the sidewall?

If so, I'm tempted to go grab a salvage yard filter box and put it back to stock. Not sure what, if any, performance this thing is really offering.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's how they are, no type of enclosure around the filter. I had one years ago and sold it.

east302 said:

Truck is a 1998 Tahoe and the previous owner installed an Airaid air intake on it...

You must be registered for see images attach

Are these supposed to have some kind of plenum around the filter? It seems that this current setup would just be drawing in hot engine air, so I'm wondering if it is missing some housing around the filter to connect to the stock air inlet in the sidewall?

If so, I'm tempted to go grab a salvage yard filter box and put it back to stock. Not sure what, if any, performance this thing is really offering.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

The performance this is offering is return on investment for the company CEO, and certainly not any performance for the end user. It does suck in hot air, and especially in city drive cycle you will have a noticeable power loss. It also sucks in dust particles.

Do yourself a favor, get a factory air intake from the scrapyard ( it already is a cold air intake ), pulling air from a duct inside the fender that terminates near the passenger side headlamp housing.

Clean the mass airflow sensor while you are in there, but use only spray cleaner designed for MAF cleaning.

Thanks guys. The whole "cold air" aspect really seems to be missing since it is just drawing in engine compartment air.

I also have a 98 Z-71 ex-cab truck with the stock air intake. I did the MPFI update on it, and the throttle response on it is so much better than this Tahoe.

The Tahoe has JBA shorty headers but is a real dog in warm temperatures compared to my truck. And the Tahoe (2 door, 4x4) should, I think, be the lighter vehicle. When it's cold out, it's much better, which is why I was looking into this air intake thing.

Too, the fact that it's taking all day for this airaid filter to dry after cleaning isn't helping its case.

I'll clean off the MAF sensor while I'm thinking about, thanks for the reminder.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you have an OBDII scan tool or a BT adapter and software on a tablet or phone, you can drive both Tahoe and truck back to back and note the inlet air temps on the same day and same drive cycle.

http://bankspower.com/techarticles/show/22-Cool-Air-Equals-Power

Put a stock one with a paper filter on it and be done, nothing to be gained with that one (except more dirt in the motor).

michael hurd said:

If you have an OBDII scan tool or a BT adapter and software on a tablet or phone, you can drive both Tahoe and truck back to back and note the inlet air temps on the same day and same drive cycle.

http://bankspower.com/techarticles/show/22-Cool-Air-Equals-Power

Click to expand...

Good idea, I have a scanner so it'd be interesting to see the difference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

90halfton said:

Put a stock one with a paper filter on it and be done, nothing to be gained with that one (except more dirt in the motor).

Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I can grab a junkyard filter box and be just as good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not sure how meaningful it is, but at idle warmed up the truck (stock air intake) air intake temperature read 81-degrees and the Tahoe (airaid) 92. Ambient temperature was 75.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

east302 said:

Not sure how meaningful it is, but at idle warmed up the truck (stock air intake) air intake temperature read 81-degrees and the Tahoe (airaid) 92. Ambient temperature was 75.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

And that's at zero load... wait until you take it for a burn down the street and pull up to a traffic light, I wouldn't be surprised to see inlet air temps surge over 170F.