Cold Air Intake Independent Testing Results by Jannetty Racing

[Batmanntexas]

Ted,

What would you recommend for a 2012 LS3 car w/Whipple, that still utilizes the stock airbox w/drop-in K&N filter? I'd assume that most any CAI would be a benefit over the stock box. Also, would the race scoop still be effective? Any clearance issues with the heat exchanger?

Thanks,
Scott

[JANNETTYRACING]

Originally Posted by Batmanntexas

Ted,

What would you recommend for a 2012 LS3 car w/Whipple, that still utilizes the stock airbox w/drop-in K&N filter? I'd assume that most any CAI would be a benefit over the stock box. Also, would the race scoop still be effective? Any clearance issues with the heat exchanger?

Thanks,
Scott

CAI makes a specific Whipple cold air kit that we use in all of our builds it is AWESOME and I stock them because of it.

Our Scoop makes it that much better.

Ted.

[Pro-tuned]

Thanks to Ted, I can confirm CAI with Whipple and yes it works great! I would pay strict attention to MAF position, needs to be at 12 o’clock. I have had misfiring under boost when it wasn’t. I would get the scoop too!

[Ray1le]

This is great, confirmed I made the right decision with cold air inductions. Is there anything like this for headers? I am trying to make my decision on headers without breaking the bank. BBK long tubes seem to be a mid priced header with a decent name. Is it justified to pay double the price for say kooks or texas speed? is there a significant power increase difference or is it more quality.

[JANNETTYRACING]

Originally Posted by Ray1le

This is great, confirmed I made the right decision with cold air inductions. Is there anything like this for headers? I am trying to make my decision on headers without breaking the bank. BBK long tubes seem to be a mid priced header with a decent name. Is it justified to pay double the price for say kooks or texas speed? is there a significant power increase difference or is it more quality.

Our price point High quality header option is Stainless Power we stock them Coated with silver ceramic coating inside and out.

The fit finish and quality is very good at this price level about in the middle of the market.

Ted.

[pyroguy]

Originally Posted by Ray1le

This is great, confirmed I made the right decision with cold air inductions. Is there anything like this for headers? I am trying to make my decision on headers without breaking the bank. BBK long tubes seem to be a mid priced header with a decent name. Is it justified to pay double the price for say kooks or texas speed? is there a significant power increase difference or is it more quality.

If you're looking mid range header price go with Ted's recommendation of Stainless Power. Kooks will run you much more than Texas Speed and while I run Kooks and love them, Stainless Power is a good quality header that is easier on the pocket book. They're the Stainless Works knock offs now owned by Stainless Works so that the product is a higher quality product. With ceramic coating in stock, it's hard to pass on a quality header like that, and yes ceramic coating your headers is absolutely worth the extra cost.

[Greenhornet2]

I used speed engineering 1 7/8th. Cheap, had to dimple one tube on the passenger side. Jannetty with ceramic coat them for a fair price when i get them off again. Headers were $350 i think. The cost them for around $300 if i remember correctly.

[JANNETTYRACING]

This needs to be bumped hidden too long

[el ess A]

Wow. This thread brought back memories. First tests were posted a week before our 2010 was dropped off at the dealer. I thought it was great timing, and maybe even an omen! I was impressed with Ted's thoroughness on the testing, and while you can't simulate every instance of road performance on a dyno, these tests, I feel, were as close as you're going to get to actual on-the-road conditions. It's tough to do automotive scientific research without a gazillion dollars.

Thanks, Ted for all you have done for the Camaro community. Not just for these tests but all of the advice and work you've done supporting the community.

What ever happened to the New Era Performance ones? It seems like they don't even exist anymore except for if someone has one in their garage. I guess time moves on to the next new thing. I know some were gushing over the New Era OTR, but IIRC in 2010, Motortrend did similar testing where New Era came up dead last in the pack, although the IAT's dropped pretty drastically.

Interesting the CAI "starter kit" systems for 5th gens V8s are on sale atm for $399 from CAI. Considering their pricing at the start of all this with inflation, it's a pretty good deal actually.

Initially had a non-tune vararam on the 2010 because someone was selling theirs, and it was a great deal on it so why not try it? Kind of a PITA to install it correctly, but it was just ok. Not all that and a bag of chips. I ended up with a GM Z/28 intake on the 2010 because I wanted more of a GM-did-this look along with my GM parts discount. Put a CAI on the ZL1. Since they're both rock stock drive trains otherwise, plenty pleased with both choices. The CAI was just a hair tight on clearance with the factory wiring routing near the box and pipe connection, but nothing insurmountable. Easy install, too.

[hesster]

Def a great thread.
I run CAI's on both of my Camaros. I feel they are one of the best Intake Box's out there, and don't rely on sealing to the hood. Fresh cool external intake Air is the way to go.

The Blown 2ss has the remote duct option, and I took extra measures to seal it up better, and added insulation to help with thermal underhood soak. Blowers do not like any extra heat.

The TA Conversion is modified and sealed so it pulls all of the Air from the back of the Shaker Scoop, which activates the Flapper Door.

Both have internal LED's to show them off, and if Ted had tested that it would be good for another ~5 Hp I imagine.

[TheBrightSide]

Originally Posted by hesster

Def a great thread.
I run CAI's on both of my Camaros. I feel they are one of the best Intake Box's out there, and don't rely on sealing to the hood. Fresh cool external intake Air is the way to go.

The Blown 2ss has the remote duct option, and I took extra measures to seal it up better, and added insulation to help with thermal underhood soak. Blowers do not like any extra heat.

The TA Conversion is modified and sealed so it pulls all of the Air from the back of the Shaker Scoop, which activates the Flapper Door.

Both have internal LED's to show them off, and if Ted had tested that it would be good for another ~5 Hp I imagine.

That’s a super nice way to feed fresh air to your intake element, for sure. I actually thought the 5th gen Camaro’s had kinda bad placement for their stock airbox routing (not the actual intake piping and airbox itself). I get that it’s pretty much due to the engine bay setup, so I’m not complaining a ton, especially with how much power and torque the car/engine can make without a cold air intake (and other “minor” bolt-on mods)…

I planned on installing the intake air duct underneath the front end, from Phastek, but never got around to it. Apparently, it supplies so much extra air, that it’s thrown a CEL for some folks’ car setups. That’s probably one of the few ways to get extra air routed up to the 5th gen Camaro V8’s, aside from some other kind of custom remote air routing.

I never even bothered running most aftermarket cold air intakes, as I thought it wouldn’t do a whole lot. I just got an Airaid modular intake tube, to get rid of the wonky-flowing stock air intake tube. Then, I installed a K&N drop-in “high flow” air filter into the stock air box. I’ve since only cleaned the air filter like twice, and I don’t mind tossing the stock paper air filter in there, while my high flow washable filters dry from getting washed. I’ve since then only ran like two other intakes, with them being the Volant/Corsair intake, and the aFe Momentum intake; both with fairly nice filter elements, and a nice shroud/enclosure.

[hesster]

Yep, sealing up the CAI Box better and adding the remote duct is the way to go, otherwise you are still sucking some hot Engine Compartment Air into the box - it just follows the path of least resistence. And also getting the Washer Bottle out of the CAI Box, that makes no sense with it in there taking up real estate. Installation is not a easy job, but it is worth it.