6.2 with afe intake = 36hp!

truckguy82 · January 14, 2017

http://blackbearperformance.com/IntakeTestResults_2016.asp

The blackbear thread has been there for months with no updating so I figured most people don't know they tested them.

Afe intake gave an 8.6% power increase, which comes out to 36hp at the crank. That is nuts. On a stock tune as well, and blackbear also tested the timing to know how safe it is stock.

So whether you're tuned or want to stay stock, and you have a 6.2, $420 or whatever the afe intake costs is crazy cheap per horsepower. It's also very easy to remove and return to stock if your someone holding out because of that. Basically everyone with a 6.2 should go buy one. That's not far off what headers will get you, and they are like 4x the price.

Silver ice 6.2 · January 14, 2017

Wow.... and that's the intake I bought in 2015 cause it looked good to me and it was California carb compliant..

Edited January 14, 2017 by Silver ice 6.2

Dnt · January 14, 2017

36hp from a noisy little CAI??? I wish they had tested a Cold Air Inductions unit I have no way of knowing if it does anything other than make noise LOL. Well it does kinda look cool though with the clear top hahaha

KARNUT · January 14, 2017

I can't imagine any manufacturer choking down their engines that much. With what they go through for fuel and HP gains that's just too easy to fix. I mean the v-4 nonsense gains me about 1 mile per gallon and look at the tec involved in that. Their going to leave that much HP on the table with a poor intake design, don't think so. Five maybe with less filtration.

Dnt · January 14, 2017

Well I do not think anyone could argue that to design a factory intake that masks the air horn effect has to be somewhat restrictive, just a matter of to what degree.

I am now thinking that my Cold Air inductions unit is gaining me +36hp plus my Borla cat back exh about +10hp so looking at 466hp overall yipppppeeeeee hahaha

TJay74 · January 14, 2017

I can't imagine any manufacturer choking down their engines that much. With what they go through for fuel and HP gains that's just too easy to fix. I mean the v-4 nonsense gains me about 1 mile per gallon and look at the tec involved in that. Their going to leave that much HP on the table with a poor intake design, don't think so. Five maybe with less filtration.

Actually the manufactures do leave this much power on the table. The stock airbox is designed for NVH requirements. The .Gov has requirements in how much noise they allow on the intake side and the exhaust side. It has been this way for years now. You are though finally seeing the manufactures get into the CAI intake business as well, GM is starting to offer them thru their performance parts division along with calibration updates as well. Some of the performance vehicles are even coming with the CAI intakes on them as well.

I still find it funny though that people still claim that a CAI will get you nothing at all but noise. It was easy to feel and see that my 6.2 had picked up some power when I swapped the Airaid CAI onto it, it was very noticeable. My plan was to put a set of headers on and get it tuned, but now I am just going to drive it as in the next month or 2 I am going to pick up a new Camaro SS with the 1LE package or go on the hunt for a used C6 ZR1 or a used C7 Z06. I will need mod money for the new toy at that point.

Edited January 14, 2017 by TJay74

truckguy82 · January 14, 2017

I can't imagine any manufacturer choking down their engines that much. With what they go through for fuel and HP gains that's just too easy to fix. I mean the v-4 nonsense gains me about 1 mile per gallon and look at the tec involved in that. Their going to leave that much HP on the table with a poor intake design, don't think so. Five maybe with less filtration.

I hear you, I would completely agree with you normally, but they did a pretty good job testing and it's difficult to deny the results

I actually got into an mild arguement with someone last week on here, he said the intake itself is a big gain, not the intake manifold. I was argueing that's BS, no way an intake makes that much of a difference. I stand corrected, results proven by blackbear.

KARNUT · January 14, 2017

I've owned a few moded a lot more 35HP by just changing the intake not buying it. They manage to make the exhaust quiet with out much restrictions I think they can do it with the air box too.

Actually the manufactures do leave this much power on the table. The stock airbox is designed for NVH requirements. The .Gov has requirements in how much noise they allow on the intake side and the exhaust side. It has been this way for years now. You are though finally seeing the manufactures get into the CAI intake business as well, GM is starting to offer them thru their performance parts division along with calibration updates as well. Some of the performance vehicles are even coming with the CAI intakes on them as well.

SkiDooNick700 · January 14, 2017

Interestingly the aFe website is only showing about half the gains of what BB showed. They used a 5.3L truck though. Maybe the 6.2L has a lot more to be gained from this kind of mod?

KARNUT · January 14, 2017

10-15 is the norm, under perfect conditions theres more to be had. But not much. But I'm not perfect I do read a lot one of the reasons I follow this forum. I do like to play.

truckguy82 · January 14, 2017

Study the results more, you'll believe it

Few things that makes me believe it

-this was a pretty extensive test with a lot of hp effecting variables accounted for

-look at the airaid mit tube, had factors change, like say the transmission fluid was super cold or something during the baseline, you'd think all of the dynos would be higher, but the mit tube is near identical to stock

-look at the torque curve of the dynos, they pretty much indicated there is a big restriction in the airbox itself. They don't increase much torque at all in the lower rpm, and they have big gains up top, very indicative of removing an air restriction

-as we all know, this is the same powerplant as the lt1, so there is clearly power left on the table and until now we've just kinda been guessing where it's going. We've been assuming its the longer intake runners or the exhaust since they typically effect hp more.

-it seems plausible they did create a top end restriction intentionally

Silver ice 6.2 · January 14, 2017

36hp from a noisy little CAI??? I wish they had tested a Cold Air Inductions unit I have no way of knowing if it does anything other than make noise LOL. Well it does kinda look cool though with the clear top hahaha

I agree that is a nice cai... it wasn't availed yet when I bought my afe..

JoeTrahnier · January 14, 2017

I'm guessing there will be similar results overall with the 5.3? Obviously not the same power numbers, but similar rankings with power gains?

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truckguy82 · January 14, 2017

I'm guessing there will be similar results overall with the 5.3? Obviously not the same power numbers, but similar rankings with power gains?

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Who knows

I suppose afe would have the highest probability of being the best

SILVER SLED · January 14, 2017

I'm not buying it, unless these trucks are the only vehicles that respond to a "cold air" intake. If you go to any real performance forum they will all say the same thing, cai's are more for sound, and that's based on hundreds of tests over many years. Like was said earlier, factory intakes and exhausts are not restrictive to what their bolted on to. A 355 hp 5.3 intake and exhaust will flow 355 hp, like wise with a 6.2. Does anybody really think any manufacture would make a 456 hp motor and restrict it to 420 with an intake and by doing so loose gas milaeage at the same time.