K&N FIPK...no good?

FDNY-Denali · September 27, 2004

Hey guys. I recently installed a K&N FIPK system in my 04 Denali and I'm impressed. Prior to my Denali, I had an '02 Avalanche. Pretty much the same space under the hood and similar engine setup. Anyway, I had the K&N in my Avalanche and it performed well. Made a nice difference in sound and power. when I got rid of my Avalanche, I took the K&N system out, cleaned with the recharger kit and installed in my new Denali and it feels sort of slugish. When it was stock, I would punch it and I would get thrown back in to my seat. It would really pull, but now that I have the K&N installed, I don't get the same performance out of it. It sounds reall cool and real throaty. I don't even want to change the exhaust because it sounds so good.

Do you think I'm getting too much air? I don't think the design of the '02 differs from the '04? I mean, it fits perfect.

Thanks for the help ahead of time.

Draphty · September 27, 2004

I'd give it a little time for the computer to learn the new air flow...Did you disconnect the battery to clear the memory? That will probably make it learn a little faster.

awdvkd · September 27, 2004

Did you try cleaning the mass air flow sensor. If you over oil it, it can get oil on it and cause some strange things. Just a suggestion.

FDNY-Denali · September 27, 2004

Thanks alot fella's. I'll give both those tips a try. I didn't disconect the battery. I didn't think I had to do that? I'll try it.

TarheelZ · September 28, 2004

FDNY: I don't know if it's necessary on the '04 trucks, but I have a '00 Sierra and my understanding is that whenever the battery is disconnected, you're supposed to run the 'idle learn procedure' which prevents rough idle afterwards.

Here's a link to a thread about this. If you scroll down to about the 3rd post (from RedZ-71), this is explained further.

Good luck!

02denali · September 28, 2004

you dont have to do the relearn unless you change pcm's. clean that mass air sensor. then remove the neg cable and then put it back together. she will be fine.

GMCSierra04 · October 1, 2004

Removing the negative cable on an OBD II car does not do anything but delate the KAM. So now it has to re-learn everything again the next time you start it up instaed of just one new thing. All you need to do is just clean the MAF sensor and just drive around and the PCM will adjust the STFT and LTFT for the added air going into the engine. To reset fuel trims you need a Tech II scanner or a well equiped OBD II scanner to actually start playing with settings.

michigan2500hd · October 2, 2004

For some reason they are starting to tell people w/ the 6.0's to disconect both cables over night. Had similar problem w/ a flowmaster muffler install. Took both cables off over night and most of the next day, and it did the trick.

mikez · October 8, 2004

I have a 2003 GMC Sierra ECSB Z71 with the 5.3L. I also had a K&N FIPK on mine

since in was practically brand new. I have JBA headers and Corsa catback exhaust also. My truck has about 19000 mis. and I kept thinking that eventually it would learn and run better but it didn't. I ended up taking the FIPK off and it runs better with the stock airbox. I think that it has something to do with the electronically controlled throttle body due to torque management. I read somewhere that torque management actually closes the throttle blade when the computer senses that the engine is runing harder than GM wants it to. Personally I think that it sucks because I had the same FIPK on a 2000 truck that I had just like the one that I have now and it made a big difference. That truck had the cable actuated throttle body. On my 2003 when I gave it throttle it just made a loud moaning sound like it was trying to get more air but just not making any power. So it makes sense that the throttle blade was probably closing. I don't like the electronic throttle body because it does not have power like my 2000 had. However, I've been reading about the Wester's tuning and it sounds like that is what my truck needs.