Cold air intake

[76zimmer]

2015 Camaro SS 6.2
Buddy hs rhis car and wants a cold ait kit on it.
I’m not up on this game, but looking for some experience here.

I’ve heard…
The high flow filters don't filter as well as a premium paper filter?
Washable, with oil? Seems like an easy way for a novice to mess up a sensor somewhere?
Is there a Real documented performance gain?
Increase in engine intake sound?
Easy to install?
Your experience and thoughts?

 

[max 02]

I know that you can make over 500 hp on a Duramax with the factory filter.

I like the ease of a a clean paper filter.
Change it and be happy.

If you don’t clean or over oil the aftermarket one its asking for trouble.
IMO

Most people just want more noise… kind of like adding stickers.

 

[TerryD]

It's mostly hype. They don't seal to the original air ducting well, if at all so you get hot engine bay air. The equation is ~7.5 degree F rise in inlet temperature is 1% hp lost. Sitting at a stop light sucking in 200 degree air with the unsealed box vs 90 degree air is a pretty significant loss for the entirety of the distance to the next light.

On the topic of oiled filters, even slightly over oiling one can wreak havoc on the MAF sensor as the excess oil coats the measuring elements and prevents them from providing reliable readings. That can foul plugs, cause idle issues, choke off the converters, and all sorts of fun madness. Best avoided.

If they out flow the stock box at all, it's right at redline where the engine spends 0.03% of its time. It's also measured on a dyno with the hood up and several large fans clearing the engine bay of whatever is tested.

An AC Delco paper filter flows the best for the longest as the paper loads with dirt. Watch The Motor Oil Geek's video on air filters. It's long winded but the jist is paper filters begin to filter better as the media loads with dirt and the dirt naturally coagulate due to static.

There is an older article from NICO Club (IIRC) where they test flow rate VS filter loading and the Delco flows the most while filtering the best for the longest till it's overloaded.

If he wants to put performance mods on that actually matter, a set of headers and running mid grade gas to use the entirety of the timing table will get more actual power to the ground.

 

[centexk5]

Skip all that and do an e85 kit and tune or at minimum just do a tune. One of the more popular mods on the 6th gen forums. The cost to benefit on headers on that model aren’t as good as they used to be.

And always run premium gas at the very least.

 

[Polymath]

Modern vehicles all pull air from somewhere other than the hot engine bay already. The entire concept of a "cold air intake" is 100% marketing BS. Even our 1980's squares pulled fresh air from in front of the radiator support with that long arse annoying tube heading to the enclosed filter housing.

And as has been said already, oiled filters are very well known to wreak havoc on sensors. stay away from them.

I bet losing ten pounds has more of an impact on that car's performance than an air filter ever would.

 

[centexk5]

I’ve always read oiled filters are bad but I’ve been running them for 25+ years and have yet to have an issue from them. Even after re-oiling them.

 

[ZooMad75]

I’ve always read oiled filters are bad but I’ve been running them for 25+ years and have yet to have an issue from them. Even after re-oiling them.

If you have been properly oiling the filter, which is to say not saturating it, they work fine. However the average non techy diy type will fog the ever loving crap out of the filter and cause issues.

I’ve seen them come in so soaked in oil the excess dripped off into the box and I could see my own reflection in it. Lo and behold the codes set were all MAF sensor related.

 

[K85 Octane]

They take time to do them right.
Clean
Dry
Oil
Dry
Install with gloves lol

If thats not followed, there might be trouble.
I ditched my K&N on the ATV. Didn't trust it after finding dust in the intake. (Was that my fault ) switched to UNI and never found dust again. Was plenty fast, which is always the goal, to have something faster than what your skills are...to work into. Never mind ATVs can be driven to their MAX, when was the last time a DD was? Hahahaha