Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/150744
PRODUCT SHOWCASE dB POWERCORE The filter box and the air-intake tube are where the biggest design changes occur in aftermarket intake systems. into the engine, the more dense it is, and the more power the engine makes. (That's why intercoolers are used on our diesel pickups.) The common theory among engine builders is for every percent change in the density of the intake air-flow, there's an equal change in the engine power/efficiency: If the air intake is 2-percent cooler, then the engine's capable of making 2-percent more power. Why does an aftermarket coldair intake perform better than the OE intake? Because aftermarket products don't have to meet the corporate constraints placed on the OE's powertrain/engine designers. Ford, Ram and GM have budgets to meet and a number of "consumer" parameters that limit what can be done in the way of maximizing performance. Among those parameters is minimizing interior cab noise to make the trucks sound like the interior of a car. So the OE air intakes have twists, turns and baffles designed in them to reduce the noise from the air intake, and, where applicable, the whine of the turbo spooling up/down. From the cost perspective of the OE, there has to be a balance between "performance" and cost of the product. If the OE can save a few dol- lars – or even e a few cents – on parts like an air filter or air-filter housing without compromising the warranty life cycle, then they can save hundreds of thousands in costs over the life of that vehicle's production. Sure, they can make any engine a huge power maker – but at what cost? And that's the key. Aftermarket manufacturers on the other hand, don't have those types of constraints; if they can make a profit on a cold-air intake that is street legal, flows more cooler air, grabs denser air, and provides better air filtration then off to market they go. That's why one of the very first performance upgrades you see when a new model truck hits the market is – cold-air intakes. They are easy to design and easy to produce. SUPER DUTY HIGH-FLO The K&N High-Flow Intake System for the 2011-13 Ford Super Duty 6.7L Power Stroke adds 12hp over the stock intake. It replaces the stock air box, air filter and intake tube with an all-new intake design that draws air through a K&N High-Flow Air Filter. Filter carries K&N million-mile limited warranty. www.knfilters.com; (800) 858-3333 COLD AIR INTAKES F dB Performance's gas-engine cold-air intakes feature PowerCore Filtration Technology by Donaldson. Intakes are engineered specifically for the application and contain a silicone connector that provides flexibility in the system while maintaining strength and thermal stability. The dB Performance Air Intakes by Corsa are a great performance companion to dB Performance Exhaust systems. www.dbexhaust.com/intakes; (800) 486-0999 S&B DURAMAX S&B Filters kit for the 2012-newer 6.6L Duramax fit perfectly with GM's new design for the LML's induction tube with its second MAF sensor that allows the engine to meet factory parameters without sacrificing airflow. Kit uses S&B's eight-ply cleanable cotton filter and maintains a 41.8-percent increase in airflow over the stock intake. www.sbfilters.com; (800) 358-2639 WHAT TO GAIN When you upgrade the stock air intake with an aftermarket version there are going to be changes. The engine is going to make more power because it's flowing more air, and, hopefully, that air is cooler (denser) that it was factory. Not all cold-air intakes systems are designed equally, so some are better at the task than others. You just have to shop carefully and read the dyno charts and not just the ad hype. Whether or not you can feel AIRAID GM MXP Airaid Filter Company's MXP Series Intake System, which fits the 6.6L Duramax, includes a massive one-piece airbox and intake tube. Kit adds 19hp and 34 foot-pounds of torque in the middle of the rpm curve. Its 1700cfm washable and reusable Premium Air Filter is available with either SynthaFlow composite or our newest SynthaMax Non-Oiled filtration technology. "No-hassle" warranty. www.airaid.com; (800) 498-6951 propickupmag.com PROPICKUP 33 ProPickup_2013BB_Cold Air Intakes.indd 33 8/6/13 9:59 AM