# Air Intake



## LiveTrash (May 24, 2015)

So I am putting together a list of things I'd like to do to my car in the spring/summer. One of the things I'd like to do is an air intake. I'm not too savvy with this sort of thing and don't know all the technical terms of everything, so bare with me. I don't just want to replace the filter, I'd like to get rid of that large box that contains the stock filter and the other thing (the resonator I think it's called?) that's also in the air intake piping. I want to take all that out to open it up a bit more and get a bit more of the turbo whine sound out of my good ol' diesel. I took a section of the tubing off already down by the wheel-well to open it up a bit more and I notice a slight difference but would like to know if replacing the entire system with something more open would give me an even better result. I'm not looking for any sort of performance gain from this, but of course if it comes with one (even a small amount), that would be nice. I've read around and it looks like most people want to stay away from the K&N due to the fact they're oil-based filters. From what I gather, AEM intakes have paper filters? Would this be the best way to go? I want to have proper filtration so as little dust/debris gets in as possible.

I noticed the intake/filters sit inside the engine compartment with a sort of barrier around it rather than the stock one taking in air from outside. Does taking in warmer air from the engine compartment have any different effect than the cooler outside air? I also have the Trifecta tune. Would this be the sort of modification that would require a slight re-work of the tune to match the new upgrade?

Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks!


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

Funny enough I just went out to take a video of the K&N to post here.



LiveTrash said:


> I've read around and it looks like most people want to stay away from the K&N due to the fact they're oil-based filters. From what I gather, AEM intakes have paper filters? Would this be the best way to go? I want to have proper filtration so as little dust/debris gets in as possible.


The oil problems are generally far fetched. If I had to hazard a guess the K&N filter is so thin it throws the MAF sensor (closest sensor to filter box) because of turbulence. I haven't had the MAF sensor throw me a code yet, but I also have their 'dry charger' as they call it which is just a bag you wrap around the filter which may help the MAF issues. Any oil you find in the intake is from blow by, not the filter. The amount of oil from blow by dwarfs anything the K&N will ever put out in its life time. If you're really scared you can very gently pat the inside of the filter with a paper towel, just don't remove too much oil.

Having said that, its possible the filter will get clogged on a dusty day or something. If this happens on the highway YOU ARE ****ED with the K&N. Dry filter, give it a bath or air hose it down. Good to go, but you should still replace the entire filter every now and then. In reality I doubt this will ever happen unless a truck full of dirt falls on you.

Now for the factory snorkel and resonator. You will get plenty of sound with it in place. If you hadn't taken out that snorkel I would have recommend leaving the resonator in, else junk will slosh up and get all over that nice insulation. Since you did take out the snorkel, I would put it back . Else it won't make much of a difference if you remove the resonator box or not. I'd recommend leaving it together simply for a cleaner look, I am still punching myself in the face for taking it out.



LiveTrash said:


> I noticed the intake/filters sit inside the engine compartment with a sort of barrier around it rather than the stock one taking in air from outside. Does taking in warmer air from the engine compartment have any different effect than the cooler outside air? I also have the Trifecta tune. Would this be the sort of modification that would require a slight re-work of the tune to match the new upgrade?
> Thanks!


Gas pressure laws. Colder = More oxygen per liter. This means you can have more fuel injected per stroke for what is seemingly (but really isn't) the same amount of air.

Thing is though, the Engine Bay is warm, but not that warm. They compensate slightly with that heat shield, but the difference is minute. This warm air will actually give you LESS power(and thus more MPG). However this decrease in power is dwarfed by the increase you get by removing the restriction of the factory intake.

As for the tune, I never had mine adjusted and I currently use the Trifecta tune. But you can certainly ask, and maybe you should. I'm just afraid they might rig the engine to blow after I disassembled their tune 



LiveTrash said:


> I want to take all that out to open it up a bit more and get a bit more of the turbo whine sound out of my good ol' diesel.


Eh... It won't be that notorious high pitched wine. I'll get that video up soon.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/64-c...iscussion/143674-making-our-cruze-louder.html


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

Eh the video almost give it too much credit. I'll just try to explain it....

So you have the turbo WHOOOOOSHOE
and you have the turbo WHEEEEEEEEEew (whine)

Imagine just having it go whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo until you let off the accelerator and then you get the shoe.
Now if you go WOT and hold 20 to 23 PSI that'll go away and THEN you can hear the whine. But its not much.

Drive to the States and see for yourself


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## LiveTrash (May 24, 2015)

Snipesy said:


> Eh the video almost give it too much credit. I'll just try to explain it....
> 
> So you have the turbo WHOOOOOSHOE
> and you have the turbo WHEEEEEEEEEew (whine)
> ...


If you're going to the Lordstown meet I'll see then ;D


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I don't believe AEM filters are paper. I believe they are a synthetic cotton-like medium that do not require oil.

K&N bought AEM a few years back, but it's nice to see that they let them kind of keep their own line for those who prefer a dry filter over an oiled one. 

And in all of the vehicles I've owned with K&N filters, as well as my parents which have received them (so, the Cav, my Cobalt (at one point), three Fusions, two Pacificas, an Avenger, an E-150 and a Grand Caravan), *NONE* have ever had an issue with an over-oiled filter. This generally happens when someone "recharges" the filter (which I did do on the E-150) and uses far too much oil.


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